Supermarket Refrigeration - How To Troubleshoot a Case Running Warm ( Found Bad Suction Stop)

[@DelbertQuentin]

Just a word of encouragement to keep putting out supermarket refrigeration videos. What a gift this would have been when I was just starting out. A few of us oldtimers were lucky if we could pass on our knowledge to one or two people. Now you have the platform to make a difference to those who really want to learn our trade.

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

Thanks I appreciate the encouragement man :). Feel free to comment if you have any wisdom on any of my videos I'm hoping to make it a place where people can learn.

[@markcutshall833]

@@gendronhvac-r1269 I'm getting close to finishing a 2 yr HVAC/R program at Spokane Community College. Commercial refrigeration is the direction I want to go. Your training video's are excellent and VERY MUCH APPRECIATED ! Thank you.

[@MIDGITSMASHER132]

Dude. I just want to say as an apprentice in supermarket refrigeration thank you so much for putting out solid, informative videos. It awesome and hard to come by in this trade.

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

You're welcome. !

[@Troy11194]

Im an install guy at my company for refrigeration remodels for grocery stores and vrf installs is what I mainly did. This past week got the phone call that boss man wants me to go on the on call schedule. Just found your channel. Thanks for taking the time to make these. It'll help me while I get accustomed to taking calls.

[@DoloGangSticky]

2 months in refrigeration a year and some change in hvac/r. Thank you so much

[@DonutsRGreat]

First rack ive seen with a vertical LL drier. Thanks for this video. I ran into a weird issue today on an aged meat case with gravity coils. It kept icing up every week. Turns out the suction stop valve wasn't holding back pressure during defrost (time off). I started pumping it down to a nearby suction for about 30 minutes, but pressure wasnt dropping below 40. I thought the ball valve was leaking by, but it turns out there was ANOTHER coil underneath teed into the suction and i was pulling it from the top, liquid boiling off for a whole 1.5 hours. (I just let it go at that point dont tell the EPA) Replaced the guts and it was good to go

[@HVACRSurvival]

Just found you, great content, just what I was looking for!

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

Thanks man glad to help :).

[@805HVACR]

Did the fan blade hitting the shroud bug you at all? Lol that bugs the living snot out of me lol

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

Lol, Yeah it did a little bit. But I was like really focused on the task at hand so sometimes I get so focused that like I just kind of block it out I actually think I might be upload the video like a new example of this because of the audio came out so bad .

[@user-wr3zb9zr3d]

Bro your shit is great man, just bingeing and rewatching all you stuff makes me way more confident as an apprentice in the field

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

Good I'm glad ! 😊

[@delvirodriguez2182]

Very good! Thank you for sharing your knowledge, I have a suggestion, during the time you are recording next to the compressor could you edit your next videos to avoid compressor’s noise? it is hard to understand with so much noise.

[@UQRXD]

YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT THE MOLD, AND SLIME. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A CLEAN ONE YET. IF ONLY THE CUSTOMERS KNEW. BETTER OFF PUTTING THE PRODUCE ON THE GROUND.

[@pootz8082]

Third year supermarket apprentice here and I love it I also just got added to the oncall rotation as primary no longer a helper time to put my big boy pants on I find the issues I struggle with the most are alarm calls literally any alarm call …oil failure , compressor off on oil failure , Mon proof etc , high suction pressure also what’s the best way to deal with oncall when you’re beat and tired and you just get home from being out all day then you get another call lol what’s a good way to deal with it

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

On call I just feel like we'll always be a bear. Take a nap every once in a while was good advice that I got for example if you complete your call at 4:00 in the morning and you have a 3 hour drive home which was my reality a lot of the just take a 30 minute Nap in your truck before you go home Pizza bites are not worth your life. Good luck !! Oh And get used to drinking black coffee member a pot A-day keeps the exhaustion at Bay

[@pootz8082]

@@gendronhvac-r1269 haha sweet 👍🏽

[@hvac-rfreddy1275]

No best way to say it, I'm eight years in HVAC installer. Just started as a service technician for refrigeration. Did a rack compressor down today my first call alone. Was tripped, checked oil in glass first, then I reset switch off compressor. Started up and stayed on. Checked racksuction pressure off of Novac computer. If they add up with psi chart app should be one thing to knock off. The oil level you can open up and let some.oil flow inside it after doing all of that. Check evap coils if.on a roof like mine. Make sure no ice build up, and that fans are working properly. That's just basics of of what I did today and know. Sorry if it's not enough. But that's just for a rack system. The VRF tripped it as well. , just like ok for basic, oil spills. Low on oil. Pressures, and see what's it's blinking off board first. Then go from there, and your PT chart to single out . Hope that helps ratha ✌🏿

[@pootz8082]

