Ah, summer. The season of BBQs, yard work and family outings. Before you can enjoy your off time, though, you have work to do, and plenty of it. This issue of The BUZZ is focused on procedures and products that will help speed things along for you on the job.

• The spotlight is on clean vacuum pump oil.
• Why you should ALWAYS use a digital vacuum gauge.
• Don’t let leaks get you down.

If you have any questions for us or content you want us to address in upcoming issues, be sure to send your ideas our way!

Product Spotlight

Change Is Good
The BP oil spill in the Gulf Coast? An epic disaster. Not changing the oil in your vacuum pump? Maybe not an epic disaster, but it’s definitely problematic. Your vacuum pump’s oil is what keeps it, well, pumping. It lubricates the pumping apparatus, and collects moisture and contaminants from evacuated systems. And since vacuum pumps don’t have filters, you need to change the oil frequently for the pump to perform as efficiently as possible. If you don’t, you’ll quickly run into problems.*

• Oil that is saturated with moisture can’t absorb any more system moisture (makes sense, right?), which gets in the way of how low a vacuum you can reach.
• Oil that is contaminated eventually becomes sludge, which reduces your pump’s efficiency.
• Oil that’s saturated and contaminated doesn’t lubricate as well, which can wear out your pumping apparatus prematurely.

Now that you know WHY you should change your vacuum pump oil, let’s cover HOW you do it.

• Drain the existing oil in the pump while it’s still hot. More of the contaminants get out that way.
• After the oil has been drained, open the intake to atmosphere and run the pump for 5-10 seconds.
• Add fresh oil.

Finally, not all vacuum pump oil is created equal. YELLOW JACKET® vacuum pump oil is a mineral-type oil specially formulated and refined for low vapor pressure and works regardless of the type of oil used in the system.

So what are you waiting for? Change your oil, already!

* If you’ve waited a little too long to change your oil, you may still be able to salvage your pump. Check out our Facebook page for instructions on how to flush your pump.

The “Light” Way to Pinpoint Leaks

It’s safe to say the only thing you feel really good about losing is weight. When a system loses refrigerant, it uses up to fifty percent more electricity and delivers a reduced level of comfort, which ultimately leads to costly callbacks to fix those pesky leaks.

YELLOW JACKET® Fluorescent Leak Scanners use powerful UV beams to accurately detect leaks, even previously undetected leaks, as small as 1/4 ounce per year. Here’s how they work:

• Inject dye solution into the system.
• Once the solution circulates, leak sources glow in the UV light beam.

That’s it. It’s that fast and simple. There’s no need to steam or clean the area before you start scanning. Another plus is that fluorescent dyes work with all AC/R systems and common refrigerants, and are safe to use indoors or out, which means no worries about the halide odors, noxious gases or false alarms.

A YELLOW JACKET® Micro LED UV Leak Detection Kit* includes an LED leak detector, 1/2 ounce disposable dye injector, injector hose and carrying pouch. The LEDs are rated for over 100,000 hours of use.

* Not for direct injection into R-410A systems.



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