Beverage Air Cap Tube Problems

[sgagne199]

I am working on a 4ft. long Beverage Air, make table refrigerator and I am having some issues with finding correct cap tube size and length. I am going to be running hot shot due to cap tube plugging issues in the past. The compressor is a tecumseh AZA0395YXA. The supco guide said 92" of 0.028ID cap tube and this starved the evap badly. Any input would be appreciated.

[DLZ Dan]

Forgive me for stating the obvious, but did you call bev-air? Get on the phone with one of their engineers and they can give you the best advice. After all, it IS their equipment.

[marsmech]

Have you also thought of changing it to a TXV. I have done this now on four reach ins. Every customer has mentioned the difference in operation, runtime, and overall experience with the cooler. Call the manufacturer get all the specs. Total btu's needed, btu's for the compressor at the temperature you are cooling to, and a recommend valve size. They may not recommend a valve as it is out of spec but I am out of experience believe this is the best avenue if you do not want continous service calls! Good luck!!!

[Andy Schoen]

I am working on a 4ft. long Beverage Air, make table refrigerator and I am having some issues with finding correct cap tube size and length. I am going to be running hot shot due to cap tube plugging issues in the past. The compressor is a tecumseh AZA0395YXA. The supco guide said 92" of 0.028ID cap tube and this starved the evap badly. Any input would be appreciated.

The best capillary tube sizing calculator available would have picked a 0.028" cap at 51" length at a 20F evap, 120F condensing, and 36" heat exchange. http://boxload.tecumseh.com/

Dump the Supco and J/B charts. You are throwing rocks at the broad side of a barn.

The Beverage Air folks will have a better idea which capillary tube works best with their equipment.

[cougarjack]

Just changed one last week on a single door Ref....It was .049 and 100" long ...Call Bev Air with model # and they well tell you what to run ...

[sgagne199]

I would consider converting to a txv but customer would never go for that no matter what benefits it may entitle. I called bev air and they said 84in of 0.036 ID cap tube.

[sgagne199]

and yeah after changing a few cap tubes I have noticed not to go by Supco and J/B charts haha they arent very accurate at all in my experience

[crazy eye]

make sure you charge compressor oil so you don't have to do it twice . I learned that the hard way .

[itsiceman]

When I put in those numbers in here http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=751621 I got 26.44" of .028 from the .036 length



Guess the best bet is to call the manufacturer*




*(willing to bet Andys picks a better cap on some other brands though)




I believe your web apps will push me over the fence for a smart phone.
Thanks Andy for putting together some great info there for us

[VTP99]

[QUOTE=itsiceman;11293282]

itsiceman,
I like your avitar its kinda like { winning the lottery and dying the next day }


Oh and i looked at a Victory 3 door freezer yesterday. It was marked that someone replaced the cap tubes. 2 cap tubes about 3' long smaller then original So i call Victory and tech says it takes .042 @ 7'-6" long. So i look at Supco chart and it says .031 @ 39" long.

[Andy Schoen]

The Supco and J/B charts only guesstimate at the design operating conditions of the equipment. Sizing capillary tubes on the basis of compressor horsepower vs low, medium, and high temp application is attempting to hit the broad side of a barn with a heavy rock at 100 feet.

OEM tech support will know the design conditions of their equipment, and the appropriate capillary tube sizing.

If this information isn't available, I have the next best solution.

[dan wong]

The best capillary tube sizing calculator available would have picked a 0.028" cap at 51" length at a 20F evap, 120F condensing, and 36" heat exchange. http://boxload.tecumseh.com/

Dump the Supco and J/B charts. You are throwing rocks at the broad side of a barn.

The Beverage Air folks will have a better idea which capillary tube works best with their equipment.

Hi Andy, Is it possible to modify the cap tube program (see attachment)?.
I would be very useful if a particular compressor is already in the system, and I wanted to replace the restricted cap tube.