@@hvac-rfreddy1275 yessir sounds about right bro what type of refrigeration do you do ? I do supermarkets

[@bradgeary3467]

the fan rattling…. aahhhh!,, 😂. wireless sensor/gauges, have you tried yet? you may love them. no hoses for one and using core depressors on non valved ports makes for nearly no messy losses. you can be at the controller operating it wile seeing the changes (or lack of) and if controller is out of range (field piece has great range) you can leave phone or tablet in range of probes graphing the data. would hate to work without mine now. picture that convenience and not having to carry and deal with those 60” hoses you have. large pipe clamps available too. fantastic devices and i recommend to all. when the new guy out on his own and in over his head he can send screen shot and share data

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

Yeah I have thought about it just hard fore to justify the cost right now lol. Maybe after a couple raises. I have been thinking of it for a while. Thankyou for the share :)

[@jetlife9456]

Keep the rack videos coming. Love the shopping tool cart

[@Bigman0_0]

I have a dumb question for you. I just started doing refrigeration about a couple month now. One thing that I have trouble figuring out Is line sizes. I know sometimes they might be stamped on valve or even the copper. But when it not, is when I have the problem. Some people can tell by looking on the pipe, but I’m not at that point yet. If you have a way or trick that you use. I would really appreciate it. Very great video. It’s always a pleasure watching your vids.

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

I bought a cheap caliber off of amazon for like twenty bucks. I would put that in my work bag when I first started. It'll come it took me like a year

[@osamamybestfriend911]

⁠@@gendronhvac-r1269do you have a link for that caliber?

[@dbell41888]

When taking out deck pans the fan blade was hit and bent causing to run out of balance. Self taping screws hogged out holes on fan bracket. So vibration and rattling now. Replace or rebalance blade and secure bracket to plenum.

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

Interesting, I've never heard that.Thank you for the share ! I am always looking for ways to improve my proces

[@UQRXD]

Really an adjustable for the manual stem. I use a ratchet one they don't cost much. lol

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

I have 1 i dont remember why I did not use it in this video 🤣

[@travimathi]

G. Damn Change that freaking fan

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

🤣 it was the fan plenum rattling lol.

[@livingyourbestlife711]

very thorough! Thanks for sharing!

[@chinalocaltravel]

Nice video ,by the way , I guess plug-in freezer will be easier to repaired.

[@CouchDad09]

nice Job good that you had isolation valves inside the case

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

Thanks, And yes it will make replacement much easier :)

[@hvacr_wa4282]

Nice video, very thorough

[@nakiapringley5391]

Great video brother 💯💯💯💯keep them coming

[@ramos1x512]

One of the best videos I’ve seen. Did you do a rebuild on that valve?

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

Thank you for the compliment and I ended up replacing it. Also if you like that video the below one is a guide that I made to troubleshooting these cases I hope you find it helpful :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXKzYouEnsiAipY

[@ramos1x512]

@@gendronhvac-r1269 hell yea, thanks man! I appreciate you and your videos

[@jasonw8239]

It would help if you got the display pan off the evaporator fan. It's that loud. Which Kroger is this. Too much for on call

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

Yeah that fan was very obnoxious

[@bminus4502]

Very informative. But do you not realize your evap fan has been banging the entire time??!

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

When I was making the video I didn't even Noticed. But after I watch the recording it is very loud. 🤣

[@chris84662]

So someone was already out there before you, couldn't figure it out, and just added on offset to the case sensor?

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

That could be the case. It happens all the time. Sometimes they will contact different companies that come in and do that. or a young technician that doesn't know what they're doing will do that just so they can go home. It's like super common in the industry unfortunately

[@JuanTodoli]

Excellent 👌

[@andrewpetrisko9493]

Good stuff couldn't hear anything over that damn fan though

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

I know 😅 Probably the number one comment 🤣

[@garypoplin4599]

1:03 - What’s that noise! Until I know, I’m calling _air flow_ before refrigerant.

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

A radley fan

[@jefflockwood4146]

Where do you get that solenoid testing tool?

[@maheradous9257]

Good 👍

[@k.sullivan6303]

Make sure your rack is good....THAT"S WHAT DOLLY SAID!

[@austinhiggins6799]

😅😅😅 i still love this job after 13 years 😂😂😂

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

🤣

[@lookItsJayden]

This stuff seems pretty easy to work on, would love to work on it someday

[@Carl-yu7hd]

Ha you think he is doing something easy, let's see him change out a semi hermetic compressor.

[@jeremyboltin7700]

I REALLT DO ENJOY YOUR VIDEOS WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED AT

[@katlegoramasodi9708]

Thanks

[@dsmanpr1]

Hi im a beginner at a tech school my moms store is having same issue we put refrigerant and after a couple of weeks it goes back to 69 farenheit what to do?

