Reversing Valve Question

TonyS

Is it possible or has anyone ever seen a reversing valve that behaves like this? I deenergizer the orange lead to the pilot valve and re energize, the system runs and cools perfectly, after a couple of hours the system stops cooling with high superheat, I deenergize the pilot valve and re energize and it works fine for a few more hours. Is it possible for the seal to leak inside the pilot valve slowly enough to move the reversing valve? I have already removed the circuit board from the equation by direct wiring.

Eugene_Silberstein

Probably not the reversing valve

If the reversing valve is leaking, you will be passing high pressure discharge gas from the compressor directly back into the suction side of the compressor. This will cause the high side pressure to drop and the low side pressure to rise. If your low side pressure rises, your superheat calculation will likely provide you with a low reading, instead of a high one.



To determine if the reversing valve is leaking internally, you should take temperature readings of the four reversing valve ports. The port that is connected to the compressor discharge port should be the same temperature as the port that is carrying refrigerant to the condenser coil. The port that is carrying refrigerant back to the compressor should be at the same (approximate) temperature as the line carrying refrigerant from the evaporator coil. If the suction port on the reversing valve (the port carrying refrigerant back to the compressor) is significantly higher than the temperature of the reversing valve port connected to the evaporator outlet, then the reversing valve is likely leaking.



Get a complete set of readings on the system including indoor and outdoor ambient temperatures, suction line temperature at the evaporator outlet, liquid line temperature at the outlet of the condenser coil as well as the temperatures of the four ports on the reversing valve and we should be able to determine the cause for the problem.



Ideally, you should get a complete set of readings when the system is operating properly and another complete set when the system is not behaving.



Keep us posted!

Eugene_Silberstein

Also....

What type of metering device(s) is the system equipped with?

TonyS

TXV

Valve on the indoor coil and what appears to be a orifice feeding the outdoor coil when in heat mode. What type of thermometer do you use to check the reversing valve with the unit in operation? I assume I need the condenser fan in operation when I'm doing this and it is difficult or near impossible to get into the unit when its in operation.

Pressures were 225 on the low side and 275 on the high side with system running and factory weighed in charge.

don_9

Coil voltage

Just so you are aware that the voltage for the valve come from the slector switch on the tstat.it only lands at the board.Is it possible the coil itself is on it way out?If its loose it can get hot and over heat and cause a problem.

That suction is high and would point to the valve leaking but the head pressure could drop or stay fairly close.Sound more like to me its the coil.A valve leak is going to stay a leak it does not go away bc u reversed the circuit.

I would try another coil first.