How to find a freon leak in a refrigerator and how to fix it

Freon is an inert gas, odorless. At atmospheric pressure it boils at a temperature below zero. But the compressor creates such pressure that the refrigerant condenses into liquid, heating the circuits, before turning back into gas in the evaporator. The cooling process of the chambers requires a certain amount of refrigerant. Leakage reduces the cold performance of the device. The technician’s task is to find where freon has leaked from the refrigerator, eliminate the fistula and pump in a new portion of refrigerant.

Signs of a freon leak in the refrigerator

An insufficient amount of freon disrupts the thermal balance and uses less heat for evaporation. The cause of a refrigerant leak from a refrigerator is almost always due to a violation of the operating instructions:

• Improper transportation of the refrigerator, loading and installation with sudden jerks can lead to the destruction of welding seams.
• Speeding up defrosting by mechanically removing the ice using a knife or fork can damage the tubes in the freezer.
• Rare defrosting, accumulation of ice, and melting near the door contribute to rusting of the tubes in the heating circuit. Fistulas form at the bottom where moisture seeps through the seal.
• Natural aging of the material, corrosion.
• Manufacturing defects.

If there is not enough freon in the refrigerator, the compressor will work without stopping, and the chamber will be warm. A specialist with the necessary equipment can accurately determine both leaks and other faults. Similar signs may occur when the door is not tightly closed or the integrity of the gaskets is compromised.

To independently determine whether there is freon in the refrigerator, you should defrost and dry the device. If, after turning it on, the cold does not build up in the chambers, the condenser grille is cold, the freon has leaked out. What to do? Need refueling.

Filling a refrigerator with freon

Freon is used in air conditioners and refrigeration equipment as a refrigerant.
This substance circulates through the cooling circuit, ensuring effective heat exchange between the internal chambers of the refrigerator and the environment. If there is not enough freon in the system, this will negatively affect the performance and performance of the equipment. The device begins to produce less cold, as a result of which the temperature inside the refrigerator gradually increases. This leads to wasted energy consumption, the appearance of water puddles, overheating of the compressor and rapid spoilage of food. If such a situation arises, it is necessary to top up with freon. To do this, you should contact specialists in the city of Chelyabinsk. Professional technicians will not only restore the supply of freon in the cooling circuit of the refrigerator, but will also find out the cause of the leak and fix it.

In what cases is it necessary to charge a household refrigerator with freon?

The need to refill refrigeration equipment with freon arises when the following problems are detected:

• The refrigerator works for a long time without auto-shutdown. This occurs because there is not enough refrigerant in the circuit. The refrigerator and freezer compartments are not cooled efficiently enough, and in order to create the desired temperature in them, the compressor works in increased mode. This inevitably leads to accelerated wear of the compressor mechanism.
• The temperature in the refrigerator does not drop to the set value. This can be determined not only by sensations, but also by the condition of the stored products. Vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meat, etc. begin to quickly deteriorate, rot and emit characteristic odors. And on the inner walls and bottom of the refrigerator, drops of condensation form.

How to refill household refrigerators with freon at home?

Specialists involved in the repair and maintenance of household refrigeration equipment refill with freon in the following sequence:

• Determine the brand of refrigerant used in a specific refrigerator model. The use of an unsuitable brand of freon may adversely affect the condition and performance of the equipment.
• Carefully check the freon line pipes, inspect the radiator, condenser and evaporator for visible defects. If any part of the system has lost its tightness due to corrosion or mechanical damage, it must be repaired.
• Pump the required amount of refrigerant into the system. At the same time, the volume of injected substance is strictly controlled. An excess of freon in the system causes no less harm to it than its deficiency. To avoid any problems, specialists perform refueling based on the readings of special measuring devices.

How long does it take to charge a refrigerator with freon?

Refilling refrigeration units with freon is a fairly quick procedure. As a rule, this takes about 1-2 hours. During this time, specialists have time to restore the tightness of the circuit, pump the required amount of refrigerant into the circuit and check the functionality of the equipment. In rare cases, the work may take all day to complete. For example, such situations arise when repairing refrigeration equipment requires replacing important components (evaporator, motor-compressor, etc.)

What determines the cost of refilling refrigerant?

