Split System Processing Connector Without the Blowoff
Customer
A leading global manufacturer of residential and light
commercial split system air conditioners for ducted HVAC
systems.
Application
Multi-station manufacturing processing of split system
residential air conditioners including deep vacuum
evacuation, charge, & run test verification via a service
valve port.
Challenge
Line operators at the evacuation station would
occasionally and unknowingly not fully seat the
processing connector to the expanded tube located on
the service valve. Internal vacuum at the evacuation
station kept the connector securely attached, but when
refrigerant was applied at the charge station the internal
pressure was sufficient to “blow” the partially connected
connector off the end of the tube allowing freezing
refrigerant to escape; a danger to the operator, a loss of
valuable refrigerant, and an illegal environmental hazard.
Project Goals
• Reduce or eliminate the occurrence of connector blow
off
• Manual, hand-operated solution requiring minimal
change to implement
• Color-coded visual indicator to identify a “secure”
connection
• Ability to “poka yoke” the system to further prevent
connection errors
Solution
Working with the customer, FasTest engineers modified
an existing FasTest connector design that required the
operator to properly seat the connector in order to connect
it to the service valve. A green colored indicator sleeve
was incorporated into the design that was only visible
when the connector was securely connected.
Results
The resulting XT/ SurConnect™ system from FasTest
virtually eliminated the problem of connector blow off. The
indicator sleeve can be anodized in a variety of colors for
easy visual identification and poka yoking of the system. In
addition, FasTest offered the SurConnect system in both
a “retrofit” configuration which could be added to existing
connectors in the plant, and as a fully assembled unit with
processing quick disconnect tip/ nipple/plug. Hundreds of
XT/SurConnect units have since been implemented by the
customer throughout their facilities.