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Help with SUN KOOL KARE 134 unit Pages: 12

540itouring on Sat April 12, 2008 2:24 PM User is offline

Hi i have just acuired a sun kool kare 134 unit that is faulty and would like to know if any member has a service manual or parts list with exploded view etc. I have been told that the compressor is faulty and will know more when i get the unit but would like to know if it is possible to get to the comressor motor or is it all one unit and can not be opened ? The unit looks like it would have cost alot when new a long time ago but as i only wanted to be able to repair my own cars it would be a cheap system even if i buy a new compressor if required. I would like any advice on fault finding on this model and how well they work. The unit does manual and auto modes but looks like the oil is added by a manual valve. The system has no fancy data base or print out but for my use this would be great if i can fix the unit. Thanks in advance for any help you can give . Would also like a circuit diagram as well please.

Karl Hofmann on Sat April 12, 2008 3:51 PM User is offlineView users profile

Is this any good to you? http://www.weber.edu/WSUImages/automotive/manual%20Kool%20Kare%20EEEAC104B.pdf

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Never knock on deaths door... Ring the doorbell and run away, death really hates that!

540itouring on Sat April 12, 2008 5:53 PM User is offline

Hi , that will be of help to use the machine but in order to help repair this i was looking for a service manual with parts , and circuit diagram etc. I will give sun a call next week but would still like to here from any members that have repaired or and manuals that would be of help to me please. Also any advice on how well this model should work once repaired . Thanks again for any help.

Spector on Sat April 12, 2008 11:30 PM User is offline

"but would like to know if it is possible to get to the compressor motor or is it all one unit and can not be opened ?"Text

Looking at the information Karl provided no you can not get to the compressor motor as the motor and compressor is a hermetically sealed unit just like a home freezer or refrigerator.

hope this helps.

Karl Hofmann on Sun April 13, 2008 4:07 AM User is offlineView users profile

If you are in the UK. then the pot should be available off the shelf from RPW, SRW or Hawco They should be able to help if you give them the info stamped on the compressor.. Cut the old one out and braze in a new one.... UK Tech used to be involved in this kind of stuff so perhaps he may be able to advise better..

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Never knock on deaths door... Ring the doorbell and run away, death really hates that!

NickD on Sun April 13, 2008 7:05 AM User is offline

Quote
acuired a sun kool kare 134 unit that is faulty

You got it free? Lot's of offers like that lately only to learn that the replacement parts costs more than the price of a brand new unit. Then you are stuck with it and have to pay a huge recycling charge to get rid of it. Ha, wonder who your friends really are, especially if you find something easy to repair and then they say, oh, I didn't give that to you, I just wanted you to look at it. I want it back. If I do take something I can use, make sure I write up a bill of sale and pay a buck for it.

We live in a throwaway world today, be careful and know what you are doing before you take anything.

540itouring on Sun April 13, 2008 10:16 AM User is offline

Hi , thanks for all your help and will post again when i get the unit and look into what the problem is with this unit. I will also check the starter / run capacitors as that may also be the cause of the fault. I would like to know a bit more info on who would supply those compressors as i do dot know the contacts for the suppliers that you listed. Thanks from David

PS i am in th UK

thanks again for all your help so far

NickD on Sun April 13, 2008 10:43 AM User is offline

Ha, I was involved with quoting Snap-On for recovering machines some odd 30 years ago based on a rumor that Reagan would make refrigeration recovery a law. That never happened and it was great for us that I was kind of slow in this process, several companies went bankrupt loading up warehouses with recovery machines. Did get a chance to look over competitive units supplied to Snap-On, all store bought stuff except for the sheet metal case, most of it was automotive and the compressor was similar to those small college type refrigerators. Maybe on your unit, they were kind of enough to leave the manufacturers name on the compressor. In the USA, it's cheaper to buy the entire refrigerator for around a hundred bucks than to buy just the compressor. Let us know how you make out.

