Broken Temperature Controller

[Silvern]

Ok, so while fiddling around with my bar fridge last night I accidentally snapped the temperature probe on my Fisher and Paykel P120 bar fridge.

It had a thick 3mm line with a thin probe at the end and when I snapped it i heard some air/gas escape from the end of it. Since then the generator of the fridge just won't kick in when the power is on. It's like it's permanently stuck on defrost!

So I pulled apart the white controller housing and found the whole control unit. Where to go from here? No idea but I'm thinking I should just purchase a good temperature controller. This was going to be necessary anyway because I changed the cooling manifold position. From what my research I can see that this should just wire onto the existing cables? (green/yellow, brown and blue etc).

Am I on the right track here? Can anyone recommend a good controller on budget?

EDIT: UPDATE: Looking at this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Electronic...D-/150778828044

Looks to be identical to all the other STC1000 units?

 

[adryargument]

Did that to my old keezer when i was turning it back into a chest freezer.

I simply took out the thermostat and hard wired it to 'always on'.
It is now controlled by one of the stc-1000's you linked.

-5'c for hops, otherwise +5'c for party kegs

 

[QldKev]

The one linked to above is different from a stc-1000, pay the extra $5 and get the correct one with the 10amp contacts etc

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aquarium-Tank-STC-...t-/140759751376



QldKev

 

[NewtownClown]

... when I snapped it i heard some air/gas escape from the end of it.

Have you accidentally degassed the fridge of its refrigerant?

 

[katzke]

A temperature controller used on a fridge or freezer only turns the thing on or off.

If it will not work now, it will not work latter. You may be able to get it fixed or google and see if you can put in a new controller or wire around it. You still need to get the thing to cool at least when you first plug it in or a controller will do you no good till you get a new fridge or fix the one you buggered.

 

[QldKev]

A temperature controller used on a fridge or freezer only turns the thing on or off.

If it will not work now, it will not work latter. You may be able to get it fixed or google and see if you can put in a new controller or wire around it. You still need to get the thing to cool at least when you first plug it in or a controller will do you no good till you get a new fridge or fix the one you buggered.

I think that's why adryargument mentioned to bypass the thermostat all together. Then if it works you can use the external thermostat to control it.

QldKev

 

[katzke]

I think that's why adryargument mentioned to bypass the thermostat all together. Then if it works you can use the external thermostat to control it.

QldKev

Lots harder to do then just use a plug in controller. A person needs to understand how the unit works to get it right. It can be as easy as getting power to the compressor or much harder. The unit may have pressure switches to keep things from burning up and fans to control besides turning on the compressor.

If it was mine I would find out what broke and how to fix it. That may give enough info to figure out if a different thermostat can work to control the thing for serving beer. I thought it was a fridge and if so fixing it may be the best. As a fridge it will work great for beer.

 

[petesbrew]

Have you accidentally degassed the fridge of its refrigerant?

+1.

 

[Maheel]

be safe but, if you dont know what your doing get some help form a sparky etc

if you did just kill the thermostat probe you should be able pull it out from inside the fridge and connect the wires together (assuming it's just a two wires thermostat) completing the "on" circuit this should make the fridge continually "run" and freeze up.

if the compressor is not coming on the fridge delay might be stopping it as well


i had a bar fridge with a dead thermostat so i removed the thermostat
it would just keep running and freeze everything

i (with the help of a sparky) removed the rear wiring area of the fridge (metal box near compressor where wires go in)
cut out the thermostat wiring and wired in a STC-1000 into the back of the fridge directly where the wires go in.
i just modded the little metal box beside the compressor to house the STC-1000

see pic in link
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...st&p=949002

it works a treat
it currently fermenting a Ale at 17" and then i just change it to 2" to cold chill it.

i even put a tap in the front so i can use it for a spare keg fridge if needed

 

[Silvern]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Yep - it's not the refrigerant, it's the probe and they're completely separate. The probe runs directly into the temperature control unit and is not connected to the refrigerant lines in any way.

Ended up paying the extra $5 for an STC-1000, $18 US inc delivery. Should do the trick, the wiring diagram for it looks pretty straight forward.

Annoyed at myself for breaking the damn thing in the first place but on the plus side I would have wanted a better temperature controller anyway with the manifold mods AND both my kegs arrived yesterday and despite the in/out nuts being an absolute ******* to disconnect, they both fit upright in the bar fridge with plenty of head room for MFL quick disconnects.

Cheers,

 

[Feldon]

Have you accidentally degassed the fridge of its refrigerant?

I'm guessing, but from what the OP said I think he has snapped the gas line on the eletromechanical thermostat, rather than degassing the whole fridge.

Check out this thread from a US forum to see how they work (thread relates mainly to freezers, but often much the same applies for fridges), particularly the diagram in the first post and following photos.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/guide-set-...control-249612/

Could try turning the coarse adjustment screw on the thermostat to the point where the fridge is always on, then using a STC temp controller to run the fridge.

There are discussions/links somewhere in the above (very long) thread on where to source replacement thermostats on ebay (many alternative sizes).

Also - TURN OFF THE POWER before fiddling with the thermostat (I still have a part-melted screwdriver from when I nearly blew myself up several years ago after bridging two contacts with it).

 

[Silvern]

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/guide-set-...control-249612/

Could try turning the coarse adjustment screw on the thermostat to the point where the fridge is always on, then using a STC temp controller to run the fridge.

+1! This is the plan Thanks for that link, that's exactly the problem I've got!