Accurate Charging Methods

Save up to $3000 on your A/C electric utility bill

“Proper refrigerant charging may be more important than you realize”, says Gene Goff in an April 23, 1990 article in Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration News, “… one conclusion was clear. The charging (of an air conditioning system) alone can have a substantial impact on system operation costs. A few percentage points of over-or undercharge can raise electricity consumption significantly and shorten the life of the compressor.”

Energy Services is the only heating and cooling company in the area that invests in the proper tools, training and methodology to accurately charge your air conditioning system so that it works at maximum efficiency. Using the Thermocharge method we charge your air conditioning systems to the exact charge needed to save hundreds to thousands of dollars in electricity and maintenance costs over the years!

 

Thermocharging method

Our skilled technicians will “Thermocharge” your air conditioning system with an exact refrigerant charge. This procedure produces an exact charge . . .not approximate, like other companies, but exact. The Thermocharge method requires special equipment and training to use.  Your installer uses the following instruments:


1.  An electronic thermometer
2.  Sling psychrometer or electronic humidity measuring device
3.  Refrigerant pressure gauges
4.  Accucharge slide rule calculator

 

Here the tech is using the sling psychrometer to obtain the indoor humidity and indoor air temperature. He will double-check his figures with the electronic thermometer laying on the table. He will also verify the readings with an electronic psychrometer.

 

After recording the indoor humidity and temperature the tech will go to the outside condensing unit to take additional readings. These are the following:

 

 

1. Outdoor temperature

 

2. Indoor humidity

 

3. Temperature difference, between air entering the evaporator coil, and the air leaving the evaporator coil

 

4. Suction line temperature (the larger insulated copper line)

 

5. Suction line pressure

 

6. Liquid line pressure (smaller copper line)

 

 

He enters this information into his special slide rule calculator to determine the exact amount of refrigerant to put into your air conditioner.

 

This picture shows the tech adding the EXACT amount of refrigerant to your air conditioning system. He will let it run for about ten minutes to verify his figures. If there are any discrepancies, he will start the procedure all over again from the beginning.

 

This Thermocharging method of charging your air conditioning system takes time and patience, but it guarantees that your air conditioning system will operate at peak efficiency all season long.

 

How does accurate refrigerant charging help?

  • Improved comfort; an improperly charged air conditioner will not dehumidify properly.

 

  • Lower maintenance costs; a poorly charged system will not properly cool or lubricate the compressor . . .significantly shortening its life.

 

  • Better cooling and efficiency; improper charging means that the air conditioner will not provide enough cooling on hot days, causing the system to run longer.

 

  • Improved efficiency and lower electric bills; poor heat transfer from improper charging results in increased power consumption. A 15% undercharge or overcharge can result in a 25% decrease in efficiency. This means that the homeowner’s electric bill will be 25% higher than necessary. As the charge drops farther, efficiency decreases faster to 50% or more.

 

  • Increased reliability; a poorly charged system will not properly cool or lubricate the compressor . . . significantly shortening its life.  Even if you have extended warranty by a heating company, you will either be greatly inconvenienced or even end up paying for the repair if the company stalls and you end up paying another company for the work . . .a $300-$700 repair that will void the warranty.

 

 

Learn why yearly maintenance is important