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A Technician’s Guide to
HVACR Diagnostics
Introduction
The ability to properly and accurately
measure superheat and sub-cooling and
interpret the results is very likely the single
most important skill that you, as an HVACR
service technician, can acquire
68.5 psig = 40 F
55 F – 40 F = 15 F superheat
Let’s examine some
common system
problems and see how
they affect superheat
and sub-cooling
High Superheat
Possible causes and
remedies for HIGH
SUPERHEAT
Excessive or HIGH superheat
is an indication of insufficient
refrigerant in the indoor coil for
the heat load present
This could be from insufficient
refrigerant entering the coil or from
an excessive heat load crossing the
coil
LOW REFRIGERANT
CHARGE
If there is insufficient refrigerant in the
indoor coil, all of the refrigerant will
evaporate in the first few passes of the coil.
The excess sensible heat picked up by the
refrigerant vapor causes a higher than
normal suction gas temperature
Discharge pressure will be lower than
normal
Suction pressure will be lower than normal
Superheat will be higher than normal
Sub-cooling will be lower than normal
Current draw will be lower than normal
Liquid Line Restriction
A restriction in the liquid line will not allow
sufficient refrigerant to reach the
evaporator coil
This causes many symptoms similar to a
low refrigerant charge
Often there is a noticeable temperature
change at the point of the restriction
Suction pressure will be lower than normal
Discharge pressure will be normal to lower
than normal
Superheat will be high
Sub-cooling will be high
Current draw will be low
Evaporator Air Flow Too High
Excessive air flow reduces the latent
capacity of the coil thus increasing the
sensible heat load.
This additional sensible heat results in
higher than normal suction gas temperatures
and pressures
Discharge pressure will be high
Suction pressure will be high
Superheat will be high
Sub-cooling will be lower than normal
Current draw will be higher than normal
Excessive Load Conditions
Excessive indoor coil loads will cause a
higher than normal heat content in the air
crossing the coil
This excess heat will cause the refrigerant
liquid to boil away sooner allowing the
vapor to pick up additional superheat
Most commonly caused by internal gains
such as an increase in occupancy load
Discharge pressure will be higher than
normal
Suction pressure will be higher than normal
Superheat will be high
Sub-cooling will be lower than normal
Current draw will be high
Metering Device Not Feeding
Properly
A restriction in a capillary tube, orifice or
TEV will reduce the amount of liquid
refrigerant entering the evaporator.
Symptoms are the same as for a liquid line
restriction
Discharge pressure will be lower than
normal
Suction pressure will be lower than normal
Superheat will be higher than normal
Sub-cooling will be higher than normal
Current draw will be lower than normal
Low Superheat
Possible causes and
remedies for Low
SUPERHEAT
LOW SUPERHEAT
Low superheat indicates an excess of liquid
refrigerant in the evaporator coil
Liquid refrigerant is very likely entering the
compressor
This results in reduced compressor life and
possible imminent compressor failure
Refrigerant Overcharge
An overcharge forces excessive refrigerant
into the evaporator due to increased
pressure differential
There is not enough heat present to
completely vaporize the excess refrigerant
Compressor failure is likely
Discharge pressure will be higher than
normal
Suction pressure will be higher than normal
Superheat will be lower than normal
Sub-cooling will be higher than normal
Current draw will be higher than normal
TEV Overfeeding
Many symptoms similar to an overcharge
Sensing bulb not insulated or not secured
properly
Improperly sized valve
Wrong valve for the application
Discharge pressure will be higher than
normal
Suction pressure will be higher than normal
Superheat will be lower than normal
Sub-cooling will be lower than normal
Current draw will be higher than normal
Low Evaporator Heat Load
Most common cause of low superheat
Low air volume (dirty coils, filters,
restricted duct, etc.)
Reduces the heat available to vaporize the
refrigerant
Liquid refrigerant may enter the compressor
Discharge pressure will be lower than
normal
Suction pressure will be lower than normal
Superheat will be lower than normal
Sub-cooling will be higher than normal
Current draw will be lower than normal
Improper Metering Device
The wrong orifice
A capillary tube the wrong size (or that has
been shortened)
An improperly sized TEV
Symptoms identical to device overfeeding
Discharge pressure will be higher than
normal
Suction pressure will be higher than normal
Superheat will be lower than normal
Sub-cooling will be lower than normal
Current draw will be higher than normal
Equipment Oversized
When a system is greatly oversized there is
not enough heat to vaporize the refrigerant
present in the evaporator
Symptoms are similar to a low charge,
except that a low charge will have a high
superheat and run excessively
Oversized unit will likely short cycle and
have a low superheat
Discharge pressure will be lower than
normal
Suction pressure will be lower than normal
Superheat will be lower than normal
Sub-cooling will be higher than normal
Current draw will be lower than normal
Condenser Air Flow
Low condenser air flow or recycled
condenser air will increase condensing
temperature thus increasing condenser
pressure
Increased pressure drop across the metering
device results in a flooded evaporator
Caused by:
Dirty coil
Bad motor or blade
Shrubs, bushes or other obstructions
Low overhangs
Other equipment too close
Discharge pressure will be higher than
normal
Suction pressure will be higher than normal
Superheat will be lower than normal
Sub-cooling will be lower than normal
Current draw will be higher than normal
SUB-COOLING
A liquid is sub-cooled when its temperature
is below saturation at the same pressure
Measuring sub-cooling is a good method of
confirming your diagnosis based on other
tests
TEV systems MUST be charged by sub-
cooling in the absence of a known charge
quantity
Measuring Sub-cooling
Allow the system to operate for 15 –20 minutes to
stabilize