In an R22 system, what would a high head pressure and low suction pressure combination potentially indicate?

In an R22 system, a combination of high head pressure and low suction pressure typically points to a capillary tube blockage. The capillary tube, which acts as a metering device, is designed to control the flow of refrigerant through the system. If the tube becomes blocked, it restricts the flow of the refrigerant into the evaporator.

As a result, the evaporator cannot absorb the proper amount of heat, leading to a drop in suction pressure (indicating that the evaporator is not functioning effectively) while simultaneously causing the head pressure to increase due to the refrigerant accumulating upstream of the blockage. This condition can effectively choke off the system's ability to circulate refrigerant, producing the unbalanced pressure readings observed.

Understanding this relationship is important for diagnosing issues in refrigeration systems, as it allows technicians to identify specific problems based on pressure readings, which informs proper repair strategies.