Results 1 to 14 of 14

Hybrid View

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Brazil
    Posts
    106
    Rep Power
    16

    Ice on suction line

    Hi

    I heard that when there is ice on suction line, it's because there is too much or little refrigerant in the system.

    But as when there is little refrigerant, the system is superheated, I don't understand why there will be ice on suction line.

    I would appreciate if someone could clarify it.

    Moises
    Last edited by Acrisoft; 19-01-2013 at 07:41 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    UK
    Age
    55
    Posts
    1,920
    Rep Power
    29

    Re: Ice on suction line

    suction lines below freezing point will ice and should be insulated

    also could be a sign of liquid flood back caused by low superheat

    R's chillerman
    If the World did not Suck, We would all fall off !

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Brazil
    Posts
    106
    Rep Power
    16

    Re: Ice on suction line

    Chillerman

    I agree with you and understand that "...could be a sign of liquid flood back caused by low superheat".

    Too much refrigerant = low superheat

    But why people say that not enough refrigerant can also cause the suction line to freeze,
    as less refrigerant = high superheat

    Or this last statement is not true ?

    Moises
    Last edited by Acrisoft; 19-01-2013 at 07:57 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    UK
    Age
    55
    Posts
    1,920
    Rep Power
    29

    Re: Ice on suction line

    maybe your thinking of tev to evap distributor

    which frosts when low charge or restriction in valve

    R's chilleramn
    If the World did not Suck, We would all fall off !

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Brazil
    Posts
    106
    Rep Power
    16

    Re: Ice on suction line

    Quote Originally Posted by chillerman2006 View Post
    maybe your thinking of tev to evap distributor

    which frosts when low charge or restriction in valve

    R's chilleramn
    Please let me remake my question.

    I am not talking about TEV systems.

    When it comes to min-split, only too much refrigerant can cause the suction line to ice,
    or less refrigerant too ?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Brazil
    Posts
    106
    Rep Power
    16

    Ice on suction line of refrigerator

    When there is ice on the suction line of a refrigerator close to the compressor, can it only be refrigerant excess or lack or refrigerant too ? And why lack of refrigerant would cause the suction line to frost ?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    New Zealand
    Age
    43
    Posts
    64
    Rep Power
    20

    Re: Ice on suction line of refrigerator

    On a domestic system, ice on the suction line would definitely not indicate a shortage of refrigerant, either too much or possibly heavily iced up

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    manchester
    Age
    50
    Posts
    5,707
    Rep Power
    45

    Re: Ice on suction line

    poor evap coil performance ,dirty filters can cause the same symptoms, also pipework can frost too where there is no lagging

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Sydney
    Age
    51
    Posts
    1,094
    Rep Power
    23

    Re: Ice on suction line

    Hi Moises
    Simply when a split system is short of gas the pressure of the suction line is reduced so the temperature of the refrigerant is reduced and the pipe which causes ice to form on the suction line.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    NTH.QLD Australia
    Age
    62
    Posts
    1,762
    Rep Power
    32

    Re: Ice on suction line

    Eh Tesla? You might want to re-read your comment. If you're down on liquid volume then there won't be enough fluid to make it through the evaporator.. Sensible heat gain will start long before vapour makes it to the suction line.
    Last edited by mikeref; 21-01-2013 at 07:53 AM. Reason: On the turps early this arvo??
    To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Auckland
    Age
    55
    Posts
    264
    Rep Power
    21

    Re: Ice on suction line

    I agree with Tesla, I call it for want of a better term a "sweet point" when a system is "just" short of refrigerant to do as Tesla says...lower the back pressure to allow freezing. Obviously the "sweet point" won't last long as the system continues to loose refrigerant.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Sydney
    Age
    38
    Posts
    69
    Rep Power
    15

    Re: Ice on suction line

    due to a lack of refrigerant in the evaporator it will boil off quicker and superheat will increase, resulting in a warmer suction line.
    however, frost leaving the metering device will creep through the coil as ice acts as an insulator, eventually icing up the whole coil, then as the coil isnt absorbing heat due to the insulating nature of the ice, the refrigerant wont boil off and u may then get frost forming on your suction line.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Sydney
    Age
    51
    Posts
    1,094
    Rep Power
    23

    Re: Ice on suction line

    OK I did say simply but let me add a few more terms like slightly short of gas. If we took say a with a simple thermostat/capillary control etc and/or other. It does happen - I have seen it on units slightly short. The comp still pumps the same volume of lesser quality, with less gas the unit runs almost continuously with unsatisfactory cooling in space with iced/frosteing coil and suction line resulting.
    Thanks Goober

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Brazil
    Posts
    106
    Rep Power
    16

    Re: Ice on suction line

    Quote Originally Posted by Tesla View Post
    OK I did say simply but let me add a few more terms like slightly short of gas. If we took say a with a simple thermostat/capillary control etc and/or other. It does happen - I have seen it on units slightly short. The comp still pumps the same volume of lesser quality, with less gas the unit runs almost continuously with unsatisfactory cooling in space with iced/frosteing coil and suction line resulting.
    Thanks Goober
    Thank you Tesla
    Now I understand why people say less refrigerant may cause ice.

    About 20 years ago, when digital scales were very expansive, I was learning to repair refrigerators,
    charging by gauge, I saw ice on suction line then I supposed it has too much refrigerant and then I removed refrigerant, and still saw ice, and the system was never OK.
    I think many beginners without a scale will have a hard time, and do not understand why this happen.

    Moises
    Last edited by Acrisoft; 21-01-2013 at 03:37 PM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •