https://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Sparks&feedformat=atomDIYWiki - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T14:37:53ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.35.9https://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Liebherr_Freezer_Service_Mode&diff=20667Liebherr Freezer Service Mode2018-02-12T22:41:27Z<p>Sparks: /* See also */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Introduction ==<br />
<br />
The aim of this guide, is to give some information on the service mode of a Liebherr GN 3356 freezer.<br />
This information may be relevant to other similar models.<br />
<br />
== WARNINGS ==<br />
'''I am not, and do not profess to be a refrigeration engineer, I have gained some knowledge of this simply be reading information online, and from a number of YouTube videos posted by a variety of people. Please be mindful of this before attempting to work on any refrigeration appliances as a result of reading this.'''<br />
<br />
Some of the service modes will directly control the various components of the freezer like the defrost heater, the compressor, the fan and the light - leaving some of these items on for longer than their design specification could cause damage, overheating, and possibly even a fire, these modes are used at your own risk.<br />
<br />
== Why You Might Need This ==<br />
The reason I needed this was to test both the defrost heater and the fan, following the freezer being left slightly open (but not enough to activate the alarm on it) which caused the fan to frost up, and the freezer to then not chill the contents, despite it ruining the compressor (because the fan appeared to have been frozen). I ran a manual defrost, and also firmly banged the underside of the evaporator unit inside the appliance at the top (with my hand), this unstuck the fan and returned it to normal operation) I did this with the fan test mode selected when this mode did not result in the fan running, but my power meter showing it was drawing about 5 watts, so it was clearly taking power, but appeared to be jammed.<br />
<br />
== Tools You Might Need ==<br />
For general testing, you will not need any tools, however, a power monitor that shows the power consumption of the appliance would be handy so you can check to see if the fan, defrost heater and compressor are consuming power. A popular brand of these is a "Kill a Watt" but there are loads on the market. They simply plug into a normal wall socket, then you connect the item you want to test to it.<br />
<br />
== Entering Service Mode ==<br />
With the freezer in normal operation, hold both the On/Off button and the Super Frost button for approx. 5 seconds until the display flashes "H"<br />
<br />
== Manual Defrost Mode ==<br />
To activate the manual defrost, enter the service menu, press the Super Freeze button in the "H" mode, and the display will then show "A"<br />
This mode will now run until the temperature sensor in the evaporator unit (inside at the top of the freezer) gets to 32°C OR after 50 minutes of operation (as I understand it, I have tested neither fully) Once this cycle has completed, the freezer will return to normal operation automatically.<br />
To abort this mode, hold the power button until the appliance turns off, then turn it back on again.<br />
<br />
== Sensor Readings ==<br />
There are three sensors in this unit...<br />
1. The internal temperature sensor, where the food is stored<br />
2. The evaporator temperature (the unit at the top inside the freezer)<br />
3. The door sensor<br />
<br />
To get into sensor reading mode, go into the service mode, then use the up or down arrow button to select "E" and press the Super Frost button<br />
You can now use the up and down arrows to show the three sensors<br />
<br />
E3 - Internal Temperature (In °C)<br />
<br />
E4 - Evaporator Temperature (In °C)<br />
<br />
E8 - Door status (0 = Door closed & 1 = Door Open<br />
<br />
While viewing any of these three sensors, the display will cycle between the mode it is in, and the reading.<br />
<br />
To exit this mode press the power button<br />
<br />
== Test Modes ==<br />
This mode allows you to turn on various items in the appliance directly for testing purposes, please note, these should NOT be left on for extended periods of time, as damage may occur, for example, leaving the defrost heater on for too long would probably be a bad idea.<br />
<br />
To enter this mode, enter the service mode, then scroll to the "L" mode using the up or down button, then press the Super Frost button.<br />
Once in the mode, the display will show "rd"<br />
Now you muse open the door and close it, which will turn on all elements of the display to show they are working, and also the super Frost button will illuminate.<br />
<br />
Now you must test all the buttons by pressing them one by one.<br />
<br />
When this is complete, the unit will emit a long beep, and display "L0" - you are now in test mode.<br />
You can cycle through all the test modes with the up or down arrow button.<br />
<br />
L0 is everything (except the display) off - in this mode, if you are monitoring the power consumption, it will be showing zero, or near zero.<br />
<br />
L1 will turn just the compressor on, so the power draw will be around 150w (* note 1)<br />
<br />
L3 will turn just the internal fan on, so the power consumption will be about 5w<br />
<br />
L4 will turn just the defrost heater on, so the power consumption will be about 240w (*note 2)<br />
<br />
L5 will turn just the light on, so the power consumption will be about 15w<br />
<br />
'''''note 1''''' - When the compressor is selected, if the compressor had been running just before you entered this test mode (which will turn the compressor off) the compressor may draw over 1 KW for a short rime, then trip out. This happens because the compressor does not have enough power to start when there is too much pressure on the output stage, this needs to dissipate, and the thermal cut-out in the compressor reset before it will try again - this is totally normal, and nothing to worry about, so if this happens, just leave it in this mode for a while (probably between 5 and 10 minutes) and it will try again, and then the compressor should run.<br />
<br />
'''note 2''''' - Do not leave the defrost heater on for long while testing, or you might melt something inside the freezer. If the freezer is working normally, and the evaporator temperature is nice and low, then 5 minutes or so should be fine, however if the freezer is not cold inside, this may be too long, and may cause the temperature in the evaporator unit to get too high to test it, you should only need it on for a short time to see the consumption.''<br />
<br />
To exit this mode press the power button once<br />
<br />
== Demo Mode ==<br />
This mode is usually used on a shop, so the display will show, the light inside will work, but the unit will not actually get cold.<br />
<br />
To enable demo mode, enter the service mode then use the up or down arrow button to select "d1" and press Super frost<br />
The freezer will now show -18, but the compressor, defrost heater and circulation fan will not run.<br />
<br />
To exit this mode, go back into service mode, and select "d0" and press Super Frost - the display will revert to normal operation, showing the actual temperature.<br />
<br />
'''please note, you must turn demo mode off again manually, powering the appliance off and on will not clear this mode.'''<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
--[[User:Sparks|Toby...]] 23:45, 9 February 2018 (GMT)<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Fridge]]<br />
* [[Fridge freezer]]<br />
* [[Fridge & Freezer Review]]<br />
* [[Thermostat]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Appliances]]<br />
[[Category:Electrical]]<br />
[[Category:Fault Finding]]<br />
[[Category:Repair]]<br />
[[Category:Refrigeration]]<br />
[[Category:Cooling]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Liebherr_Freezer_Service_Mode&diff=20662Liebherr Freezer Service Mode2018-02-10T00:13:37Z<p>Sparks: /* See also */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Introduction ==<br />
<br />
The aim of this guide, is to give some information on the service mode of a Liebherr GN 3356 freezer.<br />
This information may be relevant to other similar models.<br />
<br />
== WARNINGS ==<br />
'''I am not, and do not profess to be a refrigeration engineer, I have gained some knowledge of this simply be reading information online, and from a number of YouTube videos posted by a variety of people. Please be mindful of this before attempting to work on any refrigeration appliances as a result of reading this.'''<br />
<br />
Some of the service modes will directly control the various components of the freezer like the defrost heater, the compressor, the fan and the light - leaving some of these items on for longer than their design specification could cause damage, overheating, and possibly even a fire, these modes are used at your own risk.<br />
<br />
== Why You Might Need This ==<br />
The reason I needed this was to test both the defrost heater and the fan, following the freezer being left slightly open (but not enough to activate the alarm on it) which caused the fan to frost up, and the freezer to then not chill the contents, despite it ruining the compressor (because the fan appeared to have been frozen). I ran a manual defrost, and also firmly banged the underside of the evaporator unit inside the appliance at the top (with my hand), this unstuck the fan and returned it to normal operation) I did this with the fan test mode selected when this mode did not result in the fan running, but my power meter showing it was drawing about 5 watts, so it was clearly taking power, but appeared to be jammed.<br />
<br />
== Tools You Might Need ==<br />
For general testing, you will not need any tools, however, a power monitor that shows the power consumption of the appliance would be handy so you can check to see if the fan, defrost heater and compressor are consuming power. A popular brand of these is a "Kill a Watt" but there are loads on the market. They simply plug into a normal wall socket, then you connect the item you want to test to it.<br />
<br />
== Entering Service Mode ==<br />
With the freezer in normal operation, hold both the On/Off button and the Super Frost button for approx. 5 seconds until the display flashes "H"<br />
<br />
== Manual Defrost Mode ==<br />
To activate the manual defrost, enter the service menu, press the Super Freeze button in the "H" mode, and the display will then show "A"<br />
This mode will now run until the temperature sensor in the evaporator unit (inside at the top of the freezer) gets to 32°C OR after 50 minutes of operation (as I understand it, I have tested neither fully) Once this cycle has completed, the freezer will return to normal operation automatically.<br />
To abort this mode, hold the power button until the appliance turns off, then turn it back on again.<br />
<br />
== Sensor Readings ==<br />
There are three sensors in this unit...<br />
1. The internal temperature sensor, where the food is stored<br />
2. The evaporator temperature (the unit at the top inside the freezer)<br />
3. The door sensor<br />
<br />
To get into sensor reading mode, go into the service mode, then use the up or down arrow button to select "E" and press the Super Frost button<br />
You can now use the up and down arrows to show the three sensors<br />
<br />
E3 - Internal Temperature (In °C)<br />
<br />
E4 - Evaporator Temperature (In °C)<br />
<br />
E8 - Door status (0 = Door closed & 1 = Door Open<br />
<br />
While viewing any of these three sensors, the display will cycle between the mode it is in, and the reading.<br />
<br />
To exit this mode press the power button<br />
<br />
== Test Modes ==<br />
This mode allows you to turn on various items in the appliance directly for testing purposes, please note, these should NOT be left on for extended periods of time, as damage may occur, for example, leaving the defrost heater on for too long would probably be a bad idea.<br />
<br />
To enter this mode, enter the service mode, then scroll to the "L" mode using the up or down button, then press the Super Frost button.<br />
Once in the mode, the display will show "rd"<br />
Now you muse open the door and close it, which will turn on all elements of the display to show they are working, and also the super Frost button will illuminate.<br />
<br />
Now you must test all the buttons by pressing them one by one.<br />
<br />
When this is complete, the unit will emit a long beep, and display "L0" - you are now in test mode.<br />
You can cycle through all the test modes with the up or down arrow button.<br />
<br />
L0 is everything (except the display) off - in this mode, if you are monitoring the power consumption, it will be showing zero, or near zero.<br />
<br />
L1 will turn just the compressor on, so the power draw will be around 150w (* note 1)<br />
<br />
L3 will turn just the internal fan on, so the power consumption will be about 5w<br />
<br />
L4 will turn just the defrost heater on, so the power consumption will be about 240w (*note 2)<br />
<br />
L5 will turn just the light on, so the power consumption will be about 15w<br />
<br />
'''''note 1''''' - When the compressor is selected, if the compressor had been running just before you entered this test mode (which will turn the compressor off) the compressor may draw over 1 KW for a short rime, then trip out. This happens because the compressor does not have enough power to start when there is too much pressure on the output stage, this needs to dissipate, and the thermal cut-out in the compressor reset before it will try again - this is totally normal, and nothing to worry about, so if this happens, just leave it in this mode for a while (probably between 5 and 10 minutes) and it will try again, and then the compressor should run.<br />
<br />
'''note 2''''' - Do not leave the defrost heater on for long while testing, or you might melt something inside the freezer. If the freezer is working normally, and the evaporator temperature is nice and low, then 5 minutes or so should be fine, however if the freezer is not cold inside, this may be too long, and may cause the temperature in the evaporator unit to get too high to test it, you should only need it on for a short time to see the consumption.''<br />
<br />
To exit this mode press the power button once<br />
<br />
== Demo Mode ==<br />
This mode is usually used on a shop, so the display will show, the light inside will work, but the unit will not actually get cold.<br />
<br />
To enable demo mode, enter the service mode then use the up or down arrow button to select "d1" and press Super frost<br />
The freezer will now show -18, but the compressor, defrost heater and circulation fan will not run.<br />
<br />
To exit this mode, go back into service mode, and select "d0" and press Super Frost - the display will revert to normal operation, showing the actual temperature.<br />
<br />
'''please note, you must turn demo mode off again manually, powering the appliance off and on will not clear this mode.'''<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
--[[User:Sparks|Toby...]] 23:45, 9 February 2018 (GMT)<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Fridge]]<br />
* [[Fridge freezer]]<br />
* [[Fridge & Freezer Review]]<br />
* [[Dehumidifier]]<br />
* [[Thermostat]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Appliances]]<br />
[[Category:Electrical]]<br />
[[Category:Fault Finding]]<br />
[[Category:Repair]]<br />
[[Category:Refrigeration]]<br />
[[Category:Cooling]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Liebherr_Freezer_Service_Mode&diff=20661Liebherr Freezer Service Mode2018-02-10T00:04:05Z<p>Sparks: Created page with "== Introduction == The aim of this guide, is to give some information on the service mode of a Liebherr GN 3356 freezer. This information may be relevant to other similar mod..."</p>
<hr />
<div>== Introduction ==<br />
<br />
The aim of this guide, is to give some information on the service mode of a Liebherr GN 3356 freezer.<br />
This information may be relevant to other similar models.<br />
<br />
== WARNINGS ==<br />
'''I am not, and do not profess to be a refrigeration engineer, I have gained some knowledge of this simply be reading information online, and from a number of YouTube videos posted by a variety of people. Please be mindful of this before attempting to work on any refrigeration appliances as a result of reading this.'''<br />
<br />
Some of the service modes will directly control the various components of the freezer like the defrost heater, the compressor, the fan and the light - leaving some of these items on for longer than their design specification could cause damage, overheating, and possibly even a fire, these modes are used at your own risk.<br />
<br />
== Why You Might Need This ==<br />
The reason I needed this was to test both the defrost heater and the fan, following the freezer being left slightly open (but not enough to activate the alarm on it) which caused the fan to frost up, and the freezer to then not chill the contents, despite it ruining the compressor (because the fan appeared to have been frozen). I ran a manual defrost, and also firmly banged the underside of the evaporator unit inside the appliance at the top (with my hand), this unstuck the fan and returned it to normal operation) I did this with the fan test mode selected when this mode did not result in the fan running, but my power meter showing it was drawing about 5 watts, so it was clearly taking power, but appeared to be jammed.<br />
<br />
== Tools You Might Need ==<br />
For general testing, you will not need any tools, however, a power monitor that shows the power consumption of the appliance would be handy so you can check to see if the fan, defrost heater and compressor are consuming power. A popular brand of these is a "Kill a Watt" but there are loads on the market. They simply plug into a normal wall socket, then you connect the item you want to test to it.<br />
<br />
== Entering Service Mode ==<br />
With the freezer in normal operation, hold both the On/Off button and the Super Frost button for approx. 5 seconds until the display flashes "H"<br />
<br />
== Manual Defrost Mode ==<br />
To activate the manual defrost, enter the service menu, press the Super Freeze button in the "H" mode, and the display will then show "A"<br />
This mode will now run until the temperature sensor in the evaporator unit (inside at the top of the freezer) gets to 32°C OR after 50 minutes of operation (as I understand it, I have tested neither fully) Once this cycle has completed, the freezer will return to normal operation automatically.<br />
To abort this mode, hold the power button until the appliance turns off, then turn it back on again.<br />
<br />
== Sensor Readings ==<br />
There are three sensors in this unit...<br />
1. The internal temperature sensor, where the food is stored<br />
2. The evaporator temperature (the unit at the top inside the freezer)<br />
3. The door sensor<br />
<br />
To get into sensor reading mode, go into the service mode, then use the up or down arrow button to select "E" and press the Super Frost button<br />
You can now use the up and down arrows to show the three sensors<br />
<br />
E3 - Internal Temperature (In °C)<br />
<br />
E4 - Evaporator Temperature (In °C)<br />
<br />
E8 - Door status (0 = Door closed & 1 = Door Open<br />
<br />
While viewing any of these three sensors, the display will cycle between the mode it is in, and the reading.<br />
<br />
To exit this mode press the power button<br />
<br />
== Test Modes ==<br />
This mode allows you to turn on various items in the appliance directly for testing purposes, please note, these should NOT be left on for extended periods of time, as damage may occur, for example, leaving the defrost heater on for too long would probably be a bad idea.<br />
<br />
To enter this mode, enter the service mode, then scroll to the "L" mode using the up or down button, then press the Super Frost button.<br />
Once in the mode, the display will show "rd"<br />
Now you muse open the door and close it, which will turn on all elements of the display to show they are working, and also the super Frost button will illuminate.<br />
<br />
Now you must test all the buttons by pressing them one by one.<br />
<br />
When this is complete, the unit will emit a long beep, and display "L0" - you are now in test mode.<br />
You can cycle through all the test modes with the up or down arrow button.<br />
<br />
L0 is everything (except the display) off - in this mode, if you are monitoring the power consumption, it will be showing zero, or near zero.<br />
<br />
L1 will turn just the compressor on, so the power draw will be around 150w (* note 1)<br />
<br />
L3 will turn just the internal fan on, so the power consumption will be about 5w<br />
<br />
L4 will turn just the defrost heater on, so the power consumption will be about 240w (*note 2)<br />
<br />
L5 will turn just the light on, so the power consumption will be about 15w<br />
<br />
'''''note 1''''' - When the compressor is selected, if the compressor had been running just before you entered this test mode (which will turn the compressor off) the compressor may draw over 1 KW for a short rime, then trip out. This happens because the compressor does not have enough power to start when there is too much pressure on the output stage, this needs to dissipate, and the thermal cut-out in the compressor reset before it will try again - this is totally normal, and nothing to worry about, so if this happens, just leave it in this mode for a while (probably between 5 and 10 minutes) and it will try again, and then the compressor should run.<br />
<br />
'''note 2''''' - Do not leave the defrost heater on for long while testing, or you might melt something inside the freezer. If the freezer is working normally, and the evaporator temperature is nice and low, then 5 minutes or so should be fine, however if the freezer is not cold inside, this may be too long, and may cause the temperature in the evaporator unit to get too high to test it, you should only need it on for a short time to see the consumption.''<br />
<br />
To exit this mode press the power button once<br />
<br />
== Demo Mode ==<br />
This mode is usually used on a shop, so the display will show, the light inside will work, but the unit will not actually get cold.<br />
<br />
To enable demo mode, enter the service mode then use the up or down arrow button to select "d1" and press Super frost<br />
The freezer will now show -18, but the compressor, defrost heater and circulation fan will not run.<br />
<br />
To exit this mode, go back into service mode, and select "d0" and press Super Frost - the display will revert to normal operation, showing the actual temperature.<br />
<br />
'''please note, you must turn demo mode off again manually, powering the appliance off and on will not clear this mode.'''<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
--[[User:Sparks|Toby...]] 23:45, 9 February 2018 (GMT)<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Fridge]]<br />
* [[Fridge freezer]]<br />
* [[Fridge & Freezer Review]]<br />
* [[Dehumidifier]]<br />
* [[Thermostat]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Appliances]]<br />
[[Category:Electrical]]<br />
[[Category:Fault Finding]]<br />
[[Category:Repair]]<br />
[[Category:Cooling]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Refrigeration_Regassing_(R600a)&diff=17835Refrigeration Regassing (R600a)2013-04-08T21:42:37Z<p>Sparks: /* End Note */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Introduction ==<br />
<br />
The aim of this guide, is to give some tips on re-gassing a refrigeration appliance, it is based on me doing so with a Hotpoint FZ150 freezer that uses R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== WARNINGS ==<br />
I am not, and do not profess to be a refrigeration engineer, I have gained some knowledge of this simply be reading information online, and from a number of YouTube videos posted by a variety of people. Please be mindful of this before attempting to work on any refrigeration appliances as a result if reading this.<br />
<br />
The refrigerant I am going to describe is R600a, which is Isobutane, which is flammable, so extreme care needs to be taken when handling this.<br />
<br />
I performed this recharge in my garage, with the rear door open and the roller-shutter door partially open to ensure there was ample ventilation, when venting out the existing R600a in the system, I also powered off the garage prior, to minimise any chance of any electrical sparks from switches etc.<br />
<br />
Did I mention it was highly flammable?<br />
<br />
There have been cases in the UK of refrigeration appliances using R600a exploding and causing damage to property, in my case, the freezer is going to live in a slightly drafty garage, so I am not particularly concerned about this, so if your appliance lives inside, you may wish to reconsider DIYing a repair on an appliance with flammable refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Type of Freezer ==<br />
In this case (Hotpoint FZ150) this is a frost free freezer that has a microprocessor controller using R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Symptoms ==<br />
The freezer in question has a microprocessor controller, so it has some intelligence, so didn’t just sit there running the compressor 24/7 when it wasn't getting cold enough. If you have a simple freezer, this can happen, which can lead to compressor failure, so if the compressor is not running at all, then you need to check the thermostat is closing (this is another common fault) and if so, and there is power getting to the compressor, but it is not running, then the compressor has failed, and that is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
What would happen on mine was after initial start-up it would run for a while, then flash the alarm light, and lock out, presumably to protect the compressor and to alert the user there is a problem.<br />
The temperature in the freezer didn’t get anywhere near freezing (and it started at about 10C as it was in the garage).<br />
<br />
