Author’s note: “This guide was written for people who would like to know how to detect leaks in a refrigerator. For installation and service in Ghana, contact us by email at mybloggerwhiz@gmail.com or by phone at 0535318441.”
One of the many reasons why a fridge or freezer isn’t cooling is probably due to a leak. A leak in a refrigerator allows the escape of refrigerants. This is bad for the user because refrigerants are needed in the refrigerator for cooling to occur.
There are many reasons why cooling may not occur in a cooling system (refrigerator). We may list a few here but this guide focuses primarily on how to detect leaks in a refrigerator.
Possible Reasons Why Your Refrigerator Isn’t Cooling
ü Faulty thermostat
ü Faulty timer
ü Faulty evaporator
ü Faulty evaporator fan
ü Faulty condenser
ü Faulty condenser fan
ü Faulty compressor or motor
ü Faulty relay (overload protector and PTC thermistor)
ü Leakage (shortage of refrigerant)
ü Faulty door seal
ü Moisture in the refrigerator
ü A choked filter or drier (presence of dirt and moisture)
ü A choked capillary (presence of dirt and moisture)
ü Low voltage
ü Blown fuse
ü Temperature control knob set at warm position
Some of the reasons listed above will not allow the refrigerator to run, hence no cooling but the user may not be aware of this. Now let’s deal with the subject of this guide.
How do I detect leaks in a refrigerator? It’s easy.
ü Check for the presence of oil on the liquid line and in some cases, the suction line.
ü Check for the presence of corrosion on the liquid line and in some cases, the suction line.
ü Check for the presence of oil or corrosion on the condenser.
How do I find the presence of oil on the liquid line, suction line or even the condenser? Even if the refrigerator has not run for a longer period, oil is easy to find on the liquid line, suction line or even the condenser because its presence is highlighted.
What does liquid and suction line mean? The liquid line is the line that connects the motor to the condenser. The suction line is the line that connects the evaporator to the motor. For the reason of brevity, the reader is tasked with finding the meaning of evaporator, condenser or motor if they do not already know. The parts those terms describe are easy to find.
Tip: “The motor is usually a small black cylindrical object. The condenser is usually located outside the mechanism whilst the evaporator is usually located inside. The condenser and evaporator are usually coiled. Note that we used the word ‘usually’ in each statement. The reader is still tasked with finding the meaning of those terms if they do not already know. We thought it helpful to provide some tips.”
For some refrigeration mechanisms such as a chest freezer, the condenser may be built internally, instead of the usual external-built type, making leaks hard to detect. For such mechanisms, it is best to replace the condenser if leakages are detected by an indication of refrigerant shortage. A partially frosted evaporator is an indication of a shortage of refrigerant.
On other occasions, a leak on the evaporator may also cause cooling problems in a refrigerator. A leak on the evaporator may be indicated by a shortage of refrigerant but refrigerants usually last longer in the mechanism (refrigerator) when there’s a leak on the evaporator than a leak on the condenser. It is also best to replace the evaporator on such occasions.
What happens when leaks are detected in a refrigerator? The leaks have to be repaired else the unit (refrigerator) will not function properly. As stated above, leaks are one of the many reasons for why a fridge or freezer does not cool.
How do I repair leaks? Leaks are repaired by removing the leaky part from the system. The service technician may then join parts of the system (liquid line, suction line or condenser) that do not leak. Sometimes, a new type of the leaky metal may be used to replace the leaky part.
Joining parts of the system (liquid line, suction line, or condenser) that do not leak or replacing leaky parts is usually done by welding. Welding is the joining of two metals by application of heat and molten metal. Often, metals are made of copper so molten copper is used to join the two metals.
Are there other methods to detect leakages in a refrigerator?
Yes. A service technician may employ a soap solution or an electronic leak detector to detect leakages. A soap solution as used here is a mixture of soap and water. Note it isn’t a soap solution until foams are formed in the mixture. It is easy to use liquid soaps to form this mixture. Soap solutions come in various forms and the best ones make bubbles visible when there’s a leakage in the system (refrigerator).
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