“Why does my old walk-in cooler work well in winter, but could not hold temperature in summer?”

This is a real question from a customer. He has been trying to find the real reason, but obviously it isn’t as simple as “summer is hot while winter is cold”

Walk in cooler can’t maintain the temperature, what does it mean ？

In winter, the walk in cooler works well, it means the cooling capacity is enough to support the daily operation of store.

In Summer, the walk in cooler couldn’t hold the temperature, for example, setting at 35F, while the refrigeration system never reach to 35F, it keep showing 42F or more higher, so the compressor have to keep working all the time. It means the system cannot remove heat as fast as heat is entering the cooler.

So question comes out “What is the actual cooling capacity of the existing system under summer operating conditions, and is it enough for the actual heat load?”

What things should an operator look at first ?—A first check list for Operators

Operator FIRST Check List
#	What to Check	Questions to Ask	What to Look For	If You Find a Problem
1	Door Opening	Is the door being opened more frequently or for longer periods than before?	Frequent opening, long opening time, door left partly open, door not closing automatically	Reduce unnecessary door opening and check door-closing operation
2	Door Gasket & Door Condition	Does the door close and seal properly?	Worn, damaged or hardened gasket; visible gaps; door misalignment	Adjust the door or replace the gasket
3	Panel & Penetration Sealing	Is the walk-in box still properly sealed?	Gaps at panel joints, corners, pipe/cable penetrations or door frame	Repair deteriorated sealing
4	Product Loading	Has the way the cooler is being used changed?	More products, warmer products entering the cooler, higher turnover or changed loading patterns than before	Review loading practices and product-entry conditions and make adjustment
5	Ambient Temperature	Is the equipment exposed to direct sunlight ?	High ambient around condenser and direct sunlight	consider a properly designed shade canopy—but never restrict condenser airflow.
6	Condenser Condition	Is the condenser work properly?	dirty condenser coil, restricted airflow, abnormal condenser fan operation	Clean / improve airflow and have the system checked if necessary
7	Temperature Pattern	When does the temperature problem occur?	Only during afternoon/high ambient? After busy periods? After frequent door opening? Does it recover overnight?	Record the pattern before moving to deeper refrigeration-system diagnosis

 After above check and fix try, if the temperature get back to normal, it proves some thing really work. If temperature still at high point and compressor keep working so hard all the time, then what we can do ?

Then please contact a refrigeration technician to do the job furtherly.

 

 

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