Repairing Expansion Valves?
Try This When You Have An Emergency!!!

Repairing expansion valves in an emergency can force you to be creative. Try this trick when you find yourself in a similar situation.

Once while repairing a system I finally found the problem. The valve's power element had lost its charge.

It was an emergency. The room was full of perishable product. I had to get the unit up an running. What to do?

Understanding the valve, I realized I had lost the opening pressure. So why not simply supply an alternative?

After disassembling the valve, I reached into my pocket and inserted a quarter into the power element head. Then I reassembled the valve.

The thickness of the quarter was just enough opening pressure to allow a measured amount of refrigerant. The system began to cool the room.

Of course, as soon as possible I installed the correct element. But at least this trick worked well enough to get me out of a jam.

Smaller Valve? Use a dime!!! Or even a nickel!!! Get the idea?

Yeah, I know the valve had lost its ability to meter the refrigerant. But who cared! Some cooling is always better than no cooling!!! Right? Right???

Oh how I wish for the days when I would have missed that quarter in my pocket. Would have bought me a cold drink years ago. Guess I showing my age!!!






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