WRX986SIHV00 sealed system help

[bizzs]

Hi guys, I am in need of some advice with this repair.  I am working on a whirlpool WRX986SIHV00 sealed system. Whirlpool sent out a couple of goofs that did not know what they were doing and they installed a new compressor.  I am epa certified and I tried to explain to the tech  that you just don't weld in a compressor, recharge without the refrigerant valve in home position and leave. Needless to say, the compressor blew out within an hour after the install and I complained to Whirlpool. They decided not to fix it. 

I decided to tackle this project since Whirlpool sent the parts to my home prior to them deciding that it was unrepairable. They sent an RC and FC evaporator and a new refrigerant valve. I purchased a new compressor and drier.

I attached the manifold gauges and ran the diagnostic mode and noticed that the sealed system was in vacuum mode.  I cut out both evaporators, 3 way refrig valve and compressor.  I flushed the entire system and ran nitro through it.  The capillary lines were clear and nitro air was flowing through them pretty good. The suction line (5/16 copper lines) seamed like the nitro flow was not as good.  I sent air through the line coming out of the compressor and it flowed great coming out of the RC but not the FC.  I redirected the  nitro air  out of the 5/16 line from the FC evaporator connection and capped off the RC suction line. The nitro flow was barely getting back to the compressor with the RC being capped off.  I asked on other forums if anyone knew how the plumbing was routed because I suspected  there was another filter or flap valve within the pipe routing.  I could not get answer to this question.  I installed the three way and tested. Air was flowing to the compartments when instructed.

I finished cleaning the sealed system and brazed all the new parts in and the drier filter. I nitro cleaned again and vacuumed to a -3.0. The pressure held for 24 hours and I weighed in a 5.5 oz of r134a.  

I turned on the unit today and as per protocol, the RC started first and the temperature dropped  to the set temperature of 38 degrees.  The low side psi was 2.  As the refrigerant valve switched over to the FC, the system went into a -3.0 vacuum mode on both the high and low side. I checked the FC evaporator and the fan was running but there was no frost pattern and it was warm to the touch.

Does anyone have any suggestions of my next step?  This is my first dual evaporator repair and I am stumped.  Is there any diagram available that shows the plumbing routes of the suction lines? Is there another non-accessable filter or valve attached within these suction lines? How are these lines intertwined? I am completely lost and would hate to junk a 3,000 refrigerator.

Thoughts?

Thanks

bizzs 

[bizzs]

I also failed to mention that the refrigerant valve was in home position when I recharged.

[Vance R]

I’ll explain the suction line paths first. Each suction line joins together in a t or y then return back to the compressor. In the suction line for the freezer evap is a one way check valve. This one way valve prevents refrigerant going back into the freezer evap when the refrigerator evap is being supplied.

Where are your gauges hooked up? Normally the highside would be hook to a valve on the drier. Lowside would be the process stub on the compressor or some where on the suction line close to the compressor. Please put in diag mode step 4 and let it go through all sub steps. Report the pressures for pumpdown, refrig evap and freezer evap.

[bizzs]

I believe I found the culprit. My only choice was to cut the capillary line at the FC evaporator. I tried to desolder but the torch heat was melting the plastic compartment. I had 3 heat shields all around it but the weld would not loosen and more heat was needed. After I made the cut to the FC cap line, I ran the tests. There was no air flow coming out of the FC evaporator cap line. I cut the FC cp line at the refrigerant valve and no air was flowing out of there either. I desoldered the entire valve and cleared out the restriction with my air compressor. The 3 way valve is new and I think some of the silver solder may have got inside when I brazed it in. 

 I brazed the refrigerant valve back in and ran the test cycle. Air flow is now coming out of the cap line freely in the FC.

Now I have to figure out how to braze the cap line back into the evaporator without melting the compartment. The cap line is very short and there is no extra to stretch out. I think I may have to cut the pressure line and remove the FC evaporator completely because I am going to need extra heat to sweat the cut cap line out.

Any suggestions, thoughts or ideas on how to remove the cut cap line that is brazed in the evaporator without removing the entire evaporator?

Thanks

bizzs

 

[Vance R]

On the evap side of the braze as close as possible to the braze spot use you tubing cutter to cut just the outer tube. Then just pull out the cap tube with the little “bell”.