The price of specialist services depends on several main factors:

• Condition of refrigeration equipment. If before refueling you need to seal the circuit, replace damaged freon pipes or other components, the cost of the work will be higher.
• The amount of refrigerant in the system. Each refrigerator model uses a different amount of freon. The more refrigerant that needs to be pumped into the system, the more expensive the service will cost.

Mobile gas station in Chelyabinsk

Our company provides maintenance of refrigeration equipment in the city of Chelyabinsk. We employ experienced craftsmen who know all the subtleties and nuances of their work. They are well versed in the designs of various models of refrigerators, regardless of the brand, model and year of manufacture. When placing an order, specify your address in Chelyabinsk, and we will immediately send specialists to the specified location. Our technicians will quickly complete the task, carefully check the refrigerator after refueling and provide free consultation on issues of interest.

Our company provides a wide selection of goods and services for the installation of refrigeration equipment, restoration of washing machines, and repair of refrigerators.

Call!

Source: https://tkholod.com/zapravka-freonom-xolodilnika/

What does freon look like leaking from a refrigerator?

How to detect a leak yourself? In open areas, the puncture site will be indicated by a black spot - the gas has escaped, and the oil in the circuit is non-volatile, it remains around the fistula. If a tube rupture occurs in the foamed part of the refrigerator, the chamber wall will swell, indicating the location of the leak. A specialist in finding freon leaks in a refrigerator uses a leak detector - a device that works on the principle of a metal detector. Having detected the location of damage, the device beeps.

You can determine that freon has leaked from the refrigerator if the chambers are warm and there is a brown oily puddle on the floor near the compressor. The refrigerant evaporated at room temperature, leaving oil, decomposition products, and condensation as a trace. You can understand that freon has leaked from the refrigerator yourself as soon as puddles of melted food and the uniform noise of a running compressor are detected. If you touch the capacitor - the grille on the end part - it will be cold. This is the surest indicator that the freon in the refrigerator has run out.

Definition

Freon is a substance consisting of methane and ethane in a certain proportion. It is inert to the environment. The refrigerant can be in liquid or gas form. As it evaporates, it absorbs heat while releasing cold. There are about 40 types of refrigerant. The refrigerator uses some types of freon that are safe for humans and the environment.

Attention! It should be remembered that freon is not only found in refrigerators. It is used for refilling air conditioners and other cooling equipment, fire extinguishing agents, and for medical and cosmetic aerosols and sprays. Freon is part of polyurethane foam and some types of paints and varnishes.

The substance is odorless and transparent, so it is not possible to detect a leak by color and aroma in the air. You can find out about a malfunction of the cooling system only by subjective factors: the presence of condensation on the walls of the chamber, poor freezing or its absence. The following types of freon are used for household appliances:

• R600a (isobutane) is a substance of natural origin that does not destroy ozone in the atmosphere, but it can explode in concentrations above 31 g/m3; a small amount of gas is used in the refrigerator, which cannot lead to an explosion;
• R134a (tetrafluoroethane) is a safe gas that does not contain chlorine, the refrigerant is colorless and odorless, inert to the environment, does not ignite at plus or minus temperatures, and has a zero degree of ozone layer destruction;
• R12 (difluorodichloromethane) - prohibited for use in modern household appliances since 2010, has a sweetish odor like ether, does not burn in domestic conditions, explodes at temperatures above 330 ° C, and at a concentration above 30% leads to suffocation;
• R22 (difluorochloromethane) - found in old-style refrigerators, has a clearly noticeable smell of chloroform, destroys the ozone layer, but its destructive ability is lower than that of its analogue R12; when exposed to an open flame and heated to 250 ° C, it decomposes into highly toxic substances.

You can determine the type of freon in the refrigerator using the information indicated on the label for the compressor. The type of substance is also specified in the technical documentation for the unit. Modern models of freezers and refrigerators charge only R600a and R134a, which are not dangerous if leaked.

How to check for freon leaks in a refrigerator

When users complain about the unpleasant smell from the refrigerator and associate it with a freon leak, they are right. Yes, the gas is colorless and odorless. But the refrigerant gradually evaporates into the microscopic hole. The climate in the cell changes. Microparticles of pathogens appear, creating an unpleasant odor. This is due to high humidity. What to do if you suspect that freon is coming out of the refrigerator?

