If the power element of a thermostatic expansion valve loses its charge, what is a likely consequence?

When the power element of a thermostatic expansion valve loses its charge, it results in the bulb temperature not being transmitted correctly to the valve. This can lead to insufficient refrigerant flow into the evaporator, causing the evaporator to become starved of refrigerant.

When there is not enough refrigerant entering the evaporator, it cannot absorb the necessary heat from the environment, which leads to reduced cooling efficiency. This starvation could ultimately result in the evaporator not functioning effectively, causing a drop in the cooling capacity and potentially leading to unacceptable temperatures in the application being served.

The other options presented, while plausible, do not directly relate to the consequences of a loss of charge in the expansion valve’s power element. For example, overfilling the evaporator requires a different set of circumstances, typically involving excessive refrigerant flow. Similarly, system freeze or compressor shutdown would involve other mechanisms or failures, rather than being a direct result of the power element losing its charge.