While troubleshooting or installing refrigeration systems using a thermostatic expansion valve, it is a relatively common task to measure the superheat value of the refrigerant leaving the evaporator. However, there is a major consideration when using this measurement to analyze the operation of a system.
Actually, frost on the suction line only indicates that at the location where the frost is present, the suction line piping is below the dew point temperature of the surrounding ambient air and at or below 32°F. That’s it. It is neither an indication of a properly operating system nor a system defect.
