Results 1 to 12 of 12
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Somerset
    Age
    69
    Posts
    4,758
    Rep Power
    46

    Sight Glass above and parallel to liquid line?



    I was looking at a Italian Chiller on Friday, which had a liquid line sight glass.
    The sight Glass is suspended above the Liquid Line.
    Which has short 1/4" pipe tails either side of it tapped into the Liquid Line.
    Does anyone no why this setup is preferred by some?

    Surely being above the Liquid Line can cause a false indication of flow?
    Grizzly


    Despite the High Cost of Living it still remains Popular!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    USA
    Age
    73
    Posts
    867
    Rep Power
    26

    Re: Sight Glass above and parallel to liquid line?

    I have seen this done. It was installed in order to use the moisture indicator in the small glass.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    ISRAEL
    Age
    72
    Posts
    4,266
    Rep Power
    46

    Re: Sight Glass above and parallel to liquid line?

    Quote Originally Posted by Grizzly View Post
    I was looking at a Italian Chiller on Friday, which had a liquid line sight glass.
    The sight Glass is suspended above the Liquid Line.
    Which has short 1/4" pipe tails either side of it tapped into the Liquid Line.
    Does anyone no why this setup is preferred by some?

    Surely being above the Liquid Line can cause a false indication of flow?
    Grizzly
    I do it all the time, it saves space, money and time.
    Use it from 3\4 and up.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    USA
    Age
    73
    Posts
    867
    Rep Power
    26

    Re: Sight Glass above and parallel to liquid line?

    Grizzly:
    I bow to your knowledge.
    Last edited by NH3LVR; 29-10-2016 at 08:50 PM. Reason: Misread

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Somerset
    Age
    69
    Posts
    4,758
    Rep Power
    46

    Re: Sight Glass above and parallel to liquid line?

    Quote Originally Posted by NH3LVR View Post
    Grizzly:
    I bow to your knowledge.
    You Got me my friend!
    I am asking because it got me wondering what was the benefit of this design?
    I assume the sight glass would be starved first.
    Just hoping someone knows more than me.
    Grizzly
    Despite the High Cost of Living it still remains Popular!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    2,479
    Rep Power
    45

    Re: Sight Glass above and parallel to liquid line?

    Dear Mr Bear,

    Especially on liquid lines with larger diameters it used to be the norm many moons ago when I still did "proper" refrigeration. It kept the costs down at installation but still gave a fairly good indication of charge and flow, not to mention that the moisture indicator still worked.
    Also worth remembering is that when the refrigerant flows through the liquid line any gas bubbles will be suspended in the liquid and not separated at the top of the pipe with liquid flowing at the bottom, this means that a (flowing) sample of the liquid/gas mixture will be fairly representative of what is flowing through the pipe as a whole.


  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    USA
    Age
    73
    Posts
    867
    Rep Power
    26

    Re: Sight Glass above and parallel to liquid line?

    Quote Originally Posted by Grizzly View Post
    You Got me my friend!
    I am asking because it got me wondering what was the benefit of this design?
    I assume the sight glass would be starved first.
    Just hoping someone knows more than me.
    Grizzly
    Guess I should have replied to Chemi-cool.
    Just age I guess!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    england
    Age
    49
    Posts
    3,874
    Rep Power
    46

    Re: Sight Glass above and parallel to liquid line?

    Remember seeing a diagram of how to pipe one in, the smaller pipe should enter the bigger one at 45' and have its end cut off at 45' so as to be parallel to the flow in the main pipe and terminate at the center of the bigger pipe. Only benefit i can see is cheapness unless the liquid line is above the size sight glasses are available for.
    Mostly found in Oxfordshire, UK :)

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Somerset
    Age
    69
    Posts
    4,758
    Rep Power
    46

    Re: Sight Glass above and parallel to liquid line?

    Thanks Guys!
    A rep point for Viking's concise answer.
    Thank you.
    And thanks to NH3LVR.
    For allowing me to realise that its not just me that gets it wrong sometimes!
    Cheers Guys!
    Grizzly
    Last edited by Grizzly; 29-10-2016 at 10:12 PM. Reason: Spelling.
    Despite the High Cost of Living it still remains Popular!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Somerset
    Age
    69
    Posts
    4,758
    Rep Power
    46

    Re: Sight Glass above and parallel to liquid line?

    Quote Originally Posted by Grizzly View Post
    Thanks Guys!
    A rep point for Viking's concise answer.
    Thank you.
    And thanks to NH3LVR.
    For allowing me to realise that its not just me that gets it wrong sometimes!
    Cheers Guys!
    Grizzly
    Interesting info MS.

    I was wondering how the flow was directed through the sight glass.
    What you say makes sense.
    Thanks.
    Grizzly
    Despite the High Cost of Living it still remains Popular!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    australia
    Posts
    3,356
    Rep Power
    39

    Re: Sight Glass above and parallel to liquid line?

    Grizzly, Example from Sporlan

    http://sporlanonline.com/literature/70/70-10.pdf

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Somerset
    Age
    69
    Posts
    4,758
    Rep Power
    46

    Re: Sight Glass above and parallel to liquid line?

    Hi Ranger
    Sadly I cannot yet give you a rep point.
    Your link is very interesting as Sporlan show the sight glass in the vertical or on the side of the horizontal liquid line.
    Which makes sense to me, however the one which I was looking at on Friday is mounted on the top of the liquid line.
    They also state on lines above 2,1/8"!
    Not sure what actual size these are.
    I wasn't looking at the size. Just the configuration.
    WP_20161028_001.jpg

    Excuse my poor photography the photo is shown on its side.
    The liquid line is actually horizontal (Clockwise 90 degrees!)
    Despite the High Cost of Living it still remains Popular!

Posting Permissions

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