My problem is the metering device seems to be stuck whereas the freon will not go through the system in heat or cool. My gauges read equal pressures on both the high side and the low side, and everything is running. It is a water cooled condenser and the water lines has been cleaned. I thought it was the solenoid coil on the reversing valve, so I changed that, but to no avail. It is a Trane heat pump.

How do you unstick a TEV valve so the refrigerant can flow through the system?

I heard you can tap on the valve itself, put it in ice, or put heat to it. It is a hassle to change the TEV so I'm just trying to unstick this thing.

Earlier when I first started the unit it was working for a minute, then it stopped taking freon.

Any answers?

Equal pressures on both high and low side usually means the compressor is not running, check the compressor's amp draw, no amp draw means it is not running. The only time I remember having equal pressures and the compressor (residential) running was due to the slide in the reversing valve turning over and blocking all ports, but when this happened it would blow off the internal relief in the compressor and in a Trane compressor it relieves on to a temperature sensor in the windings, when this happens it will take hours for this sensor to reset.If it goes off on internal relief you will hear it. Good luck, Mike

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Originally Posted by acetc

Equal pressures on both high and low side usually means the compressor is not running, check the compressor's amp draw, no amp draw means it is not running. The only time i remember having equal pressures and the compressor (residential) running was due to the slide in the reversing valve turning over and blocking all ports, but when this happened it would blow off the internal relief in the compressor and in a Trane compressor it relieves on to a temperature sensor in the windings, when this happens it will take hours for this sensor to reset.If it goes off on internal relief you will hear it. Good luck, Mike

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There is amp draw and the contactor kicks in the motor starts, but the freon does not want to go through the system. I started the unit up this morning, pressures were different on both sides, and while I was watching my pressures to see if it needed more freon or an overcharge, the pressures equalized on both sides but the compressor was still running. I hate heat pumps period, but its' my job to fix them. I just need an answer as to how to unstick a locked up TEV.

A thermostatic expansion valve will not cause "equal pressures" if it fails, normally a txv will fail to the closed position due to the power head failing. Check to be sure you are putting your gauges on the correct ports on the unit, usually there is a third port to connect the low side gauge to while in the heating mode, Good luck.