My refrigerator / freezer (Candy CF 21/11 SGB ) has packed up. Fortunately it packed up after I defrosted it to put on new door seals prior to restocking from the cash and carry so no food was lost but I'm not so CCHHuFFFed that I've just forked out on the new door seals. I can't find a fridge/freezer that'll fit in the space that has a large freezer section and smaller fridge section. Once I have replaced the current GCH boiler with a combi to recover the space used by the hot water tank I can have more fridge freezer options but that'll be next year at least so I have to preclude a new fridge freezer at this time.
I've been looking on the web for a tutorial on reclaiming existing refrigerant and filling with new refrigerant but couldn't see anything.
Tooling up for refrigeration is not beyond my means and as my company has a catering equipment division (we don't do refrigeration at this time I don't think) it could be advantageous to have the gear.
R134a from what I've gleaned from the MSDS is an environmentally better alternative to R12 - an ozone depleter.
Any pointers anyone? Any other refrigeration faultfinding tips like faultfinding on thermocouples?
R134A is non combustible, yes(?) so it''ll be OK to braze the tubing while charged?
I think the procedure would be: Fit R134a valve/s onto tubing. Recover R134a into recovery canister. Vacuum pumping all refrigerant and oil out. Close off valve/s. Fit new R134a (or better alternative) refrigerant canister. Charge up to specified pressure. Close service valve/s. Remove refrigerant canister.
Is this correct? How would I identify where to fit the HP service valve? The LP side looks obvious - the stub coming out of the compressor. Could I leave the r134a service valve/s fitted? If not how do I braze closed the filling tube going into the compressor without losing the gas?
What does R134A smell like?
R134A MSDS: