○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Operating Manual, Model 178002K/178012K Recovery/Recycling/Recharging Unit For Multiple Refrigerants ............................................. 1 SPN–Manual Operativo Modelo 178002K/178012K Unidad de Recuperación/Reciclado/Recarga para Refrigerantes Múltiples ...............................................
LISTED Design Certified by Underwriters Laboratories Inc.,® for Compliance with SAE J1770. Model: 178002K/178012K Refrigerant Recovery, Recycling, Recharging Unit Refrigerants: R-12, R-134a, R-22, R-500 and R-502 80S2 WARNING PRESSURIZED TANK CONTAINS LIQUID REFRIGERANT. OVERFILLING OF THE TANK MAY CAUSE VIOLENT EXPLOSION AND POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH. Safety devices require the use of only authorized refillable refrigerant tanks. This includes Robinair part numbers 17506 and 34750 (50-lb. tanks).
Introduction This manual contains important safety procedures concerning the operation, use and maintenance of this product. Failure to follow the instructions contained in this manual may result in serious injury. If you are unable to understand any of the contents of this manual, please bring it to the attention of your supervisor. Do not operate this equipment unless you have read and understood the contents of this manual. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction .................................................
Introduction The 178002K/17802KA is a complete A/C-R service center. It recovers, recycles and recharges a wide range of refrigerants—from existing refrigerants to new substitutes and blends. With its multi-refrigerant capabilities, it is ideal for trucks, buses and refrigerated trailers, as well as in-plant maintenance and other accessible installations. The built-in manifold means the entire service procedure can be done with just one hook-up.
Introduction GENERAL OPERATING GUIDELINES • The voltage at the unit must be ±10% of the unit’s rated voltage. Extension cords must be a minimum of 14 AWG and kept as short as possible. • To interrupt any procedure (other than clearing), press HOLD/CONT. Press HOLD/CONT again to resume operation. • The system oil should be drained at the end of every recovery or recycling procedure, during the clearing process, or whenever oil is visible in the sight glass.
Set-Up Instructions Before you begin any procedure, familiarize yourself with the components of your unit. Lockout Box High Side Port Low Side Port Red Vapor Hose Blue Liquid Hose Yellow Air Purge Hose Tank Vapor Valve Tank Liquid Valve Air Purge Fitting 50 lb.
Set-Up Instructions Pressure/Temperature Chart Sight Glass for System Oil System Oil Drain Valve INST0952 Diagram of Unit’s Components — Side Views Liquid/Vapor Indicator Air Purge Gauge Display Low Side Gauge Main Power Switch High Side Gauge Keypad Air Purge Valve Low Side Valve High Side Valve Diagram of Control Panel and Keypad Model 178002K/178012K Recovery/Recycling/Recharging Unit 5
Set-Up Instructions Large Fan System Oil Separator Return Oil Separator Assembly Compressor Compressor Start Components INST0953 Diagram of Unit’s Components — Side Views WARNING Always wear safety goggles when working with refrigerant. Use only authorizedrefillablerefrigeranttanks.Disconnecthoseswithextreme caution! All hoses may contain refrigerant under pressure. Read and follow all warnings at the beginning of this manual before operating the unit.
Set-Up Instructions Before starting the set-up procedures, open the system oil drain valve and allow the unit to depressurize. 1. Plug the unit into a proper voltage outlet. CAUTION! Avoid the use of an extension cord because the extension cord may overheat. However, if you must use an extension cord, use a No. 14 AWG minimum and keep the cord length to 25 feet (7.6 meters) or less. 2. Be sure the oil drain valves on the side of the unit are in the CLOSED position. 3. Turn on the unit.
Set-Up Instructions 5. A new tank comes with a dry nitrogen charge of 5 to 10 psi to keep it clean and dry during shipment. Purge the nitrogen charge on the R-12 (gray and yellow) tank by opening the GAS (vapor) valve on the tank. Vent the pressure to the atmosphere, then close the valve. 6. Center the unit tank on the scale platform on the back of the unit inside the tank restraint shroud. 7.
Set-Up Instructions The vacuum pump is shipped without oil in the reservoir. Before starting the unit, you must fill the pump with oil. Two 16-ounce (472 milliliters) bottles of oil are included with your unit. 11. Remove the black plastic plug from the pump’s oil fill port. Attach the flexible spout and cap to the bottle of oil included with your unit. This makes it easier to fill the pump. 12. Add one-half of a bottle of vacuum pump oil to the vacuum pump. 13.
Operating Instructions RECOVERY PROCEDURES WARNING! Always wear safety goggles when working with refrigerant. Use only authorizedrefillablerefrigeranttanks.Disconnecthoseswithextreme caution! All hoses may contain refrigerant under pressure. Read and follow all warnings at the beginning of this manual before operating the unit. Before beginning recovery, be sure your unit is set up as described in the Set-Up Instructions. Also be sure there is vacuum pump oil in the vacuum pump. 1.