540itouring on Sat April 19, 2008 3:06 PM User is offline

Hi , i have now collected the SUN KOOL KARE 134 unit and have a quick look at it this afternoon. I plugged the unit in and was dead so checked the fuses and one was black so replaced the 5 amp fuse and disconnected the outputs feeds to the vacuumed pump and the compressor power cables. The unit was then switched on and all menus and the cooling fan , beeper etc all work fine. I then reconnected the feed to the compressor , switched on and set the MENU to RECOVER mode with nothing connected to the hoses etc. The system selected the RECOVER option and about 1 second after the compressor relay switched over the whole quit when dead with fuse blown. I am now going to see if i can find a starter capacitor to prove that it is not just that and if not i then need to find a compressor. The compressor looks like a small fridge type except it has screw on fittings on the short tubes that come from the body . I have taken some pics of the unit with the rear cover removed and looks to be a very well made unit and must have been built approx MAY 2000 going by lots of 2000 dates within the unit. This is a KOOL KARE 134 model and this unit also has a built in vacuumed pump in the bottom to the right of the tank were as other manuals i have found on the net do not have a vacuumed pump like this uinit. Any way if you can look at my pics and see if any members have seen a compressor like this or can help with any supplier or do you think this would have to come from SUN. The compressor look east to replace so if i can find a compressor at a good price it will be a good unit for what i need. The compressor has AMERICOLD stamped on the top and made in the USA but can not so far see any lables of type number etc and would think if it does i would need to remove the compressor to see them. Any help please would be great . I would think that if the compressor replacement just had tubes it may be possible to resolder the old fittings to the new compressor. I wonder if a compressor from a fridge would also do the job ?

http://cid-62092248a33a16eb.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Kool%20Kare%20134

mk378 on Sat April 19, 2008 7:09 PM User is offline

It could just be the starter relay or capacitor. Most small fridge compressors do not use a starting capacitor, just a relay or thermistor. Check the compressor for ground faults too. You probably need a time-delay fuse to get it started, not a regular fast-blow one.

If the compressor has seized internally you'll get the same symptoms as a bad starting circuit, doesn't start and the fuse blows.

UK Tech on Sun April 20, 2008 3:26 PM User is offline

Those americold compressors were made by Danfoss, but they stopped a few years back and aren't available anymore. Does it have a large capacitor on the back? You can replace it with an electrolux one for about £90 from SRW. Just rejig the pipes to fit. The base is the same, their called something like model TG14

Where are you in the country?

540itouring on Sun April 20, 2008 6:19 PM User is offline

Hi , i am in CROYDON SURREY . I have removed the compressor and wiring to the unit and the capacitor but the capacitor shown in one of my pictures is not mounted on the compressor but on the main chassis via two cables. I have also removed the starter relay and cutout but look ok so far but have not tested the relay. The two windings on the compressor read about 25 ohms each so they look ok and do not read to ground so thats ok i think. I do not know what the relay or capacitor do but they must be switched in via the relay etc. I had a old fridge with a faulty compressor a few years back and that made a loud buzz followed by a click from the cutout which i would think must be seized up. The compressor in this just blew a 5 amp T fuse with no loud buzz so i wonder if it could be a relay problem . The windings are START and RUN and wounder if any one can help with how the circuit should work for the compressor to start and run etc.

The compressor fitted has all this on its lable AMERICOLD 1624-3453 SR312-12 2953 3.9 FLA 18.0 LRA
Can this be run for a short time on the bench for a short time and if so will it pump any oil out with all pipes disconnected ?
Thanks for all your help.
ps i work with electronics so understand circuits but not seen a relay on the back of a motor like these motors all have .

UK Tech on Mon April 21, 2008 10:04 AM User is offline

It should have a regular relay or chunky switch to supply power to the compressor. Then the compressor has it's own little device. All that has is a coil and the capacitor. When power is supplied to the comp, it charges the capacitor, then runs through the coil. If the power consumption is too high (like on start-up), the power through the coil goes up and it switches in the capacitor giving it a jump to get it going. As soon as it runs the power goes down through the coil and the capacitor is taken out of the circuit and fed direct to the compressor windings. If the compresor seizes then you can hear it click in, the motor stalls and operates the temp cutout, after a few seconds when it's cooled it tries again, and so on. But quite a few just short out to earth and blow the fuse or an RCD of you have one.

I think the compressor has shorted out inside, even though the resistance looks ok. You can run it on the bench if you want, won't do any harm short term.

