TR28 – CONDENSATE PAN PROTECTOR (UP TO 2 TON)

ACE Chemical TR28 condensate pan protector, sized for systems up to 2 tons. A controlled-release strip that sits in the drain pan and works for up to six months, holding back the mildew, fungi, bacteria, algae and slime that block a condensate line, and carrying odour counteractants for the smell that comes with them. EPA Reg. No. 68114-1-7909. Larger tonnages take the TR65, TR150 and TR300.

Specs

• BrandACE Chemical
• Part NumberTR28
• TypeControlled-release condensate pan treatment
• CapacityUp to 2 tons
• Service LifeUp to 6 months
• EPA Reg. No.68114-1-7909
• ControlsMildew, fungi, bacteria, algae, slime
• OdorContains odor counteractants
• Case Pack100
• Larger SizesTR65 (5 ton), TR150 (10 ton), TR300 (25 ton)

Is a big 100-piece tool kit a good way to start?

Not for the tools you actually touch all day. Buy the handful you reach for fifty times a week by fit and feel, and let a cheap set cover what you use twice a year. The ones that earn their spot in a service bag are a 1/4 inch and a 5/16 inch nut driver (that pair opens almost every panel on a Rheem, Trane or Goodman), a sharp tube cutter, a ratcheting service wrench with 3/16, 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 square drives, a fin comb, a stubby driver for tight blower decks and a magnetic bit holder.

What is wrong with the flaring tool in a cheap kit?

The plain bar-and-cone type screws the cone straight into the copper, work-hardens the flare face and does not hold the tube square. An eccentric or clutch-style flaring tool orbits the cone and burnishes a smooth 45 degree face that seals. Ream the cut first, but do not over-ream and thin the lip. One drop of refrigerant oil or Nylog on the face, and never Teflon tape or thread dope on a flare - the seal is metal to metal, per HVAC School's own flaring guidance.

How hard should I crank a tube cutter?

Barely. Light pressure, a quarter turn at a time, all the way around. Cranking it down out-of-rounds the tube and rolls a burr inside that never fully reams out. Replace the wheel when it starts tracking instead of cutting. A hacksaw has no business on refrigerant tubing - the filings go inside and end up in the compressor.

Do I need a swaging tool?

If you work soft copper, yes. A swage expands one tube end into a socket so you braze one joint instead of two and skip the coupling. Fewer joints means fewer leaks.