Vogt P18AL TUBE-ICE, Service Manual

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P18AL Service Manual
TROUBLESHOOTING
3/6/07
8-4
Symptom: Low ice capacity.
Suspicions of low ice capacity should be confirmed by accurate calculations of actual ice product. Significant losses can occur due to
melting and off fall through augers and other ice handling equipment.
1.
Time the total cycle (freeze time + thaw time).
2. Catch all the ice at the ice discharge opening of the machine for that cycle.
3. Weight the total amount of ice caught.
Lbs. ice per cycle
Cycle time minutes X 1440 = ______________ lbs. production per 24 hours (Note: divide seconds by 60 to get decimal equivalent)
More than one cycle should be caught and weighed to get an accurate average.
Possible Cause Possible Remedy
Inadequate water for ice making Water pressure of 30 psig minimum is required to assure proper
water supply. Check water pressure. Check for a restriction in
the incoming line or at the make-up water float valve.
Water distributors may be stopped up Check distributors and clean orifices as needed.
Freeze timer, Freezer pressure switch or thaw timer out of
adjustment Check hole size in Tube-Ice (See TABLE 7-2). Crushed ice
should be 3/16”-1/4” thick. Check and adjust thawing time.
Thawing should be 30 seconds longer than it takes for all the ice
to clear the freezer.
Excessive ice chips in the water tank, causing short cycling
Check incoming water temperature (45
°
F minimum). Check
flushing valve to make sure ice chips are being melted and
flowing out the tank overflow during the harvest cycle.
Compressor running unloaded or not pumping full volume Check compressor motor amp draw. Check for belt slippage and
tighten as needed. Check for leaking compressor suction or
discharge valves. Refer to your compressor manual. See other
related symptoms.
Restriction in the refrigerant liquid line or float switch not
operating properly Check for a partially closed valve or an obstruction at the
strainer, solenoid valve, or hand expansion valve. The liquid
line will normally have frost on the downstream side of a
restriction, especially as the suction pressure decreases.
Low refrigerant charge, causing re-freeze Check the receiver gage glass mark for the proper level. Check
for and repair leaks. Add refrigerant.
Warm make-up water for ice making Capacity of the machine is proportional to ice making water
temperature. Warmer water will reduce the ice making capacity.
Refer to Section 11, Capacity Table. Check float adjustment and
water tank drain valve.
Excessively high head pressure Check cooling tower or evaporative condenser to make sure
sufficient water is provided for cooling and the equipment is
operational to cool the water. Also see “Symptom High Head
Pressure”.
Suction regulator out of adjustment or defective (optional) Check the freezer pressure and compare to the main suction
pressure. The suction regulator should regulate the freezer
pressure and create a 2 psi pressure drop across the valve.
Adjust pressure regulator. Repair or replace defective valve.
Thawing gas solenoid valve (18) leaking through during freeze
cycle Check the manual opening stem to make sure it is in the
automatic position (stem screwed in). Check for leak by sound,
temperature difference and frost during a freeze cycle. Close the
stop valve (90) to confirm suspicion of leakage. Repair or
replace the valve.