Copper Pipe - V80 compressor - SUCCESS is fleeting....Help!!!

[glenp87]

Hi Guys,,,,this may sound silly but can someone please confirm for me...if the large copper pipe that runs between the compressor and evaporator had at one time been slightly pinched, then starightened, could it impact refrigeration performance?

It also sounds like water moving through the pipe after the compressor ahs been running for a while....any thoughts on that?

Thanks,

Glen

[Yarochrehc]

If when you straighten out the tubing and it isn't leaking it should be ok.  On some systems that running water sound is the refrigerant boiling off, if it is cooling ok this should not be a problem.

[glenp87]

Thanks Bob,

I do not believe it is leaking....the machine gets very cold,,,,but after a day or so the small tube on the side of the evaporator gets a couple cm of snow on it and it appears not to stay as cold...at this point the compressor keeps running.

Does this sound like it needs a recharge? Fans worl properly and I doubt it has ever had a recharge.

Glen

[MoonDawg]

        The slightest amount of moisture in the freon will turn into an ice crystal and flow through the large tube until it reaches the small tube. That blocks further flow and freezes only forward of that spot. When you unplug the machine for a while the ice melts, but after running it again the same thing will happen.
        If this is the problem the system must be evacuated, freon filtered and recharged.
        

[glenp87]

Glen - thank you,,,,,you have been a great help to me (and others) in our quest to get our machines fully functional.

I live in the Raleigh,NC area.....any suggestions on refrigeration pro's...since refrigeration is an area I am new to and it is so important, I would like it done correctly.

Glen

[glenp87]

Here are a couple of pics of the frosting (unfortunately defrosted a bit by the time I got the camera)...

Glen

[collecture]

Only person I can think of in NC is Alan Huffman

[MoonDawg]

        It may just be undrecharged. Remove the compressor deck and take it in to a shop that can analyze the problem. Ask them to please weld in a charge tube, not a saddle fitting.

[glenp87]

I will do that...thanks to all for the help.

Glen

[johnieG]

        It may just be undercharged. Remove the compressor deck and take it in to a shop that can analyze the problem. Ask them to please weld in a charge tube, not a saddle fitting.

Also be aware that it's acceptable to use a saddle valve to diagnosis a trouble in the system, then they ( the repair-shop) can determine if the system has ( and in your case as I see it too, from the picture you've shown) a leak that has left it under charged. then they can let you make a decision as to which way you want to proceed from there ( and once they located the source of the leak/undercharge, then they can braze in a suction line service valve and while they're at it, also install a new high-side filer/dryer with a service-port)

I'm splitting hairs here, but what's the point of discharging the system & brazing in a new service tap before you've located the trouble, just a thought.