# electric surg killed my fridge ???



## thesnail (May 1, 2005)

My fridge freezer has just given up the ghost due to loss of coolant. 

I am told by the repaires it is now illegal to re charge it due to the regulations regarding the toxicity of the gas. 

So I have to have the whole condenser replaced cost €400. 

The question is I have been told by the repaires that the problem could have been caused by cocontinuouslectrical surges I feel this is unlikely in an absorbsion fridge as the power is used to heat the condenser. 

I know that a cocompressorridge can blow the the compressor if subjected to electrical surges. 

So do I need to fit some sort of anti surge device to save me shelling out another €400.? 

Over to all you techies 

Bryan 

Enjoying the Spanish sun shine


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Fridge*

Hello Bryan & Rosemary!

The Entire refrigeration system has to be replaced, complete. Old one slots out, slot in new one and connect all cables etc.

That is Condensor, Evaporator, Accumulator etc.

Ammonia is not something that can be easily handled and is almost exclusively done in a controlled environment (Factory).

As far as I know, an electrical surge cannot cause an absorbtion system to loose its refrigerant. I would suggest it has leaked out due to corrosion, a week point or puncture.

Enjoy the sunshine.

Regards,
Trevor & Ann-Marie.


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## thesnail (May 1, 2005)

*My thoughts exactly*

Thank Trev

The leak is where the system was filled, just could not understand how electrical surges could cause the problem.

Maybe the problem was in the translation from Spanish

Muchas gracias

Bryan


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## BillCreer (Jan 23, 2010)

Hi Bryan,

What is a cocompressorridge and what are cocontinuouslectrical surges?


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

BillCreer said:


> Hi Bryan,
> 
> What is a cocompressorridge and what are cocontinuouslectrical surges?


I think the OP has a a a stutter


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

BillCreer said:


> Hi Bryan,
> 
> What is a cocompressorridge and what are cocontinuouslectrical surges?


Sounds like someone's being a bit of a clown. :clown:


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Re: My thoughts exactly*



thesnail said:


> Thank Trev
> 
> The leak is where the system was filled, just could not understand how electrical surges could cause the problem.
> 
> ...


That explains it then. The Charging point seal has failed.

Well you can replaced the system yourself, not that difficult of job. It is just the time involved. And being careful not to snap any pipes!. Just a few grammes of the stuff takes your breath away.

TM


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Years ago we used to test for ammonia leaks with a burning sulfer stick, that blew your head off as well if you sniffed it, not nice 20' up a ladder.

Ian


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

As far as I know you test for ammonia using damp indicator paper (modern red litmus paper), ammonia gas dissolves into water very quickly producing a very alkaline solution (pH = 14.0), it is unique in that from my memory.......

ammonia (g) + water ---------> ammonium hydroxide 

Dave


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi Dave, it was the gas we were checking not the liquid. When I worked at Manganese and Bronze who made the "oilite" sintered bearings, all the bearings went through belt furnaces which were fed with either endothermic or exothermic gases produced from LPG in 5 gas plants. One other method was using ammonia which went through a gas plant, and the resultant gas fed into one of the furnaces, after renewing some of the pipework I had to climb into the roof of the factory and test all the joints for leaks, if you put the stick under a joint and their was a leak the smoke from the stick turned white when it mixed with the gas.

Ian


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