The Joys of Refrigeration

[SandShark]

This is why I sometimes don't like commercial refrigeration. A Delfield under-storage refrigerated compartment wasn't cooling. After I accessed the evaporator coil, I found even though the liquid line solenoid was getting voltage, it wasn't opening. Then, I saw the expansion valve power cap looked like it was in need of replacement. Then, I saw one of the evaporator fan motors wasn't running. Then, I saw how bad the whole evaporator coil assembly looked. Once I determined I couldn't get the screws out of the back panel to remove the fan guard and the evaporator fan motor because the screws are inaccessible without pulling the whole assembly out, not to mention what a pain in the butt it's going to be to change the power cap and solenoid valve, I gave up for the day.

I called Delfield for some guidance, the engineer confirmed that I would have to recover the refrigerant and remove the whole assembly to get the evaporator fan motor out. What? That's when I decided it was best to replace the whole assembly, including the evaporator fan motors, expansion valve, solenoid valve, evaporator coil, etc. Of course, I'm looking at close to a thousand dollars for the whole assembly.

Attachment 263651

The problem child

Attachment 263661

The fun begins

Attachment 263671

Expansion valve and liquid line solenoid

Attachment 263681

Evaporator fan motor that can't be removed

Attachment 263691

Leaks waiting to happen

[ZeroTolerance]

When it starts leaking, you get to come in and build a whole new evaporator enclosure for them. Restaurants aren't going to fix something that's not yet broken. They like squeezing the life out of their equipment for as long as possible. $1000 is about right :P

I hate working on Delfields. I usually just tell the owner to replace the POS. :P

[76olds]

Regarding the fan motor, could you remove the evap. drain pan and get your hands under there enough to remove the lower screw for the fan mtg. bracket and flex it out to change the fan motor?

The power head and coil sure look bad. You know if you don't change it, it's going to be a problem.

[bunny]

Now, if there ever were a case for making the design engineer work on his creation....

[icemeister]

For the dollars Delfield gets for these units you'd expect more consideration for serviceability.

If I were faced with replacing that evap fan motor, I think I'd cut the motor bracket and bend it forward to get the motor out...then screw on a patch to splice it back together.

[SandShark]

When it starts leaking, you get to come in and build a whole new evaporator enclosure for them. Restaurants aren't going to fix something that's not yet broken. They like squeezing the life out of their equipment for as long as possible. $1000 is about right :P

I hate working on Delfields. I usually just tell the owner to replace the POS. :P

Unfortunately, I work for a school district, so as much as I would like to get rid of all the Delfield equipment in our kitchens, that isn't going to happen. Someone, before I started working there, must have convinced my boss that Delfield was the equipment to buy because we have a crapload of it.

Regarding the fan motor, could you remove the evap. drain pan and get your hands under there enough to remove the lower screw for the fan mtg. bracket and flex it out to change the fan motor?

The power head and coil sure look bad. You know if you don't change it, it's going to be a problem.

I thought about doing that, but with all the other problems this system has, I didn't feel like tearing up my hands and arms tying to get to the screws.

Now, if there ever were a case for making the design engineer work on his creation....

There ought to be a law.

For the dollars Delfield gets for these units you'd expect more consideration for serviceability.

If I were faced with replacing that evap fan motor, I think I'd cut the motor bracket and bend it forward to get the motor out...then screw on a patch to splice it back together.

Yeah, you'd thing so, but having been in the trade as long as I have, I stopped expecting miracles a long time ago. Cutting the bracket would be something that I could do if it was only the motor that needed replacing.

[VTP99]

So do you get to climb into that box like a contortionist

[SandShark]

So do you get to climb into that box like a contortionist

How'd you know?

[VTP99]

How'd you know?

Been there done that accept I'm 6'-2" and I have a hard time getting my last foot in.

[Chuck]

At least you are working in a clean kitchen. Seems like every time I get into a kitchen, I'm swimming in grease on top of it all.

[ar_hvac_man]

At least you are working in a clean kitchen. Seems like every time I get into a kitchen, I'm swimming in grease on top of it all.

Yea i got to wallow in grease for about 3 hrs today tearing apart a pizza prep table and then thawing it out due to stopped up drain line U-trap. McCall. On the upside its been awhile since ive had to do it since i removed the stupid a$$ factory copper U and heated and bent my own pvc replacement U. Before I came up with what I think was a great idea, I was having to unplug it every couple of months.

[SandShark]

At least you are working in a clean kitchen. Seems like every time I get into a kitchen, I'm swimming in grease on top of it all.

Yeah, I know about grease. I used to work for Whataburger (open 24 hours a day!). The good thing about public schools is no fried foods except for the high school and the staff does a good job of keeping the fryer area spotless, which is alright by me!

[ar_hvac_man]

Ive been in a couple school kitchens. They do seem to be alot cleaner than the rathole restaurants Im usually stuck in.

[trippintl0]

Yeah we had a customer that had one evap fan motor out for over a year, didn't get changed until we replaced the whole evaporator ass'y, because that fan was against a wall. Sometimes though, you can just unmount the evap ass'y and there is enough play to bend it sideways enough to access the other side without cutting the refrigeration lines. I actually like those Delfield evaporator assemblies, really easy to swap out once they start leaking, which is usually 5 to 7 years in my experience.

Seen this has happened multiple times: First tech goes out, replace t-stat. A month later, next tech goes out replace powerhead. A month later, next tech goes out, its out of refrigerant and replace the entire assembly (we rarely rebuild them, usually replace the whole assembly).

But dang, those Delfield mullion evaporator units just work great. Great airflow, they always pull down to low 30's, and really never freeze up (assuming all fans, refrigeration, tstat etc, working properly.) They pull the box down FAST. That's what I love about them. The wrapped cold rails also work great in my experience.

On the other hand, the 4400 series evaporator / cap tube, those style Delfields are very light duty and I am not a fan, especially on the open top design, they pretty much never hold temp properly especially in the pans; with only a single evaporator fan they just frost up continuously throughout the day and food gets warm, until it finally goes through a defrost, then it works until the first time they open a door or something, then its warm again the rest of the day. SLOOOOW to pull down, can't keep up with heavy usage or ambient > 78*f on the open top design.

[K_Neil]

Changed out a complete prep table set up once. Has dual evaps running 2 2 door under counter cooler compartments with pans on top on each side. Also has a bread warmer and hot water pan section between the 2 cooler sections. Used a common water cooled condensing unit mounted in the middle. Spent a LOT of time fixing leaks that had to be done after closing time before being able to change all the refrigeration. Was ok for about 4 years after the retro then all the salad dressings etc. started kicking the snot out of the aluminum fins/copper again. Coated coils helped a little but the sauces and dressings must be pretty strong in this place. Makes you wonder what happens to your insides when you eat in any steak house.
It's sure nice to engineer and install the whole system instead of the one piece at a time. Make and model number was nowhere to be found on original

[ArticFox918]

This is the exact reason I did and believe that any design engineer should be required to work in the field for 5-10 yrs before sitting in front of the computer and opening (insert your favorite design/cad program here)! Most of the design engineers I have met/talked to have no clue as to what Techs go through after the fact. I finished school for refrigeration design worked for a chiller company for 4 yrs then went into residential/commercial service work for 5 yrs before I even decided to pursue my current career in design for the company I currently am working for.

[gsxrsquid]

Now, if there ever were a case for making the design engineer work on his creation....

X100

[Wheelbaron]

Randal likes to use those same style evaps. PIA if you ask me. Not near enough room in there, and I have seen several where the TEV powerhead rusts through due to sitting in water all the time.