KE2therm controller

[engineerdave]

Took this pic yesterday afternoon. I hit Print and penciled in redlines where the Defrosts would've been with the old 4x30 schedule. This unit has been online 11 days.

Far as I'm concerned, the KE2Therm is NOT snakeoil. It delivers as promised.

[RuralSpaceman]

I installed one last week for the first time for a new 1200 sqft freezer. Start up and commissioning next week.

It better work is all I can say.

[engineerdave]

I installed one last week for the first time for a new 1200 sqft freezer. Start up and commissioning next week.

It better work is all I can say.

How far did you guys go? The unit I installed was pretty bare-bones, no Superheat kit, no electronic valve, no network yet.

[RuralSpaceman]

We put in the press transducer and temp sensor for SH calculation and an EEV, coil and air sensors too of course. Once it's up, I think the customer will go for the network connection so they can check on it remotely.

We chose KE2 Therm for the improved defrost management. Most of the year in British Columbia is wet and figured this may help keep equipment better defrosted and improve reliability.

[ryan1088]

We have talked about installing some of these on some of our boxes, very interesting feedback so far. Keep us all informed of how it goes!

[BDOLIN]

We put in the press transducer and temp sensor for SH calculation and an EEV, coil and air sensors too of course. Once it's up, I think the customer will go for the network connection so they can check on it remotely.

We chose KE2 Therm for the improved defrost management. Most of the year in British Columbia is wet and figured this may help keep equipment better defrosted and improve reliability.

How did this work out for you? Do you have any questions?

[engineerdave]

We chose KE2 Therm for the improved defrost management. Most of the year in British Columbia is wet and figured this may help keep equipment better defrosted and improve reliability.

It's been a month, bud. How are things going?

[RuralSpaceman]

Sorry guys, I know it's been a while.

Last I heard the electricians (different company) were having trouble getting circuit breakers which feeds this buildings panel. Until then - no power. The customer is just as anxious as we are. Could be any day now.

As soon as we have it up, I'll post the numbers. Gonna be a couple weeks I think until we get it down to setpoint - 5 deg every few days so we don't stress or crack the floor.

More soon.

RS

[chillerout1]

one I installed was working like a top last I heard maintaining temp perfectly

[Ben Wulkin]

Any concerns about oil return to the compressor due to the defrost infrequency?

[itsiceman]

If your system is piped/sized right is that a concern? Shouldn't you only defrost as much as needed? Its not like it eliminates the need. The way I see it the KE2 may even defrost more frequently like when a mechanical timer should have but now you got a freeze up then lighten up other times when it isn't necessary. The KE2 might even help with oil return during normal operation since is will not run with a coil that gets too iced and will hit defrost at the right time not just a standard clock setting.

[BDOLIN]

ITSICEMAN is right. Potentially, the most dangerous time for liquid getting to the compressor is just before a defrost and at the start of a defrost. As ice builds on an evap, heat transfer goes down and the TEV will throttle to keep up. It may begin flooding to the compressor, and velocity and oil return will be sluggish. After the defrost starts, the oil may come back as a slug and harm the compressor. Since a timeclock has no ability to create a defrost when needed, repeated cycles of this liquid/oil slugging can shorten the life of the compressor.
Because the KE2Therm controller creates a defrost whenever appropriate, and before the coil has too much ice, velocity through the coil is steady and oil return is constant. Since the controller does not allow the low load due to excessive frost, the TEV will not throttle as much and the possibility of floodback is lessened. Defrosts based on system load will always be more effficient and safer than simply basing them on fixed time intervals.

[itsiceman]

For Ben demand defrost is not a new thing and has been field proven for many years