MAHLE RTI AC860 User Manual

OPERATION

&

MAINTENANCE

MANUAL

AC860

Refrigerant Handling System

Manual P/N 035-80844-00

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Startup & Safe Operation.............. 1

Introduction to the AC860 ............. 2

Control Panel ....................... 3

Keypad Functions ................... 4

First Time Use of the AC860 ........... 5

Start-Up ........................... 6

Recover (Recycle) ................... 7

Purge Air - Drain Oil.................. 7

Vacuum ........................... 8

Charge............................ 8

Maintenance ....................... 9

Parts Lists .........................10

R134a Connection to Cylinder ..........11

CONGRATULATIONS

You have purchased one of the f inest Recovery, Recycling,
and Charging Machines available!

Your AC860 was proudly manufactured for MA TCO Tools by
RTI Technologies Inc., York, PA.

Fill out and return the Warranty Card within 90 days to
activate the warranty and free lifetime technical support.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

800-468-2321 (Ext. 259)

[e-mail]

STARTUP & SAFE OPERATION

9 Do not use a damaged unit. Check for shipping damage and place a claim with carrier if damage

is discovered.

9 Return the Warranty Card to activate technical support service and warranty coverage.
9 The AC860 should not be operated or serviced by any person who has not read all the contents

of this manual.

9 This manual des cribes normal operation and maintenance for the AC860. Failure to read and

comply with these instructions or any one of the limitations noted herein can result in serious injury
and/or property damage. The instructions should not be interpreted to anticipate every possible
contingency.

9 It is the responsibility of the owner/ user to operate the AC860 in accordance with all laws and

specifications which may apply.

9 Recover (recycle) and charge only the refrigerant for which the AC860 is configured.
9 Avoid breathing refrigerant or lubricant vapor. Exposure may irritate eyes, nose and throat.

Ventilate work area if accidental system discharge occurs.

9 Wear safety glasses and protectiv e gloves. Refrigerant has a very low boiling point and can cause

frostbite.

9 Follow the AC860 operating pr ocedures sequentially to avoid prematurely disconnecting hoses or

opening valves which may release refrigerant to the atmosphere.

9 Do not expose the AC860 to moisture or operate in wet areas.
9 Use the AC860 in locations with ventilation that provides at least four air changes per hour.
9 Hoses must have shutoff devices within 12 inches of the connection point to the A/C to minimize

the introduction of air into the AC860 and the release of refrigerant when being disconnected.

9 Avoid using an extension cord with the AC860. If necessary use a good condition, three wire

grounded, #14 AWG or larger extension cord of the shortest possible length.

9 Disconnect power before performing any maintenance or service on the AC860.
9 Do not connect the red or blue hoses to the liquid port of a cylinder of refrigerant to fill the charge

cylinder. Doing so may cause the compressor to fail and void the warranty.

9 Do not connect the AC860 to the liquid side of any A/C with a capacity greater than 4 lbs.

Refrigerant in A/C Systems having larger capacities must be recovered from the vapor side only.

Special Considerations with R134a

R134a has been shown to be nonflammable at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure.
However, tests under controll ed conditions hav e indi cated that at pressures abov e atmospheri c and
with air concentrations greater than 60 percent by volume, R134a can form combustible mixtures.

While it is recognized that an ignition source is also required for combustion to occur, the presence
of combustible mixtures is a potentially dangerous situation and should be avoided.

Under no circumstances should any equi pment be pressure tested or leak tested wi th air and R134a
mixtures. Do not use compressed air for leak detection in R134a systems.

Page 1

INTRODUCTION TO THE AC860

The AC860 is a complete refrigerant management center featuring state-of-the-art electroni c control
with digital weight scale measuring of refrigerant. Operation of the AC860 is intuitive and very easy
to master.

Following is an overview of the operation and features of the AC860:

RECOVER (RECYCLE)

Refrigerant is recover ed from the A/C, impurities ( particulates, oil , moisture and air ) are remov ed
and the refrigerant is stor ed in the internal cy linder. The recov ery pr ocess stops when the AC860
senses an 8 InHg vacuum at the A/C. Wait for at least two minutes and watch the pr essure gauges
to determine if there is an increasing pressur e. If pressure in the A/C rises duri ng this time per iod
due to vaporization of residual liquid refrigerant, the AC860 will restart to recover this refrigerant.
When the AC860 stays off continually for at least two minutes, the recovery procedure is complete.

