question: failing compressor or plugged drier?

Kenmore model 106.77292 top freezer, almost 12 years old, R134a
system, diagnostics so far:

1. lowest refrigerator temp about 50 degrees F
2. lowest freezer temp 26 degrees F, also is temp at evaporator inlet
(after capillary tube)
3. temp of line at compressor suction inlet 84 degrees F
4. temp of line at compressor outlet 109 degrees F
5. defrost heater good at 33 ohms, evap coils NOT iced up
6. defrost thermostat working properly
7. defrost timer working is working properly
8. evap fan and condenser fan both working properly
9. compressor runs fine, but is noisy on startup for about 30 seconds,
has been this way 16
months
10. simple test to suggest not low on R134a: unplugged refrigerator
from wall socket, plugged
back in, took 3 cycles of thermal overload protector for
compressor to restart, suggesting
there is significant high pressure freon.
11. no visual evidence of leaks, i do NOT have a leak detector

anything else i could try?

for further diagnostics, i have one bullet line tap valve. would i
get the best diagnostic usage by
installing on compressor suction or outlet? (instructions are not
clear if i should mount on
copper or steel lines from compressor, i would prefer NOT to mount on
copper line, to save
them for later brazing)

last question: why do driers now come with a schrader valve fitting?
can adequate liquid freon be
injected after evacuation and with compressor NOT running? this
system specs at 4.000 ounces of R134a.

btw, i have the new compressor and drier. was disappointed to learn
that compressor has no oil
in it, from the factory. this compressor needs 280 cc of ester oil.

question: failing compressor or plugged drier?

CY: From what you write, neither.

Kenmore model 106.77292 top freezer, almost 12 years old,
R134a
system, diagnostics so far:

1. lowest refrigerator temp about 50 degrees F
2. lowest freezer temp 26 degrees F, also is temp at
evaporator inlet
(after capillary tube)
3. temp of line at compressor suction inlet 84 degrees F
4. temp of line at compressor outlet 109 degrees F

CY: That's a bit too cold, when running.

5. defrost heater good at 33 ohms, evap coils NOT iced up
6. defrost thermostat working properly
7. defrost timer working is working properly
8. evap fan and condenser fan both working properly

CY: Very good things to check.

9. compressor runs fine, but is noisy on startup for about
30 seconds,
has been this way 16
months

CY: Well, it's near to the end of usable life.

10. simple test to suggest not low on R134a: unplugged
refrigerator
from wall socket, plugged
back in, took 3 cycles of thermal overload protector
for
compressor to restart, suggesting
there is significant high pressure freon.

CY: I doubt that's a valid test for high pressure freon
level.

11. no visual evidence of leaks, i do NOT have a leak
detector

anything else i could try?

CY: Four ounce charge won't leak enough to be worth
detecting.

for further diagnostics, i have one bullet line tap valve.
would i
get the best diagnostic usage by
installing on compressor suction or outlet? (instructions
are not
clear if i should mount on
copper or steel lines from compressor, i would prefer NOT to
mount on
copper line, to save
them for later brazing)

CY: I always mount a BPV on the low pressure side.

last question: why do driers now come with a schrader valve
fitting?
can adequate liquid freon be
injected after evacuation and with compressor NOT running?
this
system specs at 4.000 ounces of R134a.

CY: So you can measure the running pressure on the high
side.

btw, i have the new compressor and drier. was disappointed
to learn
that compressor has no oil
in it, from the factory. this compressor needs 280 cc of
ester oil.

CY: You may have to buy some ester oil, then.

CY: Did you want to ask any more questions? I've got a few
guesses what is wrong, and how to treat it.

On May 23, 9:06*am, nucleus wrote:
question: failing compressor or plugged drier?

Kenmore model 106.77292 top freezer, almost 12 years old, R134a
system, diagnostics so far:

1. lowest refrigerator temp about 50 degrees F
2. lowest freezer temp 26 degrees F, also is temp at evaporator inlet
(after capillary tube)
3. temp of line at compressor suction inlet 84 degrees F
4. temp of line at compressor outlet 109 degrees F
5. defrost heater good at 33 ohms, evap coils NOT iced up
6. defrost thermostat working properly
7. defrost timer working is working properly
8. evap fan and condenser fan both working properly
9. compressor runs fine, but is noisy on startup for about 30 seconds,
has been this way 16
* * months
10. simple test to suggest not low on R134a: unplugged refrigerator
from wall socket, plugged
* * * back in, took 3 cycles of thermal overload protector for
compressor to restart, suggesting
* * * there is significant high pressure freon.
11. no visual evidence of leaks, i do NOT have a leak detector

anything else i could try?

for further diagnostics, i have one bullet line tap valve. *would i
get the best diagnostic usage by
installing on compressor suction or outlet? *(instructions are not
clear if i should mount on
copper or steel lines from compressor, i would prefer NOT to mount on
copper line, to save
them for later brazing)

last question: why do driers now come with a schrader valve fitting?
can adequate liquid freon be
injected after evacuation and with compressor NOT running? *this
system specs at 4.000 ounces of R134a.

btw, i have the new compressor and drier. *was disappointed to learn
that compressor has no oil
in it, from the factory. *this compressor needs 280 cc of ester oil.

