Many commercial cooling and chilling systems have to run 24 hours a day. As a result, they take a lot of wear and tear over the years, and it’s important to understand basic refrigeration system troubleshooting. These helpful tips can make it easier to find problems so you may avoid needless downtime. Here are some common issues with solutions.
Improper Cooling – Coils
If you’re in the food processing business, you can’t afford to have temperatures above a certain level. In fact, it is a major issue. When you notice the unit is not cold enough check to see if there are any problems with the condenser coils. Something as simple as dirty coils can cause the refrigerant to get too warm, and it can’t condense back into a liquid. Also, while checking the condenser coils, look to see if the condenser fan works.
Next, check the evaporator coils to see if water is draining properly. Look for signs of ice on the coils. Icy coils are sometimes caused by clogged drains but can also indicate other problems in the evaporator system like fans or evaporator thermostats. If both evaporator and condenser units seem fine, check for other refrigeration system troubleshooting problems.
Door Seals
For walk-in coolers, check the seals and make sure they are in good shape. Leaky seals can cause a cooler to lose efficiency.
Compressor
Check to see if the compressor is hotter than normal. If the coils and drain system as clear and the compressor is kicking out on overload, you could have a problem with the compressor.
Motors
Check blower and condenser motors to see if they start-up. If not, check capacitors and other components like fuses or breakers. These are just a few common refrigeration system troubleshooting tips. To make sure your unit stays in good shape, call your refrigeration experts for a cleaning and inspection.