This is a frost free model, two common faults that would show this same sort of symptom are ice build-up that has not been melted during the defrost cycle restricting the airflow from the fan inside, or failure of the internal fan (We also have a Liebherr freezer that has had the iced up issue, with the Liebherr, it was not obvious there was ice build-up, as like the Hotpoint, the evaporator is all enclosed in a compartment at the top of the freezer, but a thorough defrost resulted in more water on the compressor dish, and then a working freezer.<br />
<br />
As the freezer in question had been sat empty and turned off for over a week, icing up was not the problem here, and I could hear the fan was running before it cut out, which I confirmed by defeating the door switch, so the freezer thought the door was shut, so started the fan (there was a delay between the compressor starting and the fan starting, I am not sure if that is timed, or the controller sees a difference in temperature between the inside of the freezer and the evaporator, if the latter, then total loss of all refrigerant, which would mean no cooling at all, would cause the fan to not work either, so if the fan is not running on yours, and the condenser on the back is not getting warm, then this could be the problem, rather than a failed fan.<br />
<br />
What lead me to believe my freezer was low on refrigerant, was the fact the compressor seemed to be running freely, but the evaporator (the part inside the freezer that gets cold) was only getting cold over the first 10cm or so, and the condenser coils on the back were not getting warm.<br />
On this model, there is door seal heating installed, which is achieved by the high pressure (hot) side of the compressor first going around a loop of pipe around the door seal, to keep that from icing up, then it goes out to the top of the condenser on the back of the freezer, I hadn’t noticed this before (the freezer was given to me broken so I didn’t know it had this) so I didn’t notice if this part was getting warm, but I suspect not very is the answer here.<br />
<br />
== Tools & Supplies ==<br />
You will need the following to effect a recharge at a minimum.<br />
<br />
1. Manifold gauge set<br />
<br />
2. Cylinder of R600a refrigerant<br />
<br />
3. Valve for the cylinder<br />
<br />
4. Set of accurate scales suitable for the cylinder you buy.<br />
<br />
5. A service valve on the suction side of the compressor<br />
<br />
<br />
Ideally you would also have<br />
<br />
6. A vacuum pump to evacuate the system<br />
<br />
7. An accurate vacuum gauge<br />
<br />
8. A cylinder of nitrogen to purge the system<br />
<br />
9. A replacement filter/drier<br />
<br />
10. Lokring connectors and appropriate lokring tool or brazing equipment.<br />
<br />
<br />
In my case, I bought items 1-4 from eBay, and I used an old freezer compressor I salvaged as a vacuum pump – this is not really ideal, and is not suitable if your appliance has lost all of its refrigerant or you open it to the atmosphere by changing the filter/drier, a proper vacuum pump is necessary, and can be had for around £90 on eBay at the time of writing.<br />
<br />
I didn’t have items 7-10, but as there was still some pressure in my freezer, I figured the system would hopefully be reasonably clean, and I could always recharge it again later if I did need to vacuum it down properly.<br />
<br />
The freezer already had a service valve fitted, but if it didn’t, eBay had “line taps” available which would have served this purpose.<br />
<br />
The manifold gauge set I bought had two valves and 4 ports (2 ports on the middle connection) and came with three hoses (blue, yellow and red)<br />
The hoses have one end totally open, and the other end has a small metal pin in the middle, to press schrader valves open (which the service valves on the freezer are, so disconnection of the hose automatically seals the valve closed to stop the refrigerant escaping)<br />
<br />
== Diagnosis ==<br />
Firstly, I turned the freezer off, so the compressor was not running. The reason for this is, on an R600a system (and probably others) if the system is low on refrigerant, then the suction side will be pulling a vacuum, so if I connected a hose up with the compressor running, air in the hose would be pulled in, and would contaminate the system.<br />
<br />
I connected the open end of the blue hose to the blue side of the manifold (with the blue valve closed), and the other end of the blue hose to the suction side of the compressor in the freezer.<br />
My freezer also had a service port fitted to the high side of the compressor, having this helps with diagnosis, but is not absolutely necessary. I connected the red hose to the manifold gauge set with the open end of the hose, made sure the red valve was closed, then connected the other end to the high side of the compressor.<br />
<br />
My blue & red gauges then showed there was some pressure in the system – this reading is pretty meaningless, and will not tell you if it is low on refrigerant. As long as there is some refrigerant in liquid state, it will show the same reading regardless of the amount, if it shows zero on both (or a vacuum on the blue one) when the appliance has been off for a while then you either have a blockage somewhere, or the system is total empty, in which case, this is outside the scope of this guide at the moment.<br />
<br />
Now, we want to run the compressor to see what the pressures are doing when it is running, but first we need to purge the air out of the hoses that connects the manifold guage set to the appliance to prevent air being sucked in. I did this by simply opening each valve valve for a couple of seconds, but only do this in a ventilated area, as the refrigerant is highly flammable.<br />
Once purged, I closed the valves tightly and started the freezer.<br />
In my case, the blue gauge very quickly showed a vacuum of 20inhg (20 inches of mercury) on my gauge, and the red gauge showed an increase in pressure – this is a sign of either low refrigerant or a blockage somewhere.<br />
<br />
Now two things can cause a blockage, either contaminants in the refrigerant can physically block a pipe (usually the very thin pipe that is between the filter/drier and the evaporator inside the appliance) or contaminants like water in the refrigerant freezing and causing an ice plug somewhere.<br />
As the freezer had not been running, I ruled out the ice plug<br />
I then powered the freezer off to see if the low side would come out of vacuum – it did so quite quickly, so I ruled out a blockage, as this shows refrigerant is getting around the system (as I understand it, refrigerant can’t go backwards through the compressor, so it must have gone around the system and refilled the low side).<br />
<br />
So, I decided to proceed with refilling the system…<br />
<br />
== Emptying the old refrigerant ==<br />
As this freezer was using R600a, which is just pure butane, it is OK to release this into the atmosphere, as it is not harmful to the environment, if you are attempting this on a different refrigerant, you may need to reclaim the old refrigerant, rather than just letting it out, as it is an offense to let some types of refrigerant out into the atmosphere, but his is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
As I only had three hoses, I disconnected the red hose (from the freezer end first!) then connected the valve opening end (the end with a pin in it) of the red hose to the second tap of the middle connection on the manifold (which has a Schrader valve) and the other end of the red hose to free air (R600a is flammable, so it needs to vent outside)<br />
I connected the yellow hose to the bottom connector of the middle port of the manifold, and the other end to the cylinder valve, with the cylinder valve off (There is a pin that when the valve is turned clockwise, extends into the cylinder to operate a small valve built into the cylinder, so this needs to be all the way inside the valve, not sticking down past the seal inside) and screwed the cylinder valve to the top of the R600a cylinder (otherwise refrigerant will come out here)<br />
With the free end of the red hose out the window, I then opened the blue tap to let out the gas that was in the freezer, when it stopped hissing and the gauges showed zero I closed the blue valve, then let a small amount of R600a out of the cylinder (less than a second) to purge the yellow hose of air, then connected the free red hose to the vacuum pump (suction side of a reclaimed freezer compressor in my case).<br />
<br />
Then I turned on the vacuum pump and opened the blue valve, and left it sucking for about 30 minutes.<br />
With the vacuum pump still running I turned off the blue valve and then disconnected the red hose (it connects to a self-closing Schrader valve on the manifold)<br />
<br />
This then left me with all the connected hoses and the freezer pipework under vacuum. I left it like this for about 30 minutes, and it was still showing the same vacuum, so if there is a leak, it isn't a big one! It would have been better to use a full range vacuum gauge, rather than the one on the manifold (which only has a very small range), to get a more accurate idea of any pressure increase, but I didn’t have one.<br />
<br />
== Charging the system ==<br />
I then placed the R600a cylinder on the scales, and hung the manifold in a way so the cylinder wasn't wanting to tip over, and the weight of the hose was constant, basically the hose came out of the bottom of the manifold, didn’t touch anything else and went straight to the cylinder valve. This is important to get an accurate reading on the scales.<br />
<br />
With the cylinder on the scales upright (so the refrigerant enters the system in vapour, not liquid state), I then opened the valve on the cylinder and zeroed the scales. (Refrigerant was not flowing into the freezer yet, as the valves on the manifold gauge set were closed, so only the yellow hose has some refrigerant in now, which I heard as the valve opened on the cylinder.)<br />
I then turned the freezer on, and when I heard the compressor kick in, I opened the blue valve to let the compressor pump the gas into the freezer.<br />
<br />
The data plate on the freezer states it takes 54g of R600a, so I watched as the scales slowly climb up - when it got to about 32g, the scales auto-powered off, so I quickly turned the blue valve off, (I also connected the red hose to the red side of the manifold and the other end to the high side of the compressor - this wasn't really necessary, I just wanted to see what the pressure was showing on the high side when the compressor was running, I also warmed the cylinder up a bit, as the rate of flow had been trailing off because the cylinder was getting really cold) I then reset the scales, and carried on.<br />
<br />
When I had put 54g in, I shut the blue valve.<br />
I then put a bit more in (5g), to allow for some refrigerant in the hoses, and I had read about the suction side should read around 0 when it is full, and as it was still pulling a bit of a vacuum, I put some more in. I am not 100% sure about this part, and figured I could just let some out, plus I suspect it has a very slow leak. Total that left the cylinder was 60g in my case.<br />
<br />
I noticed immediately the condenser on the back was now getting hot at the top (and then noticed it was also getting hot around the door seal) the digital thermometer that was in the freezer was also dropping nicely, so I put a couple of partially filled and partially collapsed (to allow for expatiation when it froze) plastic bottles of water in the freezer, which it refused to freeze before and closed the door.<br />
<br />
== Disconnecting ==<br />
Now I needed to disconnect the gauges, and as the low side could still be pulling a bit of a vacuum, I powered the freezer off to prevent any air being sucked in as I disconnected it, the blue gauge then started to rise well above zero, and the high side started to fall, which is expected. I then disconnected the blue hose from the freezer (so the Schrader valve closed and refrigerant didn't escape, which would have happened if I disconnected it from the manifold end first, then disconnected the red hose from the freezer (the red hose had a small amount of liquid refrigerant in, which spat out when it was disconnected, I expected that. I replaced the caps on the service valve tightly (they have a seal in them, in case the Schrader valve leaks) and then turned the freezer back on (it took a while for the compressor to start, as there is a delay built into the freezer to stop the compressor being stated and stopped too often, it think it took around 15-20 minutes to kick back into life.<br />
<br />
== Results ==<br />
I left the freezer running on the super freeze setting (the manual states to do this when stating from a warm start) and when I went back to check it a few hours later, the thermometer was at -16c and the water bottles were solid – I left it on super freeze and left it for a few more hours, and when I checked it, the thermometer was at -22, so I turned off the super freeze function, and set the thermostat to the “i-care” setting, which seems to translate to around -19C<br />
<br />
The next day, it was sitting at -18.5C when I looked in the morning, and -19C later on that day.<br />
At the time of writing it has now been on for about 60 hours, and is showing -20C right now.<br />
I had bought a temperature data logger (eBay!) for a different application (a fridge/freezer in a tenants flat was freezing things in the fridge, which a replacement thermostat fixed) so I put that in my freezer, and the results are here [[Media:Refrigeration_Regassing_(R600a)_-_Graph.PNG]], which look OK to me (not sure what happened on the morning of the 8th to make the temperature vary like it did though)<br />
<br />
<br />
== End Note ==<br />
I am not a refrigeration engineer so I may not have done this correctly, but after reading up on it for quite a bit, I think I did a fair job, a proper vac pump would have been ideal, but I figured the system should be pretty clean as it was still under some pressure, and I figured the old freezer compressor I had would do in this case. Ideally the filter/dryer should be replaced, but I don't have any brazing or lokring tools to do this - The Lokring stuff looks really easy to use, but expensive compared to brazing rods and a mapp gas torch. I would also want to purge the lot with nitrogen if I brazed anything on it too, both before and after brazing, as the refrigerant is flammable and I don't have any nitrogen either...<br />
<br />
If you use an old compressor as a vac pump like I did, the output tends to spit oil, I found this out when I fired it up on my desk inside, which wasn't the best place to do spray oil everywhere in hindsight (the fact I had moved the compressor 5 minutes before probably increased the amount it spat out too), so to overcome this, I connected a few meters of clear pipe to the output, and scrunched up a tissue and tied it to the end, this seemed to do the trick. The oil sprays up the pipe to start with (I kept almost all of it vertical), but as the other end is then under vacuum, quite quickly the oil just ran back down into the compressor as there isn't any air blowing out the port.<br />
<br />
If you have any comments or suggestion as to the final suction pressure, please post to news:\\uk.d-i-y<br />
<br />
--[[User:Sparks|Toby...]] 22:42, 8 April 2013 (BST)<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Fridge]]<br />
* [[Fridge freezer]]<br />
* [[Fridge & Freezer Review]]<br />
* [[Dehumidifier]]<br />
* [[Thermostat]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Appliances]]<br />
[[Category:Electrical]]<br />
[[Category:Fault Finding]]<br />
[[Category:Repair]]<br />
[[Category:Cooling]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Refrigeration_Regassing_(R600a)&diff=17834Refrigeration Regassing (R600a)2013-04-08T21:40:07Z<p>Sparks: /* See also */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Introduction ==<br />
<br />
The aim of this guide, is to give some tips on re-gassing a refrigeration appliance, it is based on me doing so with a Hotpoint FZ150 freezer that uses R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== WARNINGS ==<br />
I am not, and do not profess to be a refrigeration engineer, I have gained some knowledge of this simply be reading information online, and from a number of YouTube videos posted by a variety of people. Please be mindful of this before attempting to work on any refrigeration appliances as a result if reading this.<br />
<br />
The refrigerant I am going to describe is R600a, which is Isobutane, which is flammable, so extreme care needs to be taken when handling this.<br />
<br />
I performed this recharge in my garage, with the rear door open and the roller-shutter door partially open to ensure there was ample ventilation, when venting out the existing R600a in the system, I also powered off the garage prior, to minimise any chance of any electrical sparks from switches etc.<br />
<br />
Did I mention it was highly flammable?<br />
<br />
There have been cases in the UK of refrigeration appliances using R600a exploding and causing damage to property, in my case, the freezer is going to live in a slightly drafty garage, so I am not particularly concerned about this, so if your appliance lives inside, you may wish to reconsider DIYing a repair on an appliance with flammable refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Type of Freezer ==<br />
In this case (Hotpoint FZ150) this is a frost free freezer that has a microprocessor controller using R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Symptoms ==<br />
The freezer in question has a microprocessor controller, so it has some intelligence, so didn’t just sit there running the compressor 24/7 when it wasn't getting cold enough. If you have a simple freezer, this can happen, which can lead to compressor failure, so if the compressor is not running at all, then you need to check the thermostat is closing (this is another common fault) and if so, and there is power getting to the compressor, but it is not running, then the compressor has failed, and that is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
What would happen on mine was after initial start-up it would run for a while, then flash the alarm light, and lock out, presumably to protect the compressor and to alert the user there is a problem.<br />
The temperature in the freezer didn’t get anywhere near freezing (and it started at about 10C as it was in the garage).<br />
<br />
This is a frost free model, two common faults that would show this same sort of symptom are ice build-up that has not been melted during the defrost cycle restricting the airflow from the fan inside, or failure of the internal fan (We also have a Liebherr freezer that has had the iced up issue, with the Liebherr, it was not obvious there was ice build-up, as like the Hotpoint, the evaporator is all enclosed in a compartment at the top of the freezer, but a thorough defrost resulted in more water on the compressor dish, and then a working freezer.<br />
<br />
As the freezer in question had been sat empty and turned off for over a week, icing up was not the problem here, and I could hear the fan was running before it cut out, which I confirmed by defeating the door switch, so the freezer thought the door was shut, so started the fan (there was a delay between the compressor starting and the fan starting, I am not sure if that is timed, or the controller sees a difference in temperature between the inside of the freezer and the evaporator, if the latter, then total loss of all refrigerant, which would mean no cooling at all, would cause the fan to not work either, so if the fan is not running on yours, and the condenser on the back is not getting warm, then this could be the problem, rather than a failed fan.<br />
<br />
What lead me to believe my freezer was low on refrigerant, was the fact the compressor seemed to be running freely, but the evaporator (the part inside the freezer that gets cold) was only getting cold over the first 10cm or so, and the condenser coils on the back were not getting warm.<br />
On this model, there is door seal heating installed, which is achieved by the high pressure (hot) side of the compressor first going around a loop of pipe around the door seal, to keep that from icing up, then it goes out to the top of the condenser on the back of the freezer, I hadn’t noticed this before (the freezer was given to me broken so I didn’t know it had this) so I didn’t notice if this part was getting warm, but I suspect not very is the answer here.<br />
<br />
== Tools & Supplies ==<br />
You will need the following to effect a recharge at a minimum.<br />
<br />
1. Manifold gauge set<br />
<br />
2. Cylinder of R600a refrigerant<br />
<br />
3. Valve for the cylinder<br />
<br />
4. Set of accurate scales suitable for the cylinder you buy.<br />
<br />
5. A service valve on the suction side of the compressor<br />
<br />
<br />
Ideally you would also have<br />
<br />
6. A vacuum pump to evacuate the system<br />
<br />
7. An accurate vacuum gauge<br />
<br />
8. A cylinder of nitrogen to purge the system<br />
<br />
9. A replacement filter/drier<br />
<br />
10. Lokring connectors and appropriate lokring tool or brazing equipment.<br />
<br />
<br />
In my case, I bought items 1-4 from eBay, and I used an old freezer compressor I salvaged as a vacuum pump – this is not really ideal, and is not suitable if your appliance has lost all of its refrigerant or you open it to the atmosphere by changing the filter/drier, a proper vacuum pump is necessary, and can be had for around £90 on eBay at the time of writing.<br />
<br />
I didn’t have items 7-10, but as there was still some pressure in my freezer, I figured the system would hopefully be reasonably clean, and I could always recharge it again later if I did need to vacuum it down properly.<br />
<br />
The freezer already had a service valve fitted, but if it didn’t, eBay had “line taps” available which would have served this purpose.<br />
<br />
The manifold gauge set I bought had two valves and 4 ports (2 ports on the middle connection) and came with three hoses (blue, yellow and red)<br />
The hoses have one end totally open, and the other end has a small metal pin in the middle, to press schrader valves open (which the service valves on the freezer are, so disconnection of the hose automatically seals the valve closed to stop the refrigerant escaping)<br />
<br />
== Diagnosis ==<br />
Firstly, I turned the freezer off, so the compressor was not running. The reason for this is, on an R600a system (and probably others) if the system is low on refrigerant, then the suction side will be pulling a vacuum, so if I connected a hose up with the compressor running, air in the hose would be pulled in, and would contaminate the system.<br />
<br />
I connected the open end of the blue hose to the blue side of the manifold (with the blue valve closed), and the other end of the blue hose to the suction side of the compressor in the freezer.<br />
My freezer also had a service port fitted to the high side of the compressor, having this helps with diagnosis, but is not absolutely necessary. I connected the red hose to the manifold gauge set with the open end of the hose, made sure the red valve was closed, then connected the other end to the high side of the compressor.<br />
<br />
My blue & red gauges then showed there was some pressure in the system – this reading is pretty meaningless, and will not tell you if it is low on refrigerant. As long as there is some refrigerant in liquid state, it will show the same reading regardless of the amount, if it shows zero on both (or a vacuum on the blue one) when the appliance has been off for a while then you either have a blockage somewhere, or the system is total empty, in which case, this is outside the scope of this guide at the moment.<br />
<br />
Now, we want to run the compressor to see what the pressures are doing when it is running, but first we need to purge the air out of the hoses that connects the manifold guage set to the appliance to prevent air being sucked in. I did this by simply opening each valve valve for a couple of seconds, but only do this in a ventilated area, as the refrigerant is highly flammable.<br />
Once purged, I closed the valves tightly and started the freezer.<br />
In my case, the blue gauge very quickly showed a vacuum of 20inhg (20 inches of mercury) on my gauge, and the red gauge showed an increase in pressure – this is a sign of either low refrigerant or a blockage somewhere.<br />
<br />
Now two things can cause a blockage, either contaminants in the refrigerant can physically block a pipe (usually the very thin pipe that is between the filter/drier and the evaporator inside the appliance) or contaminants like water in the refrigerant freezing and causing an ice plug somewhere.<br />
As the freezer had not been running, I ruled out the ice plug<br />
I then powered the freezer off to see if the low side would come out of vacuum – it did so quite quickly, so I ruled out a blockage, as this shows refrigerant is getting around the system (as I understand it, refrigerant can’t go backwards through the compressor, so it must have gone around the system and refilled the low side).<br />
<br />
So, I decided to proceed with refilling the system…<br />
<br />
== Emptying the old refrigerant ==<br />
As this freezer was using R600a, which is just pure butane, it is OK to release this into the atmosphere, as it is not harmful to the environment, if you are attempting this on a different refrigerant, you may need to reclaim the old refrigerant, rather than just letting it out, as it is an offense to let some types of refrigerant out into the atmosphere, but his is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
As I only had three hoses, I disconnected the red hose (from the freezer end first!) then connected the valve opening end (the end with a pin in it) of the red hose to the second tap of the middle connection on the manifold (which has a Schrader valve) and the other end of the red hose to free air (R600a is flammable, so it needs to vent outside)<br />
I connected the yellow hose to the bottom connector of the middle port of the manifold, and the other end to the cylinder valve, with the cylinder valve off (There is a pin that when the valve is turned clockwise, extends into the cylinder to operate a small valve built into the cylinder, so this needs to be all the way inside the valve, not sticking down past the seal inside) and screwed the cylinder valve to the top of the R600a cylinder (otherwise refrigerant will come out here)<br />
