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Post by osx86apple on Jun 3, 2022 15:24:18 GMT
Thanks so much for all your help everyone. So I’ve tried to put as much force as I’d like to, and unfortunately nothing but possibly an occasional bubble/trickle noise in the evaporator. Possibly likely the float is stuck. Well either way I want to get this working properly, would seem such a shame to leave it, as it’ll be a really nice fridge once it’s been re-painted and operational. Added a photo of the cabinet, I have the base and top, however currently removed to rub down for painting.
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Post by osx86apple on Jun 3, 2022 16:18:38 GMT
I know this probably wasn’t the best thing to do…..
Gently tipped it on its back and huge rush of refrigerant flowed through and now a very chilled evaporator.
Definitely think I have a stuck float here ?
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marko
7 Cubic Foot
Posts: 141
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Post by marko on Jun 3, 2022 19:44:21 GMT
I know this probably wasn’t the best thing to do….. Gently tipped it on its back and huge rush of refrigerant flowed through and now a very chilled evaporator. Definitely think I have a stuck float here ? It's not stuck anymore! Stand it back up for a while then try to run it again.
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Post by turbokinetic on Jun 4, 2022 12:26:53 GMT
I know this probably wasn’t the best thing to do….. Gently tipped it on its back and huge rush of refrigerant flowed through and now a very chilled evaporator. Definitely think I have a stuck float here ? That is good! It is probably a blockage of non-condensable gas in the float chamber. Hopefully it continues working!
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Post by ckfan on Jun 6, 2022 21:37:32 GMT
Wow, what a cool unit. I hope it continues to work well for you. If it fails again after a period of running, it most likely has non condensable gas in the system as David mentioned.
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Post by osx86apple on Jun 7, 2022 17:02:32 GMT
Thanks for your input everyone
So it seems it’ll work for a short period, with a hell of a lot of bubbling off in the evaporator, until that eventually stops. Then giving the unit a slight tilt will usually get it to start cooling again.
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Post by turbokinetic on Jun 7, 2022 17:10:06 GMT
Thanks for your input everyone So it seems it’ll work for a short period, with a hell of a lot of bubbling off in the evaporator, until that eventually stops. Then giving the unit a slight tilt will usually get it to start cooling again. Thus sounds like air in the system. Probably need to purge it slightly. Run it until it stops cooling, leave it running, and release a little puff of vapor from the service port on the float chamber. That will probably make it cool consistently.
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Post by osx86apple on Jun 7, 2022 20:21:52 GMT
Thanks for your input everyone So it seems it’ll work for a short period, with a hell of a lot of bubbling off in the evaporator, until that eventually stops. Then giving the unit a slight tilt will usually get it to start cooling again. Thus sounds like air in the system. Probably need to purge it slightly. Run it until it stops cooling, leave it running, and release a little puff of vapor from the service port on the float chamber. That will probably make it cool consistently. Thought that might be the case, thank you I’ll give that a go. Just have to wait for the hermetic kit to arrive and the Bristol key - both are being shipped from America so unfortunately won’t be with me for awhile :-(
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Post by osx86apple on Jun 15, 2022 11:20:33 GMT
Just an update so far
Received the Bristol key this morning
Managed to open the service port (was very tight) enough to purge - and success so far, it’s been cooling long enough to cycle off!
Just need to keep monitoring it to see how it settles down?
BTW - kept every door open the garage and had to purge a little off and run away, never smelt anything like so2 before it’s horrible!
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Post by turbokinetic on Jun 15, 2022 13:15:09 GMT
Just an update so far Received the Bristol key this morning Managed to open the service port (was very tight) enough to purge - and success so far, it’s been cooling long enough to cycle off! Just need to keep monitoring it to see how it settles down? BTW - kept every door open the garage and had to purge a little off and run away, never smelt anything like so2 before it’s horrible! Excellent! So happy that it is working and cycling off for you! Definitely just keep monitoring it. If it had noncondensable gas, that came from somewhere. It could have taken decades to build up; or it could be due to a low-side leak and it returns in a few months. Hopefully it is a longterm fix! Yeah SO2 is a very disagreeable substance to work with! I dislike it and usually replace it with a Freon-type refrigerant when repairs are necessary.
