Guidance, Tools and Training

for Refrigerant Containment

Refrigerant Emissions and Leakage GN 2 ‐ 2015

13 most
common
leaks

REAL Zero builds on the F Gas Regulation requirements with

good practice recommendations. Recently revised and updated,
the programme provides free e‐learning & downloads covering:

1: Good leak testing

2: 13 most common leaks
3: Designing out leaks
4: Leakage matters: for service and maintenance contractors
5: Leakage matters: for equipment owners

Now with optional Institute of Refrigeration CPD assessment and

certification.

13 most common leaks August 2015 www.realzero.org.uk

1
 Guide to 13
common leaks
REAL Zero and REAL Skills Europe (Refrigerant Emissions and
Leakage) are projects that offer practical assistance to everyone
involved in purchasing, designing, installing, servicing, maintaining
and owning refrigeration, air conditioning or heat pump equipment, to help them
reduce leaks.

This Guidance Note is one of a series of publications developed by the project teams
in the UK and Europe. Also available are a Carbon Emissions/ Cost Calculators and
Refrigerant use and Emissions tracking spreadsheets. The five guidance notes
support an e-learning and CPD certification programme available at
www.realzero.org.uk

Refrigeration and air conditioning (and heat pump) service and maintenance
engineers can have a significant impact on refrigerant leakage.

 Good service and maintenance reduces current leaks and leakage potential.
 Inadequate service and maintenance can increase the risk of leakage and hence
increase the environmental impact of RAC systems.

To make your service and maintenance more effective in reducing leaks it helps to
know the most common leak points – here are the top 13. The causes of leaks at
each point are explained as is, more importantly, how they can be avoided. For more
details about leakage reduction, see the Guide to good leak testing.

1. Shut-off and ball valves Page 2

2. Schrader valves Page 2
3. Flare joints Page 2
4. Mechanical joints and flanges Page 3
5. Pressure relief valves and fusible plugs Page 3
6. Shaft seals Page 4
7. Condensers Page 4
8. Line tap valves Page 5
9. Pressure switches Page 6
10. O rings Page 6
11. Capillary tubes Page 7
12. Return bends on evaporators and condensers Page 7
13. Condensate tray pipework Page 8

This document is based on information and legislation current at date of publication. The Institute of
Refrigeration and REAL Skills Europe partners accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions.
Originally published in June 2011. Revised August 2015 © IOR all rights reserved

13 most common leaks August 2015 1

 Leak point Likely causes Solutions

1. Shut-off and ball valves  Wear of the  Ensure that the gland
packing gland is tightened (but not
between the over-tightened)
valve body and
 Wrap the valve with a
spindle shaft
damp rag while
as it becomes
brazing.
compacted
with age and
use.
 Overheating
during
installation. Always cap valves
 Caps not fitted. – most leaks occur
at uncapped valves.

2. Schrader valves Likely causes Solutions

 Valve cores  Remove the core
damaged when brazing the
during brazing. fitting in; ensure the
 The cores not valve body has cooled
tightened before replacing the
correctly during core.
replacement.  Use the correct tool to
 Deterioration of replace / tighten the
internal seals core.
over time.  Ensure the cap is
 Caps not fitted fitted and has a seal
or have no O- (in good condition) in
ring seal. place.

3. Flare joints Likely causes Solutions

 Loosening of Where possible, avoid
the flare nut using flare connections. If
due to thermal they cannot be avoided:
expansion /  Use flare solder
contraction due adaptors (factory
to a wide produce flares).
temperature Ensure the copper
variation, seal is located
especially correctly.
those at the  If you have to make a
outlet of flare, cut the pipe work
expansion with a pipe cutter and
valves. de-burr using the
 Poor joint correct tool. Use an
preparation eccentric flaring tool
(causing and ensure the correct
leakage from length of pipe is

13 most common leaks August 2015 2

 Flare joints continued.. initial protruding through
installation). your flaring block.
 Over  Check the flare size
tightening, and that it does not
leading to foul the flare nut on
damage at the the pipe.
copper flare  Lubricate the flare and
face and the nut face with a small
flare nut. amount of refrigeration
 Under grade oil.
tightening of  Don’t over or under
the flare. tighten the flare nut –
use a torque wrench
to the setting provided
by the equipment
manufacturer.

4. Mechanical joints and flanges Likely causes Solutions

There are a variety of joints and  Incorrectly  Avoid using PTFE on
flanges on a system e.g. drier core prepared joint HFC refrigerants - use
lids etc. Not replacing an appropriate thread
gaskets. sealant
 Uneven  Replace gaskets on
tightening of flanges and remove all
flanges. the old gasket material
 Incorrect before applying the
torque used for new one.
tightening  Tighten flanges down
bolts. evenly applying the
 Incorrect ‘opposites’ rule in 3
bolting gradual passes until
procedure the flange is seated
 Wrong material correctly.
or dimensions  Use a torque wrench
to carry out the final
tensioning of flange
bolts.
5. Pressure relief valves (PRVs) Likely causes Solutions
and fusible plugs (over-pressure
 Fusible plugs Fusible plugs
protection) – wide  Where possible, avoid
temperature using fusible plugs. If
and / or possible, replace them
pressure with a PRV.
variations
weaken the  Always leak test
bond between fusible plugs.
the solder core
and the plug.
 PRVs - do not PRVs
reseat when  Always leak test the
the pressure outlet of PRVs.
drops after

13 most common leaks August 2015 3

 release and  If a PRV is leaking
often leak replace it with an
across the equivalent rated
PRVs continued PRV seat device.
during normal
 Do not cap the PRV if
operation.
it is leaking.
 Use dual PRVs with a
change over valve
where possible.
 Use a bursting disc in
conjunction with the
PRV where possible. It
forms part of the PRV
assembly and often
has a tell tale gauge to
indicate rupture.

