Preparing equipment for seasonal shutdown advise?

[alnelson]

Fryers can be left dry after they’ve been cleaned. Just be sure and unplug them and/or shut off the gas so they don’t get dry fired.

 

Shutting off the coolers and freezers is fine, just be sure to prop the doors open a little or else the smell inside will be terrible.

 

Ice machines should get cleaned and sanitized before being restarted. It wouldn’t hurt to clean and sanitize them once they’re turned off as well.

 

No real advantage or disadvantage to shutting things down aside from saving runtime and saving electricity.

[fixbear]

Reach in coolers and freezers, if they have been tapped on the low side tend to loose refrigerant in long shutdowns. Seems that at normal operating pressures they don’t have any leaks, but shut them down and the low side equals the high side and they leak at the charge fitting. Also some compressors have to start with mechanical parts that get dry and no lube setting. Have seen a recommissioning to service resulting in locked rotor. Not a problem with Tecumseh or Cope. One can help stem off this problem by using a brazed in charge fitting instead of a piercing one and use good brass seal caps on them.

Walk ins can be pumped down to the receiver to prevent this. Leave 10 lb’s pressure on the low side to prevent moisture migration into the system. The reason low sides develop these small leaks are mainly from the constant expansion-contraction cycles at any mechanical joint or even tubes. The old Kysor 180 degree evaporators were the worst. The expansion valve fittings and compressor suction if improperly routed will actually dimple in under the flare  nut.  Never place a low side  nut vertical on top. Have had to repair many that did this and the power of water freezing inside the nut is amazing.

 

You should use your own judgement as only you know the  machines you are working on. And if you repair them so they don’t break down, Unfortunately, if you fix them too well, you will be out of work.

[davejohnsonnola]

Came back after my latest six month installment of early retirement and found that in areas that were completely shut down that several of the reach ins and built in refrigeration units had indeed lost charge. All of them R22. Glad I’m not paying those bills, but I will be pricing new equipment to show the bosses that they could have new boxes for not much more than they have paid to keep 10+ year old equipment limping along.

 

Amazing how corporate budgets work. They can justify emergency repairs, but can’t seem to come up with the budget for new equipment capitol expense!

 

Other areas that were not used, but shut down, did not experience freon leaks. 

[john]

Just tell them that since R22 is being phased out, they eventually will be replacing these pieces of equipment in the near future. It’s going to be harder to get, more expensive, and eventually will need special licensing even to recycle. I believe by 2030 it’s just going to be illegal to have (if I am reading these convoluted regulations properly). Of course, 2030 isn’t exactly near, but the added expense by 2020 (only allowing reclaimed refrigerant to be used in existing R22 units) will certainly make it more burdensome. I read that the price of R22 went up 300% back in 2012, and it isn’t going to get any cheaper.

 

I’m glad it’s not your bill, too. $_$