Garage Gazette

TOOLS AND THE SHOP => MISCELLANEOUS HAND TOOLS PLUMBERS HAND TOOLS/ HVAC HAND TOOLS/ETC. => Topic started by: bonneyman on October 06, 2018, 08:07:31 PM

Title: I.D. this access valve.
Post by: bonneyman on October 06, 2018, 08:07:31 PM
Came across this Watsoc access valve. Nicely made, steel construction, seems older, and it has a 1/4" flare fitting on it for A/C hoses. But the business end is an odd (for air conditioners) thread, with a standard screwdriver tip as the working part. Not a piercing valve. So I'm stumped as to what it's actually for. Possible auto tool, or used in vacuuming/reclaiming (their CA-1 tool).

Watsco's website is basically useless - I guess they're more just into the corporate end now with subsidiaries making products.

Any ideas?
Title: Re: I.D. this access valve.
Post by: skfarmer on October 09, 2018, 10:13:39 AM
no clue. speaking of watsco.  i don't use my watsco long allen wrench set with handle often but it has been the only thing to work a few times. i have not seen a new set in years and since i quit working with the local hvac guy on occasion i no longer have access to any of the warehouses. i wonder if they quit making it.
Title: Re: I.D. this access valve.
Post by: bonneyman on October 09, 2018, 10:46:11 AM
no clue. speaking of watsco.  i don't use my watsco long allen wrench set with handle often but it has been the only thing to work a few times. i have not seen a new set in years and since i quit working with the local hvac guy on occasion i no longer have access to any of the warehouses. i wonder if they quit making it.

I've discovered a little bit. Seems like this valve is for the top of a reclaim machine where you can adjust the flow when working on a system. Being it's a proprietary valve, it may be just for that machine. Which would make it useless to me unless I mod it.
Which I tried doing at the big Ace Hardware by me. They didn't have a pipe fitting or coupler that matched the thread. Hmm. Might be tougher than I thought.
I'm gonna run it by my warehouse, and an older HVAC buddy. See if they can ID what machine its for.
Title: Re: I.D. this access valve.
Post by: bonneyman on October 11, 2018, 02:30:56 PM
A business associate whose been doing AC since 1980 said this valve looks like the one found on older Chrysler AirTemp compressors. 60's - 70's was their heyday. They ended production in the early 80's according to him. Not really usable as it. Will have to look at modifying it.