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Post by osx86apple on Jun 15, 2022 13:37:40 GMT
Just an update so far Received the Bristol key this morning Managed to open the service port (was very tight) enough to purge - and success so far, it’s been cooling long enough to cycle off! Just need to keep monitoring it to see how it settles down? BTW - kept every door open the garage and had to purge a little off and run away, never smelt anything like so2 before it’s horrible! Excellent! So happy that it is working and cycling off for you! Definitely just keep monitoring it. If it had noncondensable gas, that came from somewhere. It could have taken decades to build up; or it could be due to a low-side leak and it returns in a few months. Hopefully it is a longterm fix! Yeah SO2 is a very disagreeable substance to work with! I dislike it and usually replace it with a Freon-type refrigerant when repairs are necessary. Thank you! Hopefully it continues working, otherwise I’ll have to dump the so2, do a leak test and recharge with R152A I definitely haven’t smelt anything odd when running, and it seems to be quite happy at the moment - does so2 build up non condensable gas over a long period of time ? Just wondering if there was any other reason other than a slow leak
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Post by turbokinetic on Jun 15, 2022 13:51:02 GMT
Excellent! So happy that it is working and cycling off for you! Definitely just keep monitoring it. If it had noncondensable gas, that came from somewhere. It could have taken decades to build up; or it could be due to a low-side leak and it returns in a few months. Hopefully it is a longterm fix! Yeah SO2 is a very disagreeable substance to work with! I dislike it and usually replace it with a Freon-type refrigerant when repairs are necessary. Thank you! Hopefully it continues working, otherwise I’ll have to dump the so2, do a leak test and recharge with R152A I definitely haven’t smelt anything odd when running, and it seems to be quite happy at the moment - does so2 build up non condensable gas over a long period of time ? Just wondering if there was any other reason other than a slow leak SO2 when dry is reasonably nonreactive. However, when it combines with water, it forms an acid. The acid can react with metals to release a gas, and form a solid residue. If over time, minute amounts of moisture were released from the materials in the compressor, it can react with the SO2 and metals and generate some degree of noncondensable gas. This could have been inbuilt moisture, moisture generated from reactions within other materials in the system, or due to a low-side leak taking in water from a frosted line. The cellulose materials such as cotton and paper used in the motor winding can release water if they get too hot and chemical changes occur. A bad relay or other electrical problems can lead to moisture generation. It is possible to generate a certain amount of moisture through this process, without causing severe damage to the motor. Therefore, releasing the NCG from the system is likely to solve the issue permanently.
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Post by osx86apple on Jun 15, 2022 15:27:02 GMT
Thanks so much David, I will keep an eye and see how it goes
One thing I’ve noticed is the evaporator very quickly defrosts when the compressor has kicked off, it does need a door seal so probably this isn’t going to help.
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Post by turbokinetic on Jun 15, 2022 15:32:01 GMT
Thanks so much David, I will keep an eye and see how it goes One thing I’ve noticed is the evaporator very quickly defrosts when the compressor has kicked off, it does need a door seal so probably this isn’t going to help. Yep, these do defrost quickly. The door seal is important to keep the evaporator frosted. The thermostat should re-start the compressor before it defrosts; unless it's in Defrost mode.
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Post by osx86apple on Jun 15, 2022 15:57:41 GMT
I’ll need to get myself a new door seal, any recommendations on a good supplier? The fridge looks very similar in build to a GE flat top design, wonder if BTH copied GE’s design.
Thermostat isn’t original unfortunately, looks like it was replaced a long time ago with a simple on/off set up , relay is original and has been cleaned.
I’m wondering if the thermostat might be not quite right, when it’s cooled and shut off it has started not coming on (you can hear the click within the thermostat when turning it up) but it doesn’t start the compressor. Turning the thermostat to off and on usually gets it to start again as normal.
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