So check the coil windings and capacitor for leak to earth, but in the 5 years I repaired them I never had a problem with them, but had plenty that knocked the fuse out due to shorting. I don;t think you can get the little starter relay seperately anyway. Best of just getting a new compressor. I used to cover Croydon, but I've left the country now. And the guy that took over is employed direct and won;t work on other makes of equipment as they only do Robinair stuff.

mk378 on Mon April 21, 2008 10:20 AM User is offline

It sounds like you have a capacitor start induction run motor. The capacitor and start terminal is used only for starting then the relay opens the circuit thru the capacitor. The relay coil is driven by either current in the run winding or voltage across the start winding. This latter system is called a "potential relay" setup.

You can manually start it on the bench without the relay. Power line thru a switch and overload device to run and common. Another switch from the run thru the capacitor to start. Turn the power on and with the starting switch closed, then almost immediately open the starting switch and the motor should be running. It is OK to pump air for a short time on the bench.

The machine is intended for your local line voltage and frequency, right?

540itouring on Mon April 21, 2008 2:51 PM User is offline

Hi , thanks for all your help on the motor electrical info and i will wire this up on the bench . This will be a great help to test the compressor and will update you all with what i find.

If the compressor does prove to be at fault does any one know of what type / make i would require to replace it ?

thanks again for your help on this

UK Tech on Mon April 21, 2008 4:05 PM User is offline

An electrolux TG14. Find some electrolux part numbers, and I'll tell you which one will do the job. Can't remember off the top of my head.

540itouring on Mon April 21, 2008 5:38 PM User is offline

Ok tested on the bench with the capacitor and relay all in circuit but the relay stays switched in because the motor must be either seized up or the windings have a short but they do not read to ground. the cap was also conneted manualy to see if it would start but it will not start and blows a 6.3AT fuse after a few seconds. the cap arcs when connected so is in no way open circuit so now need another compressor . I will search for a electrolux and see what i find

mk378 on Tue April 22, 2008 10:25 AM User is offline

Those capacitors can fail shorted too, I'm sure you checked that though.

Madspeed on Wed June 08, 2011 12:49 AM User is offline

I too have this machine with same issue. I found this in a google search.
Having a hell of a time figuring out a replacement pump in the US. I got silly and yanked a compressor out of a portable ac unit We had around the house that ran on r22. I drained the oil out of it and replaced it with Pag oil plumbed it. It worked untill I tryed to pull 134 from a can and put it in the recovery tank. Locked pump up and poped breaker. now all three terminals shorted to case. So what happened? the 22 pump didnt like the pag oil? Im short on funds and need to come up with an ecenomical solution. any help is aprieciated

540itouring on Wed June 08, 2011 5:48 PM User is offline

Hi , with care i cut the compressor around the weld and opened the top off the compressor .I removed the field coils and the main rotor was jammed fast. I rocked the rotor and got it to turn fre after a while and cleaned te inside of compressor out , refitted field coils and then put the top back on. I then got a friend to Tig weld the compressor back together and then ordered the correct oil for this and refilled it. I then found the starter relay contacts were dirty and dismantled the relay and cleaned the contacts. I refitted the compressor , replaced filter and reoiled seals and refitted.

Replaced fuse and tested and all works perfect and also repainted the compressor black . The unit has beed used the recover and recharge about five cars and works perfect . I got the idear of repairing the old compressor due to seeing a video on youtube of how to open them and see how they work. i think they fail due to the oil in them not being replaced when required.

Edited: Wed June 08, 2011 at 6:04 PM by 540itouring

Madspeed on Wed June 15, 2011 6:54 PM User is offline

Beutamiss I like that idea. I was thinkiong about cutting mine open It was working and when I came out to check on it it was locked up and overload light was on. I have a tig so thats not an issue. Now to find that vid on Youtube

540itouring on Fri June 24, 2011 6:13 PM User is offline

540itouring on Fri June 24, 2011 6:19 PM User is offline

When my compressor was faulty i did not get any overload lamp com on. As soon as i got the unit into recovery mode and the compressor was switched by the relay to start up the 6.3 amp fuse went BANG ! With a new fuse put in other functions that did not require the compressor were all ok.

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