1. Check how often the compressor stops or whether it runs continuously.
2. Check the integrity of the door seal and the tightness of the circuit connection. Take a sheet of thick, high-quality paper, cut a strip of 5 cm and stretch it through the closed door. It drags with difficulty - the seal is normal.
3. The compressor does not stop, there is no cold, check the voltage in the network. The compressor performance is 0 if the network is 185 V. The motor will work, but there will be no compression.

If other causes are excluded, contact a specialized center for diagnosis. A specialist knows how to determine the presence or absence of freon in a refrigerator.

Why do you need freon

Not all people know what function the refrigerant performs. Freon is the main working substance that removes heat from the compartments of the refrigerator. Therefore, the required temperature is maintained in the internal chambers.

If there is not enough gas or it leaks, the equipment stops working normally or fails completely. It is important to be able to detect freon leaks and know through which places it comes out.

To better understand why refrigerant is needed, you can familiarize yourself with the operating principle of a household appliance motor:

• the compressor relay turns on, closing the electrical circuit, when the temperature rises, and when the cold blower operates, the required pressure is created in the system so that the gas enters the condenser radiator;
• the refrigerant becomes liquid and a large amount of heat is generated, dissipating into space thanks to the radiator grille;
• after passing through the evaporator, the substance ends up in the pipeline, where the pressure equalizes and gradually decreases;
• liquid refrigerant enters the radiator and is heated to a predetermined temperature, and then turns into steam;
• The condenser cools and the temperature in the refrigerator decreases.

Some believe that freon is harmful to the human body. However, it only becomes dangerous if there is a large gas leak. There is a small amount of it in the refrigerator. For example, Atlant devices contain 60-135 g of freon. The exact amount of refrigerant depends on the model of household appliance.

View » Why in the Atlant two-chamber refrigerator the refrigerator compartment does not work but the freezer works: reasons for the breakdown, what is the problem, what to do

Internal freon leak in refrigerator

The most expensive repair if freon has leaked from the refrigerator is considered to be changing the refrigerant circuit. The price of the work depends on the location of the leak. If it is a door heating circuit, it is turned off and the tube is laid along the rear wall. If a fistula has formed in the body, it is necessary to remove the insulation, re-lay the circuit and foam it.

The work is expensive, but even in a workshop it is impossible to recreate the factory circuit. Repairs that damage the thermal insulation change the thermodynamic properties of the chambers. Some companies, for example, Liebherr, consider refrigerators with a freon leak in the foam part beyond repair. Within 10 years of operation, they, according to the conclusion of their own service center, can change the device, contrary to Russian trade rules.

Fixing a freon leak in a refrigerator

Various methods of restoring tightness are used in the circuit. An aluminum evaporator uses solder to an aluminum base to repair punctures.

The junction of a copper tube with an aluminum one is performed by argon welding on a special installation. It is possible that gas escapes at the junction of the fitting and the compressor, and the rest of the circuit does not require repair. The technician has several ways to determine the location of the freon leak in the refrigerator. The repairman's actions occur in the following sequence:

• fault diagnosis;
• detection of cracks and fistulas in the cooling circuit tubes, troubleshooting at home or in the workshop;
• vacuuming the system to remove condensate and freon residues;
• filling the circuit with gas in a certain volume;
• checking the system for tightness and cooling ability.

If, after pumping in the refrigerant, the cooling effect has decreased and the suction tube into the compressor is frozen - a lot of freon has been pumped in - recharging is required at the expense of the technician.

Freon leaking from refrigerator

If you are concerned about liquid leaking from your refrigerator

rest assured, this is not freon, but compressor oil. In this case, an oil leak signals a depressurization of the system, which in turn is fraught with a freon leak.

Many people mistakenly believe that freon may simply run out. However, this is not a consumable material in the usual sense: in the absence of leaks, the same amount of refrigerant circulates through the system. And, if it becomes insufficient for normal operation of the unit, it means that freon is leaking.

If the amount of freon is insufficient, the thermal balance in the circuit is disrupted, the refrigerator operates less efficiently: it cannot maintain the set temperature, and the cooling of food occurs slowly. The refrigerator does not cope with its main function - cooling food, and these, in turn, spoil or lose their taste and nutritional properties.

