Victory VF-1 Single Door Freezer

[joemach]

Any one have any idea of the correct cap tube size for a Victory VF-1 single door freezer?

Someone has replaced the cap tube and it has not kept temp since.

I could not find nothing on Victory web site. I called their tech support and was told 14' of .036. Just sounds a long. Can anyone verify if this is correct or not?

Thanks for any help.

[cjpwalker]

http://www.supco.com/images/pdfs/Cap...0Reference.pdf

I've always had good luck with supco bullet cap tubes. Use the chart and it will work. It will likely be different from the factory cap tube.

[icemeister]

I've had good luck using the Supco charts as well, but sometimes a little educated guessing helps.

The Victory VF-1 is listed as having a 1/3 HP R404A compressor. According to the Supco chart, this would call for 30" of BC-1 (.031") capillary tube, which is too short by some recommendations.

In this case I would go to the next larger size Supco cap tube and use a conversion chart or calculator to resize it. JB Industries has a good chart which I have attached.

The Educational Forums has a handy online calculator for resizing cap tubes:

http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=751621

The calculator results in 97" of BC-2 (.040"), which I think would be more suitable.

[crazy eye]

Try Case Parts (800)421-0271 .I ordered a lot of parts from them .They always get the orders right .

[VTP99]

The calculator results in 97" of BC-2 (.040"), which I think would be more suitable.

icemeister,
Looking at your results i would say his 14' of .036 is correct. I do like the idea of using the larger bore for obvious reasons. What say you ?

[skpkey9]

VTP99 - The reason Ice went to the next larger size is because @ 14 feet you are really close to the length limits of a useable cap tube and the 30 inches spoken about earlier is on the beginning length limits of a useable cap tube...

As an example compressor superheat has a minimun of 20* - 40*


Hope this Helps ...

[joemach]

Well, I put in what the mfg. suggested - 14' of .036. Had to buy a 100' roll. Hope we find another box for it.

Anyway, find out the compressor in this thing is 1hp. Made in Slovakia. Not sure where that is. Looks like someone was displaying some handy work of refer rehab.

Got it down to 10°F within 30 minutes. Had another call and will stop back tomorrow. The suction was around 25# which seamed OK but the head was a little high at 300#. It was R-404a. Superheat between 10 and 40 depending on how long since I opened the door to check temp, but mostly stayed around 25-28. Discharge was on the hot side around 160°F.

I was thinking with that 1hp compressor, I may have the wrong size cap tube in after all. OOPS!

I have not done much with cap tube systems. So I am learning that. Much prefer TXV but I think once I understand the cap tube system a little more I can give it some respect too.

By the way, I think I need a thermometer that I can check the box temp without opening the door. Any ideas? What do you guys use?

[cjpwalker]

Educate me... why is there a min and max useable length of cap tube? Pressure drop is pressure drop, no? Is it an oil thing? Fixed orifice metering on an AC unit is less than 1/2 inch long...

[icemeister]

icemeister,
Looking at your results i would say his 14' of .036 is correct. I do like the idea of using the larger bore for obvious reasons. What say you ?

If you go by the Supco chart selection (30" of .031") and resize using the calculator I posted, a .036" cap tube would only need to be 60" long.

Interestingly, this demonstrates how much the bore affects the length. That little .005" increase in ID doubled the length required.

[icemeister]

Well, I put in what the mfg. suggested - 14' of .036. Had to buy a 100' roll. Hope we find another box for it.

Anyway, find out the compressor in this thing is 1hp. Made in Slovakia. Not sure where that is. Looks like someone was displaying some handy work of refer rehab.

Got it down to 10°F within 30 minutes. Had another call and will stop back tomorrow. The suction was around 25# which seamed OK but the head was a little high at 300#. It was R-404a. Superheat between 10 and 40 depending on how long since I opened the door to check temp, but mostly stayed around 25-28. Discharge was on the hot side around 160°F.

I was thinking with that 1hp compressor, I may have the wrong size cap tube in after all. OOPS!

