Good day Richard, I own a 1982 AB unit with an aluminum evaporator cooling a freezer / refrigerator box. The evaporator freezes beyond the bottom of the unit and further down the return line to the compressor. I isolated it but it creates humidity along the line in areas that are not well ventilated, which causes mildew. Do you believe there is too much refrigerant in the system? Thanks Bert
frosted evaporated return pipe
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Too Much Frost
The refrigerant lines I assume are still longer than ten feet and you indicated the full length of tubing is frosted. If this condition is true then the system is overcharged with refrigerant. A 1982 Adler Barbour did not have a servicing fitting, if yours does then a small amount of refrigerant can be removed. Be careful it takes several minutes for the frost level to readjust. Your system may only have ½ to 1 ounce too much refrigerant. A frosted line one foot out of the box is OK then buy a insulating pipe tube at Home Depot three ft. long to cover both lines in the frosted area. Reducing the refrigerant will improve performance and reduce the daily amp-hrs.
The refrigerant lines I assume are still longer than ten feet and you indicated the full length of tubing is frosted. If this condition is true then the system is overcharged with refrigerant. A 1982 Adler Barbour did not have a servicing fitting, if yours does then a small amount of refrigerant can be removed. Be careful it takes several minutes for the frost level to readjust. Your system may only have ½ to 1 ounce too much refrigerant. A frosted line one foot out of the box is OK then buy a insulating pipe tube at Home Depot three ft. long to cover both lines in the frosted area. Reducing the refrigerant will improve performance and reduce the daily amp-hrs.
refrigerant
Thanks a lot. I was not aware that removing the excess refrigerant would improve performance. Yes, I have a maintenance fitting with a meter and, the return pipe is frosted on a lenght of about 4 feet out of the box. However, the original R12 has been replaced by a 14 something. There was no way I could get R12 anywhere at the time it was serviced 2 years ago. Is this a problem? Thanks again
Thanks a lot. I was not aware that removing the excess refrigerant would improve performance. Yes, I have a maintenance fitting with a meter and, the return pipe is frosted on a lenght of about 4 feet out of the box. However, the original R12 has been replaced by a 14 something. There was no way I could get R12 anywhere at the time it was serviced 2 years ago. Is this a problem? Thanks again
Refrigerants and Capillary Tube Systems
Refrigerant flow is controlled by an expansion device that will control the evaporator’s temperature range. The expansion device used in small refrigerators like yours is a fixed orifice length of tubing. Your system’s cap tube is sized for R12 refrigerant and an evaporator temperature range of around + 10 degrees F. If you change the type of refrigerant or its volume with a capillary tube system the evaporator’s performance and energy efficiency is affected. The key to evaporator performance is to keep the heat absorption droplets of refrigerant inside the evaporator and not allow them to frost the line outside the refrigerator. I hope all of the R12 was removed before adding the new refrigerant. You think you added a refrigerant with a 14 in the number. There are two refrigerants with a 14 in the designation number, R114 and a blend R414B. R114 is a high temperature low pressure refrigerant used in large chillers, so what was added was R414 that has been used in auto A/C systems. R414 is not what I would recommend for refrigeration in tropical climates but for cruising waters above latitude 26N it should work OK. As far as the frost formation on the return line, I would very carefully remove a small amount of refrigerant.
Refrigerant flow is controlled by an expansion device that will control the evaporator’s temperature range. The expansion device used in small refrigerators like yours is a fixed orifice length of tubing. Your system’s cap tube is sized for R12 refrigerant and an evaporator temperature range of around + 10 degrees F. If you change the type of refrigerant or its volume with a capillary tube system the evaporator’s performance and energy efficiency is affected. The key to evaporator performance is to keep the heat absorption droplets of refrigerant inside the evaporator and not allow them to frost the line outside the refrigerator. I hope all of the R12 was removed before adding the new refrigerant. You think you added a refrigerant with a 14 in the number. There are two refrigerants with a 14 in the designation number, R114 and a blend R414B. R114 is a high temperature low pressure refrigerant used in large chillers, so what was added was R414 that has been used in auto A/C systems. R414 is not what I would recommend for refrigeration in tropical climates but for cruising waters above latitude 26N it should work OK. As far as the frost formation on the return line, I would very carefully remove a small amount of refrigerant.
R114
Richard, thank you very much for the details. I always like to understand my systems throughly. Yes, the R12 was pumped out during maintenance and since I am cruising at latitude 43, I should be in business. Should I decide to cruise in the south, I will keep that in mind. Where can I find cannisters of R12 these days?
Richard, thank you very much for the details. I always like to understand my systems throughly. Yes, the R12 was pumped out during maintenance and since I am cruising at latitude 43, I should be in business. Should I decide to cruise in the south, I will keep that in mind. Where can I find cannisters of R12 these days?
Freon R12
In many areas there is a surplus of R12 refrigerant. It is expensive on Ebay $20 a pound but they seem to have plenty of it.
In many areas there is a surplus of R12 refrigerant. It is expensive on Ebay $20 a pound but they seem to have plenty of it.
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