With the free end of the red hose out the window, I then opened the blue tap to let out the gas that was in the freezer, when it stopped hissing and the gauges showed zero I closed the blue valve, then let a small amount of R600a out of the cylinder (less than a second) to purge the yellow hose of air, then connected the free red hose to the vacuum pump (suction side of a reclaimed freezer compressor in my case).<br />
<br />
Then I turned on the vacuum pump and opened the blue valve, and left it sucking for about 30 minutes.<br />
With the vacuum pump still running I turned off the blue valve and then disconnected the red hose (it connects to a self-closing Schrader valve on the manifold)<br />
<br />
This then left me with all the connected hoses and the freezer pipework under vacuum. I left it like this for about 30 minutes, and it was still showing the same vacuum, so if there is a leak, it isn't a big one! It would have been better to use a full range vacuum gauge, rather than the one on the manifold (which only has a very small range), to get a more accurate idea of any pressure increase, but I didn’t have one.<br />
<br />
== Charging the system ==<br />
I then placed the R600a cylinder on the scales, and hung the manifold in a way so the cylinder wasn't wanting to tip over, and the weight of the hose was constant, basically the hose came out of the bottom of the manifold, didn’t touch anything else and went straight to the cylinder valve. This is important to get an accurate reading on the scales.<br />
<br />
With the cylinder on the scales upright (so the refrigerant enters the system in vapour, not liquid state), I then opened the valve on the cylinder and zeroed the scales. (Refrigerant was not flowing into the freezer yet, as the valves on the manifold gauge set were closed, so only the yellow hose has some refrigerant in now, which I heard as the valve opened on the cylinder.)<br />
I then turned the freezer on, and when I heard the compressor kick in, I opened the blue valve to let the compressor pump the gas into the freezer.<br />
<br />
The data plate on the freezer states it takes 54g of R600a, so I watched as the scales slowly climb up - when it got to about 32g, the scales auto-powered off, so I quickly turned the blue valve off, (I also connected the red hose to the red side of the manifold and the other end to the high side of the compressor - this wasn't really necessary, I just wanted to see what the pressure was showing on the high side when the compressor was running, I also warmed the cylinder up a bit, as the rate of flow had been trailing off because the cylinder was getting really cold) I then reset the scales, and carried on.<br />
<br />
When I had put 54g in, I shut the blue valve.<br />
I then put a bit more in (5g), to allow for some refrigerant in the hoses, and I had read about the suction side should read around 0 when it is full, and as it was still pulling a bit of a vacuum, I put some more in. I am not 100% sure about this part, and figured I could just let some out, plus I suspect it has a very slow leak. Total that left the cylinder was 60g in my case.<br />
<br />
I noticed immediately the condenser on the back was now getting hot at the top (and then noticed it was also getting hot around the door seal) the digital thermometer that was in the freezer was also dropping nicely, so I put a couple of partially filled and partially collapsed (to allow for expatiation when it froze) plastic bottles of water in the freezer, which it refused to freeze before and closed the door.<br />
<br />
== Disconnecting ==<br />
Now I needed to disconnect the gauges, and as the low side could still be pulling a bit of a vacuum, I powered the freezer off to prevent any air being sucked in as I disconnected it, the blue gauge then started to rise well above zero, and the high side started to fall, which is expected. I then disconnected the blue hose from the freezer (so the Schrader valve closed and refrigerant didn't escape, which would have happened if I disconnected it from the manifold end first, then disconnected the red hose from the freezer (the red hose had a small amount of liquid refrigerant in, which spat out when it was disconnected, I expected that. I replaced the caps on the service valve tightly (they have a seal in them, in case the Schrader valve leaks) and then turned the freezer back on (it took a while for the compressor to start, as there is a delay built into the freezer to stop the compressor being stated and stopped too often, it think it took around 15-20 minutes to kick back into life.<br />
<br />
== Results ==<br />
I left the freezer running on the super freeze setting (the manual states to do this when stating from a warm start) and when I went back to check it a few hours later, the thermometer was at -16c and the water bottles were solid – I left it on super freeze and left it for a few more hours, and when I checked it, the thermometer was at -22, so I turned off the super freeze function, and set the thermostat to the “i-care” setting, which seems to translate to around -19C<br />
<br />
The next day, it was sitting at -18.5C when I looked in the morning, and -19C later on that day.<br />
At the time of writing it has now been on for about 60 hours, and is showing -20C right now.<br />
I had bought a temperature data logger (eBay!) for a different application (a fridge/freezer in a tenants flat was freezing things in the fridge, which a replacement thermostat fixed) so I put that in my freezer, and the results are here [[Media:Refrigeration_Regassing_(R600a)_-_Graph.PNG]], which look OK to me (not sure what happened on the morning of the 8th to make the temperature vary like it did though)<br />
<br />
<br />
== End Note ==<br />
I am not a refrigeration engineer so I may not have done this correctly, but after reading up on it for quite a bit, I think I did a fair job, a proper vac pump would have been ideal, but I figured the system should be pretty clean as it was still under some pressure, and I figured the old freezer compressor I had would do in this case. Ideally the filter/dryer should be replaced, but I don't have any brazing or lokring tools to do this - The Lokring stuff looks really easy to use, but expensive compared to brazing rods and a mapp gas torch. I would also want to purge the lot with nitrogen if I brazed anything on it too, both before and after brazing, as the refrigerant is flammable and I don't have any nitrogen either...<br />
<br />
If you use an old compressor as a vac pump like I did, the output tends to spit oil, I found this out when I fired it up on my desk inside, which wasn't the best place to do spray oil everywhere in hindsight (the fact I had moved the compressor 5 minutes before probably increased the amount it spat out too), so to overcome this, I connected a few meters of clear pipe to the output, and scrunched up a tissue and tied it to the end, this seemed to do the trick. The oil sprays up the pipe to start with (I kept almost all of it vertical), but as the other end is then under vacuum, quite quickly the oil just ran back down into the compressor as there isn't any air blowing out the port.<br />
<br />
If you have any comments or suggestion as to the final suction pressure, please post to news:\\uk.d-i-y<br />
<br />
--[[User:Sparks|Sparks]] 22:30, 8 April 2013 (BST)<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Fridge]]<br />
* [[Fridge freezer]]<br />
* [[Fridge & Freezer Review]]<br />
* [[Dehumidifier]]<br />
* [[Thermostat]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Appliances]]<br />
[[Category:Electrical]]<br />
[[Category:Fault Finding]]<br />
[[Category:Repair]]<br />
[[Category:Cooling]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Refrigeration_Regassing_(R600a)&diff=17833Refrigeration Regassing (R600a)2013-04-08T21:39:47Z<p>Sparks: </p>
<hr />
<div>== Introduction ==<br />
<br />
The aim of this guide, is to give some tips on re-gassing a refrigeration appliance, it is based on me doing so with a Hotpoint FZ150 freezer that uses R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== WARNINGS ==<br />
I am not, and do not profess to be a refrigeration engineer, I have gained some knowledge of this simply be reading information online, and from a number of YouTube videos posted by a variety of people. Please be mindful of this before attempting to work on any refrigeration appliances as a result if reading this.<br />
<br />
The refrigerant I am going to describe is R600a, which is Isobutane, which is flammable, so extreme care needs to be taken when handling this.<br />
<br />
I performed this recharge in my garage, with the rear door open and the roller-shutter door partially open to ensure there was ample ventilation, when venting out the existing R600a in the system, I also powered off the garage prior, to minimise any chance of any electrical sparks from switches etc.<br />
<br />
Did I mention it was highly flammable?<br />
<br />
There have been cases in the UK of refrigeration appliances using R600a exploding and causing damage to property, in my case, the freezer is going to live in a slightly drafty garage, so I am not particularly concerned about this, so if your appliance lives inside, you may wish to reconsider DIYing a repair on an appliance with flammable refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Type of Freezer ==<br />
In this case (Hotpoint FZ150) this is a frost free freezer that has a microprocessor controller using R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Symptoms ==<br />
The freezer in question has a microprocessor controller, so it has some intelligence, so didn’t just sit there running the compressor 24/7 when it wasn't getting cold enough. If you have a simple freezer, this can happen, which can lead to compressor failure, so if the compressor is not running at all, then you need to check the thermostat is closing (this is another common fault) and if so, and there is power getting to the compressor, but it is not running, then the compressor has failed, and that is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
What would happen on mine was after initial start-up it would run for a while, then flash the alarm light, and lock out, presumably to protect the compressor and to alert the user there is a problem.<br />
The temperature in the freezer didn’t get anywhere near freezing (and it started at about 10C as it was in the garage).<br />
<br />
This is a frost free model, two common faults that would show this same sort of symptom are ice build-up that has not been melted during the defrost cycle restricting the airflow from the fan inside, or failure of the internal fan (We also have a Liebherr freezer that has had the iced up issue, with the Liebherr, it was not obvious there was ice build-up, as like the Hotpoint, the evaporator is all enclosed in a compartment at the top of the freezer, but a thorough defrost resulted in more water on the compressor dish, and then a working freezer.<br />
<br />
As the freezer in question had been sat empty and turned off for over a week, icing up was not the problem here, and I could hear the fan was running before it cut out, which I confirmed by defeating the door switch, so the freezer thought the door was shut, so started the fan (there was a delay between the compressor starting and the fan starting, I am not sure if that is timed, or the controller sees a difference in temperature between the inside of the freezer and the evaporator, if the latter, then total loss of all refrigerant, which would mean no cooling at all, would cause the fan to not work either, so if the fan is not running on yours, and the condenser on the back is not getting warm, then this could be the problem, rather than a failed fan.<br />
<br />
What lead me to believe my freezer was low on refrigerant, was the fact the compressor seemed to be running freely, but the evaporator (the part inside the freezer that gets cold) was only getting cold over the first 10cm or so, and the condenser coils on the back were not getting warm.<br />
On this model, there is door seal heating installed, which is achieved by the high pressure (hot) side of the compressor first going around a loop of pipe around the door seal, to keep that from icing up, then it goes out to the top of the condenser on the back of the freezer, I hadn’t noticed this before (the freezer was given to me broken so I didn’t know it had this) so I didn’t notice if this part was getting warm, but I suspect not very is the answer here.<br />
<br />
== Tools & Supplies ==<br />
You will need the following to effect a recharge at a minimum.<br />
<br />
1. Manifold gauge set<br />
<br />
2. Cylinder of R600a refrigerant<br />
<br />
3. Valve for the cylinder<br />
<br />
4. Set of accurate scales suitable for the cylinder you buy.<br />
<br />
5. A service valve on the suction side of the compressor<br />
<br />
<br />
Ideally you would also have<br />
<br />
6. A vacuum pump to evacuate the system<br />
<br />
7. An accurate vacuum gauge<br />
<br />
8. A cylinder of nitrogen to purge the system<br />
<br />
9. A replacement filter/drier<br />
<br />
10. Lokring connectors and appropriate lokring tool or brazing equipment.<br />
<br />
<br />
In my case, I bought items 1-4 from eBay, and I used an old freezer compressor I salvaged as a vacuum pump – this is not really ideal, and is not suitable if your appliance has lost all of its refrigerant or you open it to the atmosphere by changing the filter/drier, a proper vacuum pump is necessary, and can be had for around £90 on eBay at the time of writing.<br />
<br />
I didn’t have items 7-10, but as there was still some pressure in my freezer, I figured the system would hopefully be reasonably clean, and I could always recharge it again later if I did need to vacuum it down properly.<br />
<br />
The freezer already had a service valve fitted, but if it didn’t, eBay had “line taps” available which would have served this purpose.<br />
<br />
The manifold gauge set I bought had two valves and 4 ports (2 ports on the middle connection) and came with three hoses (blue, yellow and red)<br />
The hoses have one end totally open, and the other end has a small metal pin in the middle, to press schrader valves open (which the service valves on the freezer are, so disconnection of the hose automatically seals the valve closed to stop the refrigerant escaping)<br />
<br />
== Diagnosis ==<br />
Firstly, I turned the freezer off, so the compressor was not running. The reason for this is, on an R600a system (and probably others) if the system is low on refrigerant, then the suction side will be pulling a vacuum, so if I connected a hose up with the compressor running, air in the hose would be pulled in, and would contaminate the system.<br />
<br />
I connected the open end of the blue hose to the blue side of the manifold (with the blue valve closed), and the other end of the blue hose to the suction side of the compressor in the freezer.<br />
My freezer also had a service port fitted to the high side of the compressor, having this helps with diagnosis, but is not absolutely necessary. I connected the red hose to the manifold gauge set with the open end of the hose, made sure the red valve was closed, then connected the other end to the high side of the compressor.<br />
<br />
My blue & red gauges then showed there was some pressure in the system – this reading is pretty meaningless, and will not tell you if it is low on refrigerant. As long as there is some refrigerant in liquid state, it will show the same reading regardless of the amount, if it shows zero on both (or a vacuum on the blue one) when the appliance has been off for a while then you either have a blockage somewhere, or the system is total empty, in which case, this is outside the scope of this guide at the moment.<br />
<br />
Now, we want to run the compressor to see what the pressures are doing when it is running, but first we need to purge the air out of the hoses that connects the manifold guage set to the appliance to prevent air being sucked in. I did this by simply opening each valve valve for a couple of seconds, but only do this in a ventilated area, as the refrigerant is highly flammable.<br />
Once purged, I closed the valves tightly and started the freezer.<br />
In my case, the blue gauge very quickly showed a vacuum of 20inhg (20 inches of mercury) on my gauge, and the red gauge showed an increase in pressure – this is a sign of either low refrigerant or a blockage somewhere.<br />
<br />
Now two things can cause a blockage, either contaminants in the refrigerant can physically block a pipe (usually the very thin pipe that is between the filter/drier and the evaporator inside the appliance) or contaminants like water in the refrigerant freezing and causing an ice plug somewhere.<br />
As the freezer had not been running, I ruled out the ice plug<br />
I then powered the freezer off to see if the low side would come out of vacuum – it did so quite quickly, so I ruled out a blockage, as this shows refrigerant is getting around the system (as I understand it, refrigerant can’t go backwards through the compressor, so it must have gone around the system and refilled the low side).<br />
<br />
So, I decided to proceed with refilling the system…<br />
<br />
== Emptying the old refrigerant ==<br />
As this freezer was using R600a, which is just pure butane, it is OK to release this into the atmosphere, as it is not harmful to the environment, if you are attempting this on a different refrigerant, you may need to reclaim the old refrigerant, rather than just letting it out, as it is an offense to let some types of refrigerant out into the atmosphere, but his is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
As I only had three hoses, I disconnected the red hose (from the freezer end first!) then connected the valve opening end (the end with a pin in it) of the red hose to the second tap of the middle connection on the manifold (which has a Schrader valve) and the other end of the red hose to free air (R600a is flammable, so it needs to vent outside)<br />
I connected the yellow hose to the bottom connector of the middle port of the manifold, and the other end to the cylinder valve, with the cylinder valve off (There is a pin that when the valve is turned clockwise, extends into the cylinder to operate a small valve built into the cylinder, so this needs to be all the way inside the valve, not sticking down past the seal inside) and screwed the cylinder valve to the top of the R600a cylinder (otherwise refrigerant will come out here)<br />
With the free end of the red hose out the window, I then opened the blue tap to let out the gas that was in the freezer, when it stopped hissing and the gauges showed zero I closed the blue valve, then let a small amount of R600a out of the cylinder (less than a second) to purge the yellow hose of air, then connected the free red hose to the vacuum pump (suction side of a reclaimed freezer compressor in my case).<br />
<br />
Then I turned on the vacuum pump and opened the blue valve, and left it sucking for about 30 minutes.<br />
With the vacuum pump still running I turned off the blue valve and then disconnected the red hose (it connects to a self-closing Schrader valve on the manifold)<br />
<br />
This then left me with all the connected hoses and the freezer pipework under vacuum. I left it like this for about 30 minutes, and it was still showing the same vacuum, so if there is a leak, it isn't a big one! It would have been better to use a full range vacuum gauge, rather than the one on the manifold (which only has a very small range), to get a more accurate idea of any pressure increase, but I didn’t have one.<br />
<br />
== Charging the system ==<br />
I then placed the R600a cylinder on the scales, and hung the manifold in a way so the cylinder wasn't wanting to tip over, and the weight of the hose was constant, basically the hose came out of the bottom of the manifold, didn’t touch anything else and went straight to the cylinder valve. This is important to get an accurate reading on the scales.<br />
<br />
With the cylinder on the scales upright (so the refrigerant enters the system in vapour, not liquid state), I then opened the valve on the cylinder and zeroed the scales. (Refrigerant was not flowing into the freezer yet, as the valves on the manifold gauge set were closed, so only the yellow hose has some refrigerant in now, which I heard as the valve opened on the cylinder.)<br />
I then turned the freezer on, and when I heard the compressor kick in, I opened the blue valve to let the compressor pump the gas into the freezer.<br />
<br />
The data plate on the freezer states it takes 54g of R600a, so I watched as the scales slowly climb up - when it got to about 32g, the scales auto-powered off, so I quickly turned the blue valve off, (I also connected the red hose to the red side of the manifold and the other end to the high side of the compressor - this wasn't really necessary, I just wanted to see what the pressure was showing on the high side when the compressor was running, I also warmed the cylinder up a bit, as the rate of flow had been trailing off because the cylinder was getting really cold) I then reset the scales, and carried on.<br />
<br />
When I had put 54g in, I shut the blue valve.<br />
I then put a bit more in (5g), to allow for some refrigerant in the hoses, and I had read about the suction side should read around 0 when it is full, and as it was still pulling a bit of a vacuum, I put some more in. I am not 100% sure about this part, and figured I could just let some out, plus I suspect it has a very slow leak. Total that left the cylinder was 60g in my case.<br />
<br />
I noticed immediately the condenser on the back was now getting hot at the top (and then noticed it was also getting hot around the door seal) the digital thermometer that was in the freezer was also dropping nicely, so I put a couple of partially filled and partially collapsed (to allow for expatiation when it froze) plastic bottles of water in the freezer, which it refused to freeze before and closed the door.<br />
<br />
== Disconnecting ==<br />
Now I needed to disconnect the gauges, and as the low side could still be pulling a bit of a vacuum, I powered the freezer off to prevent any air being sucked in as I disconnected it, the blue gauge then started to rise well above zero, and the high side started to fall, which is expected. I then disconnected the blue hose from the freezer (so the Schrader valve closed and refrigerant didn't escape, which would have happened if I disconnected it from the manifold end first, then disconnected the red hose from the freezer (the red hose had a small amount of liquid refrigerant in, which spat out when it was disconnected, I expected that. I replaced the caps on the service valve tightly (they have a seal in them, in case the Schrader valve leaks) and then turned the freezer back on (it took a while for the compressor to start, as there is a delay built into the freezer to stop the compressor being stated and stopped too often, it think it took around 15-20 minutes to kick back into life.<br />
<br />
== Results ==<br />
I left the freezer running on the super freeze setting (the manual states to do this when stating from a warm start) and when I went back to check it a few hours later, the thermometer was at -16c and the water bottles were solid – I left it on super freeze and left it for a few more hours, and when I checked it, the thermometer was at -22, so I turned off the super freeze function, and set the thermostat to the “i-care” setting, which seems to translate to around -19C<br />
<br />
The next day, it was sitting at -18.5C when I looked in the morning, and -19C later on that day.<br />
At the time of writing it has now been on for about 60 hours, and is showing -20C right now.<br />
I had bought a temperature data logger (eBay!) for a different application (a fridge/freezer in a tenants flat was freezing things in the fridge, which a replacement thermostat fixed) so I put that in my freezer, and the results are here [[Media:Refrigeration_Regassing_(R600a)_-_Graph.PNG]], which look OK to me (not sure what happened on the morning of the 8th to make the temperature vary like it did though)<br />
<br />
<br />
== End Note ==<br />
I am not a refrigeration engineer so I may not have done this correctly, but after reading up on it for quite a bit, I think I did a fair job, a proper vac pump would have been ideal, but I figured the system should be pretty clean as it was still under some pressure, and I figured the old freezer compressor I had would do in this case. Ideally the filter/dryer should be replaced, but I don't have any brazing or lokring tools to do this - The Lokring stuff looks really easy to use, but expensive compared to brazing rods and a mapp gas torch. I would also want to purge the lot with nitrogen if I brazed anything on it too, both before and after brazing, as the refrigerant is flammable and I don't have any nitrogen either...<br />
<br />
If you use an old compressor as a vac pump like I did, the output tends to spit oil, I found this out when I fired it up on my desk inside, which wasn't the best place to do spray oil everywhere in hindsight (the fact I had moved the compressor 5 minutes before probably increased the amount it spat out too), so to overcome this, I connected a few meters of clear pipe to the output, and scrunched up a tissue and tied it to the end, this seemed to do the trick. The oil sprays up the pipe to start with (I kept almost all of it vertical), but as the other end is then under vacuum, quite quickly the oil just ran back down into the compressor as there isn't any air blowing out the port.<br />
<br />
If you have any comments or suggestion as to the final suction pressure, please post to news:\\uk.d-i-y<br />
<br />
--[[User:Sparks|Sparks]] 22:30, 8 April 2013 (BST)<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Fridge]] - lots more relevant info<br />
* [[Fridge freezer]]<br />
* [[Fridge & Freezer Review]]<br />
* [[Dehumidifier]]<br />
* [[Thermostat]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Appliances]]<br />
[[Category:Electrical]]<br />
[[Category:Fault Finding]]<br />
[[Category:Repair]]<br />
[[Category:Cooling]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Refrigeration_Regassing_(R600a)&diff=17832Refrigeration Regassing (R600a)2013-04-08T21:30:13Z<p>Sparks: </p>
<hr />
<div>== Introduction ==<br />
<br />
The aim of this guide, is to give some tips on re-gassing a refrigeration appliance, it is based on me doing so with a Hotpoint FZ150 freezer that uses R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== WARNINGS ==<br />
