jc
5 Cubic Foot
Posts: 65
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Post by jc on Jul 13, 2021 11:55:34 GMT
Morning all. Well my thermometer was delayed and did not arrive until almost dark. So the only thing I was able to do was get the new door gasket installed. Now instead of having almost a 1/8 inch gap around 3 sides of the door, the new seal is now making contact all the way around. That will definitely help! I noticed condensation dripping down the door on the inside when I had it running for a day with the old gasket. So hopefully that took care of that issue.
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Post by turbokinetic on Jul 13, 2021 12:10:14 GMT
Morning all. Well my thermometer was delayed and did not arrive until almost dark. So the only thing I was able to do was get the new door gasket installed. Now instead of having almost a 1/8 inch gap around 3 sides of the door, the new seal is now making contact all the way around. That will definitely help! I noticed condensation dripping down the door on the inside when I had it running for a day with the old gasket. So hopefully that took care of that issue. You know... if the door was that terrible, it may be a lot of the problem. You may find out that now that the door is closing all the way that it cycles off normally.
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jc
5 Cubic Foot
Posts: 65
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Post by jc on Jul 13, 2021 13:14:47 GMT
David, If I am that lucky.....I will dance a jig. Haha. I will definitely keep everyone posted and I plan on making a short video of it running after it has warmed up a while regardless so everyone can hear. I'm just trying to rule out as much as possible so I can get an accurate diagnosis. I have to say, it is definitely been fun tinkering and learning about this thing.
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jc
5 Cubic Foot
Posts: 65
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Post by jc on Jul 15, 2021 0:08:36 GMT
Ok folks, it appears to be a worn float from what I can gather. The new door gasket took care of all the condensation and weird frost. However, after two hours of running the evaporator temp is only 20 degrees. It did dip to 15 but went back up to 20, I’m assuming from me opening the door. I turned the fridge off and turned the temp control to 1. When I turned the fridge back on it did not come on but when I moved the temp setting to 5 it immediately cycled on. I turned it back off because I needed to move the fridge (it’s on rollers) and I turned the temp control to 1. When I turned the fridge on it did not turn on but after opening the door for about a minute it cycled on. So I think the temp control is working as it should. The compressor is running at about 100 degrees at the top. 98 at the bottom and 96 on the float valve chamber so I think NCG’s aren’t the issue. After running for about 30 minutes the compressor also settled at drawing 178 watts, so I think that is ok also. I am attaching a few videos so you can see the frost lines and listen to it run. I also noticed when I turned the fridge off and opened the door I can hear bubbling in the evaporator. I think I remember someone saying in a thread that was another sign of a float value issue? That being said….I am needing someone to help me repair it. Turbokinect (David) I have sent you a PM youtube.com/shorts/VZS9gZJp5yo?feature=shareyoutube.com/shorts/4lSjcjdSmXs?feature=shareyoutube.com/shorts/q9ztJwQ78BY?feature=share
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jc
5 Cubic Foot
Posts: 65
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Post by jc on Jul 15, 2021 11:53:08 GMT
A few added observations. I let the fridge run all night and found that it is cycling on and off as it should with a long enough off cycle to allow the compressor to cool. This morning I went in the garage and it was off with the temp control set at 1. I opened the door and the evap temp was 20 and the cabinet temp was 40. I closed the door and turned the temp control to 5 and it cycled on.
As for the compressor it is now using 170 watts steadily after an initial start up surge of 180. Plus the temps are cooler. The top is 95, the bottom of the compressor is 92 and the float chamber was 90. I am glad to see that the temp control seems to be working and the compressor running normally also. I am still thinking I have a worn float. I have the opportunity to grab another CA (with the metal cabinet instead of porcelain) for about 150, but I am concerned I will end up with two CA's with worn floats.
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Post by turbokinetic on Jul 15, 2021 16:19:51 GMT
A few added observations. I let the fridge run all night and found that it is cycling on and off as it should with a long enough off cycle to allow the compressor to cool. This morning I went in the garage and it was off with the temp control set at 1. I opened the door and the evap temp was 20 and the cabinet temp was 40. I closed the door and turned the temp control to 5 and it cycled on.
