This was a service call on a Kairak Blu glycol cooler not working that had a refrigerant leak.
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This video is brought to you by spore'ln quality, integrity and tradition. Okay, today we have a chi rack blue unit. Now this is one of the glycol front tables and it is not working. So this one is one where the condensing unit down here cools a flat plate, heat exchanger, that is on the other side of that the refrigerant stays within the condenser and the flat plate heat exchanger, which is on just on the other side of that partition.
Right there and it circulates glycol throughout the unit. So the problem here is: is that we're obviously high in temp, so we got to figure that one out so down here is the base section, and this is just a fan motor, essentially just the heat exchanger, that the cooled glycol passes through. So there's no refrigerant whatsoever in the base section or up here on the top. It's just chilled glycol that runs through there.
So we're going to go ahead and go through the troubleshooting steps and see what we can figure out. This is a basic pump down system where, as the temperature controller controls, a relay module inside that box right there and the relay module turns this solenoid valve on and off, which starts and stops the flow of refrigerant, and this low-pressure control turns the compressor on and Off so sequence of operation, temperature controller says it's hot opens this solenoid valve right here. Suction pressure goes up, compressor turns on cools the box down or cool the the glycol down, and then it just recirculates over and over and over again now there is a pump on the back that circulates the glycol through the top and through the bottom. That runs 24/7, so we're gon na start with this condensing unit right here and see if this solenoid valve is energized and go from there.
The solenoid valve is hot, meaning that is more than likely energized and with that being said, I'm gon na use some vital signs here and I'm gon na need to go ahead and put my suction port on here and test to see. If we have refrigerant pressure because or we can even chest the low pressure control first, but just from looking at it - I bet you this solenoid valve is energized. We can even take a yeah, the the coil is magnetized. This is sticking to it.
So this well, whether or not it has the correct voltage - I don't know, but this solenoid coil is definitely energized, so the refrigerant flow should be turning on this low pressure control. I've said this many times, I'm gon na say it again. Cutting boards are sanitary surfaces. I typically don't like to put my tools or anything on top of the cutting boards.
I prefer to move the cutting boards. If I need to set my tools, then I set them on top of the stainless, but the cutting boards. I don't like to set any of my tools on so I'm gon na remove that cutting board. So that way I have a surface to set my stuff all right.
I've got my meter set up. This is the new field piece SC 480. It's a pretty nice meter. The one thing I will say the SC 480 doesn't have a place for the leads to clip into, but this is their smaller line. So I understand that, but it has all the cool features. It has phase rotation, which is huge for me, capacitance. It has watts which are power, which you can figure out a whole bunch of things within the field: peace, app, so pretty cool meter. So far, alright we're going to open out the low-pressure control and we have an open, low-pressure control.
So we have an open switch, meaning that this sense is no pressure within the system. So we do need to gauge up on this and figure out. What's going on, I am probed up, I'm using the spoil and smart pull our sensors today. We've got no refrigerant pressure whatsoever in the system, so it looks like we're.
Gon na have a major refrigerant leak within the system. Now, there's some very common places that these units leak at the expansion valve power head. The suction line service valve are the number one place so we're gon na investigate that a little bit further and figure this one out after some investigation. I figured out that someone has replaced this compressor and cut out the suction line service valve.
There's not one there back there at all. So it's just straight pipe, so we're gon na jump on this expansion valve, and this looks like an OEM expansion valve. It's a Amer Center and Alko valve. It's never been changed before so I'm gon na pull the insulation and then we're gon na have to bump this thing up with some refrigerant to be able to find a leak and I'll go pick up my leak.
Detector too. I was able to pull the insulation jacket off the expansion valve and you know if you use your senses, you can check this. I don't feel any remnants of oil and the TXV itself actually doesn't look too bad back there. So I don't know if the Leafs gon na be there not, it doesn't feel like it.
Typically, you should find an oil problem somewhere. I definitely see some remnants of oil on the Keen valve on the receiver, but again at this point, we're gon na need to pressurize this guy up and do an electronically search and what I did was I went to the low pressure, control and pulled one lead Off and taped it up, so I can energize the unit safely. Once I put refrigerant in the system, I don't want the compressor to turn on, so I can energize the system now. There's no fear of the compressor actually turning on and what we're actually gon na do is put a tracer of our 404 a in here and then bump it up with nitrogen to try to find the leak, so we're gon na do that right now, all right! I think I can hear the leak it's kind of hard, because this kitchen is loud, but I think it's in the low pressure control, possibly the leak detector is going to raise, but I'm gon na go ahead and spray.
