Adler Barbour refrigeration unit short cycling

[Bjl4776]

So I recently purchased a boat with an retrofitted Adler Barbour refrigeration unit. The compressor was locked up so I replaced the compressor with an aftermarket unit with control module. It worked great for a week and I went to check the pressure again and found I had not soldered the fitting on correctly and broke it off causing all the refrigerant and a lot of oil to dump out. Repaired the solder joint, pulled a quick vacuum, and recharged to find the compressor is now short cycling. I am used to automotive systems so it’s taking some getting used to the lower pressures of this unit but I have varied the charge up and down and it still does it. Before it cycles off it sounds like the compressor is bogging down. The evap plate still frosts up while
It’s running. Not really sure what I could of changed from dumping the refrigerant. Is it possible I lost too much oil? Gonna run a deep vacuum today.

[OzeLouie]

Originally Posted by Bjl4776

So I recently purchased a boat with an retrofitted Adler Barbour refrigeration unit. The compressor was locked up so I replaced the compressor with an aftermarket unit with control module. It worked great for a week and I went to check the pressure again and found I had not soldered the fitting on correctly and broke it off causing all the refrigerant and a lot of oil to dump out. Repaired the solder joint, pulled a quick vacuum, and recharged to find the compressor is now short cycling. I am used to automotive systems so it’s taking some getting used to the lower pressures of this unit but I have varied the charge up and down and it still does it. Before it cycles off it sounds like the compressor is bogging down. The evap plate still frosts up while
It’s running. Not really sure what I could of changed from dumping the refrigerant. Is it possible I lost too much oil? Gonna run a deep vacuum today.

Suggest not running compressor until you can top up the oil, replace filter dryer (if poss) evacuate properly then re-gas, leak test and test run. Re-gas slowly until sight glass indicates full and compressor runs continually.

[Richard Kollmann]

Let out small amounts of refrigerant say 2 seconds at a time but wait 5 minutes each time to be sure pressure is equal first also run it each time. If you are sure there is no air in unit you have too much refrigerant or a solder joint is plugged. How long does it run? What size is the oil puddle that leaked out?

If you let out all refrigerant and it still stops running look for blockage.

[Bjl4776]

Originally Posted by Richard Kollmann

Let out small amounts of refrigerant say 2 seconds at a time but wait 5 minutes each time to be sure pressure is equal first also run it each time. If you are sure there is no air in unit you have too much refrigerant or a solder joint is plugged. How long does it run? What size is the oil puddle that leaked out?

If you let out all refrigerant and it still stops running look for blockage.

I feel stupid having to admit this but it looks like a battery problem. I don’t have a good idea how much oil was released cause it went everywhere including all over my battery charger. Looks like it fried my charger. I was doing some unrelated electrical work and found I was at 10v. I’ve got a new charger hooked up and all seems well. Been running for an hour without cycling with the tstat jumped. Pressure is on the low side at 4-5psi but I have good frost on the evaporator. Going to connect the tstat back up and see how it does.

[C420sailor]

I bet that thing runs COLD when you get the charge nailed. Mine is 20 years old, never had a recharge, and frosts the plate fast. Love it.

[Richard Kollmann]

Originally Posted by C420sailor

I bet that thing runs COLD when you get the charge nailed. Mine is 20 years old, never had a recharge, and frosts the plate fast. Love it.

Low on refrigerant is easy to correct add til evaporator has a frost covering of 90% of evaporator's Surface area and no frost on line leaving refrigerated box.

Your concern now is in the amount of oil lost.

[Bjl4776]

Originally Posted by Richard Kollmann

Low on refrigerant is easy to correct add til evaporator has a frost covering of 90% of evaporator's Surface area and no frost on line leaving refrigerated box.

Your concern now is in the amount of oil lost.

Ester oil correct? I was thinking about pulling it back down and adding an ounce

[Richard Kollmann]

Adding oil is easy but I would not be to concerned about two ounces. You seem to indicate a lot more oil loss. Oil is important for lubrication it is also a heat conductor to heavy metal sealed air cooled compressor pump enclosure.

[OzeLouie]

There is only one correct way to remedy the situation where an unknown quantity of compressor oil has been lost, refrigerant gas lost and the real possibility of the system being contaminated due to the broken connection, and that is to repair it properly! Simply adding gas as a 'suck it and see' remedy is very wrong and likely to see you with an ongoing problem.
Again: Suggest not running compressor until you can top up the oil, (or better still replace oil and replace filter dryer (if possible) evacuate properly then re-gas, leak test and test run. Re-gas slowly (not exceeding 15PSI) until evaporator frosts over and compressor runs continually.

[Richard Kollmann]

I assume you dehydrated system again after soldering line if so then you will not need to replace the Adler Barbour Filter/dryer. Conformation of this is good frosting of evaporator and filter and line leaving it is still warm. You will know in 24 hours if dehydration was adequate.