As for the compressor it is now using 170 watts steadily after an initial start up surge of 180. Plus the temps are cooler. The top is 95, the bottom of the compressor is 92 and the float chamber was 90. I am glad to see that the temp control seems to be working and the compressor running normally also. I am still thinking I have a worn float. I have the opportunity to grab another CA (with the metal cabinet instead of porcelain) for about 150, but I am concerned I will end up with two CA's with worn floats. Hi JC. It is good that the fridge is working normally! There could be some wear in the float, yes. It's possible it could lead to the unit running more than optimal, but it might not. I would just see how it behaves when run for a week or so. If it continues to cycle and maintain temperature, no reason to worry. There is just as much work in repairing a slightly worn float, versus repairing one which bypasses all the time and doesn't cool at all.
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jc
5 Cubic Foot
Posts: 65
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Post by jc on Jul 15, 2021 17:11:11 GMT
David, sounds good! It is very much improved from the initial evaluation. Did everything look and sound normal to you in the videos? (Except for the higher evap temp)
I am ok with it working at slightly elevated temps as long as it will cycle on/off. At the lowest setting on the temp control, the evap slightly defrosts between cycles. So if I can get it to run and cycle properly at 3 or 4 then I will use it and just see what happens. But if it cannot cycle at a slightly higher setting then I am afraid it will need work. I will give it several days and keep an eye on it to see how it operates. I have it running today while I am at work with the temp control set to 5. That will give it a solid 10 hours of not being disturbed or the door opened. When I get home I will check the frost lines, compressor temp and evap temp.
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Post by cablehack on Jul 16, 2021 0:51:46 GMT
and the cabinet temp was 40. I closed the door and turned the temp control to 5 and it cycled on.
Seeing that it cycles now with the new door seal, you might just get away with the float valve, although the cycling times might not be optimum. As a rough guide, a properly working CA maintaining a cabinet temp of 32-35F will run for about 2.5 to 4 mins and stay off for about 15 to 25 mins. This is dependent on room temperature of course.
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jc
5 Cubic Foot
Posts: 65
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Post by jc on Jul 16, 2021 14:17:41 GMT
I am hoping so! At least for the time being. This morning it was running, but the compressor didn't feel too warm so I don't think it had been running long. I opened the door and the evap had good frost, was sitting at 15 degrees and the cabinet was 36-37 degrees. I put a warm 30 pack of adult beverages in it last night and they were good and cold this morning. Fingers crossed!!
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Post by cablehack on Jul 17, 2021 0:45:48 GMT
It does seem very promising. Once the temperature has stabilised it would be interesting to know what the cycling times are.
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jc
5 Cubic Foot
Posts: 65
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Post by jc on Jul 17, 2021 12:38:36 GMT
Ok, I have been working down in the garage and while I was in there, I timed a few cycles. Needless to say, they are not great.
Room temp is 70. The door has not been opened for 12-14 hours. Temp control is set at 5 The cabinet is mostly empty but does have a 30 pack of cans that have been inside the fridge for almost 2 days.
The run time is: 13:50 minutes
The off time is: 6 minutes
Cabinet temp is 35
Evap temp is 16 ish.
I also noticed some frozen drips on the lines, suggesting at least a partial thaw between cycles? There are a couple drops of liquid water on the bottom of the cabinet under the evaporator towards the back where the lines are.
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Post by ChrisJ on Jul 17, 2021 17:01:19 GMT
Ok, I have been working down in the garage and while I was in there, I timed a few cycles. Needless to say, they are not great. Room temp is 70. The door has not been opened for 12-14 hours. Temp control is set at 5 The cabinet is mostly empty but does have a 30 pack of cans that have been inside the fridge for almost 2 days. The run time is: 13:50 minutes The off time is: 6 minutes Cabinet temp is 35 Evap temp is 16 ish. I also noticed some frozen drips on the lines, suggesting at least a partial thaw between cycles? There are a couple drops of liquid water on the bottom of the cabinet under the evaporator towards the back where the lines are. The evap temp varies and is what mostly controls the thermostat. I think setting 5 is normally a range of 10-20 degrees. Meaning on at 20 off at 10. On #9 mine does off at 6 on at 15 give or take a degree. I picture it as the thermostat controls the temperature of your synthetic block of ice, not of the actual refrigerator. Tho, it does have some effect on it I think.
