15 replies to this topic

[RedToryTy]

To the Dojo,

This Frigidaire manual defroster appeared to have a blocked evaporator, i.e. only top two coils frosted AT 40 Degrees. My gauge read twenty inches of vacuum on the low side.
I unplugged the product, let pressure equalize for ten minutes, and reconnected it to 110VAC...and was to 20 degrees in less than twenty minutes. I measured between ten and fifteen pounds of pressure after putting in twenty inches of ProSeal.
Any relevant experience? What about this valve (http://www.repaircli...ber=UL2494ECW11); what effect does it have on what I'm seeing? It appears to open and close a valve that probably creates some sort of defrost.

Thanks in advance,
Tyrus

[Scottthewolf]

And the model number is????

[Budget Appliance Repair]

If this unit uses that valve you have linked to it isn't a manual defrost unit. That is a hot gas valve - hot gas defrost system.

[jb8103]

None of this is making sense. Twenty inches of vacuum on the low side? Is this an R22 system? What did you see on the high side? And as far as I know, refrigerant is measured in by the ounce, not the inch.

[jumptrout]

Inches of Mercury is a refrigerant measurement.

[Cactus Bob]

"twenty inches of ProSeal"...... 20oz of ProSeal . and now you have a plugged cap tube .

I guess you missed the class in refrigeration school , about CLEAN , CLEAN ,CLEAN
The only thing that ever goes into a refrigeration system is oil and freon

A Tec that no longer works for us brought that garbage into our shop . all it did for me was make me buy 4 replacement window ac units for customers who compressors locked up shortly after installing this

if you have a leak fix it properly ..........if you can't , replace the appliance

Edited by Cactus Bob, 02 October 2012 - 08:35 AM.

[RedToryTy]

Frigidaire M# UL2494ECW11.

Budget, this is hot gas; ANY wisdom you have is MUCH appreciated.

Cactus, ProSeal has saved several fridges and freezers for my business and other guys in northeast Georgia; so, thanks but no thanks for the "help."

[Scottthewolf]

This is actually a Crosley branded refrigerator made by WCWoods of Canada, who then manufactured the freezers for Frigidaire. Crosley branded parts look ups are NLA and must be cross referenced with Frigidaire parts, due to the fact Whirlpool bought WCWoods out.

Edited by Scottthewolf, 02 October 2012 - 03:41 PM.

[jb8103]

Inches of Mercury is a refrigerant measurement.

Well, yes, it is, once you're below one atmosphere. So if RedTory was seeing a complete and solid blockage, then the system would act like it is pumping down, with the compressor pulling a vacuum on the low side, as if you had a service valve closed.

[Cactus Bob]

RedToryTY : I know this is a touchy subject , i used to like the stuff too , when it first came out we outfitted all the trucks with it and sold a bunch
But , we had a large number of people that brought window ac units in every year or so for a top off and check at a reduced rate , when we thought we could "fix there slow leak with this product we sold a bunch of it
later that summer units started coming back with locked compressors , these where units i had been servicing for years with no other problems except a slow leak , after a few of these we stopped selling the product

in the end i tossed 8 cans of the stuff that had "truck worn" boxes and could not be returned

to this day (3 years later) i still get units in that have this product installed , some working and some with locked up compressors or plugged cap tubes

[RegUS_PatOff]

musical chairs ...
http://appliantology...-hot-gas-valve/

[RedToryTy]

Jb, Budget, or ANYONE with experience,

I'm getting this part (http://www.repaircli...ber=UL2494ECW11), and ohm resistances on new and existing solenoid. Can anyone give relevant hot-gas defrost experience?

Thanks in advance,
Tyrus

[certified tech group 51]

Do not think you have a blocked evaporator coil......What is in the system that size to block the diameter of tubing ????...More then likely you have a restriction in the filter dryer...........You have kinda painted yourself into a corner now that you added a self-seal compound to the system......You will need to remove all of the refrigerant and hopefully you get all of the "ProSeal' out of the system..............I would replace the filter dryer first and see what changes...... For O degs. operating temp.. you will be looking for 6-7 p.s.i. at the access port on the compressor.............For the hot gas solenoid, If it failed, you would not have 20 inches of HG., the refrigerant would be flowing freely......The solenoid bypasses the filter dryer and puts the hot refrigerant from the condenser straight into the evaporator coils, thus removing the frost......

[jumptrout]

Well, yes, it is, once you're below one atmosphere. So if RedTory was seeing a complete and solid blockage, then the system would act like it is pumping down, with the compressor pulling a vacuum on the low side, as if you had a service valve closed.

You are correct. That is what he said happened in his first post..

[certified tech group 51]

OR,................. If you have a low charge in the system, you will draw a deep vacuum..... " not cooling and only the top coils frosted"....... .......

[jb8103]

In his first post, Red Tory also described the system reaching equilibrium within ten minutes. With a solidly blocked cap tube, say for example, that would not likely happen.

Meanwhile, I've seen quite a few R22 systems so low on charge there was really nothing left but vapor and non-condensibles, but never have I seen one in vacuum unless I put it there.

Anything more than five inches (-48 degrees) is off my P/T chart.

Anyway. I would suspect a low charge reading that evaporator frost pattern, especially with high superheat. My usual response is to pump out the remaining refrigerant to about 15 inches; then charge the system with 200 pounds of nitrogen and see if it stands for an hour; if that does not reveal the leak with a nice hissing noise, then it's going to cost some refrigerant to put back into the system along with dye or standing by with a leak detector.

If it's just a minor leak, requiring top-off once a year or so, then dump in the required weight of refrigerant. If this doesn't do the trick you might very well have a compressor problem.

I do not see a description of a problem with the hot gas valve, only that it was there, so if that ain't broke, don't fix it.

Edited by jb8103, 03 October 2012 - 09:24 PM.