Problematic Air Con Installation

[Mastercool]

Hello All,

I have inherited a very porly installed bank of 16 Goodman CKF60-5LB air conditioning units. This installation is installed in a medium sized super market in Livingstone, Zambia. For interest sake the ambient tempertures at this time is around 38 deg C. To start with when I aggreed to the recommissioning of these units, I found that, while electricaly the units corresponded, that is the condenser unit was electrically connected to the evaporator. However, the piping went to evaporators of the other units. This has been sorted out. There were also several joints in the copper tubing, some as long as 30 mts having numerious close radious 90 deg bends, which were not even brazed. Anyway, I cant seem to get these units to run correctly. Some of the units will stop running owing to the operation of the "High Pressure" Cut Out Switch. If a manifould is connected to the suction and liquid line and the united restarted the high side pressure side will rise very quickly to 400+ psi, while the suction side remains at +/- 62 psi. Once reset and the machine started for the third time, it usually will run OK. Others tend to ice up all the way to the compressor. But once switched off and the ice is allowed to thaw and switched back on again, the unit will run without further problems. I have repeatedly checked the pressures, which appear to be satisfactory. Has anybody had the same problem and what might the answer be.

Thanks

Errol

[Abe]

Hello All,

There were also several joints in the copper tubing, some as long as 30 mts having numerious close radious 90 deg bends, which were not even brazed.

Errol

Can you post some pics please

[The Viking]

Well Errol,

Judging by that track record, I wouldn't be surprised if you found a lot of soot inside the pipework, blocking capillaries and TEVs, then you always have the old enemy "NON CONDENSABLES" to top it off with....

I would reclaim the gas and cut some sections of pipework out for examination. Depending on what I find I would then try and clean the system out but as a minimum I would triple vacc it and charge it with fresh gas.

[SteveCass]

Is it possible there is dirt or other foreign bodies besides air etc. in there? Sounds like the installers were cowboys if they made all those simple errors. I have seen units where the pipework was dragged across the ground and then installed. Loads of stones in the pipes that found there way throughout the system.

Steve