VACUUM

A deep vacuum should be drawn on the A/C to remove air, moisture and refrigerant dissolved i n
the oil. A deep vacuum is especially important if the A/C was opened for replacement of
components.

PURGE AIR - DRAIN OIL

Excess air and recovered oil must be removed from the AC860 after all refrigerant has been
recovered from the A/C. Temperature and pressure readings are examined and air is released
using the purge valv e. Oil is dr ained i nto the oil dr ain cup for measuring to determi ne the need to
replenish the A/C.

CHARGE

Refrigerant is charged into the A/C by weight. The amount to be charged is entered and the AC 860
automatically charges the refrigerant into the A/C.

1 Keypad
2 Function Valve
3 Purge Chart
4 Gauge Manifold
5 Tool Tray
6 Purge Gauge
7Purge Valve

Page 2

CONTROL PANEL

PURGE CHART - 0 F & PSIG

0

F R12 R134a

32 44 42
34 46 44
36 48 46
38 50 49
40 52 51
42 54 54
44 57 56
46 59 59
48 61 61
50 64 64
52 66 67
54 69 70
56 72 72
58 74 76
60 77 78
62 80 82

0

F R12 R134a

64 83 85
66 85 88
68 88 92
70 92 95
72 95 97
74 98 104
76 102 107
78 105 110
80 108 114
82 112 118
84 115 123
86 118 127
88 123 130
90 127 135
92 130 140
94 135 145

0

F R12 R134a

96 138 148

98 143 153
100 147 157
102 150 163
104 155 167
106 160 173
108 165 180
110 168 185
112 173 190
114 178 195
116 183 200
118 188 207
120 193 213

Page 3

KEYPAD FUNCTIONS

Scroll Key Press to scroll through function

options or to increase numeric
values shown on the display.

Cursor Key Press to move flashing cursor on

the display prior to numeric entries.

Go Key Press to confirm data entry and

continue.

Stop Key Press to halt program sequence.

Units Key Press to change unit of measure for

weight displays.

- CAUTION -

Always use fingers to operate keypad.

Use of sharp objects will cause damage.

Page 4

FIRST TIME USE OF THE AC860

1. The AC860 ships from the factory with all internal
components in a vacuum. It should be pre-charged
with refrigerant for optimum performance. The
cylinder mounted in the AC860 is used as the
storage container for recycled refrig erant. This same
refrigerant is then charged to the A/C Sy stem during
a charge procedure. This cyl inder must be l eft in the
AC860, as the weight scale is calibrated for this
specific cylinder.

2. Connect the gauge manifold and cylinder of new
refrigerant to the AC860 as shown. See Page 11 for
R134a hose connection to cylinder.

DO NOT TURN THE CYLINDER OF NEW REFRIGERANT UP-SIDE-DOWN AS
LIQUID REFRIGERANT WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE AC860.
COMPRESSOR DAMAGE COULD RESULT W HICH VOIDS THE WARRANTY.

3. Turn Purge Valve on AC860 to OFF. Turn Function Valve on AC860 to RECOVER. Open low

side valve on gauge manifold. Open valve on cylinder of new refrigerant.

4. Connect power cord of AC860 to properly grounded power source. Avoid using an extension

cord. If necessary use a good condition, three w ire grounded, #14 AWG or larger extension cord
of the shortest possible length.

5. RTI TECHNOLOGIES and 680/2860 SERIES will display for ten seconds.

6. The display will show the weight of refrigerant in the AC860 cylinder and prompt RECYCLE? The

weight of refrigeran t will initially display zero.

7. Press [5] key t o b e gin a recycle procedure. Refrigerant will be drawn from the cylinder of new

refrigerant and stored in the cylinder on the AC860. The weight displayed will begin to increase
after approximately one pound of refrigerant is used to initially fill internal components of the
AC860. Close the valve on the new refrigerant cylinder w hen the display show s a recommended
2 to 3 pounds. More than this amount can be added to the AC860 cylinder if desired. The
maximum capacity is 24 pounds.

8. When all refrigerant in the hoses and gauge manifold has been recovered, the display w ill show

RECYCLE COMPLETE CHECK PRESSURES.

