[Shop-talk] Freon Leak detectors

[Doug Braun]

Hello,

Here's another freon-related question: 

My house has a 25-year-old built-in Sub-Zero refrigerator that is cooling
poorly.  Unfortunately Sub-Zero service people charge a lot, and new units are
breathtakingly overpriced.  Each of the refrigerator and freezer compressors
has the standard high and low side Schraeder-style fittings (like tire valve
stems, but a bit bigger).  I have a manifold gauge set that would attach to
these, but during the process of attaching or removing the hoses, a lot of
freon leaks out of the connections.

So how can I work around this problem?  The gauge set came with adapters that
attach to modern car R-134A ports, and have knobs that open the internal
valves after the adapters have been securely attached to the ports.

Are there equivalent adapters that attach to the older-style Schraeder
fittings?
Or do A/C techs simply attach and detach the hoses quickly and not worry about
the freon that leaks out in the process?

Any advice would be very welcome.  I do not want to have to pay somebody
several hundred dollars per year to keep the refrigerator going, and I really
do not want to pay $6000+ for a new one.  Every refrigerator sold in the size
I need (24x48") is just as expensive.

Doug