Operating Instructions The “CL-L” message shows on the display if there is pressure in the unit, and a selfclearing process of the components begins. You can press HOLD/CONT to bypass clearing if an accurate recovery amount is not required. Otherwise, the compressor will start and the “CL-L” message remains on the display. This process takes from 20 seconds to four minutes to complete. Once the clearing is complete, the unit automatically begins to recover refrigerant from the system.
Operating Instructions Lockout Box High Side Port Low Side Port Red Vapor Hose Blue Liquid Hose Yellow Air Purge Hose First! Perform "RECOVERY PROCEDURES" beforestarting "CHANGING REFRIGERANT TYPES". Important! Beforechanging refrigeranttypes, be sure the red high side and blue low side hoses are disconnectedfrom the A/C system. AUTOMATIC Tank Vapor Valve Tank Liquid Valve Air Purge Fitting 50 lb.
Operating Instructions message changes to "CONT". Close the oil drain valve. Press any key to complete the system oil separator clearing process. When this stage is complete, the message changes to "CL-c." 5. If you need to change hoses for the next refrigerant type, go to Step 6. If you do not need to change hoses, press SHIFT/RESET and go to Step 7. 6. To start the self-clearing process, press VACUUM while the “CL-c” message is displayed.
Operating Instructions A/C-R SYSTEM EVACUATION WARNING! Always wear safety goggles when working with refrigerant. Use only authorizedrefillablerefrigeranttanks.Disconnecthoseswithextreme caution! All hoses may contain refrigerant under pressure. Read and follow all warnings at the beginning of this manual before operating the unit. 1. Be sure the high and low side hoses are connected to the A/C-R system and that the high and low side valves are open. 2.
Operating Instructions RECYCLING PROCEDURES WARNING! Always wear safety goggles when working with refrigerant. Use only authorizedrefillablerefrigeranttanks.Disconnecthoseswithextreme caution! All hoses may contain refrigerant under pressure. Read and follow all warnings at the beginning of this manual before operating the unit. 1. Be sure both valves on the tank are open. 2. Press and hold SHIFT/RESET and then press “1” to start the recycling process.
Operating Instructions CHARGING PROCEDURES WARNING! Always wear safety goggles when working with refrigerant. Use only authorizedrefillablerefrigeranttanks.Disconnecthoseswithextreme caution! All hoses may contain refrigerant under pressure. Read and follow all warnings at the beginning of this manual before operating the unit. The unit will display the message “CHECK REFRIGERANT” if there is less than six (6) pounds of refrigerant in the tank.
Operating Instructions If the unit beeps continuously, the transfer of refrigerant has stopped before the charging procedure was completed (see Correcting An Incomplete Transfer). 8. Close the high and low side valves on the control panel and start the A/C-R system. Compare the gauge readings to the manufacturer’s specifications. 9. Turn off the A/C-R system and disconnect the high side hose from it. 10. Start the A/C-R system and open both the high and low side valves.
Operating Instructions ADDING REFRIGERANT TO THE TANK CAUTION! R-134a systems have special fittings (per SAE specifications) to avoid cross-contamination with other refrigerant systems. Read and follow all warnings given at the beginning of this manual. IMPORTANT! When setting up for new types of refrigerant, a clearing process will have to be performed. NOTE: Purchase only tanks of R-134a refrigerant that have 1/2 inch (1.2cm) Acme threads. This is necessary to match the hose adapter. 1.
Operating Instructions This process takes about 45 minutes. You can interrupt it at any time by pressing HOLD/CONT once. Press HOLD/CONT again to resume operation, or press SHIFT/ RESET to end the process. The transfer of new refrigerant is limited by weight to leave space (about 6 pounds of refrigerant) in the unit tank for recovery purposes. 6. When using R-12, close the supply valve on the source tank (when using a disposable tank, turn it right side up first).
Operating Overview This overview is designed as a quick reference when using your unit. Read and follow all warnings in the operating manual. RECOVERY OVERVIEW 1. Connect the high and low side hoses to the A/C-R system. 2. Check the manifold gauges. There must be pressure to recover refrigerant. 3. Be sure both the high and low side valves on the control panel are open. Also be sure both valves on the tank are open. 4. Plug the unit into the proper voltage outlet, then turn on the MAIN POWER switch. 5.
Operating Overview EVACUATION OVERVIEW 1. Be sure the high and low side hoses are connected to the A/C-R system and that the high and low side valves are open. 2. Press SHIFT/RESET to toggle the display to show “PROGRAM VACUUM MINUTES 15.00.” Fifteen minutes is the default time for evacuation. To change the time, press the appropriate keys to display the desired time. Then press ENTER. The longest time that can be programmed is 98.99 (98 minutes and 99 seconds). 3. Press VACUUM to start evacuation.