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

If you put in refrigerant. It fixes the problem. Then a couple weeks later the problem reoccurs. And then you add more refrigerant and the problem gets fixed again You definitely have a leak I do have a video on Leak checking. I would definitely start there Hope this helps !

[@waltherherrera67]

Muy bien

[@vicenterivera69]

Why is there a solenoid valve in Suction? I thought it goes on liquid lines... Rookie question

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

It is called a suction stop solenoid. It is very common in Supermarket Refrigeration. It's just an alternative way of running the system. Rather than start and stop the refrigerant flow from the liquid side. It just does the same thing from the suction side. I have seen some very rare cases that have both but typically it's one or the other. I hope that helps

[@vicenterivera69]

@@gendronhvac-r1269 yess indeed helped! Many thanks!!

[@vicenterivera69]

@@gendronhvac-r1269 hi again 🙌 Man!! I've been thinking a lot for the solenoid suction stop. I got more question 🙏 Having this method means that the evaporator side always will have suction pressures ? And A little Oil trap? I'm just thinking why prefer or choose this method instead of a small, easy to braze liquid side solenoid. Where the compressor will leave the evaporator with low psi and low oil traps. Sorry for asking so much my friend. This is so interesting to me. 😆

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

@@vicenterivera69 So I have heard the following, 1) faster defrost - you no longer have to pump down the whole circuit defrost can begin almost immediately. 2) better defrost - there's better heat transfer if there is some refrigerant left in the evaporator coil. Think of how a lot of coffee cups are vacuum sealed and if you pump out all the refrigerant you basically turn the evaporator into a vacuum. Preventing effective heat transfer. 3) smaller receiver - you won't need as large as a receiver because the refrigerant will stay in the evaporator coil rather than pumping out and filling up the receiver. I hope that helps some :)

[@vicenterivera69]

@@gendronhvac-r1269 awesome explanation! Many thanks for all that great information! 🙏🙌🙌 I understand everything really well now.

[@abelurrutia1192]

What is that horrible sound?

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

A noisy fan lol 😆

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

A noisy fan lol 😆

[@mirandaconner477]

Dirty fan blade

[@arizonaelevatorsandmore2778]

Do you turn off the thunder sounds and automatic misters when you service a produce case?

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

Not on this call LOL I'll have to do that for the next video I take doing this 🤣

[@rocker8692]

Is the reciever after the condenser?

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

Yes :)

[@LC-qi5ff]

Sorry for the stupid question but was the suction stop restricting the flow to the txv? Also why does more refrigerant in the suction line cause pressure to go down? Shouldn’t it increase? Thanks

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

A suction stop stops the suction refrigerant vapor from returning to the compressors. So when the suction line is stopped. Refrigerant will continue the flow across the TXV raising the pressure and the evaporator coil because nothing is now allowed to leave the evaporator coil. When the suction stop is open it allows the refrigerant from the evaporator coil to flow back to the compressors thus lowering the pressure in the evaporator coil because there's less refrigerant in the coil after it returns back to the compressors. Hope that helps :)

[@barrasdh]

@@gendronhvac-r1269 Is this what is done instead of using an epr?

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

@@barrasdh Yes , A suction stop Solenoid is just like an e p r except it doesn't hold back any pressure. So the case will run at the rack pressure.

[@minnainglin8679]

Anyone know where can I go to school for this?

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

Just look up your local trade school.There should be something for h v a c. And Refrigeration.

[@SvenSigi]

Are you building Co2 Boosters on newer markets?

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

No I have never dealt with CO2

[@SvenSigi]

@@gendronhvac-r1269 It's a shame, isn't that already standard in the USA (?)? We in Switzerland, Germany, Austria have a ban on using R134A and R404A from 30kw, so only R744 and R290 remain for large systems, or just R717

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

@@SvenSigi No in the USA we still use all those. Heck I work on a R22 rack the other day lol. Co2 is becoming more and more common. But we only have one store for CO2 that my company services and I have not worked on it yet.

[@SvenSigi]

@@gendronhvac-r1269 So its starting to change. Our company built the first ever co2 transcritical booster at 2005, since then most of the big supermarkets only use co2 boosters, or the older ones for freezing r744 and cascade r134a for normal cooling, but we have a big machine incoming with 500kw only with co2 :) Works fine, but we need way thicker copper for hot gas or stainless steel, even for the liquid lines

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

@@SvenSigi Yeah someday I hope to learn. The systems. It is decent money over here.

[@ericmacullok4519]

No wonder why you took so long on calls

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

Lol Yes I am very thorough with how I do things. 🤣 Maybe a bit obsessive at times 😅

[@FRJ1982]

Why are those fans so loud? 😵‍💫🫨 That sounds crazy

[@gendronhvac-r1269]

I know 😅