Heat pump tumble dryer regas

[Shagreobe]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

If both the large (suction) and the smaller (discharge) lines are the same temperature, then most likely you are out of refrigerant. Look around all of the copper lines, especially the soldered/welded joints for an oily residue, thats where your leak is.
Be very careful if you connect gauges to it. Refrigerant burns are not fun.
Can you post a picture of the machines data plate? that tells alot of information.

[notallbad]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

There doesnt appear to be any kind of oily residue anywhere and all joints seem to look good.

Of course, safety gloves will be worn.

Photo of data plate and machine data attached.

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

Before you break into the sealed system do you have an amp meter check the amperage on the compressor check all three wires and posted your results

Check and see if there is an electrical data plate on this unit and if so please take a picture of it

[notallbad]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

ok shall get those readings as soon as I can meanwhile photo of compressor plate data

[notallbad]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

I have 2 amp meters both give slightly differing readings
meter 1
Black - 1.6a
Red - 0.8a
White - 0.9a

meter 2
Black - 1.6a
Red - 0.98a
White - 0.98a

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

This looks about right for this size compressor and considering that it is being used as a dehumidifier setup the idea is to remove the humidity from the air and the air coming from the condenser is going to be a little warm and this should be normal but the humidity in the air coming out of condenser should be a lot dryer than what was going in

Depending on how much humidity is in the air where you live might determine weather or you condensation coming from the evaporator coil

This is how this dryer works if it is designed correctly the moisture in the cloth that goes in the dryer should become dry now with it take longer than a gas dryer possibly but do not compare the two on how fast they dry cloths

The correct way to measure the temperature of the condenser and evaporator coil is use a electronic thermometer with temperature sensors that you actually put on the copper pipe line and measure the temperature

There might be a problem with the system but it going be a little bit difficult to determine with this said the the next time you run the system put the amp probe on the compressor wire that has over one amp reading but this time run it with the fan running and see if there is a difference in the amount of amperage

The other thing I would like you to do is when the compressor is running after a couple of minutes turn off the compressor and then turn it right back on dose the compressor start right back up or dose it hum and dose not start up if it does not restart then do the same test again but this time leave it off for at least a minute and see if it will restart if not wait another minute and see if it restart ( one note do not leave it until the temperature over load trips the purpose of this test is a way to determine if the system is very low on Freon or if the system is a little bit restricted or not )

Now if the compressor restart right after you turn it off and right back on then either it is very low on Freon or the compressor has an issue with pumping the Freon and bring the system pressure where it should be in this situation you will need to use gauges to determine what the issue is

One other thing you can try is when you first turn the unit on when it has been off for many hours when you turn it on feel the bottom of compressor does the compressor feel very cold or does it get warm to hot very quickly and never get cold if so it might be very low on Freon feel the bottom of the compressor until the compressor gets warm until you can not leave your hand on it but time how long this takes because this will tell more of what is going with the system

[notallbad]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

quote "One other thing you can try is when you first turn the unit on when it has been off for many hours when you turn it on feel the bottom of compressor does the compressor feel very cold or does it get warm to hot very quickly and never get cold if so it might be very low on Freon feel the bottom of the compressor until the compressor gets warm until you can not leave your hand on it but time how long this takes because this will tell more of what is going with the system"

Wouldnt say it feels very cold after being sat for several hours.

Approx after around 15 minutes of running it becomes uncomfortable to touch for more than 5 secs, it continues to be like this until up to around an hour when its more like 3 secs.

[notallbad]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

quote "
There might be a problem with the system but it going be a little bit difficult to determine with this said the the next time you run the system put the amp probe on the compressor wire that has over one amp reading but this time run it with the fan running and see if there is a difference in the amount of amperage"

with the machine re-assembled the amps on the black wire (common) reads around 0.98a.

Being reassembled there is air flow across the evaporator/condenser.
The fan that blows air across the compressor doesnt come on even after being on for an hour.

[notallbad]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

quote"
The other thing I would like you to do is when the compressor is running after a couple of minutes turn off the compressor and then turn it right back on dose the compressor start right back up or dose it hum and dose not start up if it does not restart then do the same test again but this time leave it off for at least a minute and see if it will restart if not wait another minute and see if it restart ( one note do not leave it until the temperature over load trips the purpose of this test is a way to determine if the system is very low on Freon or if the system is a little bit restricted or not )"

With it reassembled if I pause it then restart it the compressor takes 1 minute to start up again. This may be to do with the control board so think this test with the control board connected/controlling the compressor is inconclusive at the moment.

[notallbad]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

quote"Now if the compressor restart right after you turn it off and right back on then either it is very low on Freon or the compressor has an issue with pumping the Freon and bring the system pressure where it should be in this situation you will need to use gauges to determine what the issue is"

Ok so this test with the compressor standalone, i.e disconnected from the control board and directly connected to 230v ac via the start cap it does indeed start right back up after running for 2 minutes.

What gauges/setup would you recommend getting?

