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REFRIGERATION

Troubleshooting

Suspected refrigerant leak

A refrigerator's refrigerant circulates in a sealed loop and is not used up. If the charge is low, it has leaked out somewhere. Leaks can be fast, such as a pipe pierced while chipping ice, or slow, such as a joint cracked by vibration or corroded by kitchen fumes and salty coastal air. Many current commercial units use hydrocarbon refrigerants such as R290 or R600a, which are efficient and have low climate impact but are flammable. That makes the right response to a suspected leak a matter of safety as well as cooling. Staff should never try to find or fix a leak themselves.

First, check these

  1. If you hear hissing or suspect a sudden leak, switch off the unit at the socket if it is safe to do so, ventilate the area by opening doors and windows, and keep flames, smoking and sparks away.
  2. Check the rating plate for the refrigerant type so you can tell the technician.
  3. Look, without touching pipes, for oily stains on pipework, joints or the floor under the machine compartment. Refrigerant carries compressor oil out with it.
  4. Note how cooling has changed over time: gradual decline over weeks, or sudden loss.
  5. If you can see the evaporator, note the frost pattern. Frost covering only the first part of the coil while the rest stays bare is a classic sign of low charge.

Likely causes

  1. 1. Vibration-cracked pipe or joint

    Technician job

    Signs: Oily patch where pipes touch each other or the cabinet; cooling declined slowly; unit sometimes noisy.

    Fix: A technician pressure-tests, finds the crack, repairs it, secures the pipe so it cannot rub, then evacuates and recharges.

  2. 2. Evaporator punctured during defrost or cleaning

    Technician job

    Signs: Sudden loss of cooling after ice was chipped or a sharp tool used inside; hiss or visible hole.

    Fix: A technician must repair or replace the evaporator. In chest freezers with foamed-in tubes, repair may not be practical.

  3. 3. Corroded condenser or pipework

    Technician job

    Signs: Green or white deposits on copper, pitted fins; common near the coast and in greasy or chemical-laden kitchens.

    Fix: A technician repairs or replaces the corroded section. Regular cleaning slows corrosion.

  4. 4. Leaking access valve or service fitting

    Technician job

    Signs: Oil residue at a service port, often after previous gas charging.

    Fix: A technician replaces or seals the fitting properly; caps should always be refitted.

  5. 5. Pipe damaged in transport or moving

    Technician job

    Signs: Cooling problems began after the unit was moved or delivered; kinks or dents in pipes.

    Fix: A technician repairs the damaged section and checks the whole system.

When to call a technician

Call a trained refrigeration technician as soon as you suspect a leak. A proper repair means locating the leak, repairing it, pressure-testing, pulling a deep vacuum and weighing in the exact charge on the rating plate. Hydrocarbon units carry small charges, so accurate weighing matters. Be wary of anyone who offers only to top up gas: without a repair, it will leak again.

Refrigerants such as R290 and R600a are flammable and heavier than air, so they collect near the floor. Ventilate, remove ignition sources, do not switch lights or equipment on and off near a fresh leak, and keep people away. Only technicians trained for hydrocarbon refrigerants, with suitable tools, should work on these systems.

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