Thread: One for the fridgies

Yes it must be the 20kg.


Maybe the laws surrounding its use are different in SA. Y/N? State or Commonwealth Regs.


It has been 20 years that I have not needed to use it but was under the impression it all had to be accounted for by an Audit.

ie. How much was purchased?

How much was wasted to atmosphere?

How much used etc,etc so all the figures balance out Anyway, that was supposed to be the argument. Maybe it all got a bit too hard for the Compliancing Body?

Originally Posted by 4bee

Yes it must be the 20kg.


Maybe the laws surrounding its use are different in SA. Y/N? State or Commonwealth Regs.


It has been 20 years that I have not needed to use it but was under the impression it all had to be accounted for by an Audit.

ie. How much was purchased?

How much was wasted to atmosphere?

How much used etc,etc so all the figures balance out Anyway, that was supposed to be the argument. Maybe it all got a bit too hard for the Compliancing Body?

Mighty ARC,do bugga all here.Toothless Tigers.

But yes,we keep record of all we purchase,and all we reclaim that is returned..

I think thats all we have to do.Easy as we use one supplier for refrigerant.

But for you,that refrigerant won't be on a record anywhere,so you can do what you like with it,as long as you don't let it go into the atmosphere,all good.I think.?

We were given these today,from a good customer,they were his Uncles,he was a fridgie in Sydney.Published in 1940,its in really good condition.

A bit of "modern" light reading.

I chuckle everytime i read 'before working on this system,vent refrigerant'

I had the 1980 version of the same book,but seems one of the apprentices borrowed it for good

Originally Posted by scarry

We were given these today,from a good customer,they were his Uncles,he was a fridgie in Sydney.Published in 1940,its in really good condition.

A bit of "modern" light reading.

I chuckle everytime i read 'before working on this system,vent refrigerant'

I had the 1980 version of the same book,but seems one of the apprentices borrowed it for good

That would be an interesting Read Paul. So, My Mate Willis was only 74 when he kicked the gas drum over? I thought he would have been some really olde codger from his photos & 74 is not olde.. Yeah, " Vent the system".

If he had only known what problems that would produce in later life? Obviously wasn't an S02 man.

Lets hope the Apprentice put it to good use.


A few years ago I was given some SAFB Fire Callout records in two Quarto hardcover books pulled from a Skip when the old Norwood Fire Station was being cleaned out before it closed & moved to another & nearby location.. Went back to 1960 & every entry is hand Written, not Copperplate, but the typical scrawl of a knockabout Fireman just back from a call out. There would have been others but maybe other Firies nabbed those. It lists the Appliance, Station Officer & men attending, (usually 2 Firemen.

Makes some interesting & sometimes quaint reading from 60 years ago & while the addresses are still there today I bet the houses mentioned are now subdivided blocks with say, 4 apartments built on them. I wanted to take them in to the new Station for their Archives but 'er indoors thought I might get in the ****, Why? Who knows what goes through their heads at times? The station was closed because it was one of the very early CE Appliances ( post Horse drawn) & could not fit the monsters of today appliances. Today I think it a Real Estate Office.

But one day I will. Handy things Skips.

Another time & another skip in another closing Fire Station one of the firemen picked up an old USA Ansonia Pendulum Clock which apparently hung in the Engine Room forever. It hangs proudly in our sitting Room & keeps excellent time. We had it cleaned & lubricated & I cleaned up the wooden casing but it still looks original.

The other thing he scored was a NSW Brass Fireman's Helmet in excellent condition but before I got to see it he had visited a Pub & was offered $15 for it so he flogged it. BASTARD. Big Hearted me would have given him $20.Img_5512 Ansonia Clock ex-Old Port Adelaide Fire Station.jpg

I have a similar modern American book: Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, I think it is called. Cannot find it just now but it was written by a school in the US, Nance if I recall.

I have been meaning to ask one of you guys still active if you know if 134a has the leak tracing chemical in it from the factory? The English tech at the local Land Rover dealer claims that it does.

Originally Posted by Old Farang

I have a similar modern American book: Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, I think it is called. Cannot find it just now but it was written by a school in the US, Nance if I recall.

I have been meaning to ask one of you guys still active if you know if 134a has the leak tracing chemical in it from the factory? The English tech at the local Land Rover dealer claims that it does.

What is it a Dye or a specfic Chemical that reacts more readily to a Halide or Electronid leak detector?

Originally Posted by 4bee

What is it a Dye or a specfic Chemical that reacts more readily to a Halide or Electronid leak detector?

We buy "pure" refrigerants,as per supplier specs, so they won't have anything added to them.

But you can now get nitrogen with a tracer in it,but we haven't had to use it yet.

Last few years we have been using Fieldpiece infra red leak detecters,and they are fantastic.The only problem is we wear them out...

Talking about interesting reading,in another life,quite a few years ago,working for AE Smith & sons,we had the job of upgrading the AC in the police HQ,here in Brisbane.It was about a 20 floor high rise building,plant room each level.
Terry Lewis and his mob had moved out to the new building,but there was a heap of paperwork in the plant rooms,they must have forgotten about.Made for great laughs during lunch break.Especially the reports on the brothels....

Two huge worthington chillers in the roof top plant room,all the pipes were covered in asbestos insulation.Had those really old lift up star delta contacters,that arced and sparked on each start.Controls were all pneumatics.