SMC Discussion Areas

Trouble-Shooting => Refrigeration => Topic started by: jnapp18 on April 05, 2010, 10:57:13 am



Title: can freon be added to compressors?
Post by: jnapp18 on April 05, 2010, 10:57:13 am
So my best guess is that my compressor leaked it's freon. I need to find the leak..(how?) need to get freon(where?) need to add freon      (how?).and need to fix leak(how?)


Title: Re: can freon be added to compressors?
Post by: SIGNGUY on April 05, 2010, 01:55:25 pm
Unless our experienced in working with refridgeration, dont' attempt it.. Find a qualified refridgeration tech near you or look at sending the machine to one of the vendors on this board who work on refridgeration. from what I've heard it's not that easy to find the leak, vacuum the system and refill?


Title: Re: can freon be added to compressors?
Post by: dw55 on April 05, 2010, 02:14:09 pm
we charged up a 70's pepsi chest cooler today and never did find a leak .we pumped it down and added nitrogen ,went around everything with soap bubbles also. put the 6 oz's that it called for back in it and left it running for the night.


Title: Re: can freon be added to compressors?
Post by: jnapp18 on April 05, 2010, 06:39:59 pm
Thanks Guys ill find try and find someone or just sell.


Title: Re: can freon be added to compressors?
Post by: GvtProprty on April 06, 2010, 08:18:54 pm
My Cornelius was low on freon when I got it so I picked up a clamp-on valve, got a set of gauges, a can of Freeze-12 and charged it back up. It works wonderfully now. I have no refrigeration experience, just what I've gleaned reading these boards. It wasn't that difficult or expensive. I was able to borrow gauges but they are on eBay so even then it shouldn't be too much. I'm sure the more experienced hands here are now aghast but I got the machine for cheap and figured what the heck. The valve I got from Grainger and clamped it on the low side of the system as determined from poring over refrigeration diagrams. Got a quick tutorial from my buddy on how to interpret the gauges. Figured out what the charge should roughly be based on refrigeration tables available online. Picked up the refrigerant from Pep Boys, the can tapper from eBay, hooked it all up, fired it up and added refrigerant until the gauge read the appropriate amount. I let the system cycle for a day or two to make sure all was well and called it good. It now cools to a frosty 32 degrees. In my research I also found a product that you add to the system that "scabs over" pinhole leaks in the system so you don't have to find them, just add this stuff. I didn't use it and I can't remember the name but a search for refrigerant leak stop will probably find it. Good luck.