Beer Fridge Question

[Jase]

Hi There,

Upon checking my beer fridge yesterday, I discovered that the fridge was at 10 degrees, which seemed a bit high, so I turn it up to max, it's now sitting on 6 degrees, which also seemed too high, as the max temp is normally -5 degrees. I normally run the fridge at 2 degrees, no problems.

I put the thermometer in the freezer, and it's sitting on -20 degrees, which seems fine.

Is my fridge dying a slow death, or could it just have been affected by the heatwave in Sydney last week? Any ideas?

Cheers,
Jase

 

[Bobby]

happened to my fridge recently as well, with mine it was the thermostat that was gone.

 

[Doc]

Happened to my old keg fridge. It had lost its gas.
If you turn the fridge off and leave it for a few hours and turn it back on and it doesn't get cold on the max setting its probably dead.

Sorry,
Doc

 

[jgriffin]

Happened to my old keg fridge. It had lost its gas.
If you turn the fridge off and leave it for a few hours and turn it back on and it doesn't get cold on the max setting its probably dead.

Sorry,
Doc

And in addition all your beer is now hot.

 

[Doc]

And in addition all your beer is now hot.

Yep.

Time to look for a new fridge or freezer.

Doc

 

[jayse]

Maintianing 6c, sounds like is is working perfectly!, maybe your fridge knows what temp to keep beer at B)
I keep mine around there, 2c is way to cold, anyway since your trying to get 2c it sounds like your fridge has most likely lost some fridgey fluid, this is where i love having a fridge mech brother living a few blocks away. free 'cold' gas and repairs.B)

Jayse
ps here's a pic just for a tease.

 

[jaytee]

Take heart, there is a fridge God out there.

I was given a fridge - at last I could keg
My fridge ran hot (10 c) - at least I could lager
A friend of a friend of a friend regassed it for free - back to draft beer
It still had a leak but at least it was winter
But now that it's spring - it's back to 10 c
And that mate has just found me another fridge for free !

Probably cost me another coupla crates, which is good value.
The fridge lost gas - has a leak and fridgy mate tells me it's not worth fixing, but he's come up with another, same model so I can just swap the doors over and put one hole in the side for the gas

 

[Jase]

Is there any way of telling if the thermostat is gone, or if it's the gas?

By the way, the fridge was sitting on 4 degrees this morning.

Cheers,
Jase

 

[Doc]

Usual disclaimers apply .... electricity, trained professional ...... etc etc

You can bypass the thermostat and the fridge will be constantly on. If it gets colder and colder then the problem is more than likely your thermostat.
Obviously you won't want to have the thermostat out of the cooling circuit too long.

An alternative is if you have an external plug in thermostat like the ones a lot of us use, then plug it into your fridge and put the sensor bulb in the fridge. Turn the fridge thermostat to the coldest setting and see how you go.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Jovial_Monk]

Whenever there is a hard rubbish collection you can usually see your next beer fridge standing on the pavement. . . I know it ain't really legal. . .

Jovial Monk

 

[Bobby]

this one might be available....
http://www.killsometime.com/Video/video.asp?video=Fridge

 

[Batz]

Jase
Dumb question but I have to ask it , is it due to be defrosted? If it is all iced up it will not get cold

Also a good trick if a fridge is getting a bit old and slow , take out the meat tray or the drip tray under the freezer , you will find it will cool a few degrees colder with this gone

Hope it helps

Cheers Batz

 

[Jase]

Batz,

Freezer pretty good, doesn't ice up. Fridge would be, I'd guess, 20 years old.

The fridge does seem to run for long periods of time.

Jase

 

[Batz]

Sounds like she's low on gas too me then
Would make a good lagering fridge

 

[siiren]

Jase, how are your seals? I had a similar problem with a fridge which didn't seal properly. Check to see wether they are cracked/hard. Close the door on a piece of a4 paper and if you can easily pull the paper through, might be your problem.
Could be what it is if the freezer still works.
new seals around $70 and not too hard to replace.

 

[Jase]

Does anyone know what a regas is worth, or am I better off starting again?

Jase

 

[Batz]

Unless you know a friendly fridgy I'll say it's not worth it , being and old fridge it takes the old gas , this is every expencive now

 

[Jase]

I think that I'll run the fridge until it dies.... then try to get a chest freezer, to put besides the future bar.

Jase.

 

[Doc]

I got my old one regassed and the suspected leak point repaired for $150 incl GST.
See this topic
In my old keg fridge the cooling coils were accessible at the top of the frigde (see pics in the gallery).
If the coils are in the wall of the fridge then your are pretty much stuffed.

Good luck.
Beers,
Doc

 

[sosman]

Just pick up another one.

I spoke to some neighborhood appliance stores until I found a friendly one. He said he would look out for one in good nick for me (people renovating their kitchen often buy new fridge and chuck out old but working one). Swap a bottle of homebrew for one brewing fridge. I spent $50 on an industrial thermostat and badabing - beer all year round.