"The most comprehensive source for Automotive Tools & Equipment" Evacuation The Importance of Deep Vacuum The purpose of a vacuum pump is to remove moisture and air from an A/C-R system. Modern systems are built tighter and charges are more critical. That means these systems have a greater sensitivity to moisture and other contaminants, making thorough evacuation more important than ever before. Moisture in a refrigeration system, directly or indirectly, is the cause of most problems and complaints. First, moisture can cause freeze-up in a system. Moisture is picked up by the refrigerant and transported through the refrigerant line in a fine mist, with ice crystals forming at the point of expansion. "Freeze-Up" is not the only problem caused by moisture. It can also result in corrosion, the effects of which are not apparent until the real damage has occurred. Moisture alone is bad enough, but combined with refrigerants containing chlorine, hydrochloric acids can form. These greatly increase the corrosion of metals. Also, refrigerant oil rapidly absorbs moisture. Water-formed acids combine with the refrigerant, forming a closely bonded mixture of fine globules. The effect is called sludging and it greatly reduces the lubricating ability of the oil. A vacuum pump removes troublesome moisture by lowering the pressure within the system and vaporizing (or boiling off) the moisture, then exhausting it along with air. Cool-Tech - The Inside Story A vacuum pump that's fast and thorough saves you not only time; but also the expense of call-backs and dissatisfied customers. Robinair pumps perform better than other pumps in the industry, assuring you complete dehydration before recharging. Robinair pumps are engineered specifically to meet the needs of the kind of A.C work you're doing today, and to give you trouble-free operation. We put our years of experience and know-how into developing pumps that help you do the job faster and better. Oil Fill Port - Makes adding oil simple since the port is accessible from the front or either side. The sight glass on the front of the pump shows you when enough oil has been added. Two Stage Design - Cleans the system more thoroughly than a single stage pump; the second stage starts pumping at a lower pressure so you can pull a deeper ultimate vacuum. Die Cast - Cast aluminum housings make the pumps light-weight but durable. Heavy Duty Motor - High torque design for easy startup and efficient operation. Molded Base - Durable polycarbonate base improves pump balance and minimizes vibration during operation. Iso-ValveTM - Isolates the pump from the system with just a quarter-turn. Offset Rotary Vanes - Our proven design builds a powerful compression within the pumping chamber to reduce system pressure and vaporize moisture so it can be exhausted along with air. Oil Drain Valve - Positioned at the bottom of the oil reservoir and angled for faster, more complete draining. All Robinair pumps are backed by our exclusive "No Hassle" over-the-counter replacement warranty. You can return a pump to your Robinair distributor for an immediate exchange - with no hassle! (In U.S. and Canada only; In other locations; see your Robinair distributor.) Robinair Cool-Tech vacuum pumps are designed for use on A/C systems using CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs in conjunction with mineral oil, ester oil, alkybenzene oil and PAG oil as lubricants. Do not use them with ammonia or lithium bromide systems; not for use with flammable refrigerants. Tests Prove It! Cool-Tech Pumps Evacuate Twice as Fast as Major Competitive Pumps Tests done under same laboratory conditions confirm that Robinair vacuum pumps consistently out-perform other major brands. Our model 15600 reaches a vacuum of 600 microns in just 60 minutes, while the competition's pump took more than two hours to reach the same micron level. Competitive Vacuum Pump Comparison Evacuation Minutes to 600 Microns Testing Parameters: Tests started at atmospheric pressure; Robinair - 6 cfm vacuum pump; Brand A- 6 cfm; Brand B - 7 cfm; ambient temperature 70 degrees F; 40152 manifold; 72" Enviro Guard® hoses without Quick-Seal fittings; 14010 thermistor vacuum gauge; 100 lb. recovery cylinder; tests conducted in April 1999. Robniair pumps weight less! You'll appreciate the difference a few pounds makes when you're carrying the pump up a ladder of through an access hatch. Robinair (6 cfm) = 27 lbs Brand A (6 cfm) = 34.5 lbs Brand B (7cfm) = 27.5 lbs Robinair pumps use less oil! Smaller oil capacity means that your maintenance costs will be lower over the life of the pump. Robinair = 15 oz. Brand A = 24 oz. Brand B = 30 oz. "How Important is the size of your vacuum pump?" Picking the right size pump for the kind of work you do will pay off in time savings - pull down will be faster and more efficient. Selecting the Right Size Pump The more air a pump moves, the faster it can reach an acceptable vacuum. A smaller pump takes more time to evacuate a system than one that's properly sized for the job. Use this chart as a guide: System Recommended Pump Size Up to 10 tons; Passenger Cars, Domestic Refrigeration 1.2 CFM Up to 30 tons; Panel Trucks, RVs; Residential A/C 4 CFM Up to 50 tons; Tractor/Trailers, Buses; Rooftop A/C systems 6 CFM Up to 70 tons 10 CFM Related "Robinair" Product Information AC Vacuum Pumps - Index Page Full Product Listing - Index Page