Blocked Captube?

[Carlz0r]

I static charged my SS to 35 psi of propane, and when it runs, it goes to 95 psi on the highside, and off the guage on the lowside. Is this indicitive of a blocked captube? Thanks.

[The Weedman]

You are probably going to need to static charge it to alot higher pressure then that. I usually go to about 90psi. With the ss running the low side should be into hg and the high side when fully charged should be anywhere from 125psi to 250psi. My running pressures are 0hg and 200psi.

[pazza316]

If I see this scenario their is often a blockage yes. Try putting more gas in just a little then start the single stage and see if it still pulls very low vacs on the low side if itdoes then you have a blockage some where along the line. This is usually in the filter dryer or the cap just by the drier. Check those areas first. Any problems after this post back and we will try to help.

[n00b 0f l337]

Too little refrigerant. Your suciton is running massively in vacuum.

[{.bLanK} GoD]

yeah my guess is too little refrigerant.

[n00b 0f l337]

Mine isnt a geuss.

[Carlz0r]

Well, I tried at 60 psi, and I'm still getting a massive vacuum. Im thinking either blocked cap tube (most likely) or uncondenseable gas (probably not).

[n00b 0f l337]

Better question, does your evap get cold?

[Carlz0r]

Better question, does your evap get cold?
12 celsius, so no, not really.

[n00b 0f l337]

Then yes must be a blocked captube. :(
PITA, time to order another.

[Carlz0r]

Then yes must be a blocked captube. :(
PITA, time to order another.
Yea. Oh well, not too bad. Only $12 or so. Or, I could get a cpev.

[n00b 0f l337]

Tough choice.

[Carlz0r]

Tough choice.
If I can get a cpev for the right price I'll probably go with it. How does this sound for $10: PARKER CONSTANT PRESSURE EXPANSION VALVE 4X859 MODEL A2

[The Weedman]

The evap wont get cold even at 60psi static charge. You are still way undercharged. If you dont believe me leave the low side hose on and pull the high side valve and start putting propane through the low side. If you get propane out of the high side valve it isnt blocked. Maybe im wrong but i doubt it.

[Carlz0r]

The evap wont get cold even at 60psi static charge. You are still way undercharged. If you dont believe me leave the low side hose on and pull the high side valve and start putting propane through the low side. If you get propane out of the high side valve it isnt blocked. Maybe im wrong but i doubt it.
Alright, I'll try that tomorrow.

[n00b 0f l337]

If he was massively in vacuum he would have very low evap temps. Not warmer.

[star882]

The way to check the cap tube is to turn the compressor on for a few seconds to create a pressure difference, then turn it off and watch the gauges. If it equalizes, the cap tube is probably fine.
If that passes, what's the running pressures?

[wdrzal]

does the pressure equilize when shut off?????? if it does cap is not blocked ,if pressure doesn't equilize you have a blockage.

charge at least to 150 to175 on high side, charge into low side port while compressor is running.

[The Weedman]

If he was massively in vacuum he would have very low evap temps. Not warmer.
Well i just charged my system tonight and i had colder temps at 0hg then i did at 10hg. I static charged the system to 90psi and when i turned it on my evap stayed at room temp until put more propane in, bringing it from 17hg to 5hg which made the evap cold not warm. Care to explain how that works? Also im curious, have you even built an ss before nol?

[Carlz0r]

Alright. It's flame time. I am one of the biggest dumbasses to enter these forums. I had the guages hooked up backwards :p: Low on high, and high on low. I'm gonna test again tomorrow, maybe I can do it right this time. Feel free to make fun of me as much as you want for this :p: :)
@wdrzal Yea, it equalizes, so I guess I'll find out tomorrow. I got a PT chart for R290 as well.

[n00b 0f l337]

Weedman yes I have, infact I'm in autocascade competition. :doh:
Basic pressure laws (Boyles I think) says that in a vacuum you get colder than not in vacuum. So I dont know what your scewering.

[wdrzal]

Add refrigerant into low side port (return) until you get about 2 to 5 psi on the low gauge (blue) ,

[Carlz0r]

Add refrigerant into low side port (return) until you get about 2 to 5 psi on the low gauge (blue) ,
Yea. Here's the thing. When I made this thread, I had red as low side, and blue as high side, so that's why I thought I had massive vacuum, and I probably read the pressure wrong too. I'll update this thread in the morning once I've tried again.

[n00b 0f l337]

That would explain why your gauges shot in opposite directions.

