Propane instead of r-12

Take a look at this web site. This guy converted his refrigerator to propane instead of R-12. Hope he doesnt have it next to the stove.
http://home.earthlink.net/~lenyr/refrig2.htm

[vend_dr]

I think he may be taking the refridgeration laws a bit to personal!

I sure dont know anything about refrigeration, but that just does not sound to smart to me.

[sodaworks]

I recently ran across a couple of old refrigerators that operated on natural gas.

[johnieG]

<font color='#000000'>First things first,This Idiot has absolutely <u>NO</u> Idea of what he's doing, but thanks to murphy's law & natural selection, he will soon be removed form the gene-pool <!--emo&--><img src="http://soda-machines.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''><!--endemo-->
 
People, even if the system was charged with miracle Pixie-dust, [technical name.. IP2] frosting 4 feet up a suction line is...

A).A severly overcharged system, hacked together by a moron, awaiting an impending severe system failure.

B).An enormous puddle in the making when this glacier defrosts.

C).just plain Stupid.

D). All of the above,  especially the part about a torch & a propane charged system...

you will see more about this "genius" in the obituary section, god forbid if he's married, but I hope that if he is, that his wife has the good sense to take out a hefty insurance policy, 'cause it won't be long...</font>



<!--EDIT|johnieG|1120524755-->

[globalcompressors]

First time his compressor grounds out, at the terminal and blows the charge.....

BYE BYE BIRDIE!!!!!!!!!

It's bad enough when this happens to a regular system and the oil ignites causing a flame thrower. I had a customer this happened to. He reset the breaker, hit the contactor and BOOM!. The system was a 22 a/c unit, under pressure. The common terminal pin blew out of the compressor, releasing the gas and oil, in a mist. The power was still on when the line arced against the compressor causing a spark. He woke up in hospital with 3rd degree burns over his face, hands, and chest. Rough way to find out the compressor was grounded. Usually when a breaker is tripped, it's for a reason. That's why GOD made ohm meters!

Eric

[dr galaga]

With all of this talk, out of curiosity, how do propane refridgerators work in travel trailers? '>

[globalcompressors]

It's not propane that cools the refrigerator in an rv. It's an ammonia system that is heated by either a propane burner or an electric heating element. RV refrigerators have no moving parts. The system is an expansion style setup. When the reservoir of ammonia is heated, by an outside source, the pressure builds in the chamber forcing the ammonia thru a metering device, cap tube or expansion valve. It simply relies on heat to build pressure rather than a compressor.

Eric

[dr galaga]

Thanks Eric.  I have often wondered that.  I thought that it might have something to do with heat.

Actually, interestingly enough, there are companies out there selling hydrocarbon refrigerants for automobiles.  The most common is a ~78% propane - 22% isobutane mix.  Propane has an almost identical temp-pressure curve when compared to the R-22 used in home units and has very good heat transfer characteristics - the isobutane is added for auto use to bring the head pressures down to something similar to R-12 - its typically charged with about 1/3 the weight of the original R-12.  Flammability is an issue in the car, but then again I used to have and old chevy truck that had the gas tank under the seat - 20 gallons of gas vs 12 oz of Propane.  Also to note, the oil used in most refrigerants systems is flammable when atomized - spring a leak in the high side of any system and you have the risk of a small explosion.  In my V-63, the plaque reads ~ 12 oz of R-12, one could charge it with ~ 4 oz of the Propane/isobutane mix and get very good results.  Some people may have concern about it, but as I wander around my house I find a couple of butane lighters we use for the fireplace & candles, a butane refill bottle - easily I probably have 6-8 oz of the stuff in my kitchen.  

Anyways, the stuff I saw was called "envirosafe" - they had it in both r-12 and r-22 equivalents - I'm not real keen on putting it in my car, but I wouldn't be too concerned about my refrigerator - especially when I look at that big natural gas outlet right around the corner from it.

Steve