Cellar cooler issue

[JakesDad]

Hi guys, I'm hoping someone can help. This is probably something very simply but I don't normally get involved with cellar coolers as I do air con install but this was installed by me for a friend. It's a JE Hall system and been running around a year. I first went to site about a week ago as temp wasn't dropping much. It's an R410a system and it was running at around 5 bar. I recovered the refrigerant, pressure tested, ran vac and charged with 2.20kg (1.8kg factory charge, 0.4kg additional). Temp started dropping and went from 30 degrees Celsius down to 18 but it won't go any lower. The condensers running and pressures are 9bar on the low side and 11bar on the high side. Any idea what's wrong with it?!

[Brian_UK]

How much refrigerant did you recover? was it the correct charge?

How long did you leave it to get down to temperature?

Is it correctly sized?

What is the expansion device?

What is the sub-cooling and superheat?

Sorry, more questions than answers but we can't see it from here.

[r.bartlett]

undersized.. I've had that with these units not quite giving the expected performance..

[Rtic]

I know these systems well; they are basically AC systems (metering device outdoors; its cap tube) with a large evaporator, so you shouldn't have too many issues fault-finding as an AC installer

I'm guessing it's a JCC60e (?) since you have 2 ports which you call high & low (not seen on the smaller sizes). Bear in mind that they are both suction; to get high side readings you'll have to hook up to the charging port located on the inside of the condenser

Remember these systems run throughout the year; so the first thing you should be doing is clean the condenser and possibly even the evaporator. The reason it can't fall below 18C may indeed just be because of a bunged condenser, and a really common issue.

Secondly; it looks to have been low on refrigerant (5bar is low), so that needs to be attended to. I don't want to be "that guy" but it is against F Gas regulation to add refrigerant to a system when you know it has a leak

The pressures look spot on now. If after good maintenance it is still not working, I would look at room condition; have they added additional equipment or is the room not adequately sealed. Did it ever work (is it undersized)?

[Rtic]

undersized.. I've had that with these units not quite giving the expected performance..

JCC?

Never had an issue with one as long as tehy are placed in the correctly sized room. Whilst very simplistic (and cheap), they are very good systems