I am not, and do not profess to be a refrigeration engineer, I have gained some knowledge of this simply be reading information online, and from a number of YouTube videos posted by a variety of people. Please be mindful of this before attempting to work on any refrigeration appliances as a result if reading this.<br />
<br />
The refrigerant I am going to describe is R600a, which is Isobutane, which is flammable, so extreme care needs to be taken when handling this.<br />
<br />
I performed this recharge in my garage, with the rear door open and the roller-shutter door partially open to ensure there was ample ventilation, when venting out the existing R600a in the system, I also powered off the garage prior, to minimise any chance of any electrical sparks from switches etc.<br />
<br />
Did I mention it was highly flammable?<br />
<br />
There have been cases in the UK of refrigeration appliances using R600a exploding and causing damage to property, in my case, the freezer is going to live in a slightly drafty garage, so I am not particularly concerned about this, so if your appliance lives inside, you may wish to reconsider DIYing a repair on an appliance with flammable refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Type of Freezer ==<br />
In this case (Hotpoint FZ150) this is a frost free freezer that has a microprocessor controller using R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Symptoms ==<br />
The freezer in question has a microprocessor controller, so it has some intelligence, so didn’t just sit there running the compressor 24/7 when it wasn't getting cold enough. If you have a simple freezer, this can happen, which can lead to compressor failure, so if the compressor is not running at all, then you need to check the thermostat is closing (this is another common fault) and if so, and there is power getting to the compressor, but it is not running, then the compressor has failed, and that is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
What would happen on mine was after initial start-up it would run for a while, then flash the alarm light, and lock out, presumably to protect the compressor and to alert the user there is a problem.<br />
The temperature in the freezer didn’t get anywhere near freezing (and it started at about 10C as it was in the garage).<br />
<br />
This is a frost free model, two common faults that would show this same sort of symptom are ice build-up that has not been melted during the defrost cycle restricting the airflow from the fan inside, or failure of the internal fan (We also have a Liebherr freezer that has had the iced up issue, with the Liebherr, it was not obvious there was ice build-up, as like the Hotpoint, the evaporator is all enclosed in a compartment at the top of the freezer, but a thorough defrost resulted in more water on the compressor dish, and then a working freezer.<br />
<br />
As the freezer in question had been sat empty and turned off for over a week, icing up was not the problem here, and I could hear the fan was running before it cut out, which I confirmed by defeating the door switch, so the freezer thought the door was shut, so started the fan (there was a delay between the compressor starting and the fan starting, I am not sure if that is timed, or the controller sees a difference in temperature between the inside of the freezer and the evaporator, if the latter, then total loss of all refrigerant, which would mean no cooling at all, would cause the fan to not work either, so if the fan is not running on yours, and the condenser on the back is not getting warm, then this could be the problem, rather than a failed fan.<br />
<br />
What lead me to believe my freezer was low on refrigerant, was the fact the compressor seemed to be running freely, but the evaporator (the part inside the freezer that gets cold) was only getting cold over the first 10cm or so, and the condenser coils on the back were not getting warm.<br />
On this model, there is door seal heating installed, which is achieved by the high pressure (hot) side of the compressor first going around a loop of pipe around the door seal, to keep that from icing up, then it goes out to the top of the condenser on the back of the freezer, I hadn’t noticed this before (the freezer was given to me broken so I didn’t know it had this) so I didn’t notice if this part was getting warm, but I suspect not very is the answer here.<br />
<br />
== Tools & Supplies ==<br />
You will need the following to effect a recharge at a minimum.<br />
<br />
1. Manifold gauge set<br />
<br />
2. Cylinder of R600a refrigerant<br />
<br />
3. Valve for the cylinder<br />
<br />
4. Set of accurate scales suitable for the cylinder you buy.<br />
<br />
5. A service valve on the suction side of the compressor<br />
<br />
<br />
Ideally you would also have<br />
<br />
6. A vacuum pump to evacuate the system<br />
<br />
7. An accurate vacuum gauge<br />
<br />
8. A cylinder of nitrogen to purge the system<br />
<br />
9. A replacement filter/drier<br />
<br />
10. Lokring connectors and appropriate lokring tool or brazing equipment.<br />
<br />
<br />
In my case, I bought items 1-4 from eBay, and I used an old freezer compressor I salvaged as a vacuum pump – this is not really ideal, and is not suitable if your appliance has lost all of its refrigerant or you open it to the atmosphere by changing the filter/drier, a proper vacuum pump is necessary, and can be had for around £90 on eBay at the time of writing.<br />
<br />
I didn’t have items 7-10, but as there was still some pressure in my freezer, I figured the system would hopefully be reasonably clean, and I could always recharge it again later if I did need to vacuum it down properly.<br />
<br />
The freezer already had a service valve fitted, but if it didn’t, eBay had “line taps” available which would have served this purpose.<br />
<br />
The manifold gauge set I bought had two valves and 4 ports (2 ports on the middle connection) and came with three hoses (blue, yellow and red)<br />
The hoses have one end totally open, and the other end has a small metal pin in the middle, to press schrader valves open (which the service valves on the freezer are, so disconnection of the hose automatically seals the valve closed to stop the refrigerant escaping)<br />
<br />
== Diagnosis ==<br />
Firstly, I turned the freezer off, so the compressor was not running. The reason for this is, on an R600a system (and probably others) if the system is low on refrigerant, then the suction side will be pulling a vacuum, so if I connected a hose up with the compressor running, air in the hose would be pulled in, and would contaminate the system.<br />
<br />
I connected the open end of the blue hose to the blue side of the manifold (with the blue valve closed), and the other end of the blue hose to the suction side of the compressor in the freezer.<br />
My freezer also had a service port fitted to the high side of the compressor, having this helps with diagnosis, but is not absolutely necessary. I connected the red hose to the manifold gauge set with the open end of the hose, made sure the red valve was closed, then connected the other end to the high side of the compressor.<br />
<br />
My blue & red gauges then showed there was some pressure in the system – this reading is pretty meaningless, and will not tell you if it is low on refrigerant. As long as there is some refrigerant in liquid state, it will show the same reading regardless of the amount, if it shows zero on both (or a vacuum on the blue one) when the appliance has been off for a while then you either have a blockage somewhere, or the system is total empty, in which case, this is outside the scope of this guide at the moment.<br />
<br />
Now, we want to run the compressor to see what the pressures are doing when it is running, but first we need to purge the air out of the hoses that connects the manifold guage set to the appliance to prevent air being sucked in. I did this by simply opening each valve valve for a couple of seconds, but only do this in a ventilated area, as the refrigerant is highly flammable.<br />
Once purged, I closed the valves tightly and started the freezer.<br />
In my case, the blue gauge very quickly showed a vacuum of 20inhg (20 inches of mercury) on my gauge, and the red gauge showed an increase in pressure – this is a sign of either low refrigerant or a blockage somewhere.<br />
<br />
Now two things can cause a blockage, either contaminants in the refrigerant can physically block a pipe (usually the very thin pipe that is between the filter/drier and the evaporator inside the appliance) or contaminants like water in the refrigerant freezing and causing an ice plug somewhere.<br />
As the freezer had not been running, I ruled out the ice plug<br />
I then powered the freezer off to see if the low side would come out of vacuum – it did so quite quickly, so I ruled out a blockage, as this shows refrigerant is getting around the system (as I understand it, refrigerant can’t go backwards through the compressor, so it must have gone around the system and refilled the low side).<br />
<br />
So, I decided to proceed with refilling the system…<br />
<br />
== Emptying the old refrigerant ==<br />
As this freezer was using R600a, which is just pure butane, it is OK to release this into the atmosphere, as it is not harmful to the environment, if you are attempting this on a different refrigerant, you may need to reclaim the old refrigerant, rather than just letting it out, as it is an offense to let some types of refrigerant out into the atmosphere, but his is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
As I only had three hoses, I disconnected the red hose (from the freezer end first!) then connected the valve opening end (the end with a pin in it) of the red hose to the second tap of the middle connection on the manifold (which has a Schrader valve) and the other end of the red hose to free air (R600a is flammable, so it needs to vent outside)<br />
I connected the yellow hose to the bottom connector of the middle port of the manifold, and the other end to the cylinder valve, with the cylinder valve off (There is a pin that when the valve is turned clockwise, extends into the cylinder to operate a small valve built into the cylinder, so this needs to be all the way inside the valve, not sticking down past the seal inside) and screwed the cylinder valve to the top of the R600a cylinder (otherwise refrigerant will come out here)<br />
With the free end of the red hose out the window, I then opened the blue tap to let out the gas that was in the freezer, when it stopped hissing and the gauges showed zero I closed the blue valve, then let a small amount of R600a out of the cylinder (less than a second) to purge the yellow hose of air, then connected the free red hose to the vacuum pump (suction side of a reclaimed freezer compressor in my case).<br />
<br />
Then I turned on the vacuum pump and opened the blue valve, and left it sucking for about 30 minutes.<br />
With the vacuum pump still running I turned off the blue valve and then disconnected the red hose (it connects to a self-closing Schrader valve on the manifold)<br />
<br />
This then left me with all the connected hoses and the freezer pipework under vacuum. I left it like this for about 30 minutes, and it was still showing the same vacuum, so if there is a leak, it isn't a big one! It would have been better to use a full range vacuum gauge, rather than the one on the manifold (which only has a very small range), to get a more accurate idea of any pressure increase, but I didn’t have one.<br />
<br />
== Charging the system ==<br />
I then placed the R600a cylinder on the scales, and hung the manifold in a way so the cylinder wasn't wanting to tip over, and the weight of the hose was constant, basically the hose came out of the bottom of the manifold, didn’t touch anything else and went straight to the cylinder valve. This is important to get an accurate reading on the scales.<br />
<br />
With the cylinder on the scales upright (so the refrigerant enters the system in vapour, not liquid state), I then opened the valve on the cylinder and zeroed the scales. (Refrigerant was not flowing into the freezer yet, as the valves on the manifold gauge set were closed, so only the yellow hose has some refrigerant in now, which I heard as the valve opened on the cylinder.)<br />
I then turned the freezer on, and when I heard the compressor kick in, I opened the blue valve to let the compressor pump the gas into the freezer.<br />
<br />
The data plate on the freezer states it takes 54g of R600a, so I watched as the scales slowly climb up - when it got to about 32g, the scales auto-powered off, so I quickly turned the blue valve off, (I also connected the red hose to the red side of the manifold and the other end to the high side of the compressor - this wasn't really necessary, I just wanted to see what the pressure was showing on the high side when the compressor was running, I also warmed the cylinder up a bit, as the rate of flow had been trailing off because the cylinder was getting really cold) I then reset the scales, and carried on.<br />
<br />
When I had put 54g in, I shut the blue valve.<br />
I then put a bit more in (5g), to allow for some refrigerant in the hoses, and I had read about the suction side should read around 0 when it is full, and as it was still pulling a bit of a vacuum, I put some more in. I am not 100% sure about this part, and figured I could just let some out, plus I suspect it has a very slow leak. Total that left the cylinder was 60g in my case.<br />
<br />
I noticed immediately the condenser on the back was now getting hot at the top (and then noticed it was also getting hot around the door seal) the digital thermometer that was in the freezer was also dropping nicely, so I put a couple of partially filled and partially collapsed (to allow for expatiation when it froze) plastic bottles of water in the freezer, which it refused to freeze before and closed the door.<br />
<br />
== Disconnecting ==<br />
Now I needed to disconnect the gauges, and as the low side could still be pulling a bit of a vacuum, I powered the freezer off to prevent any air being sucked in as I disconnected it, the blue gauge then started to rise well above zero, and the high side started to fall, which is expected. I then disconnected the blue hose from the freezer (so the Schrader valve closed and refrigerant didn't escape, which would have happened if I disconnected it from the manifold end first, then disconnected the red hose from the freezer (the red hose had a small amount of liquid refrigerant in, which spat out when it was disconnected, I expected that. I replaced the caps on the service valve tightly (they have a seal in them, in case the Schrader valve leaks) and then turned the freezer back on (it took a while for the compressor to start, as there is a delay built into the freezer to stop the compressor being stated and stopped too often, it think it took around 15-20 minutes to kick back into life.<br />
<br />
== Results ==<br />
I left the freezer running on the super freeze setting (the manual states to do this when stating from a warm start) and when I went back to check it a few hours later, the thermometer was at -16c and the water bottles were solid – I left it on super freeze and left it for a few more hours, and when I checked it, the thermometer was at -22, so I turned off the super freeze function, and set the thermostat to the “i-care” setting, which seems to translate to around -19C<br />
<br />
The next day, it was sitting at -18.5C when I looked in the morning, and -19C later on that day.<br />
At the time of writing it has now been on for about 60 hours, and is showing -20C right now.<br />
I had bought a temperature data logger (eBay!) for a different application (a fridge/freezer in a tenants flat was freezing things in the fridge, which a replacement thermostat fixed) so I put that in my freezer, and the results are here [[Media:Refrigeration_Regassing_(R600a)_-_Graph.PNG]], which look OK to me (not sure what happened on the morning of the 8th to make the temperature vary like it did though)<br />
<br />
<br />
== End Note ==<br />
I am not a refrigeration engineer so I may not have done this correctly, but after reading up on it for quite a bit, I think I did a fair job, a proper vac pump would have been ideal, but I figured the system should be pretty clean as it was still under some pressure, and I figured the old freezer compressor I had would do in this case. Ideally the filter/dryer should be replaced, but I don't have any brazing or lokring tools to do this - The Lokring stuff looks really easy to use, but expensive compared to brazing rods and a mapp gas torch. I would also want to purge the lot with nitrogen if I brazed anything on it too, both before and after brazing, as the refrigerant is flammable and I don't have any nitrogen either...<br />
<br />
If you use an old compressor as a vac pump like I did, the output tends to spit oil, I found this out when I fired it up on my desk inside, which wasn't the best place to do spray oil everywhere in hindsight (the fact I had moved the compressor 5 minutes before probably increased the amount it spat out too), so to overcome this, I connected a few meters of clear pipe to the output, and scrunched up a tissue and tied it to the end, this seemed to do the trick. The oil sprays up the pipe to start with (I kept almost all of it vertical), but as the other end is then under vacuum, quite quickly the oil just ran back down into the compressor as there isn't any air blowing out the port.<br />
<br />
If you have any comments or suggestion as to the final suction pressure, please post to news:\\uk.d-i-y<br />
<br />
--[[User:Sparks|Sparks]] 22:30, 8 April 2013 (BST)<br />
<br />
[[Category:Appliances]]<br />
[[Category:Electrical]]<br />
[[Category:Fault Finding]]<br />
[[Category:Repair]]<br />
[[Category:Cooling]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Refrigeration_Regassing_(R600a)&diff=17831Refrigeration Regassing (R600a)2013-04-08T21:28:23Z<p>Sparks: </p>
<hr />
<div>== Introduction ==<br />
<br />
The aim of this guide, is to give some tips on re-gassing a refrigeration appliance, it is based on me doing so with a Hotpoint FZ150 freezer that uses R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== WARNINGS ==<br />
I am not, and do not profess to be a refrigeration engineer, I have gained some knowledge of this simply be reading information online, and from a number of YouTube videos posted by a variety of people. Please be mindful of this before attempting to work on any refrigeration appliances as a result if reading this.<br />
<br />
The refrigerant I am going to describe is R600a, which is Isobutane, which is flammable, so extreme care needs to be taken when handling this.<br />
<br />
I performed this recharge in my garage, with the rear door open and the roller-shutter door partially open to ensure there was ample ventilation, when venting out the existing R600a in the system, I also powered off the garage prior, to minimise any chance of any electrical sparks from switches etc.<br />
<br />
Did I mention it was highly flammable?<br />
<br />
There have been cases in the UK of refrigeration appliances using R600a exploding and causing damage to property, in my case, the freezer is going to live in a slightly drafty garage, so I am not particularly concerned about this, so if your appliance lives inside, you may wish to reconsider DIYing a repair on an appliance with flammable refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Type of Freezer ==<br />
In this case (Hotpoint FZ150) this is a frost free freezer that has a microprocessor controller using R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Symptoms ==<br />
The freezer in question has a microprocessor controller, so it has some intelligence, so didn’t just sit there running the compressor 24/7 when it wasn't getting cold enough. If you have a simple freezer, this can happen, which can lead to compressor failure, so if the compressor is not running at all, then you need to check the thermostat is closing (this is another common fault) and if so, and there is power getting to the compressor, but it is not running, then the compressor has failed, and that is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
What would happen on mine was after initial start-up it would run for a while, then flash the alarm light, and lock out, presumably to protect the compressor and to alert the user there is a problem.<br />
The temperature in the freezer didn’t get anywhere near freezing (and it started at about 10C as it was in the garage).<br />
<br />
This is a frost free model, two common faults that would show this same sort of symptom are ice build-up that has not been melted during the defrost cycle restricting the airflow from the fan inside, or failure of the internal fan (We also have a Liebherr freezer that has had the iced up issue, with the Liebherr, it was not obvious there was ice build-up, as like the Hotpoint, the evaporator is all enclosed in a compartment at the top of the freezer, but a thorough defrost resulted in more water on the compressor dish, and then a working freezer.<br />
<br />
As the freezer in question had been sat empty and turned off for over a week, icing up was not the problem here, and I could hear the fan was running before it cut out, which I confirmed by defeating the door switch, so the freezer thought the door was shut, so started the fan (there was a delay between the compressor starting and the fan starting, I am not sure if that is timed, or the controller sees a difference in temperature between the inside of the freezer and the evaporator, if the latter, then total loss of all refrigerant, which would mean no cooling at all, would cause the fan to not work either, so if the fan is not running on yours, and the condenser on the back is not getting warm, then this could be the problem, rather than a failed fan.<br />
<br />
What lead me to believe my freezer was low on refrigerant, was the fact the compressor seemed to be running freely, but the evaporator (the part inside the freezer that gets cold) was only getting cold over the first 10cm or so, and the condenser coils on the back were not getting warm.<br />
On this model, there is door seal heating installed, which is achieved by the high pressure (hot) side of the compressor first going around a loop of pipe around the door seal, to keep that from icing up, then it goes out to the top of the condenser on the back of the freezer, I hadn’t noticed this before (the freezer was given to me broken so I didn’t know it had this) so I didn’t notice if this part was getting warm, but I suspect not very is the answer here.<br />
<br />
== Tools & Supplies ==<br />
You will need the following to effect a recharge at a minimum.<br />
<br />
1. Manifold gauge set<br />
<br />
2. Cylinder of R600a refrigerant<br />
<br />
3. Valve for the cylinder<br />
<br />
4. Set of accurate scales suitable for the cylinder you buy.<br />
<br />
5. A service valve on the suction side of the compressor<br />
<br />
<br />
Ideally you would also have<br />
<br />
6. A vacuum pump to evacuate the system<br />
<br />
7. An accurate vacuum gauge<br />
<br />
8. A cylinder of nitrogen to purge the system<br />
<br />
9. A replacement filter/drier<br />
<br />
10. Lokring connectors and appropriate lokring tool or brazing equipment.<br />
<br />
<br />
In my case, I bought items 1-4 from eBay, and I used an old freezer compressor I salvaged as a vacuum pump – this is not really ideal, and is not suitable if your appliance has lost all of its refrigerant or you open it to the atmosphere by changing the filter/drier, a proper vacuum pump is necessary, and can be had for around £90 on eBay at the time of writing.<br />
<br />
I didn’t have items 7-10, but as there was still some pressure in my freezer, I figured the system would hopefully be reasonably clean, and I could always recharge it again later if I did need to vacuum it down properly.<br />
<br />
The freezer already had a service valve fitted, but if it didn’t, eBay had “line taps” available which would have served this purpose.<br />
<br />
The manifold gauge set I bought had two valves and 4 ports (2 ports on the middle connection) and came with three hoses (blue, yellow and red)<br />
The hoses have one end totally open, and the other end has a small metal pin in the middle, to press schrader valves open (which the service valves on the freezer are, so disconnection of the hose automatically seals the valve closed to stop the refrigerant escaping)<br />
<br />
== Diagnosis ==<br />
Firstly, I turned the freezer off, so the compressor was not running. The reason for this is, on an R600a system (and probably others) if the system is low on refrigerant, then the suction side will be pulling a vacuum, so if I connected a hose up with the compressor running, air in the hose would be pulled in, and would contaminate the system.<br />
<br />
I connected the open end of the blue hose to the blue side of the manifold (with the blue valve closed), and the other end of the blue hose to the suction side of the compressor in the freezer.<br />
My freezer also had a service port fitted to the high side of the compressor, having this helps with diagnosis, but is not absolutely necessary. I connected the red hose to the manifold gauge set with the open end of the hose, made sure the red valve was closed, then connected the other end to the high side of the compressor.<br />
<br />
My blue & red gauges then showed there was some pressure in the system – this reading is pretty meaningless, and will not tell you if it is low on refrigerant. As long as there is some refrigerant in liquid state, it will show the same reading regardless of the amount, if it shows zero on both (or a vacuum on the blue one) when the appliance has been off for a while then you either have a blockage somewhere, or the system is total empty, in which case, this is outside the scope of this guide at the moment.<br />
<br />
Now, we want to run the compressor to see what the pressures are doing when it is running, but first we need to purge the air out of the hoses that connects the manifold guage set to the appliance to prevent air being sucked in. I did this by simply opening each valve valve for a couple of seconds, but only do this in a ventilated area, as the refrigerant is highly flammable.<br />