Operating Overview CHARGING OVERVIEW Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for charging. You must replace any oil lost from the A/C-R system during recovery with new oil. Dispose of waste oil in an appropriate manner. 1. Open the high side valve and, if allowable, the low side valve. Weight Example* 2. Press CHG and enter the weight of the refrigerant to be charged. 3. Press ENTER, then press CHG again. The display counts down to zero, then shows the “CPL” message when complete. Weight Example* 4.
Maintenance Procedures CHANGING THE VACUUM PUMP OIL When the vacuum pump has run for a total of 10 hours, the “OIL” message will flash on the display to signal that an oil change is needed. To change the vacuum pump oil, follow these steps: 1. Turn on the MAIN POWER switch. The display shows the selected refrigerant type. 2. Press SHIFT/RESET and the messages “PROGRAM VACUUM MINUTES 15:00” display. 3. Press VACUUM. The display shows the “OIL” message. 4. Remove the black plastic plug on the oil fill port.
Maintenance Procedures CHANGING THE FILTER-DRIER Because the filter housing fitting is a 1/4” flare, you must be in the R-12 mode to change the filter-drier. If necessary, see Changing Refrigerant Types. You should change the filter-drier whenever refrigerant has been recovered from a burn-out system or when the display shows the “CH-F” message (which means that the unit has recovered 200 pounds of refrigerant since the last change). To change the filter/drier follow these steps: 1.
Maintenance Procedures 8. Connect the low side hose to the access fitting on the filter shell cap, and open the low side valve on the control panel. 9. Press HOLD/CONT. The vacuum pump will start, the display will show the messages “FIL AUTOMATIC". 10. The vacuum pump will continue to run for a total of five (5) minutes and then shut off. The display will show the message “CPL.” 11. Close the low side valve and disconnect the low side hose from the filter shell.
Maintenance Procedures CHECKING THE SCALE ACCURACY To ensure continued charging accuracy, check your scale using these procedures every three months. Important: 1. Remove all weight from the scale platform. Check the scale accuracy every threemonths. 2. While in the "Program" mode, press SHIFT/RESET and ENTER at the same time and the "func" message will display when the manual diagnostic mode has been accessed. 3. Press "6". The display will show "0.00." 4.
Maintenance Procedures CHECKING FOR LEAKS Every three months, or as specified by local or state laws, you should check your unit for leaks. As with any mechanical equipment, general use, moving the unit and vibration can cause fittings to loosen. 1. Turn off the MAIN POWER switch, and disconnect the power cord from the outlet. 2. Remove the front shroud by removing the 16 threaded screws on the front of the unit. Important: Inspect the unit periodically for leaks.
Operating Guidelines USING THE CONTROL PANEL The control panel has various components that control specific operating functions. MAIN POWER Switch — Supplies electrical power to the control panel. Digital Display — Shows the time programmed for vacuum and the weight of refrigerant programmed for recharging. Detailed instructions for programming the digital display follow this section. Air Purge Indicator — Shows when non-condensables need to be purged from the tank.
Operating Guidelines KEYPAD FUNCTIONS In addition to the number keys, the keypad contains special keys that accomplish specific operating functions. • RECYCLE — Activates the recycling sequence when pressed at the same time as the SHIFT/ RESET key. • RECOVER — Activates the recovery sequence. Diagram of Keypad • SHIFT/RESET — Accesses the “PROGRAM” mode and moves from one program function to the next.
Operating Guidelines Segment A — Indicates in which mode the unit is operating: PROGRAM — The unit is in the programming mode, which allows you to program vacuum time and refrigerant weight or to review the existing program. HOLD — This mode is used to change a refrigerant tank or to interrupt the vacuum/charging/recovery cycles. AUTOMATIC — Indicates that the unit is running in a given cycle and will automatically stop when the cycle is complete.
Operating Guidelines • With HOLD, indicates that HOLD/CONT was pressed to interrupt the charging cycle; the number shown on the digital display is the amount of refrigerant remaining to be charged into the A/C-R system; to continue charging, press HOLD/CONT again. RECOVER • With AUTOMATIC, indicates the unit is recovering refrigerant from the A/C-R system and shows the amount of refrigerant recovered in pounds or kilograms, depending on the measurement mode selected.
Operating Guidelines USING THE DIAGNOSTIC MODE The diagnostic mode allows you to run individual components or retrieve stored information. To access the diagnostic mode press SHIFT/RESET to access program mode, then you must press and hold SHIFT/RESET and then press ENTER. The display will show the message “FUNC.” To exit the diagnostic mode, press SHIFT/RESET again.
