When replacing electrical components, it is very important to ensure the component is properly grounded. Do not overlook the importance of the ground wire. Although many times an ungrounded component will not affect the operation, it is not safe.

How technicians troubleshoot refrigeration system problems is very personal. Each technician has his or her own style and will use various methods.

Most reach-in coolers use a temperature control that does not directly measure the case’s air temperature but rather its evaporator coil temperature.

When replacing a failed component or accessory for a compressor, it is always best to use the one specified by the manufacturer. There are some components that may have a universal replacement, but you need to be sure the universal component is the right match for the component that needs to be replaced.

All technicians at some point will need to call and speak with a manufacturer’s technical support adviser. I have made many calls to these advisers throughout my career and learned how to best get the information I needed from them.

An iced evaporator is a common problem encountered by technicians servicing medium-temperature refrigeration systems. A visual inspection of the coil will show this obvious problem. Most technicians will install their low-side service gauge, find the running pressure to be lower than normal, and conclude the system has a low refrigerant charge. However, an iced evaporator can be caused by a totally different system issue.

Thermostatic expansion valves (TXVs) come in many different shapes and sizes. Although they all are designed to control the superheat value of the refrigerant leaving an evaporator, there are some differences among TXVs that either enhance their operation or slightly change how they operate.

Equipment placement is an important consideration for the overall success of a walk-in cooler or freezer installation. The location of the condensing unit and evaporator must be evaluated thoroughly. Improper placement can lead to excessive installation costs as well as system performance issues.

To prevent unnecessary return visits (aka callbacks) for your company or future issues for your customers, here are some helpful items to remember when completing a repair. It can be easy to overlook some of these items, but taking the extra time to complete them before leaving the call can pay off in the long run.

Not understanding how some electronic controls operate and control a system can lead to misdiagnosing a system problem and costly repairs. It is best never to assume, but rather take the time to do some research and find out exactly how they operate. Guessing is rarely good and generally will lead to a misdiagnosis and cause a tech to replace the wrong part or component.