Performance and causes of insufficient refrigerant in refrigerators

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Have you ever encountered such a situation: the refrigerator is clearly open, but the food inside is not enough ice, and even there are problems such as abnormal icing and increased noise? These phenomena may be related to the lack of refrigerant in the refrigerator. As an essential household appliance, the refrigeration effect of the refrigerator directly affects the preservation of food materials and the cost of energy consumption. Below I will give you a detailed analysis of the six major manifestations and four major causes of insufficient refrigerant in refrigerators to help you scientifically determine the root causes of the problem and avoid unnecessary maintenance costs.

(1) Six typical manifestations of insufficient refrigerant

1. Cooling efficiency decreased significantlyWhen the refrigerant is insufficient, the cooling speed of the refrigerator will be significantly slow. A cold room that can be cooled to 5°C in 1 hour may take 3-4 hours to reach the same temperature. The freezer is more prone to "soft freezing"-the meat is frosted on the surface but not completely frozen inside, resulting in an increased risk of spoilage.

2. uneven temperature distributionPoor refrigerant circulation will lead to the phenomenon of "uneven heating and cooling" inside the refrigerator. The temperature of the area near the evaporator is too low, which may produce too thick frost; while the temperature of the area far away from the evaporator is too high, forming an abnormal distribution of "the bottom layer of the refrigerator is colder than the upper layer.

3. Abnormal operation of compressorInsufficient refrigerant will cause abnormal operating pressure of the compressor, which is manifested:

Frequent start and stop of the compressor: every 10-15 minutes, far beyond the normal interval of 30-40 minutes

· Increased running noise: "buzzing" sound or metal friction sound

· Overheating of the fuselage: the temperature of the compressor shell exceeds 50 ℃ (normally, it should be lower than 40 ℃)

4. Surge in power consumptionThrough smart meter monitoring, it can be found that the daily power consumption of the refrigerator may increase by 30%-50% when the refrigerant is insufficient. Take a 200-liter refrigerator as an example, the normal daily power consumption is about 0.5 degrees, and it may reach 0.7-0.8 degrees when fluorine is lacking.

5. Abnormal frosting of condenser tubeObserve the refrigerator back condensation tube, normal should have uniform dew;

Fluoride deficiency occurs when:

· Local frosting of condenser tube

· Evaporator frost uneven (normal should be uniform thin frost)

· Drain pipe is frozen and blocked

6. oil spot phenomenonDisassemble the back cover of the refrigerator. If oil spots are found on the air return pipe of the compressor, it indicates that the refrigerant has seriously leaked. Because the refrigerant and the refrigerant oil are mixed and circulated, some of the refrigerant oil will be taken away when it leaks.

(2)the four major causes of insufficient refrigerant

1. Pipeline corrosion and leakageIf the refrigerator is used for more than 5 years, the copper tube or aluminum tube may be electrochemically corroded due to humid environment. In particular, stress concentration areas such as welds and elbows are more likely to produce small leakage points.

2. Improper maintenance operationNon-professional repairs may result in:

Incomplete vacuuming (residual air destroys the refrigeration cycle)

· Incorrect refrigerant charge (too much leads to liquid hammer, too little affects refrigeration)

Poor welding of pipeline (leakage caused by false welding and trachoma)

3. Mechanical damageSevere vibration and heavy impact during handling may cause:

· Condenser tube rupture

· Deformation of evaporator coil

· Failure of compressor seal

4. Aging of partsFor refrigerators that have been used for more than 8 years, common aging parts include:

· Wear of compressor valve plate (resulting in poor sealing)

·Drying filter failure (unable to filter moisture impurities)

· The capillary tube is blocked (affecting the refrigerant flow)

(3) Scientific response and preventionWhen the above performance is found, the following steps are recommended:

Preliminary judgment: use a thermometer to measure the actual temperature of the refrigerator compartment (2-8 ℃) and the freezer compartment (below -18 ℃)

Professional testing: contact after-sales use leak detector testing, to avoid adding refrigerant

Regular maintenance: clean the condenser dust net every 2-3 years, check the sealing of the door seal

Regeneration: use of more than 10 years of refrigerator, it is recommended to consider more energy efficient new models

Understanding these scientific knowledge, you will be able to accurately determine the refrigerator problem, to avoid being false maintenance pit. Remember, refrigerants are not consumables, and normal refrigerators do not need to add refrigerants for 5-8 years. When you find abnormal refrigeration, the first thing to check is the aging of the sealing strip, dust accumulation is too thick and other common problems, and then consider the refrigerant factor. The scientific use of refrigerators not only ensures food safety, but also saves energy expenses. This is the real wisdom of life.

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