THE SOURCE

pressure controls in the condenser electrical panel for controlling fan motor operation. The high side might also include a heat reclaim coil or hot water reclaim tank. Follow the same procedure leak checking the heat reclaim coil as stated with the condenser. While it might not seem a high priority to check the piping, it’s not unheard of for a pipe to experience vibration induced stress cracks or wear due to a loosened clamp allowing the pipe to vibrate against the strut, wearing a hole in the pipe. • Now, the low side of the system. This requires a trip to the display cases on the sales floor and various W/I boxes in each department. If it’s a gas defrost system, running the system through a defrost cycle will elevate the pressure and make leak detection easier. If not, then shut the entire system down and allow the low side pressure to rise to higher than operational levels. For display cases, running the electronic leak detector probe in the discharge air will sense any refrigerant that might be present. If this proves positive, then it becomes necessary to remove any product from the display case and inspect the TEV, check valves if a gas defrost system, solenoid valves (if present), and yes….Schrader valves for checking pressure to determine superheat. Using soap bubbles to check each valve joint, connection, etc. will help to precisely locate the leak. This procedure needs to be repeated for each display case and

W/I box evaporator. • If the store piping is routed underground, then it’s recommended to locate the point of penetration and “sniff” with a detector there too. While underground leaks aren’t the more common causes of refrigerant leaks, they are always a possibility. If an underground leak is suspected, the best way to prove/disprove a leak is to isolate the underground portion and pressurize it with nitrogen overnight. If the pressure remains the same, then there is no leak.

Interesting side note: one supermarket chain I visited surveyed where they experienced leaks in their stores. After tabulating data for over a year, they found the most common culprits were loose/missing Schrader valve caps and loose/ missing TEV adjustment caps—all easily preventable.

Another chain I worked with, which had in-house service technicians, decided to implement a quarterly leak inspection in each store, and after a year they reduced their refrigerant consumption by a whopping 75%.

A final thought: we all know refrigerant leaks are expensive, and we all know refrigerant prices will continue to rise, and we are all aware of the environmental concerns regarding refrigerant leaks. And, finally, it has been proven that a PM program will result in drastically reducing refrigerant leaks. So, I ask this question, the same question asked by Sean Connery’s character Malone in the movie “The Untouchables” as he is dying after receiving multiple gunshot wounds from a tommy gun—he says to Elliot Ness (in reference to bringing Al Capone to justice), “What are you prepared to do?” <>

Dave Demma holds a degree in refrigeration engineering and worked as a journeyman refrigeration technician before moving into the manufacturing sector where he regularly trains contractor and engineering groups. He can be reached at ddemma@uri.com.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE

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