White Goods and Leak Checking?

[Grizzly]

Hi Guys.
A bit out of my league here.
But last night I promised my brother in law I would look at his poorly Fridge freezer.

Recently the compressor was replaced and subsequently an engineer has condemned it for having a "Large" leak.
My Brother in Law witnessed the fitted gauges "Shooting" down to 0 pressure as the engineer stopped adding the refrigerant. Discuss!

I have said I will have a look as if I can identify the leak and repair it then new life may be injected into his Fridge Freezer.

How would you recommend leak checking?
I was thinking of Nitrogen and snoop! Would anyone use Dye and if so how much?
Thanks for any Help.
Grizzly

[Quality]

Nitrogen and snoop seems good

[mikeref]

Depends on the configuration Grizzly. Is it frost free or cyclic defrost and how old is it? Does it run on R134a or R600a? If it's R134a and still has positive pressure, then ask to have the doors closed for a few hours and switched off before you get there, then with conventional electronic leak detector, sniff inside compartments for any indication of gas. At least thats a starting point ;). Just a thought.. If pressure is significant and closely corresponds to the temperature of the day, then it is possible for the fridge to have no leak but a restricted drier or capillary which shows up as a vacuum when fridge is running. Have to assume,(terrible word), that fridge has been emptied and shut off as per above. Good luck.

[simon@parker]

first question i always ask is how old is it and how much did it cost when asked if its 10yrs plus and 250 i always say 25quid a yr to keep yr milk and other stuff cold buy a new one but as usually happens i have a look agree with above nitrogen is the way if it 134a its most likely a blocked capillary if no leak found good luck with that i usually end up spending 3 nights trying to get dam things to work and it still wont go lol not as easy as a coldroom :(

[cool runings]

.

This might be too obvious but if the comp was running and the pressure dropped
that is not a leak but a blockage. I would be tempted to prove the dryer or capilary
was not blocked.

All the best

coolrunnings

.

[Grizzly]

Sorry I cannot be more specific only a few beers had passed his lips by the time he asked me!
Me I was sober (Duty Engineer) real bummer.
Thanks for the good advise Guys.
I will let you know how I get on.
Of course this one is a labour of love (IE Family!)
None the less he has a very good cellar and will have to put me up for the weekend.

Quite looking forward to this job.
Especially as I have had such good advise.
Grizzly

[simon@parker]

is a labour of love (IE Family!)
None the less he has a very good cellar and will have to put me up for the weekend.

Quite looking forward to this job.
Especially as I have had such good advise.
Grizzly
well if you get to yr second bottle of wine or beer no ten and it not fixed best to call it a day an do it all again the next night you cant beat thinking time on a beer or three and of course you will need technical consultation which requires more beer/wine lol :)