webfact Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Technician's leg blown off as air-con explodes Photo: Sanook BANGKOK: -- A technician repairing an air-conditioner at a Thai hotel had his leg blown off in an explosion yesterday. Klong Luang police and medics rushed to the scene at the hotel in the Klong 1 area of Pathum Thani north of Bangkok. They found Chalermkiat, 48, with his leg detached. He was covered in serious burns lying behind one of the rooms, reported Sanook It is thought that the compressor exploded. He was taken to Thamasat Chalermprakiat Hospital after treatment at the scene to stabilize his injuries. Receptionist Theeradet, 26, said that the technician was employed by the hotel and had gone to look at the unit after complaints it was not cool. He said he heard a loud explosion as fellow staff and construction workers raced to the scene to see the victim covered in blood and debris over a wide area. Police are investigating. The hotel was not named in the Sanook.com article. Source: Sanook -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-01-31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukrules Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Damn, that's crazy ! I never would have thought an AC compressor could do something like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nisakiman Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 ^^ Likewise. never heard of an aircon unit blowing up before. One in a billion chance, I'd imagine. Poor bugger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeneeds Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 More information is needed , air con units if charged with incorrect, gas can explode, piping has a set capacity and if incorrectly over charging they will blow out, Sorry for the guy , safety and training , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannot Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 filled with lpg? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaywalker Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 (edited) 57 minutes ago, leeneeds said: More information is needed , air con units if charged with incorrect, gas can explode, piping has a set capacity and if incorrectly over charging they will blow out, Sorry for the guy , safety and training , I was out with the RTA once for a 1,000 km test drive for an upgraded engine on some rather old equipment. (as an aside, we hadn't gone 10 miles before they ran out of fuel, but I digress)... We had quite the convoy. One RTA truck & some VIP's in 2 vans, our van & a Toyota full of tools & 4 soldiers in the military vehicle. They stopped at one point because the soldiers couldn't breathe inside. The batteries (24V NATO system were under the front passenger's seat, so inside with them). I surmised that the smell was muriatic acid, whereas the batteries should have been filled with sulfuric acid. I was right. I dumped the batteries & refilled them with distilled water & no problems thereafter. I was amazed the batteries weren't ruined! So, while I've never heard of an AC unit exploding, yes, you may be right when it comes to the incorrect gas. Edited January 30, 2017 by jaywalker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick220675 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I worked on a super market some years ago, a worker who believed a re-fridge pipe was not in use decided the nice shiny copper should be removed, he lost his hand. Some refrigerant works at very high pressure, it is also possible propane was used. Air-con units should only be repair'd by people who know what they are doing, they can be very dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thai3 Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 22 minutes ago, mick220675 said: Air-con units should only be repair'd by people who know what they are doing, they can be very dangerous. That would be very few Thais currently working on them. I only use the manufactures technicians these days, too many cowboys with a screwdriver who actually know very little about them around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweatalot Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 2 hours ago, thai3 said: That would be very few Thais currently working on them. I only use the manufactures technicians these days, too many cowboys with a screwdriver who actually know very little about them around. The manufaturers' technicians are Thai, too. Are you sure they know better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spidermike007 Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 3 hours ago, mick220675 said: I worked on a super market some years ago, a worker who believed a re-fridge pipe was not in use decided the nice shiny copper should be removed, he lost his hand. Some refrigerant works at very high pressure, it is also possible propane was used. Air-con units should only be repair'd by people who know what they are doing, they can be very dangerous. And when you add that to the extreme lack of consumer safety, workplace safety, traffic safety, and the utter incompetence of the agencies that enforce the existing laws, it is a recipe for disaster. And will anything be done? No. Why? This government does not care about the people one iota. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlQaholic Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 If you fill the system with Propane instead of Freon, it will explode from a spark..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronaldo0 Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 No doubt not trained in the slightest to be qualified to work with air units. Far too many people here see someone do something a few times and they think that's it im qualified !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12DrinkMore Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 (edited) 4 minutes ago, AlQaholic said: If you fill the system with Propane instead of Freon, it will explode from a spark..... Do they work on propane? If it is a lot cheaper than Freon I guess there are more than a few units ready to explode. Edited January 31, 2017 by 12DrinkMore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlQaholic Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 1 minute ago, 12DrinkMore said: Do they work on propane? Yup they work just fine on propane, some air conditioning service companies might even fill that without telling you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time Traveller Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 (edited) 6 hours ago, ukrules said: Edited January 31, 2017 by Time Traveller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxpower Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 1 hour ago, sweatalot said: The manufaturers' technicians are Thai, too. Are you sure they know better? If the t-shirt they are wearing says AC Technician they are manufacturer certified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Get