I got to turn it off because I'm going to spray this thing, but I'll spray, some big glue inside this pressure control, let's see if we can see it yeah all right, so it's leaking inside the little pressure control and it's going crazy. That's I thought I could hear it okay, so I need to go out to my van and see if I have a low pressure control and a liquid line, dryer and sight glass. So I went ahead and changed the low pressure control installed, the new sight, glass combo. I went ahead and also the old low pressure control was using like this lamp cable. I ripped all that out and went with that. So4 sorry, it's kind of hard to see, but that way it looks better and we're getting started on the initial vacuum. So I have the vacuum thing on there wrong, but anyways. Once I get down to about 1500 ish microns I'll go ahead and close the ballasts right now, I'm pulling just through one side.
I don't know if I'm gon na need to pull from both sides, we'll see all right. So this unit has a funky charge and we may end up going over the charge because it didn't originally have a sight glass but we're gon na start with the factory charge, which is thirty four point: oh eight ounces, so we're just going to shoot for 34 Ounces and then see where that gets us, but we are going to clear the sight, glass and either way so we're zeroed out - and I already purged up to here open this bad boy, we're charging into the high side. I shut the system off so it won't turn on basically we're adding as much gas as the system will take into the receiver, which is where we're going it's being stopped by the still annoyed valve, because it's DNR does and then once it does. That then, we'll start it up and see where the sight glasses on.
So it looks like we're coming right up on it and we're looking for 34 ounces. 34.8. All right! We're gon na stop right there and see where that is, give it a couple seconds and then we'll flip the power switch and we should come on via a little pressure all right. Let's turn it on, but in about 20 psi on the low side.
Take a look at that sight: glass we're gon na, let it run for a bit and see if the sight glass stays clear and if so, we'll leave it at B. Now. The reason why I'm saying that is because this system originally wasn't designed with the sight glass, so we have to make up for that extra volume of space, but it may be fine, but we put in the factory charge and we'll see what happens so far. So good the system is operating suction pressure.
It is under a heavy load, but this unit also because it's glycol it takes forever to come down to temp the plus side on these units. Is they once you get the glycol down to temperature? It takes a long time for it to come up in temp, but in vice versa, it takes a long time for it to bring it down for them. So, but we're looking good so far, we'll look to see if we start noticing a temperature drop on the evaporator temperature and the box stamp and all that good stuff stuff alright. So this is the back side of the cooler here's my little circulator pump. It's a tiny little black ball pump. We have a reservoir that keep in mind that reservoir level is very high right now the glycol is actually going to contract once it starts cooling, so that level should drop once it's down to temp, but yeah condenser looks really fairly clean. It did have a filter media on it that was really dirty. So I pulled that filter media off, but my flat plate heat exchanger is that inside here it's insulated really well and the refrigeration lines essentially just come in and out of that heat exchanger and that's it.
So the refrigerant stays in the condensing unit and in that heat exchanger and then the glycol comes out the other side of the heat, exchanger pumps into the box and then comes down or all the way through the rails up here all the way through those and Then comes back down and just get just recirculates over and over and over again, so we're looking good, I'm gon na tell the customer to keep an eye on it. It, like I said it's gon na, be at least like an hour or two before this thing. Actually comes down to temperature, but I'm pretty confident they're gon na be okay, all right. This one wasn't too bad.
It was a pretty straightforward service call. When I arrived, the unit was high in temp, like the customer complained about found that the unit was actually low. On refrigerant went through some diagnostic steps to diagnose. Before I put my service gauges on the system, this is a critically charged system, so you want to be cautious about that found a refrigerant leak in the low pressure control.
Ironically, right, the low pressure controls there to protect the compressor and that's actually where the source of the leak was go figure but anyways. I went ahead and replaced the low pressure, control and kind of fixed a few things on the unit, such as the power cable. Going to the low pressure control, it was some sort of lamp. Cable didn't really care for it.
So I ended up using Esso cord and went ahead and put a new filter. Dryer Slyke or filter dryer, slash sight, glass, combo on the unit vacuumed it down, and recharged the customers been happy for about three weeks now, two weeks now, something like that, so all was well really nothing too difficult. I wanted to say thank you very much for taking the time to watch this video all the way to the end. I really really do appreciate you guys for that.