Once purged, I closed the valves tightly and started the freezer.<br />
In my case, the blue gauge very quickly showed a vacuum of 20inhg (20 inches of mercury) on my gauge, and the red gauge showed an increase in pressure – this is a sign of either low refrigerant or a blockage somewhere.<br />
<br />
Now two things can cause a blockage, either contaminants in the refrigerant can physically block a pipe (usually the very thin pipe that is between the filter/drier and the evaporator inside the appliance) or contaminants like water in the refrigerant freezing and causing an ice plug somewhere.<br />
As the freezer had not been running, I ruled out the ice plug<br />
I then powered the freezer off to see if the low side would come out of vacuum – it did so quite quickly, so I ruled out a blockage, as this shows refrigerant is getting around the system (as I understand it, refrigerant can’t go backwards through the compressor, so it must have gone around the system and refilled the low side).<br />
<br />
So, I decided to proceed with refilling the system…<br />
<br />
== Emptying the old refrigerant ==<br />
As this freezer was using R600a, which is just pure butane, it is OK to release this into the atmosphere, as it is not harmful to the environment, if you are attempting this on a different refrigerant, you may need to reclaim the old refrigerant, rather than just letting it out, as it is an offense to let some types of refrigerant out into the atmosphere, but his is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
As I only had three hoses, I disconnected the red hose (from the freezer end first!) then connected the valve opening end (the end with a pin in it) of the red hose to the second tap of the middle connection on the manifold (which has a Schrader valve) and the other end of the red hose to free air (R600a is flammable, so it needs to vent outside)<br />
I connected the yellow hose to the bottom connector of the middle port of the manifold, and the other end to the cylinder valve, with the cylinder valve off (There is a pin that when the valve is turned clockwise, extends into the cylinder to operate a small valve built into the cylinder, so this needs to be all the way inside the valve, not sticking down past the seal inside) and screwed the cylinder valve to the top of the R600a cylinder (otherwise refrigerant will come out here)<br />
With the free end of the red hose out the window, I then opened the blue tap to let out the gas that was in the freezer, when it stopped hissing and the gauges showed zero I closed the blue valve, then let a small amount of R600a out of the cylinder (less than a second) to purge the yellow hose of air, then connected the free red hose to the vacuum pump (suction side of a reclaimed freezer compressor in my case).<br />
<br />
Then I turned on the vacuum pump and opened the blue valve, and left it sucking for about 30 minutes.<br />
With the vacuum pump still running I turned off the blue valve and then disconnected the red hose (it connects to a self-closing Schrader valve on the manifold)<br />
<br />
This then left me with all the connected hoses and the freezer pipework under vacuum. I left it like this for about 30 minutes, and it was still showing the same vacuum, so if there is a leak, it isn't a big one! It would have been better to use a full range vacuum gauge, rather than the one on the manifold (which only has a very small range), to get a more accurate idea of any pressure increase, but I didn’t have one.<br />
<br />
== Charging the system ==<br />
I then placed the R600a cylinder on the scales, and hung the manifold in a way so the cylinder wasn't wanting to tip over, and the weight of the hose was constant, basically the hose came out of the bottom of the manifold, didn’t touch anything else and went straight to the cylinder valve. This is important to get an accurate reading on the scales.<br />
<br />
With the cylinder on the scales upright (so the refrigerant enters the system in vapour, not liquid state), I then opened the valve on the cylinder and zeroed the scales. (Refrigerant was not flowing into the freezer yet, as the valves on the manifold gauge set were closed, so only the yellow hose has some refrigerant in now, which I heard as the valve opened on the cylinder.)<br />
I then turned the freezer on, and when I heard the compressor kick in, I opened the blue valve to let the compressor pump the gas into the freezer.<br />
<br />
The data plate on the freezer states it takes 54g of R600a, so I watched as the scales slowly climb up - when it got to about 32g, the scales auto-powered off, so I quickly turned the blue valve off, (I also connected the red hose to the red side of the manifold and the other end to the high side of the compressor - this wasn't really necessary, I just wanted to see what the pressure was showing on the high side when the compressor was running, I also warmed the cylinder up a bit, as the rate of flow had been trailing off because the cylinder was getting really cold) I then reset the scales, and carried on.<br />
<br />
When I had put 54g in, I shut the blue valve.<br />
I then put a bit more in (5g), to allow for some refrigerant in the hoses, and I had read about the suction side should read around 0 when it is full, and as it was still pulling a bit of a vacuum, I put some more in. I am not 100% sure about this part, and figured I could just let some out, plus I suspect it has a very slow leak. Total that left the cylinder was 60g in my case.<br />
<br />
I noticed immediately the condenser on the back was now getting hot at the top (and then noticed it was also getting hot around the door seal) the digital thermometer that was in the freezer was also dropping nicely, so I put a couple of partially filled and partially collapsed (to allow for expatiation when it froze) plastic bottles of water in the freezer, which it refused to freeze before and closed the door.<br />
<br />
== Disconnecting ==<br />
Now I needed to disconnect the gauges, and as the low side could still be pulling a bit of a vacuum, I powered the freezer off to prevent any air being sucked in as I disconnected it, the blue gauge then started to rise well above zero, and the high side started to fall, which is expected. I then disconnected the blue hose from the freezer (so the Schrader valve closed and refrigerant didn't escape, which would have happened if I disconnected it from the manifold end first, then disconnected the red hose from the freezer (the red hose had a small amount of liquid refrigerant in, which spat out when it was disconnected, I expected that. I replaced the caps on the service valve tightly (they have a seal in them, in case the Schrader valve leaks) and then turned the freezer back on (it took a while for the compressor to start, as there is a delay built into the freezer to stop the compressor being stated and stopped too often, it think it took around 15-20 minutes to kick back into life.<br />
<br />
== Results ==<br />
I left the freezer running on the super freeze setting (the manual states to do this when stating from a warm start) and when I went back to check it a few hours later, the thermometer was at -16c and the water bottles were solid – I left it on super freeze and left it for a few more hours, and when I checked it, the thermometer was at -22, so I turned off the super freeze function, and set the thermostat to the “i-care” setting, which seems to translate to around -19C<br />
<br />
The next day, it was sitting at -18.5C when I looked in the morning, and -19C later on that day.<br />
At the time of writing it has now been on for about 60 hours, and is showing -20C right now.<br />
I had bought a temperature data logger (eBay!) for a different application (a fridge/freezer in a tenants flat was freezing things in the fridge, which a replacement thermostat fixed) so I put that in my freezer, and the results are here [[Media:Refrigeration_Regassing_(R600a)_-_Graph.PNG]], which look OK to me (not sure what happened on the morning of the 8th to make the temperature vary like it did though)<br />
<br />
<br />
== End Note ==<br />
I am not a refrigeration engineer so I may not have done this correctly, but after reading up on it for quite a bit, I think I did a fair job, a proper vac pump would have been ideal, but I figured the system should be pretty clean as it was still under some pressure, and I figured the old freezer compressor I had would do in this case. Ideally the filter/dryer should be replaced, but I don't have any brazing or lokring tools to do this - The Lokring stuff looks really easy to use, but expensive compared to brazing rods and a mapp gas torch. I would also want to purge the lot with nitrogen if I brazed anything on it too, both before and after brazing, as the refrigerant is flammable and I don't have any nitrogen either...<br />
<br />
If you use an old compressor as a vac pump like I did, the output tends to spit oil, I found this out when I fired it up on my desk inside, which wasn't the best place to do spray oil everywhere in hindsight (the fact I had moved the compressor 5 minutes before probably increased the amount it spat out too), so to overcome this, I connected a few meters of clear pipe to the output, and scrunched up a tissue and tied it to the end, this seemed to do the trick. The oil sprays up the pipe to start with (I kept almost all of it vertical), but as the other end is then under vacuum, quite quickly the oil just ran back down into the compressor as there isn't any air blowing out the port.<br />
<br />
If you have any comments or suggestion as to the final suction pressure, please post to news:\\uk.d-i-y<br />
<br />
[[Category:Appliances]]<br />
[[Category:Electrical]]<br />
[[Category:Fault Finding]]<br />
[[Category:Repair]]<br />
[[Category:Cooling]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=File:Refrigeration_Regassing_(R600a)_-_Graph.PNG&diff=17830File:Refrigeration Regassing (R600a) - Graph.PNG2013-04-08T21:26:16Z<p>Sparks: Graph showing a temperature log of my freezer after re-gassing</p>
<hr />
<div>Graph showing a temperature log of my freezer after re-gassing</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Fridge_freezer&diff=17829Fridge freezer2013-04-08T21:22:07Z<p>Sparks: /* See also */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Defrost_4981-3.jpg|300px|right]]<br />
<br />
==Frost free==<br />
'Frost free' refers to a mechanism used in freezers to avoid frost build up. These systems do very occasionally need defrsoting themselves. When the machine fails to maintain cold enough temp, leaving it off with the door open for 2 days is the first thing to do. Its a slow process because the part that frosts up is well insulated from everything else.<br />
<br />
Terms like frost free are sometimes applied to [[fridge]]s, or fridge sections of fridge freezers. Thus what can sound like a real frost free machine is sometimes not.<br />
<br />
===Frost free reliability===<br />
Frost free freezers are inherently a lot less reliable than conventional machines. Personally I'd rather do a few planned defrosts than have an unplanned failure with a total loss of contents and often machine. Thus the extra purchase and repair costs of frost frees seem unwarranted.<br />
<br />
If you buy frost free, a thermometer in the freezer is a good way to see problems as they start happening, and can avoid total loss of food in a fair percentage of failures.<br />
<br />
==Brands==<br />
Generally speaking, reliability is very good across a wide range of brands, excluding frost frees. Cut price £99 value appliances have short design lives, how long they last in practice isn't yet known. 2/3 the price for half the design life increases total costs per year over time.<br />
<br />
==Door seals==<br />
Door seal failure is common. Some door seals can be un[[screw]]ed and replaced at reasonable cost if they fail, but with some machines the only available repair is a whole new door, which is often uneconomic. Thus a machine with replaceable seals should on average last longer and cost less to maintain.<br />
<br />
==Extended warranties==<br />
Companies always make a profit on these, or they wouldn't sell them. In other words the value of such policies is always less than their price. In practice its a lot less.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Old machines==<br />
[[Glossary#T|TCO]] of a brand new fridge freezer is less than that of a free 1970s machine, due to much improved [[energy efficiency]].<br />
<br />
This is even more true of a faulty [[appliance]] that runs all the time. Such machines can eat enough [[electricity]] to pay for the cost of a new machine in 3 years of [[fault]]y operation.<br />
<br />
Use of R12 refrigerant was replaced in the 1990s with R134a and similar gases. Early R134a machines generally used a type of insulation on the bottom of the machine that failed by saturating with [[water]] and ice over time. Failed machines are usually scrapped, though its not impossible to cut out the [[insulation]] and replace with expanding foam.<br />
<br />
==Defrosting==<br />
Most freezer piping is soft aluminium. This does not tolerate the use of steel [[tools]] in defrosting.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Fast freeze==<br />
When large quantities of food are put in the freezer, freezer temp rises above normal. The fast freeze switch bypasses the thermostat to run the compressor continuously, reducing temp below normal. This switch is thus used for a while before putting a large amount of food in to reduce this effect. There is nothing gained by switching to FF after putting food in. There's also no point using it when the amount of food put in is less than the amount the machine can freeze fairly quickly. 6kg/24hrs is a fairly typical freezing capacity, it varies of course.<br />
<br />
==Use in Un heated room, Garages etc==<br />
Some machines work fine in an unheated [[kitchen]] or garage, some fail completely as temp falls down to about 10C. To work in cold conditions, a fridge freezer needs 2 separate [[thermostat]]s plus a cold compatible refrigerant gas.<br />
* [http://www.whitegoodshelp.co.uk/wordpress/freezer-defrosted-can-you-put-a-fridge-feezer-in-a-garage/ more info]<br />
<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Fridge]] - lots more relevant info<br />
* [[Refrigeration Regassing (R600a)]]<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:Appliances]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Fridge_%26_Freezer_Review&diff=17828Fridge & Freezer Review2013-04-08T21:21:39Z<p>Sparks: /* See Also */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[image:Defrost 4981-3.jpg|200px]]<br />
<br />
A brief summary of the latest uk.d-i-y discussion on this is that most fridge freezers are very reliable, from the very cheapest to luxury models, with 2 exceptions.<br />
# Frost free machines, which tend to suffer fan failures or ice up<br />
# Hotpoint frost frees, which have a fair rate of failure of their multiple thermostatic control devices.<br />
<br />
It was also noted that increasingly some models can't be fitted with replacement door seals, that in some cases a whole new door is the only cure.<br />
<br />
Finally glass shelves have the advantage of reducing risk of spoilage by preventing dripping onto foods below.<br />
<br />
<br />
[http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk.d-i-y/browse_frm/thread/bcd760ba9a388abd/089c4e55fc75f750?hl=en#089c4e55fc75f750 Maytag American Fridge freezers]<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Refrigeration Regassing (R600a)]]<br />
* [[Special:Allpages|Wiki Contents]]<br />
* [[Special:Categories|Wiki Subject Categories]]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:Review]]<br />
[[Category:Appliances]]<br />
[[Category:Kitchens]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Fridge&diff=17827Fridge2013-04-08T21:21:09Z<p>Sparks: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[image:AntiqueFridge-4.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
<br />
Most of the information here also applies to [[fridge freezer]]s, and some of it to freezers.<br />
<br />
Right: 1920s monitor top fridge<br />
<br />
<br />
==Faults==<br />
===Liquids===<br />
[[Damp]] and [[water]] splash cause case rusting.<br />
<br />
Liquid oozes inside the fridge can penetrate interior lining junctions and saturate the [[insulation]] at the bottom, leading to external dripping, rusting, increased power consumption, inadequate [[cooling]] and sometimes smell.<br />
<br />
===Inadequate ventilation===<br />
It doesn't happen often, but fridges in tight spaces can overheat. Too high a temp at the rear causes overheating of compressor, with consequently reduced life.<br />
<br />
An indoor/outdoor thermometer can be used to tell if the temp behind the fridge is getting too high, but its generally quicker to just place a hand on the heat exchanger at the rear. Warmth is to be expected, and hotness at one end, but if its not cold at one end then the compressor isn't getting the [[cooling]] it needs. In this situation, the refrigerant gas is delivered to the expansion line hot, so [[energy]] consumption increases, further increasing average compressor temp and reducing life expectancy.<br />
<br />
The solution is more ventilation. Where its problematic to provide this, a quiet 3" or 4" fan can be used to move air upwards behind the machine (machines with side mounted cooling need side airflow). Such arrangements require an occasional [[clean]] to remove dust buildup.<br />
<br />
===Dripping & flooding===<br />
Modern fridges route interior condensation on the [[cooling]] plate down a pipe to a [[plastic]] tray on the compressor. The [[water]] evaporates from this due to the [[heat]].<br />
<br />
External dripping can be caused by the drainage tube becoming unattached from the plastic tray on the compressor. Some fridges used [[metal]] evaporation trays; these rust enthusiastically, causing external dripping.<br />
<br />
Interior dripping or flooding can be caused by blockage of the entry point of the drainage pipe. Remove any debris and poke the pipe with a bit of [[Iron wire|wire]] to clear it. If it blocks repeatedly, [[mould]] growth is the usual culprit. This can usually be stopped by [[cleaning]] the interior spotlessly. A bit of bare copper wire lying across the pipe entry can also help.<br />
<br />
Exterior dripping can also be caused by saturated [[insulation]] This also causes the compressor to run continuously, and often the interior temp to be too high. Replacing the insulation is the only cure, which isn't worthwhile unless the [[appliance]] is of some value. Insulation saturation usually occurs at the bottom of the fridge, where many 1990s fridges used a cheap saturatable insulation pad.<br />
<br />
If the bottom insulation pad is the problem, its often possible to [[Angle grinder|cut metal]] back to get the pad out and refill with a PIR or polystyrene foam building [[insulation]], making it airtight with a little [[expanding foam]] (don't overdo the expanding foam!). Don't forget to leave the machine the right way up for 24hrs before plugging in.<br />
<br />
===Thermostat===<br />
With a bad [[thermostat]] the fridge either plays dead, or the compressor runs all the time, consuming excessive [[energy]]. Icing up of the [[cooling]] plate often occurs. A fridge running constantly can use about [[£]]70 of electricty a year, around £50 a year more than it should (exact figures vary).<br />
<br />
[[Thermostat]]s can be DIY replaced, and generic replacement stats are available. The temperature detecting capillary tube mustn't be cut or damaged. If its too long just coil the excess up.<br />
<br />
Usually the stat needs no adjustment, other than the knob setting to give the correct temp, but if adjustment is needed, the 2 adjusting screws under the cover control set temp range and hysteresis. If the hysteresis is set too small for the fridge, the compressor will stall on starting frequently.<br />
<br />
===Compressor runs but not cold===<br />
This is caused by loss of refrigerant, which is caused by a leak. A gas refill will only leak out again. Usually not worth repairing, unless the machine is valuable, because of the great difficulty in finding such a tiny leak.<br />
<br />
===Compressor dead===<br />
Compressors can be replaced and the refrigerant gas refilled, but again most fridges aren't worth it.<br />
<br />
===Partial short===<br />
A compressor with a partial short either blows [[fuse]]s or overheats quickly and cuts out. Its often possible to make these run by adding a high power [[Dropper|series resistance]] to limit the short current, but the increased [[energy]] consumption and low cost of replacement fridges makes it not usually worthwhile. A 240v 3kW non-fanned [[Electric heating|heater]] makes a suitable series resistance.<br />
<br />
Some such compressors fail to start fairly often, so this should only be used as a temporary measure while a replacement fridge is obtained, and machine operation checked regularly. (A stalled compressor can often be got to start with a kick when it powers up. This bodge can crack the pressure piping, so is best reserved for machines too damaged to start themselves after several tries.)<br />
<br />
===Noise===<br />
Fridge [[noise]] is usually caused by something touching the compressor or failure of the rubber suspension under the compressor. The latter can be fixed by inserting chunks of rubber under the compressor, making sure it can still move slightly. Metallic clanking noise can be caused by loose mounting of piping or something touching the pipework. A little rubber, cardboard or foam does the job.<br />
<br />
===Refrigerant loss===<br />
When a gas leak occurs, some repairers offer to refill. However if it leaked out once, it will do so again, so this is only a temporary repair. Locating a very slow leak to fix it is extremely difficult.<br />
<br />
The situation is different with belt driven in-car compressors. These leak refrigerant as a normal part of operation, and eventually require refill. Ditto belt driven antique fridges.<br />
<br />
===Seal alignment===<br />
Test effectiveness of the door seal by checking it grips a till receipt all the way around. A failed seal allows air to leak through, which results in excessive [[Damp|condensation]] formation on the cold plate, more rapid icing of icebox models, and increased [[energy]] consumption.<br />
<br />
If the seal looks OK but isn't sealing, check the fridge is standing squarely and level on the [[floor]] with the feet adjusted correctly. The cabinent is easily jarred when not supported correctly on all feet, which can prevent the door fitting the frame. Secondly, check the door adjustment (where present). This should be correct when supplied, but can be misaligned when reversing the door.<br />
<br />
===Seal damage===<br />
Door seals can be replaced on some fridges. Peel the seal back to locate the [[screw]]s. Unfortunately in some cases the only known good repair is a new door.<br />
<br />
There is a cheap bodge that's sometimes the only economic option when the door seal doesn't sit flat against the frame. Clean the face of the door seal well. Apply cling film onto the metalwork where the seal meets it. Apply clear [[silicone]] to the face of the door seal, and close the door fully. When fully set, open very gently & remove the cling film, and put clear [[tape]] over the surface of the silicone to give it a non-stick finish, trimming the tape. This method gives an effective seal, but the silicone's adherence to the seal is weak, and it must be treated gently. Sanding the original seal's surface would probably help. Less magnetic closing force also results if the seal damage is large; tilt the machine back slightly by adjusting the feet to avoid the door sitting ajar.<br />
<br />
===Door sits ajar===<br />
If the door sits ajar rather than closing itself, adjust the front feet to tilt the machine back a few degrees.<br />
<br />
===Icing===<br />
Rapid interior icing is due to a door seal problem. See the above 2 sections<br />
<br />
<br />
==Larders & frost free fridges==<br />
Standard fridges have an icebox, which ices up and requires periodic defrosting.<br />
<br />
Larder fridges contain no icebox, and generally don't frost up, so are frost free.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Cleaning==<br />
Be sure to avoid all scented [[clean]]ers. Avoid [[Scraper|scourers]] which make the interior lining harder to clean in future. Avoid bleach too. Cream cleaner and a cloth are normally effective, with a brush for any residue buildup. Stubborn dirt should be soaked to loosen.<br />
<br />
The occasional spot of dirt that won't clean off with a [[water]] based clean can be removed with [[Oil|paraffin]] or [[Oil|diesel]] on a paper towel. But keep this to a minimum and wipe off thoroughly, remaining traces takes ages to evaporate away completely.<br />
<br />
Plastic fittings in fridges & freezers are typically '''not''' dishwashable.<br />
<br />
The fridge exterior can be cleaned with the usual things, such as cream cleaner & bleach.<br />
<br />
===Smells===<br />
Smelly fridges are usually sorted out with a thorough [[clean]]. Do not use [[bleach]] or any scented cleaner.<br />
<br />
Where smells are persistent, wiping the interior with dissolved bicarb (and not rinsing) sometimes clears the last of the smell.<br />
<br />
If the fridge is in such a state that stinking oozes have gotten into the [[insulation]]:<br />
* a new fridge is normally the only remedy<br />
* For a valuable fridge, replacement of the insulation is also an option.<br />
* Or relegate the machine to a garage etc<br />
<br />
<br />
==Defrosting==<br />
The evaporator (cooling plate) in domestic fridges is normally made of thin aluminium, and is very easily punctured by a [[screwdriver]].<br />
<br />
The usual way to defrost is to just leave the door open. If time is pressing, a [[fan]] near the ice speeds deicing up greatly.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Storage==<br />
Unused fridges should be [[store]]d with [[door]] ajar to avoid bad odours. When the door may get closed, placing a couple of clean dry teabags inside helps.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Brands==<br />
Pretty much all brands of fridge have a good reliability record. (This is less true of fridge freezers.) Liebherr and Miele are generally reckoned to be among the best makes.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Cooling arrangements==<br />
There are 3 common cooling arrangements:<br />