I have not done much with cap tube systems. So I am learning that. Much prefer TXV but I think once I understand the cap tube system a little more I can give it some respect too.

By the way, I think I need a thermometer that I can check the box temp without opening the door. Any ideas? What do you guys use?

I find it hard to believe there's a 1 hp compressor in that 1 door freezer. What's the compressor model number, Joe?

[joemach]

If you go by the Supco chart selection (30" of .031") and resize using the calculator I posted, a .036" cap tube would only need to be 60" long.

Interestingly, this demonstrates how much the bore affects the length. That little .005" increase in ID doubled the length required.

Boy that is interesting!

Never would have figured that.

I thought this was all math & science. The math doesn't add up. But it must otherwise it wouldn't work.

The more I learn the more I find I don't know.

Holy Cow.

[skpkey9]

Should have a 1/3 HP compressor in it...

Last one I did I converted it over to TEV when cap tube got restricted also remoted it due to location but thats another story due to location ... in an IHOP under a hood ....it never had a chance

You should have converted it and saved yourself alot of headaches....

[icemeister]

Educate me... why is there a min and max useable length of cap tube? Pressure drop is pressure drop, no? Is it an oil thing? Fixed orifice metering on an AC unit is less than 1/2 inch long...

The best way to explain it is you should read the JB Industries attachments I posted earlier today. It has a graph which relates the cap tube length to the flow rate (or capacity).

To sum up what it says, over a certain length, the capacity doesn't really change...and under a certain length, it also doesn't change.

If you cut the length down to near zero ( like 1/2") you essentially have an orifice...or what is called short tube flow.

[skpkey9]

cjpwalker - A very safe
operating rule-of-thumb can be offered. Keep the
cap tube no shorter than 5 ft. and no longer
than 16 ft.

This is from a JB Cap Tube PDF
I've tried several times to copy it here with no luck , Maybe someone can tell me how to post it or someone may have a copy and be able to post it...

Hope this Helps....

[cjpwalker]

I read it... thank you. Very interesting, I have always followed the supco chart as gospel, and I know I have put in one or two pretty short ones... barely made it from the drier up to the evap. I will keep that conversion formula handy as well!

[joemach]

Should have a 1/3 HP compressor in it...

Last one I did I converted it over to TEV when cap tube got restricted also remoted it due to location but thats another story due to location ... in an IHOP under a hood ....it never had a chance

You should have converted it and saved yourself alot of headaches....

Looking back in retrospect, I agree. Less problems with POE & restrictions.

Next time ...

[akpunkacr]

rip out the cap tube...cut out the stub on the evap where the cap tube is tied in...extened it some and put in a txv that matches the btu rating of the compressor say at minus 20 and your set...and it will be alot more forgiving if the unit has the tendency of having a plugged condenser..

[joemach]

rip out the cap tube...cut out the stub on the evap where the cap tube is tied in...extened it some and put in a txv that matches the btu rating of the compressor say at minus 20 and your set...and it will be alot more forgiving if the unit has the tendency of having a plugged condenser..

Would I also need a receiver or can I have a TXV without a receiver?

[icemeister]

cjpwalker - A very safe
operating rule-of-thumb can be offered. Keep the
cap tube no shorter than 5 ft. and no longer
than 16 ft.

This is from a JB Cap Tube PDF
I've tried several times to copy it here with no luck , Maybe someone can tell me how to post it or someone may have a copy and be able to post it...

Hope this Helps....

I've linked to an attached JB Cap Tube Chart PDF file below.

Attachment 171992

To attach something like this PDF you fist have to have it saved as a file to your computer in a folder, usually in My Documents.

When you're creating a post, click on the paperclip icon at the top of the screen editor box. This opens a new window where you can upload the file to your post. Click on Browse, find and double-click on the file you want, click on Upload, close that window and you're done.

You should end up with a standard attachment in a box below your post. The one I did above is a linked attachment. We'll save that for lesson #2.

[76olds]

Would I also need a receiver or can I have a TXV without a receiver?

I would put a receiver in.

You will now be able to pump over the charge to work on the low side instead of recovering.