R-449A (Opteon XP40) Walk In Freezer - Electric Defrost - Problem 16
Note that you can click on the circled numbers to go directly to the corresponding explanation. You can also click on any of the the circled numbers by the explanations to return to the screen shot.
The title informs you which equipment type and refrigerant you will be diagnosing. You must know whether the system is a high, medium or low temperature application so that you can come to conclusions about operating pressures and temperatures.
The B Button (B for Button) displays the column of symptom buttons below the circled 10. They all start off in neutral white. If you click one it will change to red with an upwards pointing arrow. This means that you've measured something that you think is higher than normal. If you click it a second time it changes to a downward arrow. This would mean that you've found a symptom that you think is lower than normal. Clicking a third time returns the button to neutral white. The more symptoms that you make record of, the easier it should be to determine the fault.
The T Button (T for Text Boxes) hides the column of symptom buttons below the circled 10 and displays a column of Text Input Boxes. They can be used to record your measurements so that you can refer to them later. You can toggle the B and T buttons and they will retain the information that you applied.
The Help Button opens this help page.
The Hint Button sometimes provides clues such as might be given by the equipment owner.
The PT Chart Button opens a new window containing the PT Chart relevant to the equipment being diagnosed. The troubleshooting boards default to Imperial units as do the PT Charts.
The Key button opens a list of keys or acronyms used on the piping layout, electrical schematic and on the symptom buttons. When the T button is clicked and the board is displaying the text input boxes, several keys are also displayed which when clicked open up an alert box with the acronyms definition.
When you believe that you have correctly diagnosed the problem click the Submit Diagnosis button to open a new window where you may submit your diagnosis and find out if you are correct.
Notes contain pertinent information and sometimes special instructions for boards containing line voltage as well as control voltage.
The 3G button opens a 3rd Generation Refrigerant troubleshooting board. The 4G button opens a 4th Generation Refrigerant troubleshooting board.
Power toggle button for digital gauge set.
P1 (Pressure Test Point 1) turns green both below the suction gauge and on the piping layout when the gauge is turned on by it's power button.
If you click P2 (Pressure Test Point 2) you will measure True Head Pressure at the Discharge Service Valve. P2 turns green both below the discharge gauge and on the piping layout when selected.
P3 (Pressure Test Point 3) turns green both below the discharge gauge and on the piping layout when the gauge is turned on by it's power button. P3 measures the Head Pressure at the King Valve.
The unit nameplate provides electrical ratings for the equipment components.
The digital temperature meter has 9 buttons which correspond to the 9 temperature test points on the piping diagram. When you select a button on the key pad it changes to green and the corresponding test point on the piping diagram also changes to green providing a helpful visual reference. Note that you can change between °F and °C by clicking the F button or C button on the temperature meter.
Electrical Measurements |
|
| Amps | When the meter is in amps mode and you click a test point, the amperage draw of all the loads in that electrical branch are displayed in the meter. If there are "sub branches" those loads are included. |
| Volts | When the meter is placed in the voltage mode one test point is automatically selected. This is typically either the Common leg or Line 2. You must select the 2nd test point. The volt meter then displays the voltage potential between those 2 points. A volt meter reports a voltage potential across an open circuit and across loads. |
| Ohms | The
power in an electrical circuit must be turned off before using an ohm
meter. If you fail to do so you may damage the ohm meter or at least
blow the meter's fuse. Anytime you put the meter
into ohms mode it is assumed that the power has been turned off. To
measure the resistance of a component select the 2 closest test points.
It is assumed that any parallel loads have been taken out of the
circuit.
If you try measuring a circuit with several loads in parallel or series
you are likely to receive the following alert:
 |
| In real life you will have an ohm reading representing the combination of all the series and/or parallel resistances between the 2 test points you selected. However those types of readings are seldom useful when troubleshooting. That is why you must isolate components from the rest of the circuitry to take a resistance measurement. You may still attempt any measurement you wish and are not restricted to adjacent test points only. When it is somewhat obvious that a specific component or wiring circuit is being tested you are likely to be given a reading. The further apart your test points are, the greater is the liklihood that you will receive the above alert instead of a meter reading. When you take a reading that has direct continuity (zero resistance) between 2 test points and there also happens to be a measureable resistance in parallel, the measureable resistance load is ignored. This is true in real life as well as in these troubleshooting boards. That is because electricity will favour taking the route of least resistance. | |
T5 is a temperature test point. It has turned green to indicate that it has been selected by clicking the T5 button on the digital temperature meter.
P2 is a pressure test point. (The discharge service valve) It has turned green because 
was clicked.
was clicked.
T6 is a temperature test point. (EEA or Entering Evaporator Air temperature) It will turn green when it is selected by the number 6 on the temperature meter key pad and the meter will display the temperature at that location.
T7 is a temperature test point. (LEA or Leaving Evaporator Air temperature) It will turn green when it is selected by the number 7 on the temperature meter key pad and the meter will display the temperature at that location.
T8 is a temperature test point. (ECA or Entering Condenser Air temperature) It will turn green when it is selected by the number 8 on the temperature meter key pad and the meter will display the temperature at that location.
T9 is a temperature test point. (LCA or Leaving Condenser Air temperature) It will turn green when it is selected by the number 9 on the temperature meter key pad and the meter will display the temperature at that location.
T3 is a temperature test point. It will turn green when it is selected by the number 3 on the temperature meter key pad and the meter will display the temperature at that location. This location can be used to measure the temperature of the refrigerant after exiting the condenser.
P3 is a pressure test point. (high side pressure at the king valve) It will turn green when it is selected by clicking the P3 button and the high side guage will display the pressure at that location.
The "A" button has been selected on the Amp meter. Test point 3 has been clicked on the electrical schematic and the meter is displaying the amperage draw at that location. In this case it is 8 Amps. That measurement can be compared to the FLA rating on the equipment nameplate. (circled 15)
Progress Chart
The following chart keeps track of your progress through the troubleshooting
boards. You can click on the board numbers to return to the last board that you
were working on. This chart tracks the 4G boards. Click the 3G Button for the
3G Help Page and 3G Progress Chart and 3G boards. This feature is not active
here however there are 11 boards accessible from the home page in the RBIII section.
