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Resurrection of a CFEI 100 KVA Induction Furnace

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awemawson:
So some good news and some rather bad news :(

I filled the tank - no leaks and all seemed well. I spun the pump by hand by means of its cooling fan - still OK.

Then I applied 3 phase to the machine - sure enough pump running, and the controller showing current water temp - the main cooling  fan then started and I noticed that it was spinning the wrong way - warm air should exhaust at the top, and be drawn through filters at the sides, but it was going the other way. Checking the Grundfos pump, it too was spinning the wrong way so obviously a phase reversal. But by this time the cooler had  reduced the water temperature to 5 degrees.

So I reversed two phases and now pump  and big fan now spinning the correct way - the compressor however made a funny noise and tripped its breaker  :bang:

It does look at the moment that the compressor has died, and this could be terminal for the entire project due to cost. I've walked away from it to allow my head to clear - a quick look on eBay reveals a few similar but not identical compressors starting at £250 but even if I got one I'd need it to be installed and re-gassed. Installation would be far from easy as it is tucked away in a cramped space.

. . . . . one step forwards . . . five backwards  :bang:

As I filled the tank the float for the water top up inlet valve, that I had noticed was on the base of the tank, floated up and I ws able to recover it - it looks as though it should just snap back into place but that's the least of my problems at the moment.

John Rudd:
Oh Dear!...This is not good....Yet you've come so far...

Is it worth getting your compressor 'fettled' ? versus the price of a replacement of dubious quality? Do you know anyone in the refrig game that could connect and regas as a home job?

Here's hoping you can rescue it... :dremel:

awemawson:
John it's all up in the air at the moment - it sounds as though the motor itself has blown up and of course they are a sealed unit.

I >MAY< try reverting to the reversed phases briefly as it was working then ! But at the moment I'm giving it a wide berth !

awemawson:
Well I did revert to the phases the other way round - still kaput as you might expect.

Intriguingly two phases are drawing about 90 amps before the breaker trips, and the third phase is drawing no current  :scratch:

I think that it's 'proper sick' - shame it's a sealed unit like a normal 'fridge one (but on steroids!)

russ57:
A diy regas? Depends I think on what the gas is.

-Russ

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