Please leave me some feedback down in the YouTube comments. Send me an email. Let me know what you think: your guys's feedback and support really helps me. Okay, on a side note, we have a new way to potentially support the channel.
If you choose to do so, there is true tech tools, comm affiliate links in the show notes of this video. So the tools that I talk about in the show notes. If you click on my affiliate links, I get a small commission. You can also use the offer code, big picture. One word and it'll get you eight percent off your purchase at true tech tools. So just another way, other methods of support you can support via patreon. You can support via youtube channel memberships, paypal, donations. But again, nothing is expected.
It's just appreciated. Okay, I'm going to continue to make these regardless. Okay, remember that I do live streams Monday evening 5:00 p.m. Pacific time work permitting, of course, where I discuss these and talk about the problems that I ran into an answer.
Your guys's email questions and youtube comment questions so hopefully we'll see you guys over there. Okay.
Hi i have A similar unit and the frigerant lines keep freezing how can I tell if the pump is working I do have 120 going to the pump but it feels like it's not moving the glycal
That glycol circuit is a very neat idea.
Especially for cold-rails, which are notoriously difficult to repair refrigerant leaks in.
I was considering using an off the shelf chiller for similar ideas.
You said the unit didn't have a sight glass at the beginning when it did Are you in Barrhaven ?
Oh god – i think when you work in that line of work you know which restaurants to avoid. Here in germany every company working with foodstuffs can get anytime a surprise visit from the health office to check if they follow the hygienic standards for working with food. Depending on what is found it is possible you get a warning and a check 14 days later or that restaurant, food vendor, grocery store, ice cream parlor etc. is immediatly closed. If somebody does not fix the criticized problems after a warning and fails the second visit the facility will be closed, too. Some cities even force restaurants to show the summary page of their last hygienic check on a bulletin board or the window. That restaurant in the video would have been closed by the health office.
BTW – I don't know how it is handled in the US, but here the employees in food sectors must visit a course at the health office about hygiene, get checked that they have no health problems that would be a problem in the food sector and get a "Gesundheitszeugnis". Without that they are not allowed to work in that area of work. That means they have not excuse like "Didn't know that is not allowed. My boss did not told me about it" – they tought it at the course they had to visit and got a brochure to check if they are not sure.
On this particular setup chris would the saturation temp be similar to any other reach in or prep table .is it TROT 20 degree TD?
Only 7 dislikes. Good job guys! lets try to get to 0 dislikes on the new videos
I have yet to see you get angry on any of these. Or even frustrated. I am going to be on the lookout for flashing sight glasses. Thanks
I really enjoy your videos. Like the way you work, similar to mine 🙂
And on every video I learned something. Thank you.
pretty dirty in they. will think the health inspector will shut down the place and force owner to clean up.
I wonder, why use glycol at all? Isn't that a source of inefficiency, since the heat needs to be removed from the food (which incurs a loss) and then removed again from the glycol (which incurs another loss). Wouldn't it be more efficient to skip glycol alltogether, and just run a R404A refridgeation line through the whole unit instead, so you only have the "transfer loss" once? Thus the compressor don't need to run as much (in total time) compared to using the glycol, which gives prolonged life of the compressor, and also reduces the electricity bill? Are you in Orleans ?
Remove the cutting board, because they obviously will not clean it! Service area Orleans??
Oh my _ _ _, Does anyone CLEAN! anymore. That box is so nasty, I can just hear Gordon Ramsey all the way over here in South Mississippi! 🤣🤣🤣 Are you in Ottawa ?
Since I've been watching your videos, eating out has taken on a different perspective, as in avoidance. If I do it'll be a bottled beverage for me, no ice. Prep tables look like big Petri dishes. Looks like you know where to eat and where to avoid. Are they all like the one in this video, and the pizza prep table video?
How the hell did that place pass a hygiene inspection??? 😳
I’m still in the learning phase. So why do you energize the unit when nitrogen is in it. Is it so that the solenoid valve will open to have refrigerant flow? Thanks.
Horrible system no sense of having a glycol system just go with a regular evap cooling refrigerant system.
LOVE from Toronto. its my 3rd year in the field. have learned a lot from you sir .
tanksfully u wearing a mask… how they can have a fridge so dirty and pass hygenic inspection????
Note: do you ever mention they need to clean the units ?
Good job sir have not see n a video in a while. If get chance keep them coming. Gives me something to watch and enjoy.