6. Shaft seals (open type Likely causes Solutions

compressors)
 General wear  Regular observation of
over time, oil leakage rate into
indicated by an shaft seal collection
increased oil vessel to check oil
loss from the loss does not
shaft seal or increase.
refrigerant
 Leak testing of the
leakage.
shaft seal with the
 Lubrication compressor switched
failure. off.
 Incorrect fitting  Using the correct type
of a new shaft of shaft seal and
seal. following the proper
procedure when
 Incorrect shaft
replacing the shaft
alignment.
seal.
 Excessive
crankshaft end
float or bearing
damage.

7. Condensers Likely causes Solutions

Shell and tube Shell and tube
condensers condensers
 Ensure adequate
 Corrosion of
corrosion prevention
the copper and
scheme is in place
mild steel if the
e.g. chemical dosing.
water
circulating in  Regular inspection to
the tubes is not monitor potential
treated corrosion level.
correctly.  Regular maintenance
Leaks can be and monitoring. Where
particularly a leak has occurred in

13 most common leaks August 2015 4

 hard to locate, the tube bundle it is
as they cannot often false economy to
be seen – replace one tube, as
refrigerant the rest of the tubes
condensers continued might be are probably in a
detected in the similar condition and
water, but will fail.
usually the leak  Depending on the
is only design tubes may be
detected by tested one by one or
carrying out a in series.
full pressure
test of the
system.

Air-cooled Air-cooled
condensers condensers

 Corrosion due  Always position

to aggressive condensers on a level
air. base.
 Impact damage  Repair or replace out
due to foreign of balance fans.
bodies in the  Check the fin block for
air stream. signs of oil.
 Vibration  When replacing a
causing condenser, select it
premature carefully, especially if
failure of the it is going into an
tube bundle. aggressive
environment e.g. on
the coast.

8. Line tap valves Likely causes Solutions

 Poor fitting of  Ensure the correct
the line tap size of tap valve is
onto the pipe, being used and read
or being fitted the instructions for its
to badly formed installation.
or flattened
 Fit a line tap to access
pipe work.
a system, and then
 Use of the braze a Schrader
wrong size line connector to replace it
tap – do not leave the
line tap valve on the
 Loosening of
system.
the line tap
valve due to  Leak test any line taps
movement and found fitted and
vibration. replace them if
possible.

13 most common leaks August 2015 5

 Leak point Likely causes Solutions

9. Pressure switches  Vibration  Use flexible pressure

causing the couplers where
pressure possible (stainless
coupler to split steel braided type
or damage to offer a high degree of
the pressure strength and
switch. mechanical
 The pressure protection).
coupler  Make sure pressure
chafing. couplers do not rub or
 Rupture of the chafe on other pipes
switch bellows or vibrating surfaces.
due to vibration  Ensure the switch is
or liquid correctly supported /
hydraulic fixed.
action.  Use flare solder
 Failure of the adaptors on the
flare switch where copper
connection pipe is being used.
onto the  Use dual bellows
switch. switches where
 Poorly possible.
supported or  Connect the switches
fixed switch to minimise the
body. transfer of vibration
into the switch.
 Always leak test
inside switches (be
aware of the risk of
electric shock).

10. O-rings  Wear,  Check (for roundness

O-rings are widely used in hardening or and flexibility) and
components such as sight glasses, flattening, change seals rather
solenoid valves and shaft seals. especially than re-using the
when existing ones,
subjected to especially during a
extremes of refrigerant retrofit.
temperature.
 Oil seals before fitting
 Leakage after them.
retrofitting
 Ensure the
because of a
replacement seal is
different
suitable for the
reaction to the
system oil and
new oil.
refrigerant.
 Wrong
materials or
dimensions

13 most common leaks August 2015 6

 Leak point Likely causes Solutions

11. Capillary tubes (pressure  Chafing due to  Check capillary tubes

couplers and expansion devices) insecure fixing. are firmly located and
cannot chafe – correct
 Leakage where
if necessary.
a capillary tube
expansion
device enters /
exits the
suction line.

12. Return bends on evaporators Likely cause Solutions

and condensers  Leak test return
 Corrosion due
bends carefully,
to chemical
especially if the
action on the
atmosphere is
return bends
aggressive (e.g. in
on coolers or
food factories where
air cooled
salad is washed in
condensers.
chlorine-treated water;
Since the
where vinegar
copper used in
products are made;
these heat
close to the sea).
exchangers is
thinner than  If evaporators and
normal copper condensers that are
pipe work, a prone to leaks from
surface pinhole return bends are to be
is likely to replaced, specify
result in a leak materials which are
in a relatively less susceptible to
short period of damage such as
time. coated or electro
Aggressive plated heat fin blocks.
environments  When chemical
(such as a cleaners are used
salty or acidic ensure they are totally
atmosphere) washed off.
accelerate
damage and
hence leakage.

13 most common leaks August 2015 7

 Leak point Likely causes Solutions

13. Condensate tray pipe work  Corrosion of  Always leak

the discharge test in the
line because of vaporiser tray
contact with air and check the
and water. condition of the
pipe work. If it
is corroded,
replace the
pipe work
before it fails.
 Where
possible,
replace the
pipe work with
a plastic coated
type as this
extends the life
dramatically.

This document is based on information and legislation current at date of publication. The Institute of
Refrigeration and REAL Skills Europe partners accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions.
Originally published in June 2011. Revised August 2015 © IOR all rights reserved

13 most common leaks August 2015 8