Refrigeration systems are critical in the food service industry. It is very important to practice preventative maintenance on your cooling systems to help prevent them from clogging or breaking down, which could lead to spoiled food, rotten food, etc. The following guidelines are provided from .
By following these preventive maintenance steps, it does not guarantee your unit will not break down. However, by taking care and maintaining your refrigeration systems your unit is less likely to have problems.
At every six month interval, or sooner if local conditions cause clogging or fouling of air passages through the finned surface, the following items should be checked.
1) Visually inspect unit
• Look for signs of corrosion on fins, cabinet, copper tubing and solder joints.
• Look for excessive or unusual vibration for fan blades or sheet metal panels when in operation. Identify fan cell(s) causing vibration and check motor and blade carefully.
• Look for oil stains on headers, return bends, and coil fins. Check any suspect areas with an electronic leak detector.
• Check drain pan to insure that drain is clear of debris, obstructions or ice buildup and is free draining.
2) Clean evaporator coil and blades
• Periodic cleaning can be accomplished by using a brush, pressurized water or a commercially available evaporator coil cleaner or mild detergent. Never use an acid based cleaner. Follow label directions for appropriate use. Be sure the product you use is approved for use in your particular application.
• Flush and rinse coil until no residue remains.
• Pay close attention to drain pan, drain line and trap.
3) Check the operation of all fans and ensure airflow is unobstructed
• Check that each fan rotates freely and quietly. Replace any fan motor that does not rotate smoothly or makes an unusual noise.
• Check all fan set screws and tighten if needed.
• Check all fan blades for signs of stress or wear. Replace any blades that are worn, cracked or bent.
• Verify that all fan motors are securely fastened to the motor rail.
• Lubricate motors if applicable.
4) Inspect electrical wiring and components
• Visually inspect all wiring for wear, kinks, bare areas and discoloration. Replace any wiring found to be damaged.
• Verify that all electrical and ground connections are secure, tighten if necessary.
• Check operation/calibration of all fan cycle and defrost controls when used.
• Look for abnormal accumulation of ice patterns and adjust defrost cycles accordingly
• Compare actual defrost heater amp draw against unit data plate.
• Visually inspect heaters to ensure even surface contact with the coil. If heaters have crept, decrease defrost termination temperature and be sure you have even coil frost patterns. Re-align heaters as needed.
• Check drain line heat tape for proper operation (supplied and installed by others).
5) Refrigeration Cycle
• Check unit cooler superheat and compare reading for your specific application
• Visually inspect coil for even distribution
• Check operation and calibration of all timers, relays pressure controls and safety controls.
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