Discharge pressure on ice machine?

[itsiceman]

Sorry not sure if I'm confusing high water pressure or refrigerant pressure in your posts
None of my posts are talking about water pressure when I write pressure.

[Bobbycold]

Sorry not sure if I'm confusing high water pressure or refrigerant pressure in your posts
None of my posts are talking about water pressure when I write pressure.

I realize that, but the water that cools the condensor directly controls the discharge pressure of the refrigerant. The more heat that is absorbed by the water, the lower the discharge pressure of the refrigerant system. If, for instance, there is no back pressure on the water side of the condensor, there will be low water discharge pressure, but the refrigerant will have a high discharge pressure. Low water into the condensor will have the same effect, though the water reg valve can close to absorb more heat and accept some of the low water in problem. So much of my water cooled condensor experience is shipboard with the service, and I love telling my "off the coast of Cuba" and " Persian Gulf" stories about manually managing the overboard discharge valve, but if you want the stories we can PM about them in great length. I understand that you folks are refering to the discharge pressure of the refrigerant from the compressor, yet it is directly controlled by the water's ability to absorb heat from the refrigerant in the condensor.

[bacciagalupe]

just do what most hacks do . leave it hooked up to the unit and install another and use an acess tee on the service port . and be done with it or pinch off the line cut it free and braze the new one on and open up the pinch with your flair block

[itsiceman]

I realize that, but the water that cools the condensor directly controls the discharge pressure of the refrigerant.

You may be right about the valve being bad but it wouldn't be my first conclusion of what is wrong with this machine from the info that you provided so far. Even if you didn't tell me many people were messing with it I would be verifying charge and the rest of the refrigeration system first from the symptoms you described. As you said if the water flow through the condenser was too much once you know everything else is working you could adjust the shut off valve to get the thing to run while you figure on changing the water reg valve. If water is blasting through now and you are going out on high head a replacement valve at this point will do the same or worse in this machine period. Does this thing not work at all or does it only sometimes fail. Only wondering because of the time that has passed from the original post. I would defiantly verify charge first than condition of the condensor and diagnose your harvest problem second which may or may not lead you to the water valve among other things.

[MicahWes]

To change valve, just use a pinch off tool on 1/4" tube that is (hopefully) present at the start of the water valve capillary.