EXV problems on Carrier 30GT Chiller

[jrbenny]

Send it to the email in my profile...not the gmail account in my credentials.

[chillrdude]

Any of you guys that have this software mind sharing, was going out there tomorrow, going to overnite the converter.
Thanks, my email is in my profile.

[ACCMan]

The EPROM everyone was referring to contains the operating parameters or software program for the unit. the older the machine..the older the program.
There were many revisions to the software programs on the 30GB's.
Your local rep for Carrier Tech support is George Bradshaw out of Greensboro. He can help you with any future problems on the EPROMs. The older machines had issues with headpressure control, number of fans coming on during start-up... etcc.

The reason so many people suggest the sensors is due to the high number of sensors that read a few degrees off. When they go bad the unit shuts down...when they drift...the unit runs high superheat, low superhheat, oil washes out..oil pressure drops...refrigerant and oil mix to show a high oil level but you still get low oil pressure...condenser fans don't cycle properly due to the condenser sensor drifting...etc..

Was the old chiller barrel leaking at the tubesheet?

[pwn01]

I wonder if someone could email me the Flotronic Manager software that you're speaking of? We have a 30GB200 that it would help with.

[elvis66]

Have not read entire thread, but am having the same problem with my 080 chiller. I have found that the c/fans are not cycling properly and bringing all c/fans with single compressor unloaded (1 stage). The only fan that does not come on is the other circuit c/fan being controlled by Motormaster. Would not think it is a sensor issue as it doesn't matter which circuit starts first, A or B, the same thing happens, although it doesn't seem to affect B circuit like it does A circuit (2 compressors), and the common part to that would be the board.

I can't find any info on the relay board for troubleshooting.

We are in the low 40's and my understanding from the manual is that #1 fan energizes with compressor (currently controlled by Motormaster) and other fans stage based on sensor input. #1 fan is on MM, which I believe was field installed at installation and not factory.

Anyway, still need to verify sensors, but any input on this would be greatly appreciated.

[w~p]

Send it to the email in my profile...not the gmail account in my credentials.

Do not find your email in your profile other than gmail.com.

Please kindly email this software to info@w-sathaworn.com

Thank you so much,

[ACCMan]

Have not read entire thread, but am having the same problem with my 080 chiller. I have found that the c/fans are not cycling properly and bringing all c/fans with single compressor unloaded (1 stage). The only fan that does not come on is the other circuit c/fan being controlled by Motormaster. Would not think it is a sensor issue as it doesn't matter which circuit starts first, A or B, the same thing happens, although it doesn't seem to affect B circuit like it does A circuit (2 compressors), and the common part to that would be the board.

I can't find any info on the relay board for troubleshooting.

We are in the low 40's and my understanding from the manual is that #1 fan energizes with compressor (currently controlled by Motormaster) and other fans stage based on sensor input. #1 fan is on MM, which I believe was field installed at installation and not factory.

Anyway, still need to verify sensors, but any input on this would be greatly appreciated.

What problem do you have?
On start-up the fans will come on and run for a predetermined time and then scale back to operate off of the motormaster. Early problems consisted of not enough fans starting and system tripping on head pressure.
The eprom is located in the center of the board with a sticker on it listing its version. Obtain the eprom version and check with your local Carrier parts distributor to see if a newer version is available. Use the resistance/temperature method to check the sensors.... the voltage method can be misleading by a couple of degrees. Pumpdown and remove the sensors from the refrigerant circuit and place in a cup of water with a thermometer. Check the listed resistance for the temperature being shown. Just a couple of degrees off will cause oil foaming, low oil pressure, system trips due to low superheat. The troubleshooting manual will provide you with all of the details. Some of the newer 30GB's and 30GT's had a temperature well the sensors inserted into. The older ones were held in the refrigerant circuit or the water circuit by a compression fitting. Removal of the sensor without removing the pressure (refrigerant or water) cannot be done safely or legally.

[Mrfixit39]

sounds like a thermistor circuit problem, ohm it for measurable resistance

[Coremech]

Master Mechanic could you share this software i have plenty of this seris machines under contract.

