Okay fellas. What's the word from the field?
Bitzer Compressors
engineerdave
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Okay fellas. What's the word from the field?
Copeland-vs-Bitzer
Eversince Copeland was bought by Emerson Electric and split up into territorial entities, with DWM Copeland in Germany being assigned to the middle east market where I used to work, we saw a decline in their quality not just in performance but in actual manufacturing. We found lose castings in the suction housing, leakage from under the terminal box, and oil pump seizures on start ups. We could never get any straight answers and all inquiries were bounced back and forth between various European offices.
Next, Bitzer moved in with a solid compressor that performed under all severe conditions and the sales rep. followed through with every question and inquiry. We used Bitzers for R134a applications under high ambient condensing temperatures and it worked fine where as a Copeland would be a sure bet for a winding burnout.
It is unfortunate that DWM Copeland ruined the name and reputation of a giant in the industry.
Eversince Copeland was bought by Emerson Electric and split up into territorial entities, with DWM Copeland in Germany being assigned to the middle east market where I used to work, we saw a decline in their quality not just in performance but in actual manufacturing. We found lose castings in the suction housing, leakage from under the terminal box, and oil pump seizures on start ups. We could never get any straight answers and all inquiries were bounced back and forth between various European offices.
Next, Bitzer moved in with a solid compressor that performed under all severe conditions and the sales rep. followed through with every question and inquiry. We used Bitzers for R134a applications under high ambient condensing temperatures and it worked fine where as a Copeland would be a sure bet for a winding burnout.
It is unfortunate that DWM Copeland ruined the name and reputation of a giant in the industry.
well ya got me beat on both, never heard of or seen... lol
not even a quick google search helps me here ! ha! well got a pic of a couple semis and an open drive!
these european or something?
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1,646 Posts
German product. IR Hussmann is putting their logo on 'em. We have one store here in Vegas that has 'em and they seem to be running just fine. Someone said copeland bought Bitzer out, don't know if that's true or not. So far, they get my vote.
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We have beend servicing several Bitzer screw compressors for 4 years now and I can tell you I would not ever prefer these over Copeland Discus Recips. They are guaranteed to have bearing problems before Copeland. We have had to rebuild with new bearings during this time. I discussed this with a Bitzer service rep and he said they are good for so many hours and then the tolerance has to be checked. They continue to get louder the more they run. The oil temperature is so finicky that you have to make motor room temperature adjustments all the time during the season changes to compensate.
I also started a rack with Bitzer recips on them (4) and one failed at start up and another had to be replaced shorthly thereafter due to a factory wiring failure and subsequent terminal plate leak.
I vote NO for Bitzer.
Jayson
I also started a rack with Bitzer recips on them (4) and one failed at start up and another had to be replaced shorthly thereafter due to a factory wiring failure and subsequent terminal plate leak.
I vote NO for Bitzer.
Jayson
put a couple in for the local trade school. German compressor. was on a Stamm (?) bakery blast freezer, proofer, retarder. the big one for the blast freezer was a open drive, the others were hermetic. Only had to change the open drive carbon seal once it stared to seap oil. I thought they were a solid unit. Not that loud. trying to get parts for the open was fun.... Had to get my wife to translate the nameplate to english so that I could make since of what I was looking for.
Hmm, your avatar looks familiar. This has to be The Dave I rode with in Vegas the other day. This is Jerry in Phoenix.
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Sshhhh....don't tell anyone.
only seen and serviced...
a few bitzer racks formerly installed at ABCO Foods, now out of business. Very noisey, Control issues and nusience software control problems. Let us say they gave me alot of let's say 2 o'clock in the morn service calls. So I am not a big fan of them, but like I said just worked on a few.
a few bitzer racks formerly installed at ABCO Foods, now out of business. Very noisey, Control issues and nusience software control problems. Let us say they gave me alot of let's say 2 o'clock in the morn service calls. So I am not a big fan of them, but like I said just worked on a few.