Edit; I am un-able to up to load attachment. my question is; would it be possible to modify the program, so I input the compressor model # instead of system capacity? Existing compressor is already there, I want to know replacement size tubing based on existing compressor.
Thank
Dan Wong

[Andy Schoen]

would it be possible to modify the program, so I input the compressor model # instead of system capacity? Existing compressor is already there, I want to know replacement size tubing based on existing compressor.
Thank
Dan Wong

Yes, this would be simple to do. I probably would want to figure out a way to give the user the option to enter compressor model number or system capacity. I would still need to know the evap and condensing temperatures in either case.

[dan wong]

Yes, this would be simple to do. I probably would want to figure out a way to give the user the option to enter compressor model number or system capacity. I would still need to know the evap and condensing temperatures in either case.

Hi Andy, Any idea when you may have it done?

Something else came to my mind; Many manufacture use Hi temp compressor for medium temp application, example; I often see AE4440yxa ( a hi temp compressor, rated at +45F) used on medium temp equipment (evaporator is +20F. Cabinet temp is normally kept at +35 – 40F).

If you can set the program to accept several different input perimeters like following;
(in addition to what you already have)


Compressor Model # _____________________
BTU@rating point. _________@ ______ (C/F)


Desire out;

Desire evaporator temp ______________(C/F)
( normally +20F for medium temp reach in)

Size of a Cape tube recommended (3 equaling choices);

Id _______inches, length _______________ inches
Id _______inches, length _______________inches
Id _______inches, Length _______________ inches

[Andy Schoen]

You might find my compressor performance app useful: http://boxload.tecumseh.com/

I'm currently working on my refrigerant line sizing app. I should have it up within the next week. I'll take a look at the capillary tube sizing program next.

[itsiceman]

Wow Andy great info and calculators/analyzers Keeps getting better
Thanks for taking the time to get that going.
Is there a way onto that page through the main web sight?

[Andy Schoen]

Is there a way onto that page through the main web sight?

Not at the moment. I've been given this "sandbox" site to play around in and develop useful apps for our main web site.

[itsiceman]

I used the cap program today on a habitual cap restricting model and really liked the way it ran.
Big Improvement over factory size IMO
Thank You Very Much Andy

FWIW original size was 10' of .046 I used 6' of .052

[beeninyourshoes]

I know cap tube diameter Is critical as a fixed orifice metering device, but the length is not! Note there may me a extra coil of 4 ft rolled up there & there may not be. Change the cap tube. Now throw the minimum charge in there per the tag inside the box. By the way True & 134a cap tubes are notorious for oil separation. Ok, now you need to take your super heat readings in 2 places. At the suction before the compressor , up to 20 is ok, some Coprland says 30 is ok, but Tecumseh, 20 THERE is ok. Now take super heat reading at the evap after the cap tube goes into the evap. Should be 8 to 14. Also IF you had bad separation and you didn't flush it e flush? Then no matter what you do, you'll come up short, this all has to be done right... Right down to sucking the old oil out to replacing it. On 134a, when the condenser overhears , that POE oil ( is
Acid based) separated and a waxy substance clogged your cap in the first place! Another thing could have been that the other 1/2 of the seperation could have ate through the cap tube. So if u didn't change the oil & simply replaced the cap tube, the new one could be partially clogged w wax and it's fooling u to think it's the charge! Yes like an ice machine, charge IS CRITICAL. also, are you primarily AC over refrigeration? Cause if u r and you dud superheat only at the compressor, you might be overcharged w a flooded evaporator. What's your amp probe say? If it's high to rated. Then she's over charged. I'm telling u all this cause you can't b a DIY in my opinion. Was the condenser clogged or overheated when u arrived? I need to know more, tell me more! I'll help u out.

[Andy Schoen]

I know cap tube diameter Is critical as a fixed orifice metering device, but the length is not!

You need some big time remedial education.

II'm telling u all this cause you can't b a DIY in my opinion. Was the condenser clogged or overheated when u arrived? I need to know more, tell me more! I'll help u out.

And you're likely to remain a guest at this site for a very long time....