[wdrzal]

red hose goes after the condensor and before cape tube.
blue hoes goes either on the suction(return) line or the service port on the compressor.

[wdrzal]

I would static charge (vapor) till you have tank pressure in system. around 110 to 120 psi depending on ambiant. then start compressor and charge gas into low side until you get a few psi. Let a little gas in,close valve on manifold and wait 2 min, then keep reapeating, adding a little at a time.

[star882]

I had red as low side, and blue as high side
Remember: blue to cold, red to hot. Blue to evaporator side, red to condenser side.

BTW, if the pressure had been high enough, you may have bent the needle in the low side gauge. An easy way to test is to check if it returns to 0 with no pressure. Also check to see if the numbers on both gauges are the same with the compressor off for a while.

[Carlz0r]

Remember: blue to cold, red to hot. Blue to evaporator side, red to condenser side.

BTW, if the pressure had been high enough, you may have bent the needle in the low side gauge. An easy way to test is to check if it returns to 0 with no pressure. Also check to see if the numbers on both gauges are the same with the compressor off for a while.
Yea, they are. I don't think I damaged it. But now my parents are getting all :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:y telling me I can't run the SS inside the house because it uses propane. :( Anyone willing to give some explanations about why its safe to use provided the system is brazed properly, that'd be much appreciated.

[n00b 0f l337]

I had to do the same thing with my parents. Tell them its 100% leak tested or just go do it outdoors.

[Carlz0r]

I had to do the same thing with my parents. Tell them its 100% leak tested or just go do it outdoors.
I'm gonna be using this for my regular computer though, not just benching. I told them that its 100% leaktested, and will go through another 48 straight hours, but they don't seem to get it.

[n00b 0f l337]

Time to lie. ;)
Tell them somehting dumb like, its in a refrigerant state, theres no way for it to burn, its no longer flamable, or there isnt enough to fuel a flame for 5 seconds.

[wdrzal]

Why lie tell the truth propane needs 2.2 to 9.6 percent air to burn and there is no air in a refrigeration system, at least there should not be.

[Carlz0r]

Time to lie. ;)
Tell them somehting dumb like, its in a refrigerant state, theres no way for it to burn, its no longer flamable, or there isnt enough to fuel a flame for 5 seconds.
I told them that. I also explained that, if it were to leak, and I didnt notice, it would have to be an extremely small leak, and in the amount of time it would take for the right air to propane ratio to occur, it would have long been ejected out of the ss, and out of the house. If all else fails, I'll take it away, already tuned and charged, for a day or so, then bring it back, and claim my friend's dad charged it with a non-toxic refrigerant.

[n00b 0f l337]

Wdrzal, when your a 16 year old parents dont trust you with flamable things. Its honestly a disgrace that my age class is rounded up as it is.

Overall I used propane and never ever borught it up again, then switched to r22 when I got it.

[wdrzal]

Time to lie. ;)
Tell them somehting dumb like, its in a refrigerant state, theres no way for it to burn, its no longer flamable, or there isnt enough to fuel a flame for 5 seconds.


noob you should never lie to cover up what you don't know, or should not advise people of what your not shure of. The concequences can be deadly.

propane can be dangerious especially for someone just starting, only a complete understanding will keep you safe.

[n00b 0f l337]

Very true, it isnt lie-ing though if you just don't ever talk about it

[Carlz0r]

See, it isn't the fact that they're not letting me use it in the house that bothers me, it's the fact that even though I explained to them exactly what I was doing and using back in october, they've waited until now, after I've spent all the money getting tools, getting parts, learning, etc. to tell me that "Oh no, you can't use that in the house." That's what pisses me off the most.

[n00b 0f l337]

Tell them to refund you the cost of the project then.

[Carlz0r]

Tell them to refund you the cost of the project then.
They wont. My dad makes $80k a year, yet I'm lucky if I can get them to lend me $5, so there's no way they're gonna refund me the cost of this.

[n00b 0f l337]

Then... Sell your single stage with propane, and get an online license or something *dunno how canadia works* and get some r22?

[Carlz0r]

Then... Sell your single stage with propane, and get an online license or something *dunno how canadia works* and get some r22?
Nope. No online licensing up here :( Apparently you have to be a Grade 12 grad, and take courses at a university, etc. before you can buy refrigerant. And those courses are costly.

[Carlz0r]

Woot. Alright, I swapped the gauges around :p: and it frosts very nicely now. :)