All-aluminum microchannel coils revolutionized the HVAC industry with their compact design, low refrigerant charge and strong heat-transfer performance. However, anyone who services rooftop units, condensers or air-cooled chillers knows that after a few years in harsh environments, MCHX coils can develop tiny leaks that are almost impossible to repair in the field. Such was the case on this recent job for a Trane® YCD151F condenser coil.

The customer was a major pharmaceutical retail chain with a store located in Illinois. They had a persistent leak in a Trane microchannel coil. Once an MCHX begins leaking refrigerant, repair kits can sometimes offer temporary relief, but long-term solutions usually mean coil replacement or conversion.

In this case, the customer converted the Trane MCHX to a copper tube, aluminum fin coil — a cost-effective upgrade that significantly improved the reliability of the Trane YCD151F unit. Over time, this helped reduce repairs and minimize refrigerant loss from leaks, ultimately saving the customer time and money.

The Downside of MCHX Coils
Does your unit still have an all-aluminum microchannel? Then you may have experienced one or more of these costly issues:

• Low grade, easily damaged

• Prone to refrigerant leaks

• Due to the MCHX’s low refrigerant volume, precise refrigerant charge is needed for the equipment to run properly. This may require refilling the refrigerant often.

• Easily clogs, similar to a dirty dryer filter, requiring frequent maintenance and operational issues

• Difficult to repair in the field requiring two-part epoxy or a torch

Reap the Benefits of an MCHX Upgrade on Any OEM Unit
An MCHX conversion can be done on any OEM microchannel, like the Trane YCD151F, and offers many benefits:

• Durability
  Copper’s mechanical strength and resistance to vibration make it more forgiving in rooftop or heavy-duty applications.
  
  
• Serviceability
  Copper coils can be field-brazed and repaired using standard HVAC tools and techniques.
  
  Additionally, copper coils give you the ability to pump down the system. Microchannel coils use flat plates with very small holes going through them, reducing refrigerant capacities upwards of 30%. When making a system repair with copper tube coils, the compressors can pump the refrigerant into the condenser coils. This avoids having to recover the refrigerant from the entire system prior to making repairs, saving time and money.
  
  
• Flexibility
  Nationwide Coils’ customization options can match capacity and dimensions of an old coil, adapting tube circuits, fin spacing and connections to your existing system layout.
  
  
• Longevity
  With proper coatings (e.g. Heresite), copper coils can outperform aluminum microchannels in coastal or industrial environments. Ask about our various coating options.
  
  
• Increased cost efficiency
  Over the life of the coil, a copper-tube, aluminum-fin design will save a money by reducing repairs and lost refrigerant do to leaks.
  
  

#ChangeTheChannel

The Trane YCD151F condenser coil is just one of thousands of microchannels that Nationwide Coils has upgraded over the years. For this beneficial upgrade on any OEM model, call 888.CoilPro or email us anytime. You’ll see why we’re the #MastersOfMCHXConversion.

#ChangeTheChannel - all we need is the unit's make and model number to get started.

DID YOU KNOW?

When replacing the microchannel condenser coil with a copper tube condenser coil, you must complete the circuit. So, if the unit has eight microchannel coils with four per circuit and only one coil is bad, you must replace all four coils to complete the circuit. This is because the amount of refrigerant used per circuit is greater when using the copper tube condenser coils. Plus, the MCHX coil and the copper tube coil have different refrigerant pressure drops. If it were paired with the same circuit, it would cause the unit to have operational issues.