I had my defrost timer broke in the ON position once,

yes, would like to get your input, thanks.

CY: I've got a few guesses what is wrong, and how to treat it.

Oh! Well, in that case.....

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"nucleus" wrote in message
...
yes, would like to get your input, thanks.

CY: I've got a few guesses what is wrong, and how to
treat it.

My guess is that your fridge is low on freon. Piercing valve
on suction line, and read the suction pressure with the
system running. Add refrigerant until the discharge temp
comes up a bit, and the suction pressure comes up. Good idea
to vacuum it out, and charge with a known weight of
refrigerant. But, I've just topped em off by gages, and
temperatures.

Yes, it's possible to inject liquid freon into the high
side, after the system is vacuumed out.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"nucleus" wrote in message
...
question: failing compressor or plugged drier?

Kenmore model 106.77292 top freezer, almost 12 years old,
R134a
system, diagnostics so far:

1. lowest refrigerator temp about 50 degrees F
2. lowest freezer temp 26 degrees F, also is temp at
evaporator inlet
(after capillary tube)
3. temp of line at compressor suction inlet 84 degrees F
4. temp of line at compressor outlet 109 degrees F
5. defrost heater good at 33 ohms, evap coils NOT iced up
6. defrost thermostat working properly
7. defrost timer working is working properly
8. evap fan and condenser fan both working properly
9. compressor runs fine, but is noisy on startup for about
30 seconds,
has been this way 16
months
10. simple test to suggest not low on R134a: unplugged
refrigerator
from wall socket, plugged
back in, took 3 cycles of thermal overload protector
for
compressor to restart, suggesting
there is significant high pressure freon.
11. no visual evidence of leaks, i do NOT have a leak
detector

anything else i could try?

for further diagnostics, i have one bullet line tap valve.
would i
get the best diagnostic usage by
installing on compressor suction or outlet? (instructions
are not
clear if i should mount on
copper or steel lines from compressor, i would prefer NOT to
mount on
copper line, to save
them for later brazing)

last question: why do driers now come with a schrader valve
fitting?
can adequate liquid freon be
injected after evacuation and with compressor NOT running?
this
system specs at 4.000 ounces of R134a.

btw, i have the new compressor and drier. was disappointed
to learn
that compressor has no oil
in it, from the factory. this compressor needs 280 cc of
ester oil.

From what you were describing, I'd have thought the suction
pressure was below atmospheric. 15PSI running suction is a
bit too high, on a household refrigerator. I'm thinking at
this point there is something badly wrong with the
compressor. Sounds like it's not pumping refrigerant. Add
some freon, and it's still not cooling.... that's a very
strong hint that the compressor has problems.

Plugged drier or capillary would give you a very low suction
pressure.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"nucleus" wrote in message
...
installed piercing valve on suction line, suction pressure
15 psig
after fridge ran for 5 minutes, that sounds normal to me,
does
that sound normal to you?

afterward, i added 26 grams of R134a over 4 minutes, suction
pressure now 20 psig; however the second loop (out of 10
loops) on the evap coil is still not frosted.

any input would be appreciated. thanks for your help.

failing compressor, plugged drier, plugged capillary???

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On May 23, 8:22 pm, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
My guess is that your fridge is low on freon. Piercing
valve
on suction line, and read the suction pressure with the
system running. Add refrigerant until the discharge temp
comes up a bit, and the suction pressure comes up. Good
idea
to vacuum it out, and charge with a known weight of
refrigerant. But, I've just topped em off by gages, and
temperatures.

thanks for your input, looks like it is time to dig out the ole
brazing
torch.


On May 26, 8:13*am, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
From what you were describing, I'd have thought the suction
pressure was below atmospheric. 15PSI running suction is a
bit too high, on a household refrigerator. I'm thinking at
this point there is something badly wrong with the
compressor. Sounds like it's not pumping refrigerant. Add
some freon, and it's still not cooling.... that's a very
strong hint that the compressor has problems.

Plugged drier or capillary would give you a very low suction
pressure.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
*www.lds.org

removed old compressor from refrigerator, then cut the top
of the compressor off, removed motor and pump. removed
reed valve and found a lot of "black" microscopic particles
under the seat, apparently "wear" particles from moving
parts. the refrigeration oil was "cloudy" with these black
particles. removed piston, it has no piston rings, so
the problem was not caused by a "broken" ring. there
was evidence that the reed valve was slapping the
top of the piston; this may have been the "noise" on
startup, which first appeared about 16 months ago.

possible reasons for this compressor to inadequately pump
freon, was "wear" of moving parts and the presence of
"wear" particles, which may have inteferred with the
reed valve.

they don't make things as good as they did decades ago!
so if your fridge/compressor is 12 years old, and you get
insufficient cooling (after checking all other possibilities),
consider replacing the fridge. the presence of "wear"
particles would suggest that the freon lines (condenser,
capillary tube (if your fridge has one), and evaporator
coil) should be flushed, before installing a new compressor,
this assumes that refrigerant oil travels with the liquid freon.