# Heat exchanger at back. Requires rear ventilation, but no side ventilation.<br />
# No external heat exchanger. These have [[cooling]] tubes built in under the outer skin, and require side ventilation for cooling.<br />
# Less common is [[cooling]] underneath the fridge, with warm air expelled at the front at the base. Such fridges require no ventilation to sides or rear.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Side gap==<br />
Its traditional to leave a small gap each side of a fridge. This gap makes moving the [[appliance]] easier, avoids the [[door]] catching, avoids vibration [[noise]] and increases rear ventilation. Newer fridges with no external heat exchanger need side ventilation for [[cooling]].<br />
<br />
There's also a [[Damp|condensation]] issue. You need enough ventilation at the sides to prevent the side panels dropping below the dewpoint and generating [[Damp|condensation]], which would rust the fridge & wet the [[floor]]. The other alternative is to seal the side gap so there's no flow of air to form condensation -- this is the approach used by linking kits for linking adjacent [[appliance]]s.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Shelves: Wire vs glass==<br />
[[Glass]] shelves are wipe [[clean]]able, and minimise spills of meat juices etc onto foods below. Glass is dishwashable indefinitely. [[Iron wire|Wire]] is dishwashable occasionally, but frequent dishwashing causes the [[plastic]] to crack and the wire to rust badly.<br />
<br />
Glass [[shelves]] can't always be retrofitted into a wire shelved fridge. Glass blocks air circulation, and this can sometimes result in inadequate [[cooling]] in fridges designed for wire. A fridge with a large cooling evaporator that extends most of the way down the fridge is much more likely to work with glass than one with an evaporator at the top only.<br />
<br />
If you do retrofit [[glass]], check the temp on each [[Storage|shelf]] afterwards, you don't want food poisoning.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Energy efficiency==<br />
In 2012 less than 3% of sales were of A+ & A++ rated fridges/freezers<br />
* A+ rated use 23% less energy than A rated<br />
* A++ rated use 50% less energy than A rated<br />
* [http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Publications2/Corporate/Research-and-insights/The-rise-of-the-machines-a-review-of-energy-using-products-in-the-home-from-the-1970s-to-today ref]<br />
<br />
The [[energy efficiency]] of fridges has improved substantially since the 1970s. Over its lifetime, the total purchase and running costs of a new fridge are normally less than those of a free 1970s fridge.<br />
<br />
A fridge with a compressor running continuously can eat £60-70 a year in [[electricity]], costing much more over the years than buying a new machine.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Refrigerants==<br />
Until 1993 nearly all fridges used the CFC refrigerant R12, also known as freon.<br />
<br />
New fridges use any of several HC and HFC refrigerants, such as R134a. Some of these are believed to affect the ozone layer as well, some not.<br />
<br />
===Propane, Butane, Pentane===<br />
Third world fridges usually use propane (or similar gases) as the refrigerant. These gases are cheap and [[energy]] efficient, but leaked [[gas]] can be explosive. Despite this, data indicates the real world risk is negligible.<br />
<br />
Propane is also sometimes used by DIYers to [[repair]] fridges and a/c systems that were designed for R12, R-22 or R-134a. Its [[cheap]], readily available, a plug-in replacement, and 9-15% more [[energy]] efficient than R12, but also highly flammable.<br />
<br />
Propane refrigerant is labelled as R-290. Bottled propane is a propane butane mix, not pure propane, and the 2 need to be separated, which isn't hard.<br />
<br />
Butane is R-600 and works at low enough pressure to be contained in reinforced plastic hose.<br />
<br />
Pentane is another low working pressure refrigerant gas.<br />
<br />
Due to the good safety record, some British fridges are now using these gases. These come with a small warning sign on the rear. With these machines, the only practical difference is that if a gas leak is smelt, one should ventilate well.<br />
<br />
===Ammonia absorption cycle===<br />
[[Alkali|Ammonia]] has long been used in a small percentage of fridges using the ammonia absorption cycle. These fridges are almost totally silent, with just the [[thermostat]]'s click and the occasional quiet gurgle. They're easily spotted:<br />
* the equipment on the rear looks quite different to compressor fridges<br />
* They are completely silent when first plugged in<br />
* They don't have a compressor<br />
<br />
There are 2 issues with these fridges.<br />
# Power consumption is relatively high, due to low thermal efficiency<br />
# Even a mini fridge contains over 1kg of ammonia, which would be fatal if released.<br />
<br />
One advantage of these fridges is they can in principle be run off any source of [[heat]], such as 240v, 12v, bottled gas or paraffin. Hence they're standard equipment in caravans. The other is they're silent, so are used in bedrooms, hotel rooms, and so on.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Antique fridges==<br />
===Ice boxes===<br />
The first fridges were little more than [[wood]]en or [[metal]] cabinets. Ice was bought & placed inside to cool them. They tended to have several doors, sometimes drawers too, and wooden ones are readily mistaken for standard furniture. [http://www.antiquevintageappliances.com/vintage_icebox_unfinished.htm Gallery] <br />
<br />
These aren't practical or safe to convert to use as fridges, due to lack of [[insulation]] and poor cleanability.<br />
<br />
===Pre- R-12 & Belt drive fridges===<br />
[[image:AntiqueFridge-4.jpg|right|185px]]<br />
<br />
Early electric fridges used a separate [[motor]] and belt driven compressor. These are less efficient, and the compressor gradually leaks refrigerant, so needs refilling in time. Belts slip or break occasionally.<br />
<br />
These also used various nasty refrigerants. The refrigerants used were either toxic, very toxic or explosively flammable. Such fridges were never well suited for use in inhabited spaces.<br />
<br />
Refilling with modern refrigerants is usually not an option, as the working pressures of these old systems are often too far removed from those of modern equipment to produce a workable refrigeration cycle. The more toxic of the old refrigerants should be used in a location ventilated and isolated from the main building. Early machines using SO2 generated complaints of foul smells, so they too need a ventilated place.<br />
<br />
Butane and pentane work with lower pressures than R12, and may be usable in some cases.<br />
<br />
Above is a double width version of the iconic [http://www.antiqueappliances.com/monitor_top_refrigerators.htm monitor top fridge] introduced in 1927, which used sulphur dioxide or methyl formate as a refrigerant. Some of these are still in service today.<br />
<br />
===R12===<br />
Safe non-toxic non-flammable R12 refrigerant was introduced in the mid 1930s, and soon became universal. Old fridges using R12 and a sealed compressor unit behave much like modern fridges, albeit with poorer [[energy efficiency]], and without all the other modern refinements such as wipe [[clean]] linings, [[Safety|safe]] door latches, even interior temperature, frost free operation and so on.<br />
<br />
Refilling R12 fridges that have leaked refrigerant is an issue. R12 refills will soon be banned by law. People have sometimes refilled these succesfully with HC fuel gas. Fuel gases are very cheap and available.<br />
<br />
Foreign historic fridges don't all use R12 after the mid 1930s. Some countries preferred the much cheaper but highly flammable fuel gases.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Peltiers==<br />
[[image:Peltierelement_16x16.jpg|right|200px|Peltier element]]<br />
<br />
New mini fridges usually use peltier heat pumps (old ones used the ammonia absorption cycle). Like ammonia, these are silent and have poor [[energy efficiency]], but the remote risk of ammonia release is not there.<br />
<br />
These fridges don't generally have the same [[cooling]] power as standard fridges, with the ability to only cool by 15°C being normal. They aren't safe to use as a food fridge from a food poisoning point of view, food stored at 10°C in a 25°C room spoils rapidly. This is why they're usually described as drink chillers only. If wanted to store food, the interior temp should be monitored and the machine only used for foods requiring refrigeration when the fridge is sufficiently cool. Foods that don't need refrigeration (such as wine, chocolate, and unopened drinks) are safe to store in them.<br />
<br />
The peltier pumps used in these are usually rated at 12v 5A, but can run on anything upto 16v for maximum [[cooling]]. Some of these mini fridges also have a [[fan]] or a second peltier, doubling power use.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Temperatures==<br />
5°C or below is the recommended fridge temp for food storage. Above this, food spoilage with bacteria is much more likely.<br />
<br />
Fridge [[thermostat]]s tend to control the evaporator plate temp rather than the fridge interior temp, so changes in room temp and severe evaporator icing cause changes in interior temperature. Thus its good practice to check fridge temp from time to time, and adjust when necessary.<br />
<br />
Temperature in fridges tends to vary from one place to another. The salad crisper operates at high RH and slightly higher temp, keeping salads firm for longer and avoiding any risk of freeze damage. Enclosed spaces mounted on the door also run at slightly higher temp, and are good for keeping butter, making it not quite so hard.<br />
<br />
Areas close to the cooling plate run colder, salads can be frost damaged if put there.<br />
<br />
<br />
==TCO==<br />
Annual Total Cost of Ownership depends on purchase cost, life expectancy, [[energy efficiency]] and energy cost.<br />
<br />
Fridges using [[fan]]s often need a replacement fan fitted at some point in their life. This is a cost and reliability issue to bear in mind when purchasing.<br />
<br />
[[Newsgroups|News:uk.d-i-y]] and expert websites sometimes discuss TCO reduction strategies, but opinion remains divided. One thing is clear though: frost free fridge freezers have much shorter lives on average than traditional frosting ones.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Food safety==<br />
# Check the fridge temperature is correct.<br />
# Inspect contents regularly, removing anything that is beginning to spoil.<br />
# Avoid arranging foods so that meat juices could drip onto other food types.<br />
# Keep the fridge interior [[clean]].<br />
# Glass shelves reduce cross contamination by reducing drips.<br />
# Don't pack a fridge crammed full, this blocks airflow and can cause unsafe temperature rise on some shelves.<br />
# Don't store meat or fish above other food types, drips can contaminate.<br />
# Put milk bottles upright in the [[door]], they're prone to leak when laid down<br />
# For items that are likely to be kept past safe [[storage]] times, write the date they were opened on them.<br />
<br />
<br />
==The dial==<br />
Fridge dials are usually marked with numbers unrelated to actual temperature. The only way to determine temperature is to leave a thermometer in the fridge.<br />
<br />
A few fridges also have an [[insulation]] sheet between icebox and the main fridge space. The position of this can be adjusted in conjunction with the thermostat dial to achieve the desired temperatures in both fridge and icebox sections. The sheet is moved to adjust the relative temps of fridge and icebox; when blocking all airflow there is maximum temp difference, and when opened there is less temp difference. Frozen food keeps longer when the icebox is colder, but energy consumption increases a little. The sheet can be removed for maximum [[energy efficiency]] when not storing frozen food - expect to need to adjust the [[thermostat]] though.<br />
<br />
==Improving energy efficiency==<br />
The simplest way to improve energy efficiency is to replace a 1980s fridge with a modern A rated one.<br />
<br />
Other strategies...<br />
<br />
===Energy saver plug===<br />
[[image:Savaplug 0828-7.jpg|right|185px]]<br />
Energy saver plugs reduce energy consumption in old fridges, but are incompatible with a lot of new fridges, some of which have this technology built in. Energy saver plugs pass full power to the compressor during starting, then throttle the power back once running.<br />
<br />
In most places a 10 year old fridge can be bought for the price of one of these plugs, and delivers more performance improvement, so even for old fridges their use isn't popular. Maximum saving is obtained with large old fridges, such as original 1950s [[appliance]]s.<br />
<br />
===More aggressive methods===<br />
People running fridges on small [[solar]] electric systems sometimes wish to reduce energy consumption further. The rest of us won't usually want to use these methods. Any of the following can help:<br />
* Add more polyisocyanurate or polystyrene [[insulation]] on the outside of the fridge (watch for condensation on the [[metal]] cabinet, which can rust it)<br />
* Use an energy saver plug when compatible<br />
* Put frozen items in the fridge overnight to defrost them<br />
* Write the food contents on a clipboard on the front so decisions can be made with the [[door]] closed.<br />
* Keep the fridge in a cold place eg garage - ensure its rated for such a temp range though<br />
* Ensure the building its in doesn't overheat in summer<br />
* Replace the 15w [[lamp]] with a 1w mains [[LED]]<br />
* In a subzero winter, put a container of [[water]] frozen outdoors in the fridge to provide some of the [[cooling]]. Sealed containers such as tetrapaks avoid spills.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Location==<br />
Domestic refrigeration is designed to operate indoors at around 20C. <br />
<br />
Fridges & freezers all have a room temperature range they're designed to work in. If your room will be far from 20C its possible to buy one rated to operate in that environment. Failing to do so can result in food poisoning.<br />
<br />
Its also an option to try it and keep monitoring interior temperature until you know the machine can work safely over the full range of room temps.<br />
<br />
Unheated rooms tend to cause condensation on the case, leading to rust and the risk of [[insulation]] saturation.<br />
<br />
In a very hot room, such as a conservatory or [[shed]] in summer, some fridges fail to be able to cool enough to keep food [[safe]], and some are quite happy. Check the fridge's internal temp, and address building overheating.<br />
<br />
<br />
==RCDs==<br />
[[RCD]]s can cause nuisance trips. If this occurs when out for the day the fridge warms up, making some of the food unsafe to eat. Food poisoning claims orders of magnitude more lives than appliance electrocution, so ideally a fridge should be run from a non-RCD circuit. This is even more true for [[freezer]]s. Occasionally DIYers install a non-RCD feed for the fridge freezer when rewiring. The 17th edition wiring regs requires that any such socket be marked with its intended use, and not likely to be used for outdoor equipment, so not by the [[door]].<br />
<br />
<br />
==Disposal==<br />
Most local councils take fridges and [[freezer]]s away free. Local dealers purchase or collect the very few types of fridge they could repair and sell profitably, but this only applies to high ticket items. People on freecycle etc take some types of nonworking fridges.<br />
<br />
Most other disposal options are now illegal for R12 fridges, since its no longer permitted to release R12 to the atmosphere. There's R12 in the [[insulation]] as well as the coolant circuit of pre-1993 fridges.<br />
<br />
===Compressors===<br />
Compressors removed from fridges have their uses. They provide compressed air at high pressure but low flow rate, and require an oil catcher if they're to last. A metal globe or other shape in the output pipe close to the compressor, filled with a copper scourer works to catch [[oil]]. When the compressor stops, the oil runs back in.<br />
<br />
Any receiving tank not watched continuously needs an overpressure cutout.<br />
<br />
Its now unlawful to cut an R-12 filled compressor out, as this would release R12.<br />
<br />
===Door locks===<br />
Some fridge & freezer models are available with door [[lock]]s. If yours has one, disable it properly before [[disposal]], children have died getting stuck in fridges.<br />
<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Refrigeration Regassing (R600a)]]<br />
* [[Special:Allpages|Wiki Contents]]<br />
* [[Special:Categories|Wiki Subject Categories]]<br />
* [http://www.wou.edu/~avorder/Refrigeration.htm Refrigerant history]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:Appliances]]<br />
[[Category:Cooling]]<br />
[[Category:Fault Finding]]<br />
[[Category:Energy Efficiency]]<br />
[[Category:Cleaning]]<br />
[[Category:Kitchens]]<br />
[[Category:Repair]]<br />
[[Category:History]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Fridge_freezer&diff=17826Fridge freezer2013-04-08T21:20:19Z<p>Sparks: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Defrost_4981-3.jpg|300px|right]]<br />
<br />
==Frost free==<br />
'Frost free' refers to a mechanism used in freezers to avoid frost build up. These systems do very occasionally need defrsoting themselves. When the machine fails to maintain cold enough temp, leaving it off with the door open for 2 days is the first thing to do. Its a slow process because the part that frosts up is well insulated from everything else.<br />
<br />
Terms like frost free are sometimes applied to [[fridge]]s, or fridge sections of fridge freezers. Thus what can sound like a real frost free machine is sometimes not.<br />
<br />
===Frost free reliability===<br />
Frost free freezers are inherently a lot less reliable than conventional machines. Personally I'd rather do a few planned defrosts than have an unplanned failure with a total loss of contents and often machine. Thus the extra purchase and repair costs of frost frees seem unwarranted.<br />
<br />
If you buy frost free, a thermometer in the freezer is a good way to see problems as they start happening, and can avoid total loss of food in a fair percentage of failures.<br />
<br />
==Brands==<br />
Generally speaking, reliability is very good across a wide range of brands, excluding frost frees. Cut price £99 value appliances have short design lives, how long they last in practice isn't yet known. 2/3 the price for half the design life increases total costs per year over time.<br />
<br />
==Door seals==<br />
Door seal failure is common. Some door seals can be un[[screw]]ed and replaced at reasonable cost if they fail, but with some machines the only available repair is a whole new door, which is often uneconomic. Thus a machine with replaceable seals should on average last longer and cost less to maintain.<br />
<br />
==Extended warranties==<br />
Companies always make a profit on these, or they wouldn't sell them. In other words the value of such policies is always less than their price. In practice its a lot less.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Old machines==<br />
[[Glossary#T|TCO]] of a brand new fridge freezer is less than that of a free 1970s machine, due to much improved [[energy efficiency]].<br />
<br />
This is even more true of a faulty [[appliance]] that runs all the time. Such machines can eat enough [[electricity]] to pay for the cost of a new machine in 3 years of [[fault]]y operation.<br />
<br />
Use of R12 refrigerant was replaced in the 1990s with R134a and similar gases. Early R134a machines generally used a type of insulation on the bottom of the machine that failed by saturating with [[water]] and ice over time. Failed machines are usually scrapped, though its not impossible to cut out the [[insulation]] and replace with expanding foam.<br />
<br />
==Defrosting==<br />
Most freezer piping is soft aluminium. This does not tolerate the use of steel [[tools]] in defrosting.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Fast freeze==<br />
When large quantities of food are put in the freezer, freezer temp rises above normal. The fast freeze switch bypasses the thermostat to run the compressor continuously, reducing temp below normal. This switch is thus used for a while before putting a large amount of food in to reduce this effect. There is nothing gained by switching to FF after putting food in. There's also no point using it when the amount of food put in is less than the amount the machine can freeze fairly quickly. 6kg/24hrs is a fairly typical freezing capacity, it varies of course.<br />
<br />
==Use in Un heated room, Garages etc==<br />
Some machines work fine in an unheated [[kitchen]] or garage, some fail completely as temp falls down to about 10C. To work in cold conditions, a fridge freezer needs 2 separate [[thermostat]]s plus a cold compatible refrigerant gas.<br />
* [http://www.whitegoodshelp.co.uk/wordpress/freezer-defrosted-can-you-put-a-fridge-feezer-in-a-garage/ more info]<br />
<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
[[Fridge]] - lots more relevant info<br />
<br />
[[Refrigeration Regassing (R600a)]]<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:Appliances]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Refrigeration_Regassing_(R600a)&diff=17825Refrigeration Regassing (R600a)2013-04-08T21:17:20Z<p>Sparks: </p>
<hr />
<div>== Introduction ==<br />
<br />
The aim of this guide, is to give some tips on re-gassing a refrigeration appliance, it is based on me doing so with a Hotpoint FZ150 freezer that uses R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== WARNINGS ==<br />
I am not, and do not profess to be a refrigeration engineer, I have gained some knowledge of this simply be reading information online, and from a number of YouTube videos posted by a variety of people. Please be mindful of this before attempting to work on any refrigeration appliances as a result if reading this.<br />
<br />
The refrigerant I am going to describe is R600a, which is Isobutane, which is flammable, so extreme care needs to be taken when handling this.<br />
<br />
I performed this recharge in my garage, with the rear door open and the roller-shutter door partially open to ensure there was ample ventilation, when venting out the existing R600a in the system, I also powered off the garage prior, to minimise any chance of any electrical sparks from switches etc.<br />
<br />
Did I mention it was highly flammable?<br />
<br />
There have been cases in the UK of refrigeration appliances using R600a exploding and causing damage to property, in my case, the freezer is going to live in a slightly drafty garage, so I am not particularly concerned about this, so if your appliance lives inside, you may wish to reconsider DIYing a repair on an appliance with flammable refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Type of Freezer ==<br />
In this case (Hotpoint FZ150) this is a frost free freezer that has a microprocessor controller using R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Symptoms ==<br />
The freezer in question has a microprocessor controller, so it has some intelligence, so didn’t just sit there running the compressor 24/7 when it wasn't getting cold enough. If you have a simple freezer, this can happen, which can lead to compressor failure, so if the compressor is not running at all, then you need to check the thermostat is closing (this is another common fault) and if so, and there is power getting to the compressor, but it is not running, then the compressor has failed, and that is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
What would happen on mine was after initial start-up it would run for a while, then flash the alarm light, and lock out, presumably to protect the compressor and to alert the user there is a problem.<br />
The temperature in the freezer didn’t get anywhere near freezing (and it started at about 10C as it was in the garage).<br />
<br />
This is a frost free model, two common faults that would show this same sort of symptom are ice build-up that has not been melted during the defrost cycle restricting the airflow from the fan inside, or failure of the internal fan (We also have a Liebherr freezer that has had the iced up issue, with the Liebherr, it was not obvious there was ice build-up, as like the Hotpoint, the evaporator is all enclosed in a compartment at the top of the freezer, but a thorough defrost resulted in more water on the compressor dish, and then a working freezer.<br />
<br />
As the freezer in question had been sat empty and turned off for over a week, icing up was not the problem here, and I could hear the fan was running before it cut out, which I confirmed by defeating the door switch, so the freezer thought the door was shut, so started the fan (there was a delay between the compressor starting and the fan starting, I am not sure if that is timed, or the controller sees a difference in temperature between the inside of the freezer and the evaporator, if the latter, then total loss of all refrigerant, which would mean no cooling at all, would cause the fan to not work either, so if the fan is not running on yours, and the condenser on the back is not getting warm, then this could be the problem, rather than a failed fan.<br />
<br />
What lead me to believe my freezer was low on refrigerant, was the fact the compressor seemed to be running freely, but the evaporator (the part inside the freezer that gets cold) was only getting cold over the first 10cm or so, and the condenser coils on the back were not getting warm.<br />
On this model, there is door seal heating installed, which is achieved by the high pressure (hot) side of the compressor first going around a loop of pipe around the door seal, to keep that from icing up, then it goes out to the top of the condenser on the back of the freezer, I hadn’t noticed this before (the freezer was given to me broken so I didn’t know it had this) so I didn’t notice if this part was getting warm, but I suspect not very is the answer here.<br />
<br />
== Tools & Supplies ==<br />
You will need the following to effect a recharge at a minimum.<br />
<br />
1. Manifold gauge set<br />
<br />
2. Cylinder of R600a refrigerant<br />
<br />
