What causes oil to collect in a suction line?
To assist nature, some systems use oil traps in the suction line in combination with suction risers (a length of vertical pipe). As refrigerant gas returns from the evaporator, the drops of oil it contains will collect and get mixed in the trap.
What happens when there is no oil in the crankcase?
Rods may be broken due to the compressor seizing up. There will be little or no oil in crankcase. Without enough oil in the crankcase to properly lubricate the load-bearing surfaces, wearing and scoring happen. There just isn’t enough refrigerant mass flow in the system to return oil to the compressor as fast as it is pumped out.
Why is the oil not coming back into the tank?
Finding the reason why the oil doesn’t return is at the very heart of correcting an oil loss situation. The most obvious cause is that the system is leaking oil. Telltale signs would be oil on the outside of the system, either in a puddle or possibly in areas where a pipe breach is possible (at joints for example).
Why do I keep losing oil in my refrigerant system?
If the oil comes back, it could be due to poor design or, possibly, poor system redesign. If you made a conversion to a new refrigerant, you also need to use the appropriate oil per the manufacturer’s instructions, and make sure there is enough of it. A small amount of oil will be distributed throughout a normal working system.
Rods may be broken due to the compressor seizing up. There will be little or no oil in crankcase. Without enough oil in the crankcase to properly lubricate the load-bearing surfaces, wearing and scoring happen. There just isn’t enough refrigerant mass flow in the system to return oil to the compressor as fast as it is pumped out.
Finding the reason why the oil doesn’t return is at the very heart of correcting an oil loss situation. The most obvious cause is that the system is leaking oil. Telltale signs would be oil on the outside of the system, either in a puddle or possibly in areas where a pipe breach is possible (at joints for example).
To assist nature, some systems use oil traps in the suction line in combination with suction risers (a length of vertical pipe). As refrigerant gas returns from the evaporator, the drops of oil it contains will collect and get mixed in the trap.
If the oil comes back, it could be due to poor design or, possibly, poor system redesign. If you made a conversion to a new refrigerant, you also need to use the appropriate oil per the manufacturer’s instructions, and make sure there is enough of it. A small amount of oil will be distributed throughout a normal working system.