Real Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 That´s a new one! Aircon units doesn´t blow up if everything is handled as it should. Sad to hear about that tragic accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxpower Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Office maintenance guys tells me - If compressor motor have problem and make closed compressor very hot it go boom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amjamj Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 How possible ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pomthai Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 I'd guess he was attempting to charge the system and connected the refrigerant cylinder to the high pressure side instead of the low pressure side by mistake and the cylinder exploded. If the condenser fan wasn't working and the compressor had been running a while, easy for the HP side to be well over 400PSI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrTuner Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 The unit was connected to mains without a fuse and he managed to short it with some metal tool? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sioux2012 Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 "Technician's leg blown off as air-con explodes" were they glued on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosst Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 11 hours ago, kannot said: filled with lpg? Please, get some education, Hydrocarbons are an extremely safe refrigerant due to the very small charge. For ANY explosion to occur, air or oxygen is required if the correct charge is used OR ignorance and an overcharge is responsible regardless of refrigerant used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George FmplesdaCosteedback Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 15 hours ago, spidermike007 said: And when you add that to the extreme lack of consumer safety, workplace safety, traffic safety, and the utter incompetence of the agencies that enforce the existing laws, it is a recipe for disaster. And will anything be done? No. Why? This government does not care about the people one iota. Humm, Thailand's record on safety didn't just start in 2014. It is successive governments that have done nothing for about 85 years. The current administration can't take all the blame, but they need to do much better on the promised reforms before "democracy" returns and nothing is done again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook23 Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 21 hours ago, ukrules said: Damn, that's crazy ! I never would have thought an AC compressor could do something like this. TIT. Everything possible. Khrap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USPatriot Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 I've been an ac tech for 8 years nate certified master tech for 3 years. I have seen one ac compressor "explode" when I was walking up to it on a roof. The side split open no metal nothing came out of the compressor. Just because someone has a shirt that says tech on it means nothing in the usa I doubt it means anything here except he has a shirt. I can only see one pic and none of tools or tanks that might give a clue to what happened. Maybe he added oxygen or acetylene on accident or some other gas either would cause it to explode. Either way it is a dangerous job. The pressure on the high side can get to 600 psi 800 os the highest i have seen if there is a restriction somewhere in the system there is supposed to be a high and low pressure switch and a thermal cut off switch but it is not uncommon for the switches to be bypassed. I've seen some crazy stuff done here in thailand on air con units that I wouldn't even think of doing. Good luck to him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USPatriot Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 21 hours ago, kannot said: filled with lpg? I was raining the same thing some gas wasnt right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reigntax Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 (edited) 17 hours ago, AlQaholic said: If you fill the system with Propane instead of Freon, it will explode from a spark..... It cannot explode from a spark as it is a closed system with no oxygen. It can only explode if there was a leak and the fuel to oxygen ratio was within combustible limits. Any gas can serve as a refrigerant, even air but the efficiency would be low and moisture contamination would cause issues Refrigerant gases have certain properties and are matched to compressor pressures, evaporator and condenser heat transfer criteria to work under specific ambient and internal enthalpy conditions. Replacing with the incorrect gas would then mix 2 different gases having unmatched properties. May appear to work but with reduced performance. Yes, there are some refrigerants that are themselves blends and the recharging of such is even more complicated. Edited January 31, 2017 by Reigntax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USPatriot Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 15 hours ago, maxpower said: If the t-shirt they are wearing says AC Technician they are manufacturer certified. I doubt it. Not one manufacturer in the usa I know of requires training. Trane carrier Goodman not one requires their training except for installers. 90% of the units are the same just a few differences in types of compressors they all work the same. Take the heat from inside and put it outside it is a heat exchanger not much more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USPatriot Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 3 minutes ago, Reigntax said: It cannot explode from a spark as it is a closed system with no oxygen. It can only explode if there was a leak and the fuel to oxygen ratio was within combustible limits. Any gas can serve as a refrigerant, even air but the efficiency would be low and moisture contamination would cause issues Refrigerant gases have certain properties and are matched to compressor pressures, evaporator and condenser heat transfer criteria to work under specific ambient and internal enthalpy conditions. Replacing with the incorrect gas would then mix 2 different gases having unmatched properties. May appear to work but with reduced performance. Yes, there are some refrigerants that are themselves blends and the recharging of such is even more complicated. The wrong gas under to much heat and pressure will exploddo. The head temp is about 400 degrees. It may not physically explode like a fire but explode from pressure. We recycle r22 I have seen a batch 15% contaminated. R22 cost $660 for a 14.5 kilogram jug. We use nothing with more than a 1% contamination level. 3% is an industry acceptable level for recycled refrigerants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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