Stuck & Frustrated

[JameSF]

Hello,

I am not a refrigeration professional. But, I am starting to think that in my old age I may have to learn more about it than I wanted to.

Last year I had a company come out and evacuate a old Soda Machine I have. An Ideal 55 Slider.

The thing needed painting and new insulation real bad. The unit worked fine cooling wise. The problem with this unit is that to get it apart once much disconnect the lines from the compressor. A crappy design to say the least. Being a conscientious, I paid to have a company come out and evacuate the system. I spent a year, with back surgery in between, restoring the unit.

Now, that company that did the evacuation is no longer around and after 25 calls around Northern California, I cannot find anyone who will come out and re-charge it.

I also along with the Soda machine rebuilt my shop 1947 Kelvinator fridge. That unit slides out of the housing so it did not have to be opened up.

Since putting it back in, the thing cools nice for a few days then the compressor runs on and the unit warms up. I have found an ice "dandelion" forming right were the suction line enters the freezer box inside the fridge. If I take my heat gun and warm that area up the unit starts cooling again for a day or two and then repeats the problem.

So, my question for this group of experts is, "What the hell do I do?"

On the Ideal 55 it is a big deal to replace any of the lines up in the unit to convert it to something other than R-12. I have looked at propane as it is a direct replacement...legal or not.

On the fridge, I have a vague memory that there was some black old school dumb-dumb around the suction line where it was soldered to the freezer box. I put some one it and fired it up last night. In a couple of days, I will see what happens.

I will need the soda machine charged and if I can find someone to come out, not looking good at this point after 25 calls, what should I ask then to charge it with?

Both units were/are R-12. The Soda chest is marked as using 8 ounces of R12 and the fridge is somewhat confusing as the plate shows 1 pound, but the serial number which matches the Kelvinator Service manual I have for it shows 9 ounces of ***** and 2.2 ounces of ***** Oil.

I may have to go buy the equipment and do it myself --- legal or not since nobody around the San Francisco Bay area is interested in working on them.

Thoughts, Suggestions, Ideas?

Thank you all, James.

[nike123]

http://www.refrigeration-engineer.co...in-Refrigerant

I cannot help you with labor!

[Tycho]

Hello,

I am not a refrigeration professional. But, I am starting to think that in my old age I may have to learn more about it than I wanted to.


Since putting it back in, the thing cools nice for a few days then the compressor runs on and the unit warms up. I have found an ice "dandelion" forming right were the suction line enters the freezer box inside the fridge. If I take my heat gun and warm that area up the unit starts cooling again for a day or two and then repeats the problem.


Thank you all, James.

If the company that evacuated it isn't around any longer, who put the gas back in?

sounds like there is either moisture in the system clogging the line over time, or if someone used too much solder when putting that suction connection back on and now there is a restriction where moisture or oil can stick on the inside to block the suction.