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View Full Version : Mystery...Where is My Oil going?!


man from trane
05-31-2009, 11:00 PM
Small Kysor-Warren rack, 404A, 8 circuits, 2 LT and 6 med. temp. 6 scrolls with OMB oil controls.

It's a pretty simple oil system- Discharge header pipe dumps into the center of a Temprite oil separator. At the bottom of the Temprite is a half-inch oil pipe that feeds all 6 OMB controls. That's all.

2 weeks ago the compressor closest to the Temprite (first on the oil header) was tripping on low oil. I watched it happen. The oil dropped slowly, the solenoid fired, and there's nothing but hot gas is in the tube. The Temprite is showing nothing in the bottom glass. There's plenty of oil or refrigerant swirling around but no level.

So I added 1 1/2 gallon of 32 POE oil to the Temprite. Then there was oil in the bottom glass and no more oil trips. Until today. The Temprite is empty again.

I added another gallon to the Temprite. 2 hours later, same thing!!! Empty! I'm not losing refrigerant, so where is the oil going?

Here's another strange piece of the puzzle. This compressor seems to be the only one that ever calls for oil. It doesn't short cycle, but it is the largest compressor at 15 HP. The others are (3) 3.5 HP and (2) 10 HP. They are always showing full in the oil sightglass. I thought maybe some of the solenoids were leaking by so I isolated them and still they did not ever run low on oil.

It almost seems like the separator is not separating. I don't know. This one really has me puzzled. :confused:
cold spell
05-31-2009, 11:38 PM
this is a sure sign of a blown filter in the temprite seperator. Change the filter and leave a spair.
man from trane
06-01-2009, 12:23 AM
this is a sure sign of a blown filter in the temprite seperator. Change the filter and leave a spair.

Whoa- so I've got some very oily refrigerant out there. Could that cause any other issues until I get it changed?
cold spell
06-01-2009, 12:29 AM
How long untill you can get a filter? Untill then lets hope for no oil slugs. If the pipeing was done properly it should not be a problem.
man from trane
06-01-2009, 07:49 AM
How long untill you can get a filter? Untill then lets hope for no oil slugs. If the pipeing was done properly it should not be a problem.

The piping was not done by a local company so it should be correct. :D Why did the filter blow? Does that mean debris is floating around somewhere? I recently changed the drier cores and they were black with what looked like carbon.
cold spell
06-01-2009, 08:39 AM
Usualy the "o" ring on the botom of the filter blows, but I have seen the filter on a smaller one actualy split. The cause is dirty oil, usualy carbon. It is a good idea to change the suction filters along with the temprite. You should also keep a spair or two around for the next time, because with temprite there will always be a next time.
jpsmith1cm
06-01-2009, 08:58 AM
with temprite there will always be a next time.

AMEN!!!!!!!

If you have added oil, be ready to drain some. You might be overcharged.

Watch the pressure drop across the oil filter. I change at 5, if it hits 10, goodbye o-ring.
man from trane
06-01-2009, 10:12 AM
My pressure drop is "0" according to the gauge on the unit. I thought that didn't seem right. No one has been taking care of this rack since it was installed by a company out of Canada 2-3 years ago. I would guess the pressure drop got too high and blew the O-ring out.
crackertech
06-01-2009, 04:48 PM
Oh the joy blown temprite o-ring or worse the filter:eek::eek: let the fun begin.:D
Dowadudda
06-01-2009, 05:30 PM
if the o ring has blown out, you will not see any pressure drop because there is none.

it's very simple mechanically speaking.
gatorfan9606
06-01-2009, 05:45 PM
if the o ring has blown out, you will not see any pressure drop because there is none.

it's very simple mechanically speaking.

hope its the 928 cause the 926 sucks to change out if its up side down
icemeister
06-01-2009, 05:50 PM
if the o ring has blown out, you will not see any pressure drop because there is none.

it's very simple mechanically speaking.

That's correct. See p.2 of the manual:
http://www.temprite.com/downloads/TempriteManuals.pdf
man from trane
06-01-2009, 08:46 PM
That's correct. See p.2 of the manual:
http://www.temprite.com/downloads/TempriteManuals.pdf

Great manual! Thanks for the info.
:)

This one is a 927.
pherman
06-05-2009, 12:32 PM
Oh the joy blown temprite o-ring or worse the filter:eek::eek: let the fun begin.:D

Love the blown filter :rolleyes:
tpang1985
06-11-2009, 06:28 PM
Yea def a to often occurance on the temprites. We order em 5 at a time and I dont think they are to hard to change in my opinion.