Kegerator Temperature / Compressor Question (problem)

[allthingsgiant]

I have had a Haier Kegerator for about 4 years now. It holds 3 cornies and a 5 lb. CO2 tank. I rigged a small fan toward the bottom of the fridge to circulate the air to keep a consistent temperature in the chamber from top to bottom, and also to help cool my 3-tap tower. I have had the fan unplugged for a couple months, and just now plugged the fan back in. All things considered, the fridge used to work as expected.

Problem now is, when I plug in the fan and circulate the air, the compressor won't turn off. The thermostat is on the warmest temperature setting. I am monitoring the temperature with an external digital gauge (probe wire through door seal). The temperature gets down to around 35F with the fan on. The compressor remains on, fighting to drop the temp. Ice starts to buidl up on the cold plate in the rear of the fridge at this point.

When I unplug the fan, the compressor turns off in about a minute. My assumption is that the fan is kicking warm(er) air than what the thermostat is set for, thus the compressor stays on. However, with the fan you would expect an increase of efficiency coming from the cold plate, and the compressor shouldn't have to work as hard. Likewise, if ice is forming on the cold plate, something else is going on.

Now, the fan is located on the lower back wall adjacent to the compressor (on the outside), bolted to an aluminum plate, and velcroed to the wall. Maybe the compressor is heating up that part of the wall, thus warming up the aluminum plate and kicking up warm air?

Any thoughts on this? Should I just scrap the fan, since the fridge works fine without it? Without the fan, I get about a 10 degree difference top to bottom in the chamber, and I also get foamy beer my first 2 pints of the night.

Thanks for any thoughts you might have...
JAS

 

[beaksnbeer]

I the compressor is not shutting off it is not uncommon for the plate ti freeze up a solid block of ice. How is the fan wired to the system.

 

[allthingsgiant]

The fan is on its own power supply, an old cell phone charger. The wire runs through the drain port of the kegerator.

And you are correct, if I leave the fan plugged in I'm certain the cold plate will turn into a block of ice.

 

[beaksnbeer]

So odds nothing wrong with the compressor sound more like the t-stat is not not functioning as it should. I would change it 35* is pretty cold for my taste. What temp do you get without the fan running?

 

[allthingsgiant]

No fan running right now, and it's hovering around 43F (coming up from 35F since I unplugged the fan). That being said, I know the temperature is different from top to bottom, and I'll get foamy beer sans fan.

 

[beaksnbeer]

Wait to see what temp the compressor comes back on

 

[allthingsgiant]

I don't see how that will matter. Since the thermostat is set to its warmest setting, my assumption is it will come back on around 50-60F. If I turn the thermostat to a cooler setting, it'll kick on sooner.

I used to have it set at about 1/4 from the warmest setting (with the fan on), and it used to stay right around 40F. As I mentioned, it now goes to 35F and won't turn off.

 

[beaksnbeer]

Mentioned earlier, bet is t-stat is bad

 

[allthingsgiant]

Without the fan, the thermostat works as intended. Curious as to why the thermostat can't regulate itself with an air current inside the chamber....

 

[beaksnbeer]

Uhm, t-stat should have only about a 5* swing not 10-20

 

[allthingsgiant]

I only said 50-60F because I don't know yet where it will kick back on since I made the adjustment.

Regardless, I don't think the thermostat is faulty, as the compressor works fine sans fan. With the thermostat set normally, it keeps my beer around 40F within a couple of degrees. The compressor kicks on every hour or two for 10-15 min.

 

[beaksnbeer]

Cool I guess it all good then good luck.

 

[allthingsgiant]

Fixed it. Changed the angle of the fan so it wasn't blowing air up and tangential to the cold plate, it's now blowing air up and away from it instead. The compressor kicks on just for 5 minutes or so, then turns off. Beer chillin' nicely at 40F, as it was previously. Thermostat must be getting old and temermental, like my 94 year old grandfather...

Thanks for your help.