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Post by cablehack on Jul 18, 2021 1:01:03 GMT
Ok, I have been working down in the garage and while I was in there, I timed a few cycles. Needless to say, they are not great. Room temp is 70. The door has not been opened for 12-14 hours. Temp control is set at 5 The cabinet is mostly empty but does have a 30 pack of cans that have been inside the fridge for almost 2 days. The run time is: 13:50 minutes The off time is: 6 minutes Cabinet temp is 35 Evap temp is 16 ish. I also noticed some frozen drips on the lines, suggesting at least a partial thaw between cycles? There are a couple drops of liquid water on the bottom of the cabinet under the evaporator towards the back where the lines are. From those figures my interpretation is that the float valve is worn. The run and off times are the reverse of what I'd consider tolerable. The evaporator just isn't cold enough. And I would tend to agree that the frozen drips are suspect. You could just run the fridge like it is, if you don't mind paying for the higher power consumption. I don't know how the longer run times affect the mechanical wear and life of the compressor and whether that's a bad thing or not. Ultimately, it would appear to need attention to the float valve if it's to operate within specifications. On a positive note, the advantage of the CA machines is that the repair can be done with the refrigerant still in the machine.
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Post by ChrisJ on Jul 18, 2021 3:39:03 GMT
Ok, I have been working down in the garage and while I was in there, I timed a few cycles. Needless to say, they are not great. Room temp is 70. The door has not been opened for 12-14 hours. Temp control is set at 5 The cabinet is mostly empty but does have a 30 pack of cans that have been inside the fridge for almost 2 days. The run time is: 13:50 minutes The off time is: 6 minutes Cabinet temp is 35 Evap temp is 16 ish. I also noticed some frozen drips on the lines, suggesting at least a partial thaw between cycles? There are a couple drops of liquid water on the bottom of the cabinet under the evaporator towards the back where the lines are. From those figures my interpretation is that the float valve is worn. The run and off times are the reverse of what I'd consider tolerable. The evaporator just isn't cold enough. And I would tend to agree that the frozen drips are suspect. You could just run the fridge like it is, if you don't mind paying for the higher power consumption. I don't know how the longer run times affect the mechanical wear and life of the compressor and whether that's a bad thing or not. Ultimately, it would appear to need attention to the float valve if it's to operate within specifications. On a positive note, the advantage of the CA machines is that the repair can be done with the refrigerant still in the machine. I'm curious, What symptoms would a worn compressor give? I know that's really unheard of, most CAs either run good or end up too tight from copper plating. But would a worn compressor have similar symptoms? I'm assuming it wouldn't have the loud evaporator symptom.
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Post by turbokinetic on Jul 18, 2021 11:32:40 GMT
From those figures my interpretation is that the float valve is worn. The run and off times are the reverse of what I'd consider tolerable. The evaporator just isn't cold enough. And I would tend to agree that the frozen drips are suspect. You could just run the fridge like it is, if you don't mind paying for the higher power consumption. I don't know how the longer run times affect the mechanical wear and life of the compressor and whether that's a bad thing or not. Ultimately, it would appear to need attention to the float valve if it's to operate within specifications. On a positive note, the advantage of the CA machines is that the repair can be done with the refrigerant still in the machine. I'm curious, What symptoms would a worn compressor give? I know that's really unheard of, most CAs either run good or end up too tight from copper plating. But would a worn compressor have similar symptoms? I'm assuming it wouldn't have the loud evaporator symptom. Yep if the float is worn it will allow hot vapor to pass into the evaporator during the off-cycle. Probably need some repairs to the float needle seat.
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