3. Valve for the cylinder<br />
<br />
4. Set of accurate scales suitable for the cylinder you buy.<br />
<br />
5. A service valve on the suction side of the compressor<br />
<br />
<br />
Ideally you would also have<br />
<br />
6. A vacuum pump to evacuate the system<br />
<br />
7. An accurate vacuum gauge<br />
<br />
8. A cylinder of nitrogen to purge the system<br />
<br />
9. A replacement filter/drier<br />
<br />
10. Lokring connectors and appropriate lokring tool or brazing equipment.<br />
<br />
<br />
In my case, I bought items 1-4 from eBay, and I used an old freezer compressor I salvaged as a vacuum pump – this is not really ideal, and is not suitable if your appliance has lost all of its refrigerant or you open it to the atmosphere by changing the filter/drier, a proper vacuum pump is necessary, and can be had for around £90 on eBay at the time of writing.<br />
<br />
I didn’t have items 7-10, but as there was still some pressure in my freezer, I figured the system would hopefully be reasonably clean, and I could always recharge it again later if I did need to vacuum it down properly.<br />
<br />
The freezer already had a service valve fitted, but if it didn’t, eBay had “line taps” available which would have served this purpose.<br />
<br />
The manifold gauge set I bought had two valves and 4 ports (2 ports on the middle connection) and came with three hoses (blue, yellow and red)<br />
The hoses have one end totally open, and the other end has a small metal pin in the middle, to press schrader valves open (which the service valves on the freezer are, so disconnection of the hose automatically seals the valve closed to stop the refrigerant escaping)<br />
<br />
== Diagnosis ==<br />
Firstly, I turned the freezer off, so the compressor was not running. The reason for this is, on an R600a system (and probably others) if the system is low on refrigerant, then the suction side will be pulling a vacuum, so if I connected a hose up with the compressor running, air in the hose would be pulled in, and would contaminate the system.<br />
<br />
I connected the open end of the blue hose to the blue side of the manifold (with the blue valve closed), and the other end of the blue hose to the suction side of the compressor in the freezer.<br />
My freezer also had a service port fitted to the high side of the compressor, having this helps with diagnosis, but is not absolutely necessary. I connected the red hose to the manifold gauge set with the open end of the hose, made sure the red valve was closed, then connected the other end to the high side of the compressor.<br />
<br />
My blue & red gauges then showed there was some pressure in the system – this reading is pretty meaningless, and will not tell you if it is low on refrigerant. As long as there is some refrigerant in liquid state, it will show the same reading regardless of the amount, if it shows zero on both (or a vacuum on the blue one) when the appliance has been off for a while then you either have a blockage somewhere, or the system is total empty, in which case, this is outside the scope of this guide at the moment.<br />
<br />
Now, we want to run the compressor to see what the pressures are doing when it is running, but first we need to purge the air out of the hoses that connects the manifold guage set to the appliance to prevent air being sucked in. I did this by simply opening each valve valve for a couple of seconds, but only do this in a ventilated area, as the refrigerant is highly flammable.<br />
Once purged, I closed the valves tightly and started the freezer.<br />
In my case, the blue gauge very quickly showed a vacuum of 20inhg (20 inches of mercury) on my gauge, and the red gauge showed an increase in pressure – this is a sign of either low refrigerant or a blockage somewhere.<br />
<br />
Now two things can cause a blockage, either contaminants in the refrigerant can physically block a pipe (usually the very thin pipe that is between the filter/drier and the evaporator inside the appliance) or contaminants like water in the refrigerant freezing and causing an ice plug somewhere.<br />
As the freezer had not been running, I ruled out the ice plug<br />
I then powered the freezer off to see if the low side would come out of vacuum – it did so quite quickly, so I ruled out a blockage, as this shows refrigerant is getting around the system (as I understand it, refrigerant can’t go backwards through the compressor, so it must have gone around the system and refilled the low side).<br />
<br />
So, I decided to proceed with refilling the system…<br />
<br />
== Emptying the old refrigerant ==<br />
As this freezer was using R600a, which is just pure butane, it is OK to release this into the atmosphere, as it is not harmful to the environment, if you are attempting this on a different refrigerant, you may need to reclaim the old refrigerant, rather than just letting it out, as it is an offense to let some types of refrigerant out into the atmosphere, but his is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
As I only had three hoses, I disconnected the red hose (from the freezer end first!) then connected the valve opening end (the end with a pin in it) of the red hose to the second tap of the middle connection on the manifold (which has a Schrader valve) and the other end of the red hose to free air (R600a is flammable, so it needs to vent outside)<br />
I connected the yellow hose to the bottom connector of the middle port of the manifold, and the other end to the cylinder valve, with the cylinder valve off (There is a pin that when the valve is turned clockwise, extends into the cylinder to operate a small valve built into the cylinder, so this needs to be all the way inside the valve, not sticking down past the seal inside) and screwed the cylinder valve to the top of the R600a cylinder (otherwise refrigerant will come out here)<br />
With the free end of the red hose out the window, I then opened the blue tap to let out the gas that was in the freezer, when it stopped hissing and the gauges showed zero I closed the blue valve, then let a small amount of R600a out of the cylinder (less than a second) to purge the yellow hose of air, then connected the free red hose to the vacuum pump (suction side of a reclaimed freezer compressor in my case).<br />
<br />
Then I turned on the vacuum pump and opened the blue valve, and left it sucking for about 30 minutes.<br />
With the vacuum pump still running I turned off the blue valve and then disconnected the red hose (it connects to a self-closing Schrader valve on the manifold)<br />
<br />
This then left me with all the connected hoses and the freezer pipework under vacuum. I left it like this for about 30 minutes, and it was still showing the same vacuum, so if there is a leak, it isn't a big one! It would have been better to use a full range vacuum gauge, rather than the one on the manifold (which only has a very small range), to get a more accurate idea of any pressure increase, but I didn’t have one.<br />
<br />
== Charging the system ==<br />
I then placed the R600a cylinder on the scales, and hung the manifold in a way so the cylinder wasn't wanting to tip over, and the weight of the hose was constant, basically the hose came out of the bottom of the manifold, didn’t touch anything else and went straight to the cylinder valve. This is important to get an accurate reading on the scales.<br />
<br />
With the cylinder on the scales upright (so the refrigerant enters the system in vapour, not liquid state), I then opened the valve on the cylinder and zeroed the scales. (Refrigerant was not flowing into the freezer yet, as the valves on the manifold gauge set were closed, so only the yellow hose has some refrigerant in now, which I heard as the valve opened on the cylinder.)<br />
I then turned the freezer on, and when I heard the compressor kick in, I opened the blue valve to let the compressor pump the gas into the freezer.<br />
<br />
The data plate on the freezer states it takes 54g of R600a, so I watched as the scales slowly climb up - when it got to about 32g, the scales auto-powered off, so I quickly turned the blue valve off, (I also connected the red hose to the red side of the manifold and the other end to the high side of the compressor - this wasn't really necessary, I just wanted to see what the pressure was showing on the high side when the compressor was running, I also warmed the cylinder up a bit, as the rate of flow had been trailing off because the cylinder was getting really cold) I then reset the scales, and carried on.<br />
<br />
When I had put 54g in, I shut the blue valve.<br />
I then put a bit more in (5g), to allow for some refrigerant in the hoses, and I had read about the suction side should read around 0 when it is full, and as it was still pulling a bit of a vacuum, I put some more in. I am not 100% sure about this part, and figured I could just let some out, plus I suspect it has a very slow leak. Total that left the cylinder was 60g in my case.<br />
<br />
I noticed immediately the condenser on the back was now getting hot at the top (and then noticed it was also getting hot around the door seal) the digital thermometer that was in the freezer was also dropping nicely, so I put a couple of partially filled and partially collapsed (to allow for expatiation when it froze) plastic bottles of water in the freezer, which it refused to freeze before and closed the door.<br />
<br />
== Disconnecting ==<br />
Now I needed to disconnect the gauges, and as the low side could still be pulling a bit of a vacuum, I powered the freezer off to prevent any air being sucked in as I disconnected it, the blue gauge then started to rise well above zero, and the high side started to fall, which is expected. I then disconnected the blue hose from the freezer (so the Schrader valve closed and refrigerant didn't escape, which would have happened if I disconnected it from the manifold end first, then disconnected the red hose from the freezer (the red hose had a small amount of liquid refrigerant in, which spat out when it was disconnected, I expected that. I replaced the caps on the service valve tightly (they have a seal in them, in case the Schrader valve leaks) and then turned the freezer back on (it took a while for the compressor to start, as there is a delay built into the freezer to stop the compressor being stated and stopped too often, it think it took around 15-20 minutes to kick back into life.<br />
<br />
== Results ==<br />
I left the freezer running on the super freeze setting (the manual states to do this when stating from a warm start) and when I went back to check it a few hours later, the thermometer was at -16c and the water bottles were solid – I left it on super freeze and left it for a few more hours, and when I checked it, the thermometer was at -22, so I turned off the super freeze function, and set the thermostat to the “i-care” setting, which seems to translate to around -19C<br />
<br />
The next day, it was sitting at -18.5C when I looked in the morning, and -19C later on that day.<br />
At the time of writing it has now been on for about 60 hours, and is showing -20C right now.<br />
I had bought a temperature data logger (eBay!) for a different application (a fridge/freezer in a tenants flat was freezing things in the fridge, which a replacement thermostat fixed) so I put that in my freezer, and the results are HERE, which look OK to me (not sure what happened on the morning of the 8th to make the temperature vary like it did though)<br />
<br />
<br />
== End Note ==<br />
I am not a refrigeration engineer so I may not have done this correctly, but after reading up on it for quite a bit, I think I did a fair job, a proper vac pump would have been ideal, but I figured the system should be pretty clean as it was still under some pressure, and I figured the old freezer compressor I had would do in this case. Ideally the filter/dryer should be replaced, but I don't have any brazing or lokring tools to do this - The Lokring stuff looks really easy to use, but expensive compared to brazing rods and a mapp gas torch. I would also want to purge the lot with nitrogen if I brazed anything on it too, both before and after brazing, as the refrigerant is flammable and I don't have any nitrogen either...<br />
<br />
If you use an old compressor as a vac pump like I did, the output tends to spit oil, I found this out when I fired it up on my desk inside, which wasn't the best place to do spray oil everywhere in hindsight (the fact I had moved the compressor 5 minutes before probably increased the amount it spat out too), so to overcome this, I connected a few meters of clear pipe to the output, and scrunched up a tissue and tied it to the end, this seemed to do the trick. The oil sprays up the pipe to start with (I kept almost all of it vertical), but as the other end is then under vacuum, quite quickly the oil just ran back down into the compressor as there isn't any air blowing out the port.<br />
<br />
If you have any comments or suggestion as to the final suction pressure, please post to news:\\uk.d-i-y<br />
<br />
[[Category:Appliances]]<br />
[[Category:Electrical]]<br />
[[Category:Fault Finding]]<br />
[[Category:Repair]]<br />
[[Category:Cooling]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Refrigeration_Regassing_(R600a)&diff=17824Refrigeration Regassing (R600a)2013-04-08T21:13:51Z<p>Sparks: Created page with "== Introduction == The aim of this guide, is to give some tips on re-gassing a refrigeration appliance, it is based on me doing so with a Hotpoint FZ150 freezer that uses R600a ..."</p>
<hr />
<div>== Introduction ==<br />
<br />
The aim of this guide, is to give some tips on re-gassing a refrigeration appliance, it is based on me doing so with a Hotpoint FZ150 freezer that uses R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== WARNINGS ==<br />
I am not, and do not profess to be a refrigeration engineer, I have gained some knowledge of this simply be reading information online, and from a number of YouTube videos posted by a variety of people. Please be mindful of this before attempting to work on any refrigeration appliances as a result if reading this.<br />
<br />
The refrigerant I am going to describe is R600a, which is Isobutane, which is flammable, so extreme care needs to be taken when handling this.<br />
<br />
I performed this recharge in my garage, with the rear door open and the roller-shutter door partially open to ensure there was ample ventilation, when venting out the existing R600a in the system, I also powered off the garage prior, to minimise any chance of any electrical sparks from switches etc.<br />
<br />
Did I mention it was highly flammable?<br />
<br />
There have been cases in the UK of refrigeration appliances using R600a exploding and causing damage to property, in my case, the freezer is going to live in a slightly drafty garage, so I am not particularly concerned about this, so if your appliance lives inside, you may wish to reconsider DIYing a repair on an appliance with flammable refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Type of Freezer ==<br />
In this case (Hotpoint FZ150) this is a frost free freezer that has a microprocessor controller using R600a refrigerant.<br />
<br />
== Symptoms ==<br />
The freezer in question has a microprocessor controller, so it has some intelligence, so didn’t just sit there running the compressor 24/7 when it wasn't getting cold enough. If you have a simple freezer, this can happen, which can lead to compressor failure, so if the compressor is not running at all, then you need to check the thermostat is closing (this is another common fault) and if so, and there is power getting to the compressor, but it is not running, then the compressor has failed, and that is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
What would happen on mine was after initial start-up it would run for a while, then flash the alarm light, and lock out, presumably to protect the compressor and to alert the user there is a problem.<br />
The temperature in the freezer didn’t get anywhere near freezing (and it started at about 10C as it was in the garage).<br />
<br />
This is a frost free model, two common faults that would show this same sort of symptom are ice build-up that has not been melted during the defrost cycle restricting the airflow from the fan inside, or failure of the internal fan (We also have a Liebherr freezer that has had the iced up issue, with the Liebherr, it was not obvious there was ice build-up, as like the Hotpoint, the evaporator is all enclosed in a compartment at the top of the freezer, but a thorough defrost resulted in more water on the compressor dish, and then a working freezer.<br />
<br />
As the freezer in question had been sat empty and turned off for over a week, icing up was not the problem here, and I could hear the fan was running before it cut out, which I confirmed by defeating the door switch, so the freezer thought the door was shut, so started the fan (there was a delay between the compressor starting and the fan starting, I am not sure if that is timed, or the controller sees a difference in temperature between the inside of the freezer and the evaporator, if the latter, then total loss of all refrigerant, which would mean no cooling at all, would cause the fan to not work either, so if the fan is not running on yours, and the condenser on the back is not getting warm, then this could be the problem, rather than a failed fan.<br />
<br />
What lead me to believe my freezer was low on refrigerant, was the fact the compressor seemed to be running freely, but the evaporator (the part inside the freezer that gets cold) was only getting cold over the first 10cm or so, and the condenser coils on the back were not getting warm.<br />
On this model, there is door seal heating installed, which is achieved by the high pressure (hot) side of the compressor first going around a loop of pipe around the door seal, to keep that from icing up, then it goes out to the top of the condenser on the back of the freezer, I hadn’t noticed this before (the freezer was given to me broken so I didn’t know it had this) so I didn’t notice if this part was getting warm, but I suspect not very is the answer here.<br />
<br />
== Tools & Supplies ==<br />
You will need the following to effect a recharge at a minimum.<br />
<br />
1. Manifold gauge set<br />
<br />
2. Cylinder of R600a refrigerant<br />
<br />
3. Valve for the cylinder<br />
<br />
4. Set of accurate scales suitable for the cylinder you buy.<br />
<br />
5. A service valve on the suction side of the compressor<br />
<br />
<br />
Ideally you would also have<br />
<br />
6. A vacuum pump to evacuate the system<br />
<br />
7. An accurate vacuum gauge<br />
<br />
8. A cylinder of nitrogen to purge the system<br />
<br />
9. A replacement filter/drier<br />
<br />
10. Lokring connectors and appropriate lokring tool or brazing equipment.<br />
<br />
<br />
In my case, I bought items 1-4 from eBay, and I used an old freezer compressor I salvaged as a vacuum pump – this is not really ideal, and is not suitable if your appliance has lost all of its refrigerant or you open it to the atmosphere by changing the filter/drier, a proper vacuum pump is necessary, and can be had for around £90 on eBay at the time of writing.<br />
<br />
I didn’t have items 7-10, but as there was still some pressure in my freezer, I figured the system would hopefully be reasonably clean, and I could always recharge it again later if I did need to vacuum it down properly.<br />
<br />
The freezer already had a service valve fitted, but if it didn’t, eBay had “line taps” available which would have served this purpose.<br />
<br />
The manifold gauge set I bought had two valves and 4 ports (2 ports on the middle connection) and came with three hoses (blue, yellow and red)<br />
The hoses have one end totally open, and the other end has a small metal pin in the middle, to press schrader valves open (which the service valves on the freezer are, so disconnection of the hose automatically seals the valve closed to stop the refrigerant escaping)<br />
<br />
== Diagnosis ==<br />
Firstly, I turned the freezer off, so the compressor was not running. The reason for this is, on an R600a system (and probably others) if the system is low on refrigerant, then the suction side will be pulling a vacuum, so if I connected a hose up with the compressor running, air in the hose would be pulled in, and would contaminate the system.<br />
<br />
I connected the open end of the blue hose to the blue side of the manifold (with the blue valve closed), and the other end of the blue hose to the suction side of the compressor in the freezer.<br />
My freezer also had a service port fitted to the high side of the compressor, having this helps with diagnosis, but is not absolutely necessary. I connected the red hose to the manifold gauge set with the open end of the hose, made sure the red valve was closed, then connected the other end to the high side of the compressor.<br />
<br />
My blue & red gauges then showed there was some pressure in the system – this reading is pretty meaningless, and will not tell you if it is low on refrigerant. As long as there is some refrigerant in liquid state, it will show the same reading regardless of the amount, if it shows zero on both (or a vacuum on the blue one) when the appliance has been off for a while then you either have a blockage somewhere, or the system is total empty, in which case, this is outside the scope of this guide at the moment.<br />
<br />
Now, we want to run the compressor to see what the pressures are doing when it is running, but first we need to purge the air out of the hoses that connects the manifold guage set to the appliance to prevent air being sucked in. I did this by simply opening each valve valve for a couple of seconds, but only do this in a ventilated area, as the refrigerant is highly flammable.<br />
Once purged, I closed the valves tightly and started the freezer.<br />
In my case, the blue gauge very quickly showed a vacuum of 20inhg (20 inches of mercury) on my gauge, and the red gauge showed an increase in pressure – this is a sign of either low refrigerant or a blockage somewhere.<br />
<br />
Now two things can cause a blockage, either contaminants in the refrigerant can physically block a pipe (usually the very thin pipe that is between the filter/drier and the evaporator inside the appliance) or contaminants like water in the refrigerant freezing and causing an ice plug somewhere.<br />
As the freezer had not been running, I ruled out the ice plug<br />
I then powered the freezer off to see if the low side would come out of vacuum – it did so quite quickly, so I ruled out a blockage, as this shows refrigerant is getting around the system (as I understand it, refrigerant can’t go backwards through the compressor, so it must have gone around the system and refilled the low side).<br />
<br />
So, I decided to proceed with refilling the system…<br />
<br />
== Emptying the old refrigerant ==<br />
As this freezer was using R600a, which is just pure butane, it is OK to release this into the atmosphere, as it is not harmful to the environment, if you are attempting this on a different refrigerant, you may need to reclaim the old refrigerant, rather than just letting it out, as it is an offense to let some types of refrigerant out into the atmosphere, but his is outside the scope of this guide.<br />
<br />
As I only had three hoses, I disconnected the red hose (from the freezer end first!) then connected the valve opening end (the end with a pin in it) of the red hose to the second tap of the middle connection on the manifold (which has a Schrader valve) and the other end of the red hose to free air (R600a is flammable, so it needs to vent outside)<br />
I connected the yellow hose to the bottom connector of the middle port of the manifold, and the other end to the cylinder valve, with the cylinder valve off (There is a pin that when the valve is turned clockwise, extends into the cylinder to operate a small valve built into the cylinder, so this needs to be all the way inside the valve, not sticking down past the seal inside) and screwed the cylinder valve to the top of the R600a cylinder (otherwise refrigerant will come out here)<br />
With the free end of the red hose out the window, I then opened the blue tap to let out the gas that was in the freezer, when it stopped hissing and the gauges showed zero I closed the blue valve, then let a small amount of R600a out of the cylinder (less than a second) to purge the yellow hose of air, then connected the free red hose to the vacuum pump (suction side of a reclaimed freezer compressor in my case).<br />
<br />
Then I turned on the vacuum pump and opened the blue valve, and left it sucking for about 30 minutes.<br />
With the vacuum pump still running I turned off the blue valve and then disconnected the red hose (it connects to a self-closing Schrader valve on the manifold)<br />
<br />
This then left me with all the connected hoses and the freezer pipework under vacuum. I left it like this for about 30 minutes, and it was still showing the same vacuum, so if there is a leak, it isn't a big one! It would have been better to use a full range vacuum gauge, rather than the one on the manifold (which only has a very small range), to get a more accurate idea of any pressure increase, but I didn’t have one.<br />
<br />
== Charging the system ==<br />
I then placed the R600a cylinder on the scales, and hung the manifold in a way so the cylinder wasn't wanting to tip over, and the weight of the hose was constant, basically the hose came out of the bottom of the manifold, didn’t touch anything else and went straight to the cylinder valve. This is important to get an accurate reading on the scales.<br />
<br />
With the cylinder on the scales upright (so the refrigerant enters the system in vapour, not liquid state), I then opened the valve on the cylinder and zeroed the scales. (Refrigerant was not flowing into the freezer yet, as the valves on the manifold gauge set were closed, so only the yellow hose has some refrigerant in now, which I heard as the valve opened on the cylinder.)<br />
I then turned the freezer on, and when I heard the compressor kick in, I opened the blue valve to let the compressor pump the gas into the freezer.<br />
<br />