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

Something like this would be preferable because it has the pressure temperature chart on the garages for 134A

https://www.amazon.com/Diagnostic-Ma...1zcF9tdGY&th=1

You would also need some of these as well ( but make sure that you remove the value before you braze them in place )

https://www.amazon.com/gohantee-10PC...a-815245751459


You would also need someone that knows how braze copper tubing as well
You would also need access to a vacuum pump for refrigeration would be preferable as well
You need access to some type of leak detector to know where the leak is
You will need access to nitrogen to boost the system pressure to around 350 psi this is to aid in the leak detection with the use of a leak detector

Your evaporator temperature should not be lower than 40*F otherwise you will ice up the evaporator coil

I hope this helps you with getting this device repaired

One note ( if you want to quote something please use the quote button and just delete what you do not want to quote ) it makes it much easier to read the section that you are commenting about thanks

[petehall347]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

been following this post and it makes me happy that i have a washing line . or rather hang up inside and put the dehumidifier on .
i dont know your area but some people buy broken clothes driers and that money could go towards a new one .

[notallbad]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

been following this post and it makes me happy that i have a washing line . or rather hang up inside and put the dehumidifier on .
i dont know your area but some people buy broken clothes driers and that money could go towards a new one .

But we are a family of 7 and having clothes lying around drying would be like living in a clothes shop.

Why let someone else have all the fun!

I was offered £20 for it and that wouldnt go far towards a new replacement, a secondhand unit possibly but then theres the possibility it wont last long unless you can find an honest seller. So many crooks about selling rubbish.

[notallbad]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

Something like this would be preferable because it has the pressure temperature chart on the garages for 134A

https://www.amazon.com/Diagnostic-Ma...1zcF9tdGY&th=1

You would also need some of these as well ( but make sure that you remove the value before you braze them in place )

https://www.amazon.com/gohantee-10PC...a-815245751459


You would also need someone that knows how braze copper tubing as well
You would also need access to a vacuum pump for refrigeration would be preferable as well
You need access to some type of leak detector to know where the leak is
You will need access to nitrogen to boost the system pressure to around 350 psi this is to aid in the leak detection with the use of a leak detector

Your evaporator temperature should not be lower than 40*F otherwise you will ice up the evaporator coil

I hope this helps you with getting this device repaired

One note ( if you want to quote something please use the quote button and just delete what you do not want to quote ) it makes it much easier to read the section that you are commenting about thanks

Thanks.

Would I be correct in saying that the refrigerant would need recovering first with a bullet piercing valve on the low side, then remove the bullet piercing valve and replace with a brazed valve whilst also brazing a valve on the high side, to then hold vacuum on the low side for 30 mins or so before then replenishing the refrigerant at the correct pressure/temperature.

[notallbad]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

How does this system differ to that of a cars/automobiles air con system? These generally require topping up or replacing every 2 years or so and not due to system failures but just part of a maintenance procedure.

What I'm really getting at I guess is that this dryer is 4/5 years old so would it not just likely be a case of needing similar maintenance/top-up as an aircon on a car?

Of course, doing a pressure test would eliminate any leak faults and save on the cost of wasting refrigerant but the nitrogen for a ptessure test would probably be far more expensive if even available to joe bloggs and a vacuum test would highlight any major leaks of concern.

[diif]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

Did it stop drying gradually or was it quick ?

[notallbad]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

Did it stop drying gradually or was it quick ?

History of the dryer is unknown.

If it were sudden I would imagine there would be obvious signs of refrigerant leaked and a vacuum test would show this up which is yet to be done.

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

You can do a vacuum test but let be clear it not as good as a pressure test with nitrogen as the boost the system pressure but if this dryer is 4 or 5 years old there is a good possibility that it might be a restriction in the cap tube or the filter dryer if you do not any leaks but your system pressures will verify if it is a restriction issue because you will not be able to get the pressure correct

[notallbad]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

What is this part thats connected directly to the bottom of the compressor? Which is on the low side.

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Heat pump tumble dryer regas

What is this part thats connected directly to the bottom of the compressor? Which is on the low side.

The part you are referring to is known as the “ accumulator ” ( where the RED arrow is located at ) this is used so that it you still have some liquid refrigerant still in the suction line still has a chance to turn into a gas and not damage the compressor

To answer your second question I have answered it with where the low side and where the high side of the system and where the filter dryer and where the accumulator is located at and that is where you would want to put your value at

I caution you that not knowing weather or not it is that the system is low on refrigerant or is restricted or you have a compressor issue you need to know what the high side and low side pressures are in the system when the compressor is running ( you can not assume that it is low on refrigerant without knowing what the system pressures are when adding refrigerant to the system because if it restricted you can easily add a lot of refrigerant in the system and not know it if you are not careful it has happened to me before I have been doing air conditioning and refrigeration for many years and depending on how much it is restricted sometimes it can fool you and it being that the metering device is a cap-tube this is more likely to happen )

When you have gauges hooked up to the system if you would please take a picture of gauges when the compressor running and before you add refrigerant unless you loose the hole charge of the system because of not having the right equipment to just check the system pressure correctly then this another story

Because if you loose the hole charge of the system then your next step would be to add some refrigerant and some nitrogen to the system to have a pressure of around 350 psi ( no higher 400 psi ) and then use a leak detector and very slowly go around all of the brazing joints and coils and the compressor terminals and check for leaks no matter how small you should have NO leaks whatsoever if you do where are they and take a picture of where it is leaking if you have a leak in the system

Under No circumstances should you run the compressor when you have refrigerant and nitrogen in the system you will probably ruin the compressor if you were to do this also when you have the system vacuum out also do not run the compressor then either because the same thing could happen

I hope this helps you with this repair