Liebert: Technical Tips

Environmental Service & Support
Liebert
Keeping Business in Business TECHNICAL TIPS
PRODUCT LINE: Condenser/Drtcooler NUMBER:ET1061 (rev1)

SYSTEM:Large Systems Heat Rejection FILE UNDER: Heat Rejection
MODEL:ALL SUBJECT:Repair / Retube
DATE ISSUED: Updated 3/22/04
OBSERVATION: Coil develops a leak at the tube sheet or middle of fin-pac
SOLUTION: Please see the following pages to guide you through a proper retube repair.
Instructions to Repair Tube Sheet and Tube Leaks
in Air Cooled Condenser and Drycooler Coils
INST-2000
Note: VERIFY ALL PARTS RECEIVED WITH THE PARTS LIST

LOCATED IN THE BACK OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE
STARTING KIT. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SALES REP IF THERE
ARE MISSING PARTS.
Purpose: These Instructions give detailed information to repair tube sheet and tube leaks
in Air Cooled Condensers and Drycoolers coils.
Warnings: Risk of Electric Shock from Hazardous Voltage! May cause Injury or Death.
Disconnect ALL Local and Remote Electrical Power Before Working Within.
This kit should be installed by qualified personnel only.
Note: The following is a description of the procedure if it would be necessary to

repair a faulty tube in a Condenser or Drycooler coil. Depending on the
location of the leak, the method of repairing the faulty tube will vary.
Locating the Faulty Tube
a) To locate the faulty tube, a charge will have to be put into the coil. Most leaks can be
located with 30 to 50 psig of pressure. Soap bubbles are the most effective method of
locating a leak.
Faulty Header Stub Tube Repair
1. Preparing the Front (Header End) of Coil

a. Count the number of tubes from left to right until you come upon the faulty tube. Mark
the tube sheet.
b. Using a rotary tool with a cutoff wheel or a hacksaw blade cut the stub tube
approximately 2” from the tube sheet. Make a second cut approximately 1 ½” from the
tube sheet. (This will allow room to pull the stub tube out of the coil tube.) These
cuts should be as clean and smooth as possible.
Drawn By: Mike Faiella Date: 10/22/03 Page: Page 1 of 10

Original ECN: E107607 Date: 10/22/03 Drawing Number: INST-2000
Latest ECN: E107607 Date: 10/22/03 Revision: 0
Instructions to Repair Tube Sheet and Tube Leaks in Air Cooled Condenser and Drycooler
Coils
INST-2000
SECOND CUT
FIRST CUT 1.50
2.00
c) Heat the braze joint and remove the section of tube that remains in the coil tube.
REMOVE THIS TUBE
d) With aviation snips cut the faulty tube end sticking out of the tube sheet. Peel the tube
off so the tube is flush with the tube sheet.
e) If possible, with the ½” swager, tap the swager on the end of the faulty tube. This will
round the end where the tube was peeled off and ease the installation of the retube
material. (Due to limited space, it may be difficult to get the swager in the tube.
Any means of rounding the tube end is acceptable.)

Coils
INST-2000
CUT AND PEEL TUBE STICKING OUT OF

TUBE SHEET
2. Preparing the Back (Hair Pin End) of Coil

a) Remove the back panel off the Condenser or Drycooler.
b) Count the number of tubes from right to left until you come upon the faulty tube. Mark
the tube sheet.
c) With aviation snips cut the faulty tube hairpin in the center.
d) On the faulty tube, peel the hairpin off so the tube is flush with the tube sheet.
e) On the good tube, cut the hairpin end off within ½” of the tube sheet.
f) Use a ½” swager to size the remaining copper so the repair return bend can be inserted
later.
FAULTY TUBE .50
SWAGE THIS
TUBE WITH A
1/2" SWAGER
g) With the ½” swager, tap the swager on the end of the faulty tube. This will round the
end where the tube was peeled off and ease the installation of the retube material.

Coils
INST-2000
3. Inserting the Retube Material
Notes:
If the tube is accidentally bent or kinked during installation, pull the tube out and start
over.
Do not unroll the tubing completely. Straighten only a small amount at a time. Leave it
slightly curved.
Refrigerant oil can be used as a lubricant, however, there is normally sufficient
lubrication from the refrigerant.
a) From the back of the unit, insert the undersized tubing through the faulty tube. Continue
to insert the tube until it comes out the front of the coil. Line the tube end up with the
stub tube. Insert the retube into the stub tube about ½”.
.50
RETUBE MATERIAL
b) Braze the retube to the stub tube. (The wall thickness of the retube material is
thinner then that of the stub tube. Extreme heat is not needed.)
c) At the rear of the unit, cut the retube material approximately 1” from the tube sheet
using a torch.
d) With aviation snips cut one side retube end sticking out of the tube sheet. Peel the tube
back until there is ½” of tube sticking out beyond the tube sheet.
e) Use a ½” swager to round the tube and enlarge the opening so it is large enough to
accept the repair return bend. (DO NOT hammer the swager into the retube.) Due
to the retube copper being undersized, heat must be applied to the tube end
before expanding. This will prevent splitting of the material.
f) Use a rubber mallet and tap the repair return bend into the tube ends.
g) Braze the return bend to the tubes. (The wall thickness of the retube material is

Coils
INST-2000
.50
SWAGE
THIS TUBE
WITH A 1/2"
SWAGER
REPAIR
RETURN
BEND
PART NO.
1A17480P1
h) At this point the repair is complete and the coil is ready to be leak tested.
Faulty Tube Return Bend Repair
1. Preparing the Front (Header End) of Coil

a) Count the number of tubes from left to right until you come upon the faulty tube. Mark
the tube sheet.
b) Cut the end of the return bend with aviation snips. Heat the joints to remove the return
bend pieces from the tubes.
FAULTY
TUBE

