RTAA oil separator heater

[Randy S.]

The other day I replaced a failed oil separator heater on an 80 ton RTAA from about 2003 or so. Of course the one bolt holding the steel block that the heater slides into broke off, and I had to saw off the broken bolt stub so I could remove the block. Ended up drilling and tapping another hole next to the original, and came out with the block more centered under the oil separator.

There was no heat transfer compound either on the top of the steel block or in the hole where the heating element slides into. There is now. And anti-seize on all the bolt threads.

The lack of any heat transfer goop kind of surprised me. Has the race to cheap, in this low bid world, gotten so bad that even the manufacturers are ignoring the ABCs of the trade?

[Randy S.]

My oil levels are fine, but with yearly oil samples, I am slowly but surely depleting the amount of oil in the circuit.

My old gear pump for adding oil is getting a bit tired, and may not be able to pump into the oil separator against even standing R-22 pressures, especially summertime. So my question is this:

Do I even dare slowly pump into the suction at the schrader next to the evaporator while running? This is a remote barrel unit. Maybe it's time to get the boss to pony up for a new and better oil pump.

And what OEM oil goes into this machine?

Thanks to all...

[Healey Nut]

Oil separator heater , RTAA ????????? they dont have heaters on them ???

[jayguy]

on the small (70-125 ton) RTAA, there is a block heater on the bottom of the oil separator. it is only used on remote evaporator units and it is wired in parallel with CCH.

i don't know that heat transfer paste is neccessary...but i would have added some myself.

as for oil samples, how often do you sample your oil? that unit holds 2.5 gallons per circuit...it might take a while before you run it low. at that time, i would add the oil ALL AT ONE TIME and make a note of it on your oil sample logs rather than dilute the oil every year or so.

[ChillerWisperer]

OEM oil from Trane is OIL 0015 unless it's set up for low temp ice building, then it's OIL 0031.

[servicetrane]

heating oil in the separator RTAA? design is new or is there confunsion with another machine?

[Randy S.]

80 ton, two circuit remote barrel.

A steel block bolted to the bottom of each oil separator with the typical 150 watt 120 volt slide in heater, looks just like the one on each compressor.