General Assist Technical Reference

J Series Special Operations

Pressure balance, oil recovery, defrosting and crankcase heater operation
Technical operating reference for J Series outdoor units
These functions are automatic or service-related outdoor unit operations used to maintain refrigerant circuit stability, compressor lubrication, heating performance and compressor protection.

1. Pressure Balance Control

The pressure balance operation is performed to balance the pressure inside the refrigerant circuit during any of the following operating transitions:

  • Cooling to heating
  • Cooling to stopping
  • Heating to cooling
  • Heating to stopping
Control action: Solenoid valves SV1 and SV2 are kept open for 3 minutes during pressure balance operation.

2. Oil Recovery Operation

Purpose

Refrigerant lubricant can be transported to indoor units and connection piping together with the refrigerant as compressor operating time increases. Oil recovery returns this oil to the outdoor unit at defined intervals to help prevent compressor damage caused by insufficient lubrication.

Automatic oil recovery timing

ConditionOil recovery timing
First oil recovery after power is turned on1 hour
Cooling modeAt intervals of 3 hours
Heating modeAt intervals of 12 hours

Forced oil recovery

Oil recovery can be initiated using the forced oil recovery DIP switch. Change the switch from OFF to ON or ON to OFF and keep it in the changed position for more than 10 seconds.

The forced oil recovery DIP switch operates in either direction. After forced oil recovery has been initiated, the DIP switch does not need to be returned to its previous position when oil recovery is completed.

Compressor operation during oil recovery

Oil recovery operation time210 seconds
Compressor function frequency50 Hz (may fluctuate due to protection control)
Outdoor fanFan speed is determined by outdoor temperature and heat exchanger middle temperature.

When oil recovery starts from cooling operation, the compressor does not stop before entering oil recovery operation. When oil recovery is completed, the compressor stops once and then shifts to normal operation.

Indoor indication: During oil recovery, an oil-recovery indication appears on compatible wired and simple remote controllers, and the indoor unit operation indicator LEDs flash slowly.

3. Defrosting Operation

Purpose

Defrost operation removes frost formed on the outdoor heat exchanger surface. This prevents a decline in heat transfer efficiency and supports efficient heating operation.

Defrost start conditions

Defrosting starts when all of the following conditions are satisfied:

  • Outdoor unit operating mode is heating.
  • Integrated compressor operating time has reached 40 minutes or longer.
  • The operating outdoor heat exchanger temperature has become less than -10°C.

Defrost end conditions

Defrosting ends when any one of the following conditions is satisfied:

  • The operating heat exchanger temperature exceeds 10°C.
  • 10 minutes or longer have elapsed since defrosting started.
  • The operating mode changes from heating to cooling.
During defrost: Indoor unit fans stop. A defrost indication appears on compatible wired, central and simple remote controllers, and the indoor unit operation indicator LEDs flash slowly.

4. Crankcase Heater Operation

The crankcase heater keeps the compressor temperature at or above ambient temperature while the compressor is stopped. This helps protect the compressor from startup failure caused by refrigerant remaining inside the compressor.

Starting conditions

The crankcase heater starts under either of the following conditions:

  • The heat exchanger middle temperature thermistor falls below 38°C after 3 minutes from power-on, provided the compressor has not started since power was applied.
  • The heat exchanger middle temperature thermistor falls below 38°C after the compressor has been stopped for more than 30 minutes following operation.

Release conditions

The crankcase heater is released when either of the following occurs:

  • The heat exchanger middle temperature thermistor rises above 42°C.
  • The compressor is turned ON.
Service note: These special operations are part of normal system control. Before diagnosing a suspected fault, confirm whether the outdoor unit is in pressure balance, oil recovery, defrost or crankcase heater operation.
General Assist Technical Reference