I will be going over the main tools that an HVAC technician will need to service units, and replace air conditioning systems. Before I get into these tools the one thing you must have is an EPA 608 certification, as it is against the law to handle refrigerant or work on a air conditioning system without one.
You will need a pair of gauges for testing refrigerant pressures, charging units, and recovering Freon from HVAC units. For residential units your gauges should be able to read the pressures of r-12, r-22, and r-502. Three hoses and a low pressure gauge, high pressure gauge, and the manifold will make up the gauge set.
When replacing a condensing unit you will need a place to store the old refrigerant, this is where the recovery tank comes into place. Recovery tanks are gray with a yellow top, and they are used to store refrigerant.
In order to transfer the refrigerant from old HVAC system to the recovery tank you will need a recovery machine. They are not cheap but they are needed to properly transfer the refrigerant to the recovery tank, they can also be used to move the refrigerant from the tank back into the new air conditioning system.
A good pair of copper cutters will be necessary to cut the copper piping once the refrigerant is removed from the old system. Dont worry, they are pretty cheap to buy. Then you will need to reattach the piping to the new system by means of soldering.
HVAC torches are also expensive but they are needed to solder copper lines together. The set up consists of an oxygen tank, a gas tank, hoses, and various regulators and other types of fittings. An inspection mirror, a rag, and sandpaper are some good items to keep in your torch tank set up.
Now that you have the pipes soldered together, we have to remove all of the non condensable gases, and also make sure that the system is air tight. We can do this by using a vacuum pump, which is hooked up through your HVAC gauges. Vacuum pumps are not cheap but are very necessary to have.
A few other tools that an HVAC technician will want to have are a leak detector of some sort. Also a thermostat, a voltage meter, swag tool, and various types of copper fittings to make the soldering process easier.
There are many other HVAC tools that you will need but these are the essential ones you will be using the most especially if you are replacing entire systems. These are also the most expensive of the tools you will need so it would be best to get these first and get them out of the way, the other tools needed are cheaper and will not be used as much.
You will need a pair of gauges for testing refrigerant pressures, charging units, and recovering Freon from HVAC units. For residential units your gauges should be able to read the pressures of r-12, r-22, and r-502. Three hoses and a low pressure gauge, high pressure gauge, and the manifold will make up the gauge set.
When replacing a condensing unit you will need a place to store the old refrigerant, this is where the recovery tank comes into place. Recovery tanks are gray with a yellow top, and they are used to store refrigerant.
In order to transfer the refrigerant from old HVAC system to the recovery tank you will need a recovery machine. They are not cheap but they are needed to properly transfer the refrigerant to the recovery tank, they can also be used to move the refrigerant from the tank back into the new air conditioning system.
A good pair of copper cutters will be necessary to cut the copper piping once the refrigerant is removed from the old system. Dont worry, they are pretty cheap to buy. Then you will need to reattach the piping to the new system by means of soldering.
HVAC torches are also expensive but they are needed to solder copper lines together. The set up consists of an oxygen tank, a gas tank, hoses, and various regulators and other types of fittings. An inspection mirror, a rag, and sandpaper are some good items to keep in your torch tank set up.
Now that you have the pipes soldered together, we have to remove all of the non condensable gases, and also make sure that the system is air tight. We can do this by using a vacuum pump, which is hooked up through your HVAC gauges. Vacuum pumps are not cheap but are very necessary to have.
A few other tools that an HVAC technician will want to have are a leak detector of some sort. Also a thermostat, a voltage meter, swag tool, and various types of copper fittings to make the soldering process easier.
There are many other HVAC tools that you will need but these are the essential ones you will be using the most especially if you are replacing entire systems. These are also the most expensive of the tools you will need so it would be best to get these first and get them out of the way, the other tools needed are cheaper and will not be used as much.
About the Author:
The author has been servicing A/C and heating systems for over 20 years. If you want some more detailed information on HVAC Tools then you can visit his website. HVAC For Beginners
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