The open drives are junk, seals keep leaking. The hermetics have issues with high oil temps. The ones I pulled apart, the bearings were spinning free in the casting, they should be tight in the castings. Parts are expensive with long lead times occasionaly.
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943 Posts
Just worked on a Bitzer recip. compound on a -50* box.
That thing is quiet.
In the next couple of weeks I will start up a brand new rack for a ground up market , all Bitzers (recips).
Am looking forward to that.
That thing is quiet.
In the next couple of weeks I will start up a brand new rack for a ground up market , all Bitzers (recips).
Am looking forward to that.
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3,949 Posts
I am a Bitzer Screw Tech, factory rep training.
I like the bitzer screws and recips. I do agree the seals like to make a big mess in the machine room with the seal issue.
The wife would not sew the "Certified Screw Technician" patch on my shirt...........damn her.
I like the bitzer screws and recips. I do agree the seals like to make a big mess in the machine room with the seal issue.
The wife would not sew the "Certified Screw Technician" patch on my shirt...........damn her.
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23 Posts
hehe
lol ,copeland discus recips, didnt they stop making those because they suck lol ......We have beend servicing several Bitzer screw compressors for 4 years now and I can tell you I would not ever prefer these over Copeland Discus Recips. They are guaranteed to have bearing problems before Copeland. We have had to rebuild with new bearings during this time. I discussed this with a Bitzer service rep and he said they are good for so many hours and then the tolerance has to be checked. They continue to get louder the more they run. The oil temperature is so finicky that you have to make motor room temperature adjustments all the time during the season changes to compensate.
I also started a rack with Bitzer recips on them (4) and one failed at start up and another had to be replaced shorthly thereafter due to a factory wiring failure and subsequent terminal plate leak.
I vote NO for Bitzer.
Jayson
have a med temp rack running IR/Bitzers. having nuisance oilfailures. compressors have no oil pumps, uses a PTC for oil level sensing, PTC now removed from control circuit on Huss advice, Huss says there is a problem and they are working on optical senseor for oil level. According to Bitzer Canada this is wrong control , they spec traxx oil. so now i have a rack running with no oil failure saftie
compliments to bitzer
bitzer recips are a very hearty compressor much more so than copelands and much quieter too. But beware of the motor protectors they arent very reliable I have a few hill/pheonix racks with bitzers and the motor protectors quit and then the compressor will run continious. It will bypass low/high pressure and oil safety. But otherwise they are a great compressor.
bitzer recips are a very hearty compressor much more so than copelands and much quieter too. But beware of the motor protectors they arent very reliable I have a few hill/pheonix racks with bitzers and the motor protectors quit and then the compressor will run continious. It will bypass low/high pressure and oil safety. But otherwise they are a great compressor.
Bitzer recp are great compressors, quiet and run great. I have seen some problems on low temp with water getting into the compressor pecker heads causeing them to short I've heard Bizer has that fixed. Bitzer makes the copeland screw compressor, the only differance between the two is they paint one black and one green. Bitzer just opened a scroll plant in Saracuse NY.
One more thing Bitzer makes a CO2 recp compressor used on HP cascade system in upstate NY. and they work great.
One more thing Bitzer makes a CO2 recp compressor used on HP cascade system in upstate NY. and they work great.
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45 Posts
I haven't been impressed with them. Three year old IR rack has scrambled three of seven Bitzer recips already. Same rack kept tripping the control circuit breaker and when I opened the electrical boxes to investigate I found in five of the seven compressors the wires for the motor saver had rubbed through on the compressor lugs. They just dont seem very durable or well built and dont have the displacement per hp that Copelands have. When a Copeland takes a slug of liquid, it chews it up and spits it out and keeps on rolling. When a Bitzer takes a slug it pukes and dies. One good thing I will say about the Bitzer is they are quiet. You can leave the ear muffs in the truck.
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