International Harvester made refrigerators too!

Harvey Ramer

I just got done with this pet project. This unit was built in the 1950's and boy is it built! The outside and inside shell is made of ceramic coated steel. The old Techumseh compressed developed a leak in the terminals so I retired it and converted to 134A. Everything seems to be running onky-doory but I'm not exactly sure how hot a static comp. should get. Right now the top temp I recorded on the housing was 145* . Amp draw is .2 lower than spec. Designed the evaporator temp to -5* Condenser temp is 115*. Superheat is 50* Condenser is static with vertical loops. Have saturated liquid entering th cap tube. The evaporator is static and wraps around an icebox in the top of the fridge. The rest of the fridge is cooled by convection, air flows up around the exterior of the ice box. The interior surface of the ice box is temping an even 2.5* . The interior walls of the fridge are temping 35* to 40*. I switched from a 1/8 hp to a 1/5 hp compresser.



Google Irma Harding Refrigerators to see more of these beauties and all of the old advertisements!



What are your thoughts guys?

Techman

Oh Harvey!

I'm still thinking about all that onky-doory (lol, ) stuff you mentioned. All of that stuff aside, how cold is the beer ? how fast can it make warm beer cold?

Harvey Ramer

Ha Ha

Damn fast Techman, Damn fast ;-)

icesailor

Keepers:

Its a keeper if it makes the beer cold.

Techman

MissMatch

As long as the beer gets cold! Boy, Harvey, you MissAligned the rules of refrigeration a little here with your MissMatch, but as long as the beer is cold.! Now ,with a regular -not frost free- old refrig we would charge the unit until frost developed on the outlet of the evap or the beginning of the suction line.  That unit had R12 in it?

Harvey Ramer

Yah,

After a couple beers, the miss-matches better, lol.



I called Techumseh and they told me this comp. was the closest they could come in a static cooled unit. So I went with it and did what I could. I purposely lowered the evap temp to more closely match the btu output of the original compressor and prevent flood back and stuff.



It was an R12 unit. I cleaned the piping thoroughly and removed the filter dryer from the top of the evap. I didn't even know it had one until I cut the pipe open. Thought it was a little strange that they would put it at the exit of the cap tube? Anyway, I put a catch-all and a see-all at the exit of the condenser. And I replaced the cap tube.



I know it's less than ideal but I am well suited as long as it doesn't break.





Harvey

Techman

MissMatch

Morning Harvey, had too many COLD beers last nite? LOL. Did you attach the cap tube to the suction line? Is the SG/MI showing dry? I'm thinking the SuperHeat is a little high?!. With the Condensing Temp of 115* that would indicate an ambient of 85*f or so. I'm just thinking of making that beer colder, faster, tastier! I'm envious !!!!!!!LOL!

Harvey Ramer

Morning!

No beers last night! Just a lot of sleep.



SG/MI is dry. Cap tube is not attached to the suction line. I had to route it a different way because it's only 60" versus the original 120". I ran a 1/4" line back up to the top of the condenser and attached the cap tube there. Made a coil and popped through the back of the fridge right on top of the evap. I still need to add a little protection to the cap tube so it doesn't rub through anywhere. I could add a little Freon and lower the superheat a little but, what would happen if someone forgot to hit the defrost button for to long? I guess I could let the ice build up on purpose and adjust the superheat at that point?



Harvey

Techman

MissMatch

What is discharge line temp? 150-175*F is normal. Some commercial freezer comp"s are covered in frost and its normal! OK not the comp heads, but darn near most of the comp is frosted over . COLD BEER HERE! Measure the SH under stabilized conditions, and "trim the charge" . I owe someone an apology!

Harvey Ramer

Discharge temp

That is the one measurement I haven't taken. I've been meaning to but just haven't got around to it. If I recall correctly, the guy at techumseh told me I would be ok as long as the discharge temp did not exceed 230°F.



Harvey

Techman

You are right, Harvey

In my defense  I 've had just 1 (one ) beer , not as cold as yours,though! And as a result I made a stupid type oh (?) that 1 should have been a two, to ,too,(2). So 250-275*F on the discharge line. I sit corrected!

Harvey Ramer

Ha Ha

Drink up! ;-)



So what do you think. Think I should add a bit more Freon to lower the superheat and raise the condenser temp, or is it to risky?



Harvey

Techman

ADear John Letter( I mean Harvey)

You, my friend ,are at the refrigeration crux/crossroad's of  BTU/HP/efficiency/thing/suction press/hi side press/compression ratio /thing/and a few others. You have, single handelety(?)changed things! The beer is cold? OH Harvey !