The data plate on the freezer states it takes 54g of R600a, so I watched as the scales slowly climb up - when it got to about 32g, the scales auto-powered off, so I quickly turned the blue valve off, (I also connected the red hose to the red side of the manifold and the other end to the high side of the compressor - this wasn't really necessary, I just wanted to see what the pressure was showing on the high side when the compressor was running, I also warmed the cylinder up a bit, as the rate of flow had been trailing off because the cylinder was getting really cold) I then reset the scales, and carried on.<br />
<br />
When I had put 54g in, I shut the blue valve.<br />
I then put a bit more in (5g), to allow for some refrigerant in the hoses, and I had read about the suction side should read around 0 when it is full, and as it was still pulling a bit of a vacuum, I put some more in. I am not 100% sure about this part, and figured I could just let some out, plus I suspect it has a very slow leak. Total that left the cylinder was 60g in my case.<br />
<br />
I noticed immediately the condenser on the back was now getting hot at the top (and then noticed it was also getting hot around the door seal) the digital thermometer that was in the freezer was also dropping nicely, so I put a couple of partially filled and partially collapsed (to allow for expatiation when it froze) plastic bottles of water in the freezer, which it refused to freeze before and closed the door.<br />
<br />
== Disconnecting ==<br />
Now I needed to disconnect the gauges, and as the low side could still be pulling a bit of a vacuum, I powered the freezer off to prevent any air being sucked in as I disconnected it, the blue gauge then started to rise well above zero, and the high side started to fall, which is expected. I then disconnected the blue hose from the freezer (so the Schrader valve closed and refrigerant didn't escape, which would have happened if I disconnected it from the manifold end first, then disconnected the red hose from the freezer (the red hose had a small amount of liquid refrigerant in, which spat out when it was disconnected, I expected that. I replaced the caps on the service valve tightly (they have a seal in them, in case the Schrader valve leaks) and then turned the freezer back on (it took a while for the compressor to start, as there is a delay built into the freezer to stop the compressor being stated and stopped too often, it think it took around 15-20 minutes to kick back into life.<br />
<br />
== Results ==<br />
I left the freezer running on the super freeze setting (the manual states to do this when stating from a warm start) and when I went back to check it a few hours later, the thermometer was at -16c and the water bottles were solid – I left it on super freeze and left it for a few more hours, and when I checked it, the thermometer was at -22, so I turned off the super freeze function, and set the thermostat to the “i-care” setting, which seems to translate to around -19C<br />
<br />
The next day, it was sitting at -18.5C when I looked in the morning, and -19C later on that day.<br />
At the time of writing it has now been on for about 60 hours, and is showing -20C right now.<br />
I had bought a temperature data logger (eBay!) for a different application (a fridge/freezer in a tenants flat was freezing things in the fridge, which a replacement thermostat fixed) so I put that in my freezer, and the results are HERE, which look OK to me (not sure what happened on the morning of the 8th to make the temperature vary like it did though)<br />
<br />
<br />
== End Note ==<br />
I am not a refrigeration engineer so I may not have done this correctly, but after reading up on it for quite a bit, I think I did a fair job, a proper vac pump would have been ideal, but I figured the system should be pretty clean as it was still under some pressure, and I figured the old freezer compressor I had would do in this case. Ideally the filter/dryer should be replaced, but I don't have any brazing or lokring tools to do this - The Lokring stuff looks really easy to use, but expensive compared to brazing rods and a mapp gas torch. I would also want to purge the lot with nitrogen if I brazed anything on it too, both before and after brazing, as the refrigerant is flammable and I don't have any nitrogen either...<br />
<br />
If you use an old compressor as a vac pump like I did, the output tends to spit oil, I found this out when I fired it up on my desk inside, which wasn't the best place to do spray oil everywhere in hindsight (the fact I had moved the compressor 5 minutes before probably increased the amount it spat out too), so to overcome this, I connected a few meters of clear pipe to the output, and scrunched up a tissue and tied it to the end, this seemed to do the trick. The oil sprays up the pipe to start with (I kept almost all of it vertical), but as the other end is then under vacuum, quite quickly the oil just ran back down into the compressor as there isn't any air blowing out the port.<br />
<br />
If you have any comments or suggestion as to the final suction pressure, please post to news:\\uk.d-i-y</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Networking&diff=2129Networking2007-01-18T01:28:18Z<p>Sparks: </p>
<hr />
<div>This is a page about computer networking '''**In Progress!**'''<br />
<br />
== Introduction ==<br />
The aim of this, is to guide you though the different options open to you when creating a computer network. This may be connecting two computers together, or connecting hundreds together.<br />
<br />
== Before You Buy Anything ==<br />
Don't just go to PC World and pick up the first or cheapest thing you see, there are various decisions you need to make first in order to create the perfect network for you.<br />
<br />
== The Basics ==<br />
The simplest form of a computer network is two computers connected together.<br />
With this, you can share files, printers and even an internet connection!<br />
You could have a computer in the study, and the kids could have one in their room, connecting the two together would mean the kids can print their homework out, without you having to invest in another printer, or maybe you have a black and white laser printer in the study, and a photo quality one in the kids room, networking the two machines together will mean you can print to either printer, from either computer.<br />
<br />
== Types of network ==<br />
The two main types of networking are wired and wireless.<br />
Just because you start with one, does not mean you can't then have the other, they co-exist perfectly! in fact, they are totally transparent to one another, one computer on a wired connection can happily talk to another on a wireless connection in the same network (if it is all set up correctly, of course!)<br />
<br />
=== Wired ===<br />
==== Network Adaptors ====<br />
Firstly, you will need to make sure all your computers have a network adaptor.<br />
<br />
This can be in to form of an internal card, or an external adaptor, usually connected to the USB port.<br />
<br />
===== Internal Cards =====<br />
An internal card is the best form of network adaptor to use, they are more reliable than external USB adaptors, but do require you to open the computer to install one.<br />
<br />
These are becoming more commonly supplied built in to new computers, you need to look for a port on the back like the second connector on the top row here<br />
[[Image:Networking_atx_cover_plate.gif]]<br />
<br />
There is a smaller connector that is very similar, this is a modem connection, for connecting the computer to the telephone line, this is NOT the same.<br />
<br />
A Modem connection will have either 2 or 4 little gold contacts inside, a network connection will have 8.<br />
<br />
Plugging a telephone line into a network connection will damage it (as the telephone connector is smaller, it will fit in the larger network socket - don't do it!<br />
<br />
If you don't have this connection, you may have one installed as an add-on card, you are basically looking for the same 8 pinned connector shown on the picture above.<br />
<br />
If you can't find one, all is not lost, adding one is fairly easy.<br />
<br />
The best way to add a network socket, is to install a new card inside your PC.<br />
This will require you to take the side/top off the machine.<br />
If you are happy to do this, then you need to make sure you have a spare PCI slot in the computer.<br />
<br />
First thing to do is shut-down the PC.<br />
Once the PC is off, you need to take the side or top of the machine, as there are so many types of computer case, I won't go into this here.<br />
<br />
Once you get the side off, you should see the motherboard (the large board that everything connects to)<br />
<br />
On this motherboard, you will (hopefully!) see some (usually white) slots like this.<br />
<br />
[[Image:Networking_PCI_Slots.jpg]]<br />
<br />
You can see, one of the white PCI slots already has a card in, the other one is empty.<br />
If you can see an empty one, then you can add a PCI network card!<br />
<br />
Now you need to check what type of card you need, the smaller computers usually use half height cards, the larger use full height (the normal type)<br />
<br />
If you look at the picture below, this is a full height card.<br />
<br />
[[Image:Networking_PCI_Card.jpg]]<br />
<br />
The height of the metal plate to the right should be about 12cms, some of this plate will go below the main board, so the hole in the back of the PC will be about 10cms.<br />
<br />
If you have a half height card, the plate will be about 8cms and the hole about 6cms.</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Networking&diff=2128Networking2007-01-18T01:26:30Z<p>Sparks: </p>
<hr />
<div>This is a page about computer networking.<br />
<br />
== Introduction ==<br />
The aim of this, is to guide you though the different options open to you when creating a computer network. This may be connecting two computers together, or connecting hundreds together.<br />
<br />
== Before You Buy Anything ==<br />
Don't just go to PC World and pick up the first or cheapest thing you see, there are various decisions you need to make first in order to create the perfect network for you.<br />
<br />
== The Basics ==<br />
The simplest form of a computer network is two computers connected together.<br />
With this, you can share files, printers and even an internet connection!<br />
You could have a computer in the study, and the kids could have one in their room, connecting the two together would mean the kids can print their homework out, without you having to invest in another printer, or maybe you have a black and white laser printer in the study, and a photo quality one in the kids room, networking the two machines together will mean you can print to either printer, from either computer.<br />
<br />
== Types of network ==<br />
The two main types of networking are wired and wireless.<br />
Just because you start with one, does not mean you can't then have the other, they co-exist perfectly! in fact, they are totally transparent to one another, one computer on a wired connection can happily talk to another on a wireless connection in the same network (if it is all set up correctly, of course!)<br />
<br />
=== Wired ===<br />
==== Network Adaptors ====<br />
Firstly, you will need to make sure all your computers have a network adaptor.<br />
<br />
This can be in to form of an internal card, or an external adaptor, usually connected to the USB port.<br />
<br />
===== Internal Cards =====<br />
An internal card is the best form of network adaptor to use, they are more reliable than external USB adaptors, but do require you to open the computer to install one.<br />
<br />
These are becoming more commonly supplied built in to new computers, you need to look for a port on the back like the second connector on the top row here<br />
[[Image:Networking_atx_cover_plate.gif]]<br />
<br />
There is a smaller connector that is very similar, this is a modem connection, for connecting the computer to the telephone line, this is NOT the same.<br />
<br />
A Modem connection will have either 2 or 4 little gold contacts inside, a network connection will have 8.<br />
<br />
Plugging a telephone line into a network connection will damage it (as the telephone connector is smaller, it will fit in the larger network socket - don't do it!<br />
<br />
If you don't have this connection, you may have one installed as an add-on card, you are basically looking for the same 8 pinned connector shown on the picture above.<br />
<br />
If you can't find one, all is not lost, adding one is fairly easy.<br />
<br />
The best way to add a network socket, is to install a new card inside your PC.<br />
This will require you to take the side/top off the machine.<br />
If you are happy to do this, then you need to make sure you have a spare PCI slot in the computer.<br />
<br />
First thing to do is shut-down the PC.<br />
Once the PC is off, you need to take the side or top of the machine, as there are so many types of computer case, I won't go into this here.<br />
<br />
Once you get the side off, you should see the motherboard (the large board that everything connects to)<br />
<br />
On this motherboard, you will (hopefully!) see some (usually white) slots like this.<br />
<br />
[[Image:Networking_PCI_Slots.jpg]]<br />
<br />
You can see, one of the white PCI slots already has a card in, the other one is empty.<br />
If you can see an empty one, then you can add a PCI network card!<br />
<br />
Now you need to check what type of card you need, the smaller computers usually use half height cards, the larger use full height (the normal type)<br />
<br />
If you look at the picture below, this is a full height card.<br />
<br />
[[Image:Networking_PCI_Card.jpg]]<br />
<br />
The height of the metal plate to the right should be about 12cms, some of this plate will go below the main board, so the hole in the back of the PC will be about 10cms.<br />
<br />
If you have a half height card, the plate will be about 8cms and the hole about 6cms.</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Networking&diff=2127Networking2007-01-18T01:22:01Z<p>Sparks: /* Two Computers */</p>
<hr />
<div>This is a page about computer networking.<br />
<br />
== Introduction ==<br />
The aim of this, is to guide you though the different options open to you when creating a computer network. This may be connecting two computers together, or connecting hundreds together.<br />
<br />
== Before You Buy Anything ==<br />
Don't just go to PC World and pick up the first or cheapest thing you see, there are various decisions you need to make first in order to create the perfect network for you.<br />
<br />
== The Basics ==<br />
The simplest form of a computer network is two computers connected together.<br />
With this, you can share files, printers and even an internet connection!<br />
You could have a computer in the study, and the kids could have one in their room, connecting the two together would mean the kids can print their homework out, without you having to invest in another printer, or maybe you have a black and white laser printer in the study, and a photo quality one in the kids room, networking the two machines together will mean you can print to either printer, from either computer.<br />
<br />
== Types of network ==<br />
The two main types of networking are wired and wireless.<br />
Just because you start with one, does not mean you can't then have the other, they co-exist perfectly! in fact, they are totally transparent to one another, one computer on a wired connection can happily talk to another on a wireless connection in the same network (if it is all set up correctly, of course!)<br />
<br />
=== Wired ===<br />
==== Two Computers ====<br />
The easiest network to set up is a two computer wired network.<br />
You will need to make sure both your computers have a network card installed, these are becoming more commonly supplied built in to new computers, you need to look for a port on the back like the second connector on the top row here<br />
[[Image:Networking_atx_cover_plate.gif]]<br />
<br />
There is a smaller connector that is very simalar, this is a modem connection, fo connecting the computer to the telephone line, this is NOT the same.<br />
<br />
A Modem connection will have either 2 or 4 little gold contacts inside, a network connection will have 8.<br />
<br />
Plugging a telephone line into a network connection will damage it (as the telephone connector is smaller, it will fit in the larger network socket - don't do it!<br />
<br />
If you don't have this connection, you may have one installed as an add-on card, you are basically looking for the same 8 pinned connector shown on the picture above.<br />
<br />
If you can't find one, all is not lost, adding one is fairly easy.<br />
<br />
The best way to add a network socket, is to install a new card inside your PC.<br />
This will require you to take the side/top off the machine.<br />
If you are happy to do this, then you need to make sure you have a spare PCI slot in the computer.<br />
<br />
First thing to do is shut-down the PC.<br />
Once the PC is off, you need to take the side or top of the machine, as there are so many types of computer case, I won't go into this here.<br />
<br />
Once you get the side off, you should see the motherboard (the large board that everything connects to)<br />
<br />
On this motherboard, you will (hopefully!) see some (usually white) slots like this.<br />
<br />
[[Image:Networking_PCI_Slots.jpg]]<br />
<br />
You can see, one of the white PCI slots already has a card in, the other one is empty.<br />
If you can see an empty one, then you can add a PCI network card!<br />
<br />
Now you need to check what type of card you need, the smaller computers usually use half height cards, the larger use full height (the normal type)<br />
<br />
If you look at the picture below, this is a full height card.<br />
<br />
[[Image:Networking_PCI_Card.jpg]]<br />
<br />
The height of the metal plate to the right should be about 12cms, some of this plate will go below the main board, so the hole in the back of the PC will be about 10cms.<br />
<br />
If you have a half height card, the plate will be about 8cms and the hole about 6cms.</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=File:Networking_PCI_Card.jpg&diff=2126File:Networking PCI Card.jpg2007-01-18T01:17:08Z<p>Sparks: Computer PCI Card - Full Height</p>
<hr />
<div>Computer PCI Card - Full Height</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=File:Networking_PCI_Slots.jpg&diff=2125File:Networking PCI Slots.jpg2007-01-18T01:04:35Z<p>Sparks: PC PCI Slots</p>
<hr />
<div>PC PCI Slots</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Networking&diff=2124Networking2007-01-18T00:57:51Z<p>Sparks: /* Two Computers */</p>
<hr />
<div>This is a page about computer networking.<br />
<br />
== Introduction ==<br />
The aim of this, is to guide you though the different options open to you when creating a computer network. This may be connecting two computers together, or connecting hundreds together.<br />
<br />
== Before You Buy Anything ==<br />
Don't just go to PC World and pick up the first or cheapest thing you see, there are various decisions you need to make first in order to create the perfect network for you.<br />
<br />
== The Basics ==<br />
The simplest form of a computer network is two computers connected together.<br />
With this, you can share files, printers and even an internet connection!<br />
You could have a computer in the study, and the kids could have one in their room, connecting the two together would mean the kids can print their homework out, without you having to invest in another printer, or maybe you have a black and white laser printer in the study, and a photo quality one in the kids room, networking the two machines together will mean you can print to either printer, from either computer.<br />
<br />
== Types of network ==<br />
The two main types of networking are wired and wireless.<br />
Just because you start with one, does not mean you can't then have the other, they co-exist perfectly! in fact, they are totally transparent to one another, one computer on a wired connection can happily talk to another on a wireless connection in the same network (if it is all set up correctly, of course!)<br />
<br />
=== Wired ===<br />
==== Two Computers ====<br />
The easiest network to set up is a two computer wired network.<br />
You will need to make sure both your computers have a network card installed, these are becoming more commonly supplied built in to new computers, you need to look for a port on the back like the second connector on the top row here<br />
[[Image:Networking_atx_cover_plate.gif]]<br />
<br />
There is a smaller connector that is very simalar, this is a modem connection, fo connecting the computer to the telephone line, this is NOT the same.<br />
<br />
A Modem connection will have either 2 or 4 little gold contacts inside, a network connection will have 8.<br />
<br />
Plugging a telephone line into a network connection will damage it (as the telephone connector is smaller, it will fit in the larger network socket - don't do it!<br />
<br />
If you don't have this connection, you may have one installed as an add-on card, you are basically looking for the same 8 pinned connector shown on the picture above.<br />
<br />
If you can't find one, all is not lost, adding one is fairly easy.</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Networking&diff=2123Networking2007-01-18T00:52:54Z<p>Sparks: </p>
<hr />
<div>This is a page about computer networking.<br />
<br />
== Introduction ==<br />
The aim of this, is to guide you though the different options open to you when creating a computer network. This may be connecting two computers together, or connecting hundreds together.<br />
<br />
== Before You Buy Anything ==<br />
Don't just go to PC World and pick up the first or cheapest thing you see, there are various decisions you need to make first in order to create the perfect network for you.<br />
<br />
== The Basics ==<br />
The simplest form of a computer network is two computers connected together.<br />
With this, you can share files, printers and even an internet connection!<br />
You could have a computer in the study, and the kids could have one in their room, connecting the two together would mean the kids can print their homework out, without you having to invest in another printer, or maybe you have a black and white laser printer in the study, and a photo quality one in the kids room, networking the two machines together will mean you can print to either printer, from either computer.<br />
<br />
== Types of network ==<br />
The two main types of networking are wired and wireless.<br />
Just because you start with one, does not mean you can't then have the other, they co-exist perfectly! in fact, they are totally transparent to one another, one computer on a wired connection can happily talk to another on a wireless connection in the same network (if it is all set up correctly, of course!)<br />
<br />
=== Wired ===<br />
==== Two Computers ====<br />
The easiest network to set up is a two computer wired network.<br />
You will need to make sure both your computers have a network card installed, these are becoming more commonly supplied built in to new computers, you need to look for a port on the back like the second connector on the top row here<br />
[[Image:Networking_atx_cover_plate.gif]]</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=File:Networking_atx_cover_plate.gif&diff=2122File:Networking atx cover plate.gif2007-01-18T00:51:53Z<p>Sparks: Picture of an computer backplate (ATX)</p>
<hr />
<div>Picture of an computer backplate (ATX)</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Networking&diff=2121Networking2007-01-18T00:47:19Z<p>Sparks: </p>
<hr />
<div>This is a page about computer networking.<br />
<br />
== Introduction ==<br />
The aim of this, is to guide you though the different options open to you when creating a computer network. This may be connecting two computers together, or connecting hundreds together.<br />
<br />
== Before You Buy Anything ==<br />
Don't just go to PC World and pick up the first or cheapest thing you see, there are various decisions you need to make first in order to create the perfect network for you.<br />
<br />
== The Basics ==<br />
The simplest form of a computer network is two computers connected together.<br />
With this, you can share files, printers and even an internet connection!<br />
You could have a computer in the study, and the kids could have one in their room, connecting the two together would mean the kids can print their homework out, without you having to invest in another printer, or maybe you have a black and white laser printer in the study, and a photo quality one in the kids room, networking the two machines together will mean you can print to either printer, from either computer.<br />
<br />
== Types of network ==<br />
The two main types of networking are wired and wireless.<br />
Just because you start with one, does not mean you can't then have the other, they co-exist perfectly! in fact, they are totally transparent to one another, one computer on a wired connection can happily talk to another on a wireless connection in the same network (if it is all set up correctly, of course!)<br />
<br />
=== Wired ===<br />
==== Two Computers ====<br />
The easiest network to set up is a two computer wired network.<br />
You will need to make sure both your computers have a network card installed, these are becoming more commonly supplied built in to new computers, you need to look for a port on the back like this</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Routing&diff=2118Routing2007-01-18T00:19:48Z<p>Sparks: </p>
<hr />
<div>=This is a Disambiguation page=<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Network Routing]]<br />
<br />
Computer [[Networking]]<br />
<br />
Wood Routing<br />
<br />
Electrical Cable Routing<br />
<br />
Routers, power tools</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Routing&diff=2117Routing2007-01-18T00:17:54Z<p>Sparks: /* This is a Disambiguation page */</p>
<hr />
<div>=This is a Disambiguation page=<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Network Routing]]<br />
<br />
[[Networking]]<br />
<br />
Wood Routing<br />
<br />
Electrical Cable Routing<br />
<br />
Routers, power tools</div>Sparkshttps://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Networking&diff=2116Networking2007-01-18T00:16:41Z<p>Sparks: </p>
<hr />
<div>This is a page about computer networking.<br />
<br />
== Wired ==<br />
<br />
== Wireless ==</div>Sparks