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I just wanted to give an update on the continued woes of my Admiral GC2224GEKW F/F.
A few weeks ago I had pretty much diagnosed compressor failure and so a very nice engineer confirmed and fitted a new R134a compressor and changed the gas to R600(?) type gas (butane/isobutane). The original buzzing was all gone and the f/f seemed to be functioning perfectly apart from eventually noticing that it just would not get below about -10-15c. Also there was a puddle appearing below as the ice that was forming on one of the pipes came and went. Initially it was thought to be incorrect refrigerant level and so it was adjusted. No better and so it has been readjusted once more. This time it was worse and so another visit was made to completely start again with the filling but with a higher pressure to improve the flow around the evaporator. This also hasn’t made any improvement and I was informed at the last visit that if it didn’t work properly then it pointed to an evaporator fault due to some contaminant getting in courtesy of the failing compressor.Failed evaporator apparently = New F/F
I would always appreciate any thoughts on the above but primarily I would please like to know opinions on a replacement f/f.
Avoiding Samsung, what are the other brands like? Getting better? I don’t have the cash for a US machine so am looking at alternatives. LG? Bosch which I believe is good? I have read the advice guide but it is a bit out of date (not a criticism) and maybe some manufacturers have improved.
Cheers
PaulRe: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
Further to the above I have spoken to the engineer and he says that there really is nothing else to do and the machine has reached the end.
Interestingly he reckoned that Samsung where pretty good now and had really improved over the last year or so.
Based on that Samsung and LG feature highly on my list which is budget constrained due blowing quite a bit on the original compressor replacement which is soon to be dumped. 🙁Re: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
OK, I must be mad but after talking to the engineer I have purchased a Samsung f/f.
Re: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
OK, I must be mad but after talking to the engineer I have purchased a Samsung f/f.
Sorry..i’ll send the men in white coats round straight away.. Your original F/F could have been repaired.
Bryan
Re: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
r600a wrote:
Your original F/F could have been repaired.
Bryan,
you have got me curious.
The well respected engineer who has been working on the Admiral said that it was terminal and that nothing else could be done. When I talked to him this morning I stressed that on his say so I was going to bin the machine and buy a new one. He confirmed what he had said. I dreaded a familiar name like yours saying what you have.
Paul
p.s. not too late to cancel my order which is not due for a day or so.Re: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
Hi
Dependent on what r600a compressor was used depends if it was large enough or if in fact the system was restricted. The comment made that there was ice/ frost on one of the pipes leads me to think its a restriction and was a over charge of r600a.
The evaporator on the amana can be changed and is available as a spare part also. Send me the full model and production number and serial number and I can advise on the part number.
Bryan
Re: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
Hi Bryan,
Interestingly he fitted a new R134a compressor but changed/refilled with R600/R600a gas. I did query the mismatch but he said it was fine.
I will dig out the full details in the morning as now tucked up in bed but roughly what would an Admiral/Maytag part cost plus fitting.
I hope that I haven’t been fobbed off and cannot see why he would do it.
Regards
PaulRe: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
Hi
You CANNOT charge a R134a compressor with R600a refrigerant..it won’t work correctly as they run in a totally different way and pressures. R600a runs on a vacuum R134a runs with back pressure.. That’s more likely where your problem is.
Bryan
Re: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
THAT is very interesting to read! I will call him tomorrow and ask. I am beginning to get a bad feeling about the way I have been treated but will withhold judgement until I speak to him. I know that he is highly regarded and cannot see his motive. Initially when quoting for the job he said that he was replacing my original r134a with a r600(a) and using the new refrigerant. He said that the old style refrigerant was technically illegal. He also mentioned something about changing the ‘oil’ in the compressor to render it suitable for the different refrigerant.
Regards
PaulRe: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
Anyone working with R134a should be F Gas registered.
It sounds as if he does not understand how the different refrigerants work.
R134a is still legal if you are F Gas Registered.
Most car air conditioning runs on R134a but it is being phased out for more environmentally friendly refrigerants.
Bob
Re: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
Hi Bob,
as always thank you for your input. He definitely knows his stuff but was trying a ‘work-around’ when he had a R134a delivered instead of an R600a.(it was more or less admitted just now on the phone) It was again mentioned that the ‘oil’ had been changed in the R134a to cope with the different refrigerant but acceptance when I pushed the fact that the two compressors work differently. There is now a new compressor on order and will be fitted on Thursday.Once again this forum has proved to be invaluable in helping me to understand my predicament and find a solution.
Fingers are crossed for thursday and yes, the Samsung has been cancelled pending this forthcoming repair.
I would still be interested in the professional opinions of the newer Samsung machines although it would appear that both the G and H Series are already about 3 years old.Once again thank you to both Bryan and Bob(I just wish you both worked in my area)
PaulRe: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
On the plus side Samsung are easy to repair and spares are always easy to obtain.
I like Samsung as the American type Samsung give me plenty of work.
The Samsung American fridge freezer have always had the same problems but they out sell all the other American Type fridge Freezers.
So probably just as reliable as any other make but easier for spares and Repair.
Bob
Re: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
SAMURI wrote:I like Samsung as the American type Samsung give me plenty of work.
Bob, you funny guy!
We have several friends and family with Samsung machines and I agree that there has been the odd problem but by and large they have all been reliable. My supposedly rock-solid, mega-reliable Admiral however has been a real pain and to be honest I was looking forward to seeing the back of it but I cannot justify buying a new one if it will be back to normal by the end of Thursday at no extra cost to myself.
If the correct compressor doesn’t solve it and we discover that running a mismatch of compressor and refrigerant has caused some other permanent damage, well, that’s another story. Personally I cannot see that it has but as I said to the engineer (also a Samsung eng) I know nothing about this field of expertise.
Cheers
BobRe: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
Well, the new r600 compressor is in and the F/F is working like a demon. It chilled right down within a few hours and is holding the temp but one of the pipes from the compressor, the same one as before, is completely frozen over and is causing a puddle of water from underneath.
Could this just be the refrigerant levels that need adjusting?
Many thanks
PaulRe: Admiral F/F Dead evaporator!! New F/F suggestions requir
HI
That unit is WAY OVER charged !! turn it off till the bloke comes back and does it right as that compressor is in a position to fail very quickly as liquid R600a should never be used in liquid form which that is returning to the compressor in.
Bryan
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