Projects
Continued from page 61
The old units
that needed to be
replaced.
technological developments in heat pump technology and
the more efficient R410a refrigerant. The unique automatic
refrigerant charge eliminates the need to calculate
refrigerant volume and allows for safe replacement.
Out of the 11 systems, four were upgraded in 2018
with two more added in 2019. The replacement took two
days per system and within a week, they were ready to
start up. The gas in the old condensers was then recovered
before they were stripped for scrap. As it was a retrofit, the
installation was less intrusive and saved time versus installing
a completely new system.
The project was handled by Widow Bird, Daikin’s distributor
in Botswana. The contractor was Glana Services.
The project would’ve cost 5-million Pula but because
they could reuse the indoor units and pipes, simply
replacing the condensers – it only cost BWP1.5-million in
the end.
“Not everyone knows that this option is available,” explains
Juan Burger, Daikin branch manager. “It’s not always possible
to replace a system – it depends on the state of the indoor
units. But it can save you a lot of time and money.” If the
www.hvacronline.co.za
The new units.
The new units.
indoor unit isn’t working, you can also just replace these or put
in new PC boards.
The client was very happy with the system and that’s why
they installed more. The new system is expected to last 10 to
15 years. RACA
LIST OF PROFESSIONALS
Owner Botswana Examination Council
HVAC & R Contractor Glana Services
VRV suppliers Daikin
RACA Journal I January 2020
63