Although relatively new
to the United states, Bitzer has been producing compressor in Germany since
1934. The compressors are sold all over the world
and have been used by Glacier Bay and others in marine systems
since the early 1990's. They are machined from
cast iron for durability and are designed with application flexibility and field
serviceability in mind. High efficiency, quiet operation, long life and easy repair make Bitzer an
excellent value when building a high-power belt-driven or direct-coupled DC system.
Blissfield Replacement
In 2002 Blissfield company stopped manufacturing compressors. Their
"CA" (1/4 hp) and "CE" (1/2 hp) models had been very popular in many large
capacity belt-driven marine refrigeration systems including Grunert, Crosby,
Adler-Barbour, Rich Beers and a multitude of local builders. If you
have a Blissfield compressor and need to repair it, we still carry some
replacement parts on our
Blissfield page.
If you do not see what you need or simply wish to replace/upgrade the entire
compressor, we encourage you to consider the Bitzer compressors shown here.
While they are not direct "bolt-on" replacements (bolt patterns, valve
location and shaft size is different), they do have very similar capacities
and will work well with your existing motor and most other components.
Use the "Type I" to replace the Blissfield CA and the "Type II" to replace
the Blissfield CE.
Capacity
You will notice that we have not given these compressors a "horsepower"
designation. Instead, we have provided a selection of
pulleys and motors which will operate within the speed limitations of the
compressors and will not overload the motor in refrigeration or freezer
applications. Customers who want to use other motors or pulleys and/or
want to use the compressors in an application other than marine
refrigerator/freezer will need to make their selection based on the
information provided in the
Bitzer Compressors Factory Applications Information Guide and the
Bitzer
Compressors Operating Guide. Remember, the power required to drive a compressor is a function of many
things - not just compressor size. The input power required by a given
compressor will depend on the type of refrigerant, condensing temperature,
evaporator temperature and a host of other factors. Understanding
these is crucial for anyone building their own refrigeration system with the
compressors shown on this page. To gain a better understanding of the
many factors which influence the input power required, we recommend reading
Nigel Calder's "Refrigeration For Pleasureboats".
Oil
The Bitzer compressors sold by RParts are "Y" designated meaning that they
come pre-charged with POE oil and are compatible will all refrigerants.
If you are replacing a compressor in a system which has previously had
mineral oil in it, you may use these compressors without flushing the
residual mineral oil from the system.
A note about shaft seals
Bitzers are "open-drive" type compressors. This
means that the drive shaft penetrates the case and uses a seal to prevent
refrigerant from escaping into the atmosphere. While open drive
compressors are extremely common (your car air conditioner has one), there
is a lot of confusion about them. It you would like to know more about
the subject, see our Guide
to Compressor Shaft Seals.