Sanitary is not a word I would use, that equipment is gross. Probably the main reason I will not work on commercial kitchen equipment, that just grosses me out… Sorry, I know it's a job but I could not do kitchen equipment.
Worked on an air dryer at a plant that made 55 gallon drums. It has a propylene glycol mix. The plant was over 130 degrees. The dryer was designed for no more that 100 degrees. The mix would evaporate and they ran out of glycol so they were topping them off with water. I didn’t know this. Well the heat exchanger ran at 16 degrees. Guess what happened. They split the heat exchangers. When this happened the pump pressure exceeded the empty refrigerant circuit and filled it with water. I had my vacuum pump on one of them for a week. I had the Maintnence guys changing the oil every 2 hours. What a nightmare. I got it down to 800 microns after a week and went to start it up. The water was under the oil in the compressor. It ran for just seconds and the compressor died. I hate when that happens. Test your mix when working on glycol units. Don’t top off with water.
Hell yeah! I haven’t found a leak actually inside a pressure control yet
Original sensor have been replaced, Using a 7/11 big gulp straw makes it easier to get them down into the tee. Also they can be checked through the controller. Anytime you see ELE LOS just hit alarm button. The unit had a voltage drop happens at night during time of less demand. If you every see any glycol in the cabinet by fan means glycol leak and unit needs to be replaced. Also the new GB sensors are of a improved design and have a very low failure rate.
Currently just enrolled in a trade school. Love watching your videos! Gives me motivation to continue to learn and hopefully become a professional in the trade like you! Keep up the awesome content! Look forward to learning a lot from you in the future! Service area Kanata??
Good video Chris . Never seen one of those type lowboys with the glycol,pretty cool👍
Ahh yes the dreaded line cooler. Ive seen so many just disgusting ones. I dont think health inspectors actually know how or take the time to pull food and look into the bottom of these coolers otherwise these places would get shut down. I always enjoyed the refrigeration teoubleshooting but never the mess.
Great video Chris, You must have upgraded your electronics cause the picture and frames are on point, You can stop the pump and watch the glycol temp lower then turn it on and that will help lower the temp faster, I know captain obvious and that’s was his recommendation. Thanks for sharing bud.
Do you use these videos (pre edit) to show clients exactly what the issues are? There are a lot of companies that don’t know what they’re doing exactly or that will sell parts you don’t need. Do you think being transparent like this will become the norm?
Nice video sir,very useful to me as a technician.,
New camera? Footage and audio are excellent.
Let’s do an example here: If there was a beginner Hvac Tech, what refrigerant manifold would you recommend. Service area Nepean??
I've been meaning to thanks you for these videos for a while now. Even though your line of work and mine have very little in common (I'm an automotive mechanic who isn't even EPA certified to work on A/C systems yet, since I do electrical and gasoline driveability diagnostics anyways) I've taken quite a few tips from you over the year or so I've been a fan. Especially your Big Picture diagnostics attitude. I always think of that and take a step back when I'm diagnosing electrical issues, and more than a few times it's helped me find other issues. Sometimes related to the original concern, and others just more broken stuff to get paid to fix! Anyways thank you for all the hard work and time you put into making these videos!
جيد جدا عمل رائع واصل سديق من الجزائر 💪💪💪👍👍💪🏼 Are you in Kanata ?
I am in refrigeration tech in Germany. I enjoy your videos. Some watch netflix, I what your videos. 😀
Good job. We do some stuff differently here but I like your trouble shooting.
If gordon ramsay comes to this place, he will surely F the staff n the owner!!! Lol
I always wonder why those coolers are always so dirty. I'm working in a mcdonalds restaurant we clean all of our equipment every day we won't be the cleanest in Germany but I never had a bad feeling eating and most importantly selling our products to guests. I would be ashamed if a technican like you would have to work with so dirty coolers thats for sure. I'm living in Germany maybe the laws here are different then in the US. We have Food inspections every once in a while I bet you have that too. If they find things that are not cleaned good enough or food that isn't stored correctly they put it on a list. If we don't correct these issues and they come back they will fine you and in worst case they will close the restaurant to prevent customers from getting diseases or food poisoning. Greetings from Germany to all. 🙂
hello from israel!! like your work and the videos my friend.. keep it up
Thanks for the effort you put in this videos
Really helps as a HVAC Student
Fantastic episode! Deep down to the details! Thankful
It'd be curious to see that glicol contraction before & after cooling 🤓