Operating Guidelines To Test Full Display: 1. Press “5” to see the complete LCD display, which only displays momentarily before returning to the Program mode. 2. Press SHIFT/RESET to stop. To Access Scale Function: VACUUM RECYCLE MINUTES CHARGE kg lb RECOVER OIL (GRAMS) OIL (OUNCES) Example of Full Display Test 1. Press “6” to “zero out” the display (regardless of what is on the scale platform). The weight of anything you add to the scale platform will now display. 2. Press SHIFT/RESET to stop.
Operating Guidelines USING DISPLAY CODES 34 134A R-134a; indicates R-134a automotive refrigerant requiring 1/2” Acme fittings. Add Add refrigerant to the tank before starting charging procedures. CAL The scale is out of calibration; see Calibrating the Scale. Check Refrigerant Tank has six (6) pounds or less of refrigerant; charging will not activate. CH-F Change compressor oil and filter/drier; 200 pounds of refrigerant has been recovered since the last change.
Operating Guidelines OIL/drn (Flashes alternately) Drain; open the oil drain valve to relieve the pressure in the unit. FIL Filter/drier change procedure is being performed. FULL The tank is full; recovery stops automatically. HI-P High pressure; the unit pressure is greater than 435 psi. OIL Change vacuum pump oil; it has been 10 hours since the last oil change. R12 R-12; indicates R-12 or other refrigerant type requiring 1/4” flare fittings.
Replacement Parts Following is a list of replacement parts and accessories you may need to service or maintain your unit. Tanks, filter-drier and vacuum pump oil should be purchased through your regular Robinair distributor. Description Because of ongoingproduct improvements, we reserve the right to change design, specifications, and materialswithout notice. 36 115-Volt 50 lb. (23 kg) tank, 1/ ” flare fittings 17506 4 50 lb.
Flow Diagram S1 Recovery Solenoid S2 Liquid/Vapor Solenoid S3 Self-Clearing Solenoid S4 Check Valve Solenoid S5 Oil Return Solenoid S6 Tank Vapor Solenoid R-12 S7 Tank Vapor Solenoid R-134a S8 Tank Liquid Solenoid R-12 S9 Tank Liquid Solenoid R-134a S10 Recharge Solenoid S11 Recycle Solenoid S12 System Vacuum Solenoid S13 Compressor Vacuum Solenoid S14 Discharge Solenoid INST0954 Model 178002K/178012K Recovery/Recycling/Recharging Unit 37
Wiring Diagram INST0955 38 © 2000 Robinair, SPX Corporation
Troubleshooting RECOVERY OPERATION Compressor does not start Problem: Solution: Main power switch is off Turn on switch Problem: Solution: Power cord is not plugged in or there is no power at plug Check circuit for power Problem: Solution: “FULL” message shows on digital display Change tanks (see Installing a Tank and Pulling A Vacuum) Problem: Solution: “HI-P” message shows on digital display Be sure tanks valves are open and hoses are properly connected to the tank, or Check for air in the tank (r
Troubleshooting RECYCLING OPERATION Compressor does not start or stops prematurely Problem: Solution: Power cord is not plugged in or there is no power at plug Check circuit for power Problem: Solution: Tank valves are closed Open both valves and be sure hoses are properly connected to the tank Problem: Solution: “CH-F” message on digital display Remove and replace the filter-drier (see Replacing the Filter-Drier), and be sure to pull a vacuum before continuing Refrigerant does not flow Problem: Solut
Troubleshooting Problem: Solution: Tank valves are closed Open both valves and be sure hoses are properly connected to the tank and the unit EVACUATION OPERATION Vacuum pump will not start Problem: Solution: Vacuum pump is unplugged from unit Plug the pump into a power source Problem: Solution: Power cord is not plugged in or there is no power at plug Check circuit for power Problem: Solution: The pressure in the A/C-R system is too high Recover the remaining A/C-R system charge Problem: Solution:
Limited Warranty This product is warranted to be free from defects in workmanship, materials, and components for a period of one year from date of purchase. All parts and labor required to repair defective products covered under the warranty will be at no charge. The following restrictions apply: 1. The limited warranty applies to the original purchaser only. 2. The warranty applies to the product in normal usage situations only, as described in the Operating Manual.
CONVERSION TABLE OZ. LBS. 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5 10.0 10.5 11.0 11.5 12.0 12.5 13.0 13.5 14.0 14.5 15.0 15.5 16.0 0.03 0.06 0.09 0.13 0.16 0.19 0.22 0.25 0.28 0.31 0.34 0.38 0.41 0.44 0.47 0.50 0.53 0.56 0.59 0.63 0.66 0.69 0.72 0.75 0.78 0.81 0.84 0.88 0.91 0.94 0.97 1 lb. Visit our web site at www.robinair.com or call our toll-free ! Technical Support Line at 800-822-5561 in the continental U.S. or Canada.