[Coremech]

i had same problem years ago and found that the exv had taken too many steps and cross threaded had to replace exv and sensors.the original problem lied within the sensors.

My journeyman and I had the same problem but we isolated the curcit and took the exv aprt and screwed it up and down because it had gotten into a bind over stepped it steps as to say but also we had the cooler sensors out of wack and the superheat sensor failed too. Changed them out put a little anti-sieze on the screw of the exv and all was good.

[Ausccn]

The attached file is actually fm.exe so copy it and change the .doc to .exe then run the program from DOS. It will run in a DOS box, dont know if comms works under windows!!

It is a Flotronic anyliser that allows to see all operating parameters. It also requires a current loop convertor for the comms side of things Telebyte model 65 or black box also makes one.

Aus..

[Airmechanical]

My journeyman and I had the same problem but we isolated the curcit and took the exv aprt and screwed it up and down because it had gotten into a bind over stepped it steps as to say but also we had the cooler sensors out of wack and the superheat sensor failed too. Changed them out put a little anti-sieze on the screw of the exv and all was good.

yap that is the cure for the EXV problem!

also those particular chillers love to chew up thermistors and discharge temp sensors!

the gt series chillers, once you master them, there not fun anymore



.

[fmohdkhan]

[i have a problems in 30gt,problem in ckt .a when i start the ckt a,a1 comp running normally,if start a2 after 5 min tripped in 66 code.

[CENAIR]

This Carrier product 30 GT is probably one of the worst Chillers ever produced with all the problems with sensors and EXV, we service over 50 of them under contract and compared to other brands like Trane we maintain and install, the Carrier Flotronic Chiller has so many problems with the sensors and EXV's, and is probably the most unrelaliable Chiller product we have ever seen, install a nice Trane problem solved.

[Dallas Duster]

This Carrier product 30 GT is probably one of the worst Chillers ever produced with all the problems with sensors and EXV, we service over 50 of them under contract and compared to other brands like Trane we maintain and install, the Carrier Flotronic Chiller has so many problems with the sensors and EXV's, and is probably the most unrelaliable Chiller product we have ever seen, install a nice Trane problem solved.

Probably due to being well ahead of it`s time.

[budglo]

I agree, they were a little ahead of their time.Lets face it , most of the GTs are getting up there in years too. I actually have not replaced a ton of exvs on this particular model.Sensors is another issue.Once you learn your way around them, they arent too bad.

[CENAIR]

I put some of the first few in New England and went through all the early problems, we had a project we went to every day just to reset and start it with all the errors and alarms, had Carriers Engineers on the project many times and went through all the e-prom upgrades etc.

One interesting note is the smaller units 125 ton and under have very few problems, but the 200 ton and up are more problematic as all it takes is one set of discharge valves leaking back into the suction side and the comp sensor interpets the hot gas as high superheat Error on the 4 stage circuits. The EXV's seem to go after 10+ year old machines, most of my systems for chilled water are on 100% outside air applications so they have higher run time hours than other applications.

The Flotronic-II was better than the Flotronic-I, still amazes me on the Flotronic one till we switched to Trane, through the display you couldn't read the entering and leaving temperatures.

[Jack Morris]

Any idea where can I get The DOS based software called Flotronic Manager? And any other items that will be need

[prorefco]

I worked on one flotronic chiller years ago and had the same reliability problems as everyone here describes. It ate compressors, sensors, EXV's etc... I called an engineer friend in Syracuse and he refered me to a project engineer who was one of the designers of that chiller... He admitted to all of the issues and went on to say that Carrier DOES (or did anyway) make a TXV retrofit kit for that chiller. It included the TXV's, some fitttings, and a new eprom for the CPU... It was little known (at that time at least) as the Carrier distributor had never heard of it, but when I gave them the part number the engineer gave me, it came up in their parts list.

As it turned out, I never did order it as the customer didn't want to spend the money for a conversion.. Instead they opted for 2 new compressors and new EXV's from a competitor,,,go figure... I heard all that new stuff didn't last more than a year....

Had it been MY chiller, I would have done the conversion in a heart beat....

[Ausccn]

Any idea where can I get The DOS based software called Flotronic Manager? And any other items that will be need

Jack see my post in this forum....