Help with walk in freezer

[txcchbubba]

Ok, I don't have a lot of data to offer... I mostly do residential and light commercial comfort cooling, but live in a rural area and therefore get ref. request from local conv. stores and try to help them out. Had a call late today for a walk in freezer that was not working. Newer evap coil in freezer but ancient p.o.s. cond. unit on roof. About 78 in walk in and fans not running, owner had turned off power to cond. unit. Turned it own and had about 50 suction and 150 liquid line. Do not know what refrigerant as can not read any of the labels. Compressor is getting hot quickly. Suction line is about 75 deg. Liquid line is about 85 deg. but odd part (to me) is that discharge line is only 87 deg. After about 4 minutes comp shuts off on internal overload. Cooled it down with a bag of ice and got it going again (for about another 4 minutes) trying to decipher the problem.


Did not check the amp draw. Unit has a accumulator on the l/l side, with a l/l solenoid. The sight glass (from the best I could tell) was clear.

Could the l/l solenoid be closed and cause these conditions? Seems like I would have higher pressure on the high side and lower pressure on the suction side but lack of discharge temp makes me think I'm not pumping any ref. out of the comp.

Been a long day and any help is appreciated.

[yotaman16]

makes me think you should dump some more gas in it.. The fans arnt on because the evap coil isnt cold enough because the lack of gas.. So recover the gas thats in it and get rid of it. Check the tag on compressor and txv and decide the refrigerant.. Leak check the system and then change dryers pull a vacuum and charge that bad boy

[MikeySq]

probably not a lack of juice with 50psi comming back, bad comp? what kind of compressor is it? will it pump to a vacuum if isolated?

[freebird]

Unit has a accumulator on the l/l side, with a l/l solenoid.

Might have something to do with the accumulator on the liquid line side??!! Sure it isnt a receiver?

[txcchbubba]

Thanks for the replies... early this morning I told the owner he needed to call out a refrigeration company... yes, I used the wrong term, it has a receiver.

Unit had a recip compressor...could not read anything on the label.

I'm still wondering what could cause the discharge line to be slightly above ambient when the suction and liquid pressures seem to indicate it is pumping. There was no refrigeration effect that could be detected anywhere (no frosting, etc). My guess would be a defective compressor.

[yotaman16]

i think you got it there mikeysq .. I didnt see the 50 psi.. I bet the valves are blown right out of that baby..