Service Manual

SERVICING
48
3. Next warm the bulb in your hand. As you warm the bulb,
the suction pressure should rise and the suction tempera-
ture will fall.
4. If a temperature or pressure change is noticed, the
expansion valve is operating. If no change is noticed, the
valve is restricted, the power element is faulty, or the
equalizer tube is plugged.
5. Capture the charge, replace the valve and drier and
evacuate.
S-111 FIXED ORIFICE RESTRICTOR DEVICES
The fixed orifice restrictor device (flowrator) used in conjunc-
tion with the indoor coil is a predetermined bore (I.D.).
It is designed to control the rate of liquid refrigerant flow into
an evaporator coil.
The amount of refrigerant that flows through the fixed orifice
restrictor device is regulated by the pressure difference
between the high and low sides of the system.
In the cooling cycle when the outdoor air temperature rises,
the high side condensing pressure rises. At the same time,
the cooling load on the indoor coil increases, causing the low
side pressure to rise, but at a slower rate.
Since the high side pressure rises faster when the tempera-
ture increases, more refrigerant flows to the evaporator,
increasing the cooling capacity of the system.
When the outdoor temperature falls, the reverse takes place.
The condensing pressure falls, and the cooling loads on the
indoor coil decreases, causing less refrigerant flow.
A strainer is placed on the entering side of the tube to prevent
any foreign material from becoming lodged inside the fixed
orifice restriction device.
If a restriction should become evident, proceed as follows:
1. Recover refrigerant charge.
2. Remove the orifice or tube strainer assembly and replace.
3. Replace liquid line drier, evacuate and recharge.
CHECKING EQUALIZATION TIME
During the "OFF" cycle, the high side pressure bleeds to the
low side through the fixed orifice restriction device. Check
equalization time as follows:
1. Attach a gauge manifold to the suction and liquid line dill
valves.
2. Start the system and allow the pressures to stabilize.
3. Stop the system and check the time it takes for the high
and low pressure gauge readings to equalize.
If it takes more than seven (7) minutes to equalize, the
restrictor device is inoperative. Replace, install a liquid line
drier, evacuate and recharge.
S-112 CHECKING RESTRICTED LIQUID LINE
When the system is operating, the liquid line is warm to the
touch. If the liquid line is restricted, a definite temperature
drop will be noticed at the point of restriction. In severe cases,
frost will form at the restriction and extend down the line in the
direction of the flow.
Discharge and suction pressures will be low, giving the
appearance of an undercharged unit. However, the unit will
have normal to high subcooling.
Locate the restriction, replace the restricted part, replace
drier, evacuate and recharge.
S-113 OVERCHARGE OF REFRIGERANT
An overcharge of refrigerant is normally indicated by an
excessively high head pressure.
An evaporator coil, using an expansion valve metering device,
will basically modulate and control a flooded evaporator and
prevent liquid refrigerant return to the compressor.
An evaporator coil, using a fixed orifice restrictor device
(flowrator) metering device, could allow liquid refrigerant to
return to the compressor under extreme overcharge condi-
tions.
Also with a fixed orifice restrictor device (flowrator) metering
device, extreme cases of insufficient indoor air can cause
icing of the indoor coil and liquid refrigerant return to the
compressor, but the head pressure would be lower.
There are other causes for high head pressure which may be
found in the "Service Problem Analysis Guide."
If other causes check out normal, an overcharge or a system
containing non-condensables would be indicated.
If this system is observed:
1. Start the system.
2. Remove and capture small quantities of refrigerant as
from the suction line access fitting until the head pressure
is reduced to normal.
3. Observe the system while running a cooling performance
test. If a shortage of refrigerant is indicated, then the
system contains non-condensables.
S-114 NON-CONDENSABLES
If non-condensables are suspected, shut down the system
and allow the pressures to equalize. Wait at least 15
minutes. Compare the pressure to the temperature of the
coldest coil since this is where most of the refrigerant will be.
If the pressure indicates a higher temperature than that of the
coil temperature, non-condensables are present.
Non-condensables are removed from the system by first
removing the refrigerant charge, replacing and/or installing
liquid line drier, evacuating and recharging.