It is almost impossible to detect a freon leak by smell.

Main refrigerants R134a; R22, R12, although they have a faint smell of chloroform, you can smell it only in high concentrations. The most popular freon R600a has no odor at all.

By what signs can we independently determine that there is a freon leak in the refrigerator:

1. The refrigerator cools less than usual;
2. The compressor turns on more often than usual or does not turn off at all;
3. The compressor does not turn on;
4. You hear uncharacteristic sounds: gurgling, whistling, hissing;
5. You notice icing or snow spots on the outer or inner wall;
6. The radiator on the rear wall is at room temperature;
7. Sound and/or light signals about a malfunction;
8. Icing of tubes located near the compressor;
9. The inside or outside wall of the refrigerator is swollen.

In order to draw a conclusion about a freon leak, the presence of at least one of the listed signs is sufficient.

ON A NOTE

If the food in the refrigerator is warm

become unusable - this is the very first and most obvious sign of a freon leak

To solve the problem we will act step by step.

Step 1 - determining the location of the freon leak

Step 2 - Determine the cause

Step 3 - Troubleshooting

As part of the topic of our article, we will take a closer look at how to determine the location of a freon leak. Before you can independently determine whether there is freon in the refrigerator, it must be defrosted and dried. If, after switching on, no cold is formed in the chambers, and the condenser grille is cold, it means that freon has leaked out.

The location of the leak can be determined in several ways

• Visually: during evaporation, freon cools greatly, and accordingly, snow, ice, and frost accumulate at the leak site. It is necessary to look for a crack in the evaporator, capillary tubes, or connections. In open areas, the puncture site will be indicated by a black spot, since the gas has escaped, and the oil in the circuit is non-volatile, so it remains around the hole. It is also possible to determine that freon has leaked from the refrigerator if the chambers are warm, and a brown oily puddle has formed on the floor near the compressor: the freon has evaporated at room temperature, but the oil and condensate remain.
• Using a pressure gauge: liquid nitrogen is pumped into the freon line to maximum pressure. If there is no leak, the pressure will remain unchanged, and if freon leaks, the pressure gauge will show a drop in pressure. This diagnostic method requires the use of special equipment and special skills, so it is used by professionals.
• Using a soap solution: a concentrated soap solution is applied to suspected areas of freon leakage. Seething bubbles will appear at the site of the gas leak. This diagnostic method is accessible to everyone and does not require special skills.

IMPORTANT

If the leak occurs in small quantities and for a short time, professional help is needed to detect it.

• Using ultraviolet light. We know that freon has no color, however, during routine or repair work, UV markers, a liquid color indicator that glows when exposed to ultraviolet light, are sometimes added to the system. The leak detection method is as follows: in complete darkness with the compressor turned on and operating in cooling mode, it is necessary to illuminate the entire system using any source of UV light (ultraviolet lamp, halogen lamp). A colored spot will appear at the location of the gas leak.
• Using a gas analyzer/leak detector: This is the most accurate way to detect gas leaks, but requires the use of a special device. For each type of freon, a special device is used.

Freon leak in the refrigerator - is it worth repairing?

Compared to replacing the compressor, finding a crack and restoring the circuit is much cheaper. The refrigerator gets a second life. There are cases when an evaporator, repaired 15 years ago, still works in an old refrigerator in exile in the country. Freon cannot just leak out of the refrigerator. The cold circuit is sealed. Over the years, a leak may develop at the junction between the copper and aluminum tubing. In Russian models, leaks are often found in the door heating circuit. Inexpensive repairs return the device to full functionality. That’s why, as soon as you find out that freon has leaked from the refrigerator, you need to call a technician as soon as possible. This operation cannot be performed independently - the risk of adding several more to one problem is too great.

How to find a freon leak in a refrigerator yourself

If the compressor doesn't stop running, remember how it all started. Perhaps there was meat in the freezer, and you tore it off the wall with ice. Or maybe, in an effort to defrost the chamber faster, they “gently” pushed the ice crust away from the surface with a knife. At that moment, a slight hiss was heard, and soon everything became quiet. Was? Then the cause of the leak is obvious. The problem itself will not be solved; soon all the gas will be released, and the food will begin to spoil. It is necessary to call a technician to repair the damage or replace the evaporator.