9. Press the stop key and turn the Function Valve to OFF.

10. Close the low side valve on the gauge manifold.

11. Disconnect the blue hose from the cylinder of new refrigerant.

The above procedure can be used anytime it is necessary
to add new refrigerant to the AC860 cylinder.

Page 5

START-UP

Connect Red Hose to High Side of A/C

Connect Blue Hos e to Low Side of A/C

Connect Yellow Hose to Port on Rear of RHS680

1. Turn Function Valve and Purge Valve on AC860 to
OFF. Connect yellow hose of gauge manifold to port on
rear of AC860. Close high and low valves on gauge
manifold. Connect red and blue hoses to A/C system
and open hose valves.

2. Connect power cord of AC860 to properly grounded
power source. Avoid using an extension cord. If
necessary use a good condition, three wire grounded,
#14 AWG or larger extension cord of the shortest
possible length.

3. RTI TECHNOLOGIES and 680/2860 SERIES will display for ten seconds.

4. The display will then show the weight of refrigerant in the AC860 cylinder and prompt RECYCLE?

5. Press [5] key to begin a recycle procedure (Page 7) or press [>] key to go to next screen (See next
step).

6. The display will show the weight of refrigerant in the charge cylinder and prompt VACUUM?

W W W W CAUTION W W W W

Make sure the A/C pressures are at zero or below . If the gauges indicate positive
pressure, refrigerant will be vented to the atmosphere. Perform a recover
procedure before starting a vacuum procedure.

7. Press [5] key to begin a vacuum procedure (Page 8) or press [>] key to go to nex t scr een (See next
step).

8. The display will show the weight of refrigerant in the charge cylinder and prompt CHARGE?

9. Press [5] key to begin a charge procedure (Page 8) or press [>] key to return to Step 4 above.

Page 6

RECOVER (RECYCLE)

1. Turn Function Valve on AC860 to RECOVER.

2. Open high and low valves on gauge manifold.

3. The display will show the weight o f refrigerant in the
AC860 cylinder and indicate the unit is recycling.

4. When the A/C system pressure is in a vacuum the
display will show RECYCLE COMPLETE CHECK
PRESSURES. Wait two minutes to see if the pressure
in the A/C increases (due to liquid refrigerant
vaporizing). The AC860 will automatically begin
recycling again if the pressure rises above zero.

5. Press the stop key and close the high and low valves on
the gauge manifold.

6. Turn Function Valve on AC860 to OFF.

Note:

The display will show CYLINDER FULL GO TO CHARGE
if the AC860 cylinder fills to capacity. Press the STOP key
and perform a charge procedure to transfer refrigerant to
another A/C system or an external storage cylinder.

PURGE AIR - DRAIN OIL

IMPORTANT: Oil must be drained and A ir purged after each recover (recycle) procedure.
Failure to do so will cause excess air to be introduced into the A/C during charge and the
AC860 will fill with air causing a high-pressure shutdown.

1. The oil drain valve is accessibl e from the rear of the AC860, located under the main enclosure
on the right side (when v iewed from r ear). Open the Purg e Valve for 5 seconds and then close
it. Slowly open the oil drain valve and drain any oil into the measuring cup to determine how
much oil (if any) should be added to the A/C.

2. Leave the oil drain valve open.

3. Measure the room temperature.

4. Find the corresponding pressure for this temperature on the purg e chart printed on the AC860
top panel.

5. Compare this pressure from the chart with that indicated on the Purge Gauge. If the gauge
shows a higher pressure, slowly open the Purg e Valve a small amount until the pressure drops
to approximately the pressure shown in the chart.

6. Turn the purge valve to OFF.

7. Close the oil drain valve.

Page 7

VACUUM

1. MAKE SURE THE GAUGE PRESSURES ARE ZERO
OR LESS. If not, a recover procedure must be

performed before starting the vacuum procedure.

2. Turn Function Valve on AC860 to VACUUM.

3. Open high and low valves on gauge manifold.

4. The display will show the weight of refrigerant in the
AC860 cylinder and indicate the unit is vacuuming.

5. At the end of the desired vacuum time, press the stop
key and close the high and low valves on the gauge
manifold.

6. Turn Function Valve on AC860 to OFF.

CHARGE

1. Open either the low or high valve on gauge manifold
and corresponding hose valve according to the A/C
manufacturer’s recommendation for charging the
system.

2. Enter weight of charge desired using the keypad. Press
the [>] key to increase numeric value shown on display
and press [<] key to move flashing cursor to next
position. Press [5] key to start charging.

3. Turn Function Valve on AC860 to CHARGE.

4. Do not run the A/C during the charge procedure.

5. The display will show the amount of refrigerant being
charged into the A/C.

6. The display will show CHARGE COMPLETE
EVACUATE HOSES when the correct amount of
refrigerant has been charged.

7. Press the stop key and close the hose valve.

8. Turn function valve to OFF.

9. Evacuate the hose by running a recycle procedure.

Note:

The display will show LOW LEVEL GO TO RECYCLE if the
AC860 cylinder does not contain enough refrigerant to
complete the charge weight entered. Press the STOP key
and perform a recycle procedure to transfer refrigerant into
the AC860 cylinder.

Page 8

MAINTENANCE

The AC860 will provide many years of reliable service if properly maintained. Following is a
checklist of items which will ensure the AC860 performs at peak efficiency and presents an image
to your customers that your shop performs high tech A/C service.

1. Use tool tray for storage of tools and accessory adapters.

2. Store gauge manifold and hoses properly when not in use. Avoid hangi ng hoses over the
top of the unit.

3. Keep the exterior surfaces clean. Use a mild all purpose cleaner to w ipe oil and dirt off the
cabinet.

4. Do not allow the unit to sit outside in direct sunlight or inclement weather. Excessive
exposure to sun light and moisture may cause damage and will void the warranty.

5. The AC860 is not intended to be used for mobile A/C serv ice where the unit is transported
to customer sites. Excessive vibration will shorten component life.

6. Be gentle when moving the AC860 around the shop. Tip the unit and ease the front
casters over any obstacles such as door jams, air hoses and floor irregularities.

7. Periodically remov e the front cover and check for refrigerant leaks inside the AC860 using
a leak detector. A small leak detected early will prevent future undetected loss of
refrigerant.

8. Use regulated, clean shop air to remove debris from the fins of the condenser coil. Be
careful and do not disturb any internal components.

9. Periodically check oil lev el in compressor (oil level sight tube on left side panel). Oil should
be visible in the oil sig ht tube when the compressor is not operating. If oil is not visible, call
RTI Technical Support 800-468-2321.

10. Periodically check the oil l evel in the v acuum pump (if instal led). Oil should be visi ble half
way up the sight glass while the vacuum pum p is ru nnin g. If the oil l evel is lo w, call RTI
Technical Support 800-468-2321.

FILTER CHANGE

Filters must be changed after every 25 hours of recycling refrigerant. The display will show
“CHANGE FILTERS”. This reminder will be displayed whenever the AC860 is turned on or a new
procedure is started.

Disconnect power and remove tool tray from top of AC860 to change filters. Use end wrench to
loosen and tighten copper tube fittings. The foam insulation on the smaller outlet filter must be
removed from the old filter and reinstalled on the new one. Check for leaks after replacing filters.

Apply power to the AC860. The display will show “CHANGE FILTERS”. While this messa ge is
displayed, press and hold the [
FILTERS” message.

<] key and the [>] key for two seconds to reset the “CHANGE

Inlet Filter (long) P/N: 026-80077-00 Outlet Filter (short) P/N: 026-80069-00

Page 9

PARTS LIST - AC860

Part Number Description
1 026-80077-00 Filter - Long
2 022-80013-00 Low Pressure Switch
3 360-81514-00 Expansion Valve Assy
4 026-80070-00 Accumulator
5 360-81356-01 Compressor
6 024-80037-00 Contactor
7 360-81428-00 DOT Cylinder
8 360-81547-01 Heat Belt
9 026-80069-00 Filter - Short

10 022-80015-02 High Pressure Switch
11 025-80304-00 Solenoid
12 360-80416-00 Fan Assy
13 360-80280-00 Condenser Assy
14 031-80000-00 Load Cell
15 022-80028-00 Valve - 3 Way
16 024-80070-00

024-80072-00
17 022-80027-00 Valve - 2 Way
18 026-80071-02 Gauge

Keypad
Circuit Board

Page 10

Page 11