Coils
INST-2000
c) With aviation snips cut the faulty tube end sticking out of the tube sheet. Peel the tube
off so the tube is flush with the tube sheet.
FAULTY
TUBE
CUT AND PEEL TUBE

STICKING OUT OF
TUBE SHEET
d) If possible, with the ½” swager, tap the swager on the end of the faulty tube. This will
round the end where the tube was peeled off and ease the installation of the retube
material. (Due to limited space, it may be difficult to get the swager in the tube.
Any means of rounding the tube end is acceptable.)
2. Preparing the Back (Hair Pin End) of Coil
a) Remove the back panel off the Condenser or Drycooler.
b) Count the number of tubes from right to left until you come upon the faulty tube. Mark
the tube sheet.
FAULTY TUBE
c) With aviation snips cut the faulty tube hairpin in the center.

Coils
INST-2000
FAULTY TUBE
d) On the faulty tube, peel the hairpin off so the tube is flush with the tube sheet.
e) On the good tube, cut the hairpin end off within ½” of the tube sheet.
f) Use a ½” swager to size the remaining copper so the repair return bend can be inserted
later.
SWAGE
THIS TUBE
WITH A 1/2"
SWAGER
.50
3. Inserting the Retube Material

Notes:
If the tube is accidentally bent or kinked during installation, pull the tube out and start
over.
Do not unroll the tubing completely. Straighten only a small amount at a time. Leave it
slightly curved.
Refrigerant oil can be used as a lubricant, however, there is normally sufficient
lubrication from the refrigerant.

Coils
INST-2000
a) From the back of the unit, insert the undersized tubing through the faulty tube. Continue
to insert the tube until it comes out the front of the coil beyond the header.
RETUBE MATERIAL
b) At this point you will need to swage the end of the retube material. Due to the retube
copper being undersized, heat must be applied to the tube end before expanding.
This will prevent splitting of the material. Slide the material back to the tube sheet.
c) If you cannot slide the retube material out far enough to swage the end, then one end of
the return bend can be swaged.
RETUBE MATERIAL
SWAGE THE END OF THE

TUBE WITH 1/2" SWAGER
AFTER INSERTING THE TUBE

Coils
INST-2000
RETURN BEND END

SWAGED TO ACCEPT
RETUBE MATERIAL
d) Braze the return bend to the tubes. (The wall thickness of the retube material is
e) At the rear of the unit, cut the retube material approximately 1” from the tube sheet
using a torch.
f) With aviation snips cut one side retube end sticking out of the tube sheet. Peel the tube
back until there is ½” of tube sticking out beyond the tube sheet.
g) Use a ½” swager to round the tube and enlarge the opening so it is large enough to
accept the repair return bend. (DO NOT hammer the swager into the retube.) Due
to the retube copper being undersized, heat must be applied to the tube end
before expanding. This will prevent splitting of the material.
h) Use a rubber mallet and tap the repair return bend into the tube ends.
i) Braze the return bend to the tubes. (The wall thickness of the retube material is

Coils
INST-2000
REPAIR
RETURN
BEND
PART NO.
1A17480P1
SWAGE
THIS TUBE
.50 WITH A 1/2"
SWAGER
j) At this point the repair is complete and the coil is ready to be leak tested.
Kit Parts List

Part Number Description Qty
RS-2060 CU TB LT ANL REF .470X.017 14 FT
1A17480P1 RETURN BEND REPAIR 2 EA
066-0120 TUBE R BEND1/2X.025X1.25X1.25L 2 EA
P67-0130 RETURN BEND CROWS FOOT 2 EA
P-083A COUPLING CU 1/2" 2 EA


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Environmental Service & Support

PRODUCT LINE: Condenser/Drtcooler NUMBER:ET1061 (rev1)

OBSERVATION: Coil develops a leak at the tube sheet or middle of fin-pac

Note: VERIFY ALL PARTS RECEIVED WITH THE PARTS LIST

Note: The following is a description of the procedure if it would be necessary to

Locating the Faulty Tube

Faulty Header Stub Tube Repair

1. Preparing the Front (Header End) of Coil

Drawn By: Mike Faiella Date: 10/22/03 Page: Page 1 of 10

FIRST CUT 1.50

REMOVE THIS TUBE

Drawn By: Mike Faiella Date: 10/22/03 Page: Page 2 of 10

CUT AND PEEL TUBE STICKING OUT OF

2. Preparing the Back (Hair Pin End) of Coil

FAULTY TUBE .50

Drawn By: Mike Faiella Date: 10/22/03 Page: Page 3 of 10

Drawn By: Mike Faiella Date: 10/22/03 Page: Page 4 of 10

Faulty Tube Return Bend Repair

1. Preparing the Front (Header End) of Coil

Drawn By: Mike Faiella Date: 10/22/03 Page: Page 5 of 10

CUT AND PEEL TUBE

Drawn By: Mike Faiella Date: 10/22/03 Page: Page 6 of 10

3. Inserting the Retube Material

Drawn By: Mike Faiella Date: 10/22/03 Page: Page 7 of 10

SWAGE THE END OF THE

Drawn By: Mike Faiella Date: 10/22/03 Page: Page 8 of 10

RETURN BEND END

Drawn By: Mike Faiella Date: 10/22/03 Page: Page 9 of 10

Kit Parts List

Drawn By: Mike Faiella Date: 10/22/03 Page: Page 10 of 10

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