Suction meltaway relief valve open

[turbo50mike]

Got a service call on a Carrier condenser that wasn't working. Found the suction meltaway relief valve open, and the entire charge gone.

Condenser fans seem to be working, and everything else control wise seems to be working. Not sure how this let go, and never seen a suction one let loose before. No one was soldering near this thing or anything like that.

Wondering if any of you guys have seen the same, and what the apparent cause may be.

It's about a 20-ton condenser with a recrip compressor.

Thanks,
MJB

[chillerout1]

yes I have seen that happen on some older units probably have bad valves and compressor got hot and released refrigerant some did not have over temp cut outs on them especially on rebuilt compressors or some one bypassed or removed them

[turbo50mike]

The unit is not old at all (maybe 5 years)...And these reliefs were not on the compressor, but about 2 feet away on the suction piping. Carrier says the suction one melts at 176 deg F, liquid at 210 deg F.

Can't see how the suction got that hot, that far away.

Maybe just a faulty plug? Just didn't know if there was a reason that the suctions melt? Never had one fail before.

Compressor still seems good, but we'll see.

[chillerout1]

dont think they put the overtemp protector on them any more 06s but yes they will get that hot on the suction with bad valves

[turbo50mike]

dont think they put the overtemp protector on them any more 06s but yes they will get that hot on the suction with bad valves

But we'd see some indication of that by the pressures, no?

[Dallas Duster]

But we'd see some indication of that by the pressures, no?

And what pressures would that be?

[turbo50mike]

And what pressures would that be?

Suction pressures. I would imagine that we would see an increase in suction pressures/temperature if the valves were shot. How else would it melt that 176 deg F plug on the suction line?

[beau2cunningham]

I would imagine faulty capacity control valve,unloader

[chillerout1]

yes you would see higher than normal pressures

[deux]

I hear UV light from the sun breaks them down. No more ozone layer where you live.

HAHAHAHAHAHa Now to be serious.

I had one let go in a fire once. Good thing the R22 put out the fire and saved the building.
I would suspect you just have a bad one, they are just super soft solder. Bad joint. I have done a few that just let go for no reason. Was this an Aquasnap by chance?

[just_opinion]

I have them idiotic plug. I normally take them out. And use some thing else to protect the system or compressor.

I cannot believe that EPA still allow carrier to use this type of method to relief 100 of lbs of R-22 in to the atmosphere. I guess they got money to buy the EPA.

[VTP99]

Got a model number for that Carrier ?

[Dallas Duster]

I have them idiotic plug. I normally take them out. And use some thing else to protect the system or compressor.

I cannot believe that EPA still allow carrier to use this type of method to relief 100 of lbs of R-22 in to the atmosphere. I guess they got money to buy the EPA.

What type of alternative do you use?