The breakage of a household refrigerator is an unexpected event that can bring many problems. Spoiled food and unforeseen financial expenses are only a small part of the negative factors that accompany this episode. Such a breakdown occurs due to the leakage of a substance that acts as a refrigerant in devices. The reasons for this lie in the damage to the elements of the system. The rest of the article will tell you how to fill your home refrigerator with freon.
Causes of refrigerant leakage
The main sign of the next breakdown of the refrigerator is that it began to cool food worse. If the device is operating at a standard power level, but the food is spoiling, then this is a clear sign that freon is leaking. In addition, an unpleasant odor emanating from a household device may also appear. Frost on pipes and oil leaks are other signs of a refrigerator breakdown.
The reasons for freon leakage are as follows:
- system depressurization;
- fault inoperation of the compressor in the refrigeration circuit;
- wear or poor connection of auxiliary pipes, the purpose of which is to allow fluid to circulate throughout the system;
- evaporator or compressor failure due to mechanical damage.
Knowing the exact cause of the refrigerant leak, you can fix the device. If the breakdown is not serious, then it is possible to fill the refrigerator with freon yourself. How to do it? The answer to this question will follow.
Materials needed for refueling
Replacing freon in a refrigerator is a complex and expensive process that is best learned to do on your own. Before refueling the refrigerator, you must carefully study the instructions. The document contains a lot of useful data: type of refrigerant, location of parts and pressure level in the system.
First, materials and equipment are prepared, namely:
- Cylinder with freon. There are many refrigerants, so you should review the instructions for more details to make the right choice.
- Accurate scales with which you need to weigh the container with freon when refueling.
- Filter drier.
- Vacuum pump.
- Parts and equipment for the repair of pipes in case of mechanical damage and after work.
- Nitrogen tank.
- Schroeder valve, with which it is possible to connect to a system of cylinders and pumps, create a vacuum and a high pressure zone.
Before you fill the refrigerator with freon, you must carefully checkelements of the system for serviceability. If you do not replace broken devices and tubes, then the refueling process will only harm the device.
Execution technology
Preparatory activities completed - you can start filling the refrigerator. To do this, follow these steps:
- Connect the Schrader valve to the compressor nozzle.
- The next step is to pressurize the circuit with air using a vacuum pump. This is done to avoid leaks. If the pressure during injection does not fall, then in this case the tightness of the system is not broken. And if the indicator decreases, then it is necessary to find damaged places on the tubes and solder them.
- Next, you will need to connect a nitrogen bottle to the Schrader valve and purge the circuit. The complete removal of moisture from the tubes is what will happen if this step is done correctly.
- Before you fill the refrigerator with freon yourself, you need to replace the filter drier, and then connect the capillary tube to it. It is recommended to carefully solder the junction of the parts. Important to know: this must be done quickly, as moisture and air can enter the system.
- To the left inlet of the vacuum station it is necessary to bring the Schrader valve, which was previously connected to the compressor. A cylinder with freon must be connected to the central groove, and the right one is connected to the pump.
- Next, nitrogen should be pumped out of the tubes, that is, the circuit should be evacuated. This process will take 20 minutes.
- Cylinder with freonmust be weighed on a scale. The point is to monitor the filling of the circuit in terms of the amount of substance that enters the refrigerator. Accurate scales usually indicate the most accurate value.
- How to fill the refrigerator with freon? To do this, fill the pipes with refrigerant, while looking at the scales. To determine the right amount of a substance, you must first study the instructions for the device.
- The final step is to turn off the Schrader valve, and then the compressor service pipe must be soldered.
Important steps are evacuation and purging of the refrigerator circuit, since the performance of the device directly depends on the quality of these works.
Common mistakes
If a person had to refuel the refrigerator on their own, you need to pay attention to the following nuances:
- If there is too little or too much refrigerant in the system, the compressor may not work properly. Overheating and breakdown of the device - that's what can happen in this case. Therefore, it is important to use high-quality scales, the error of which is no more than two grams.
- Before you fill the refrigerator with freon, you must thoroughly dry the tubes and replace the filter.
FAQ
It is important to know that freon is a colorless substance with no pronounced odor. Therefore, it is problematic to detect a leak of a substance in advance, since it is in a gaseous state most of the time.
Following the describedprocedure, you don’t have to worry about how to fill the refrigerator with freon so as not to harm the human body. You should not beware of the negative impact: modern substances are completely safe. But, despite the fact that little freon is refilled in the refrigerator, this substance is under high atmospheric pressure in cylinders, so you need to handle it carefully.
If you follow the instructions and recommendations correctly, in the end you can easily fill the refrigerator without resorting to the services of professionals.
