Refrigerant floodback occurs when liquid refrigerant enters the compressor’s crankcase during the running cycle. Refrigerant floodback will dilute the compressor’s oil with liquid refrigerant, which will cause oil foaming in the crankcase, washing the bearings clean of their lubricating oil.
New from Fieldpiece is the lightest weight digital recovery machine in the market. Capable of recovering both liquid and vapor refrigerant, the MR45 is faster and smoother when pulling.
Determining that a compressor has failed on a refrigeration system is normally a relatively simple procedure. But, discovering why the original compressor failed may not be as simple.
There are times when low evaporator heat loads, just ended defrost periods, failing or misadjusted mechanical valves, or simply lack of system maintenance can cause compressor floodback. If there is no way to prevent these periods of liquid floodback to the compressor, a suction line accumulator is needed on the system.
Many service technicians believe that frost on a suction line or on the compressor’s head itself indicates there is liquid refrigerant coming back to the compressor. Is this really true?