Refrigerant

my pepsi vendo 110 is not cooloing properly. when the t-stat is turned on the evaporator fan comes on, and the condenser fan also comes on. my a-c guages read 40 psi on the low side. the nameplate states 140 psi on the low side and 235 on the high side. does it just need some more r-12 and if so where do i get it? also, can i pull the system down and use r-22 instead because it is more accessable to the consumer? any help is appreciated.

[johnieG]

Unfortunatly R22 will not work in a R12 system, the pressures listed on the side are TEST PRESSURES ONLY!!!    (used by the manufacture when they certified the system ) the pressures vary depending on external temp. & amount of Freon (oz.)in the system. typically they can range 8-15 psi on the LOW side, so do not over charge yours,(freon is added by weight in ounces to the system) off hand it sounds to me that your's is overcharged. is it running too warm? whats the temp inside the cabinet? frosting on the suction line up to the compressor? kinda need more info. hope it helps & you might try an email to global compressor ( in the suppiers listing)

thanks for the info, the machine is running warm and when i bought it this winter it seemed to cycle just fine. the evap line was showing frost  and the thermometer i put in it read a steady 40 degrees F but then again it is cold in minnesota and it was in an unheated garage. so now with summer i thought i would fire it up and it just runs warm. i have not added any freon and why it reads 50 psi i don't know. maybe bleed down the system to normal psi? thanks

quick update on pepsi 110. after looking  at gauges closer,found that readings vary for different refrigerants. i was looking at r-22. so now i see the pressure for the r-12 is to low. the thing in the evaporator compartment that has a tiny line running into a device that looks like a CO2 cartridge does frost up but that is the only part that gets cold. does it need a shot of r-12 and where do i find it. thanks

[johnieG]

I'm afraid R12 is not for sale legally to the public,(in the USA,it's still available in Mexico & South America) you'll have to look up a licensed refridgeration tech to help you out there. they can top 'er off with F12 or convert it over to the newer "drop-in" replacement Freon's such as the new 401/410/F134a,etc. by the way don't be tempted to mix automotive type F134a with F12, it's not compatible with electric-motor compressor oils and it will react with the oil and sludge up the unit (Just a note that here in the Detroit area F12 goes for about $40-50 bucks for 12 oz. if you can find some on the street, and sorry, no I don't have any  '>
hopr the info helps (PS "drop-in" means it will replace F12 NOT mix with it!, and is compatable with electric compressor oils)

after getting the system low side to 10-18 psi, unit still runs warm with both fans running.except the front end of evaporator gets cold just in a couple spots with heavy condensation dripping off it. the temp is 90 degrees with 70 percent humidity today here in minnesota. any more tips or ideas? does it take awhile to cool down? thanks

[johnieG]

Assuming the evaporator's fins are not plugged on the backside (fanside) it could take a few hours to chill down an empty cabinet. double check the fins with a flashlight and make sure they're clean and you've got good airflow through them, also a heavy layer of crud on the fins will act as an insulation and cause spotty cooling across the surface of the evap. let it run overnight and check the temp then.

just an update on my pepsi 110 cooling problem. i found a service guy to come out and check it. it had a bad valve in the compressor. for anyone trying to trouble shoot there own machine, when you put a vacuum pump on the system and it immediately goes from a vacuum back to zero on your gauges, your compressor is junk. the service guy here where i live in minnesota installed a brand new lower deck, installed for 500.00. now it cools like a champ. so if you have or buy a machine and you have to find someone to make it cold, keep in mind at least 500.00 in addition to your purchase price. if it already cools you are already ahead. thanks and good luck. troy '>