Accumulator & Burnout Considerations

By October 3, 2019

Accumulator & Burnout Considerations

The suction line accumulator is designed to keep liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor while still allowing for oil return.

The trouble is that if the oil return port/screen clogs, the accumulator can fill with oil and actually cause the compressor to fail. In addition to that, it can hold contaminated oil in a burnout.

As standard compressor replacement practice, you may want to consider removing the accumulator and dumping (properly disposing of) excess oil to remove contamination, check for excessive oil buildup, and acid-test the oil.

In the case of a bad burnout, it may be best to replace the accumulator completely and take the other burnout protocol measures.

Here is a great video on accumulators from AC Service Tech:

Louie Molenda also wrote an excellent HVAC School article about suction line accumulators a while back. You can find that article HERE.

—Bryan

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HVAC School – For Techs, By Techs

Real training for HVAC ( Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) Technicians. Including recorded tech training, interviews, diagnostics and general conversations about the trade.

Phil Barr and Nathan Orr join the podcast to talk about wiring refrigerated cases in commercial spaces, including convenience stores and supermarkets.

Cases may be medium-temp (or high-temp, in some cases) or low-temp. Medium-temp cases can typically defrost on their own during the off cycle, and low-temp cases may have electric or hot-gas defrost to help get ice off the coil at set intervals. Each system has an evaporator (and fans), compressor, condenser, and metering device (often a TXV or EEV), and low-temp refrigeration may have anti-sweat heaters, EPRs, and other components to manage.

Challenges arise when electricians don’t understand the fundamentals of commercial refrigeration, especially as the electrical circuitry relates to the refrigeration circuit components. Time crunches also apply a lot of pressure to electricians and refrigeration technicians. Testing circuits, such as fans and lighting, or using circuit tracers are good ways to get an idea of how an existing system is wired. Labeling wires and breakers and keeping those labels or information in places where others can read them can help you and other electricians in the future.

One of the most common issues happens when technicians or electricians refuse to test out their results to catch their mistakes before callbacks happen. Even seemingly small electrical issues, such as improper lighting, can cause costly losses if product spoils and cannot be sold.

Phil, Nathan, and Bryan also cover:

Changes in central and case control strategies over time
Challenges with retrofits and remodels
Central lighting controls
Mistakes that can be made when labeling wires or breakers
Working against the clock
Terminal blocks, DIN rails, and connectors
Making mistakes and the origin of animosity

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Search Episodes

Wiring Refrigerated Cases w/ Nathan & Phil

09/14/2023

Bryan Orr

Things to Keep out of the System – Class

09/07/2023

Bryan Orr

ACH (Air Changes Per Hour) – Short #174

09/05/2023

Bryan Orr

Oil Return and Refrigerant Charge in VRV w/ Roman Baugh

08/31/2023

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Magical Air Cleaning Oxides? – Short #173

08/29/2023

Bryan Orr

Can Filters Capture Viruses? – Short #172

08/22/2023

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Heat Pumps + Inverters w/ Joey H

08/17/2023

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Get Air Where it Needs to Go W/ Joey H.

08/10/2023

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Business Round Table – Tersh, Peterson, Holt

08/03/2023

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Cap Tubes and Flow Facts – Short #171

08/01/2023

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Comments

Gilles Comeau

10/14/16 at 06:07 PM

Good to know

Dean

12/7/16 at 10:39 PM

Thanks for this info, will stick with me 🙂

Lionel Stoxstell II

3/16/17 at 01:49 AM

It makes sense to replace the Accumulator because it receives refrigerant with its oil before the compressor does.. There has been a few times that all I’ve done was flush out with Rx-11 and nitrogen and sometimes a lot of oil will come out however now I wonder… This reeally Helped.. Im a 1 year tech and trying to learn. Thanks!!

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