Sporlan Heat Reclaim Valve

Has anybody encountered Sporlan Heat Reclaim and Condenser Split Valves leaking from the rubber O ring that seals the two halves of the valve body?
We have found at least five in the last year, all have been 2 1/8", some are R404a some R507 most occur after installed for around a year, short cycling of the controls doesn't appear to be a problem, the latest two I found on a site last night that has only been running for 3 months, one rack constantly on heat reclaim and condenser split to reheat store, the other cycling, both splitters pissing gas
Costing big $$$ in gas and we'll probably install around 40 or 50 of these valves next year, goodbye profits!
I reckon the material is the problem, would be better of with the white O rings used on Rotalock service valves, dont know what they are made of, maybe teflon or neoprene but they last longer than these rubber numbers.
Any others come across this? Faulty batch maybe?

No doubt the valves in question are the Type 16D. The date code on the valve would help, in addition to the refrigerant and brand of oil. But the Prof will check into this situation next week.

I've had a couple 16D's leak at that connection.

All were on racks converted from 502/MO to 404a/POE, so I deduced that it was because of a combination of factors:

• The gaskets were several years old.
• The racks were being run at less than ideal discharge pressures with 502.
• A deep vacuum was pulled on each system during the changeout of the gas, which I believe may have had an undesirable effect on the gasket, which was accustomed to having 225-250 psi positive pressure on it. (JMO)
• The Polyolester oil's known solvency may have caused the older gasket material to break down.

These were my assumptions.

We've done a lot of retrofitting the past years on racks in supermarkets, mostly R22 --> R404a. After the 1st and 2 nd, we had several leaks on all kind af seals (mostly on shutt-off valves), heat reclaim valves, sometimes on the oil sight glass,
After this experiences, the replacement of alle the shutt-off valves became a standard procedure.
These valves where mainly of the brand Danfoss and Alco.
Peter

Hi:)
o-rings and gaskets will leak when changing refrigerants, it's a fact of life:(
the oils use with different refrigerants condition the seals, when you change the refrigerant, even if you change the oil for a new like for like you will have leaks.
The only answer is to change all o-rings especially and gaskets of cetain types that you have found by experience in the past leak.:D
Regards. Andy.

I realise lots of seals don't like refrigerant and oil changes, but all of these are on brand new racks, cases, condensers and pipework, R404a and R507, polyolester oil- bitzer BSE32 (oil analysis after commissioning, replaced if required- usually not), all new. All systems pressure tested to 300 psi then evacuated to 500 microns, then leak tested on startup. All is good for between two to twelve months, as I said before, controls short cycling has been investigated and is not the problem. Will see if I've got the batch numbers in the truck... Model of the split valves is 16D17B-SC, stamped on the body (I guess this is the batch #) is 3-01 B SC. I know we have had heat reclaim valves leak under warranty too, model 16D17B can't remember the exact batch #'s but pretty sure they all end in -01B.
Andy, wish I could change the O ring easily, have to unsweat or cut the valve out to get guts apart, valves are mounted at the condenser, between the headers, 2 1/8" pipe doesn't have much flex and I don't want to crack the condenser header, if I gotta unsweat it to get the O ring on then I'm gonna change the ******* of a thing, its becoming too common though and pretty costly, wouldn't care if the customer was paying... do parker and alco sell heat reclaim and condenser split valves? any good?

Check out PE Valve Company - They make serviceable 3 way & 4 way valves up to 175 Tons

Nah mate - will stick with the sporlan valves - as it turns out they reckognised the issue and the valves are now hermetically sealed - no gasket or o'ring to leak and they do the trick nicely.