When connecting your gauges, a high side reading of 200 psi and a low side reading of 0 psi may indicate:

When connecting gauges to a refrigeration system, it is essential to understand what the readings imply about the system's condition. A high side reading of 200 psi and a low side reading of 0 psi suggests a significant issue with the system. The high side pressure being elevated while the low side pressure is at zero indicates that the refrigerant is not circulating correctly through the system.

This scenario is consistent with a faulty metering device. The metering device is responsible for regulating the flow of refrigerant from the high side (the condenser side) to the low side (the evaporator side). If the metering device is malfunctioning, it can prevent refrigerant from entering the evaporator, resulting in a high pressure on the discharge side and zero pressure on the suction side. This disrupts the cooling cycle entirely.

In contrast, an overcharged system would typically lead to high pressure readings on both sides, while a leak in the system would generally cause low pressures on both sides due to refrigerant loss. Clogged filters could restrict airflow but would not typically result in such an extreme disparity between high and low pressure readings. Therefore, the reading of 200 psi on the high side and 0 psi on the low side most directly indicates a problem with