On this one we had a True reach i cooler temping at 42 degrees which the customer was not too happy with. We had another tech there and we diagnosed a bad temperature controller, we ordered the part and I returned to install it and actually found out that was not the problem. The unit had a bad evaporator fan motor that was spinning too slow and causing the coil to get too cold. The temperature controller was actually working correctly but the fan motor was just not moving enough air. Once I replaced the evaporator fan motor all was good again.
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So the complaint is, we've got a two-door, true cooler here. This is a refrigerator and the complaint is that it's not working correctly ten feet high, it's the first thing, I'm doing is just putting it thermometer in there to see what the unit's doing so we're gon na watch. It come down to temp, see what it turns on and turns off that and see what's going on before we make any adjustments or do anything funky. So I want to show you guys a little something right here.
If you, google, search true warranty, verification or check it'll, auto populate click on that and input your serial number right there of the Box, you're working on and it'll tell you. If the units under warranty, I always tell everybody, you always want to make sure it's under warranty before you start servicing the thing just in case it is then you've got to get a warranty verification before you do anything. So you see right here, I entered the serial number and it tells me that it was manufactured on August 1st of 2012, so this unit will be completely out of warranty, just a little tip for you guys. You always want to check that kind of stuff.
You can also verify warranty status with Manitowoc ice machines, delfield refrigerators, I'm sure, there's more, you just got a Google search. You know whatever manufacturer. It is warranty verification something along those lines and you'll be able to find a lot of information without even having to make any phone calls. Okay.
One thing I noticed right away - I just opened this box up - is that the temperature controller is set as cold as it'll. Go typically should be around three or four, so we're gon na set that back to where it should go, and then we're gon na watch. This box operate in the meantime, I'm just looking the condenser looks clean, don't see any problems with it. Nothing else is jumping out at me as of yet so we're just gon na watch and see.
If you don't already know when these shoe coolers, if you're lucky tells you what the original factory wiring is, this really comes in handy when you're changing door switches, because door switches can be very confusing on these things. So it really helps you to understand. What's going on with the door switch and what wires go where so long as you have a calibrated thermometer? This is a highly accurate calibrated thermometer here. I've got it in the return air stream and I hit my minimum maximum position so minimum 10 plus 35 and so far my maximum is 40.
So I want to ensure that that doesn't go about 41 before it turns on the condensing unit and that's just what we're waiting for it's just a waiting game. Okay, so this guy just turned on at 42 degrees and our minimum temperature was 35 42 and 35. So that temperature is too high and I set the thermal the temperature controller, where it should be now. This is a constant cut in temperature controller.
So adjusting the temperature lower will not make the cut in of 42 any better because it's always going to cut in at the high temperature and bring it down to the low temperature. So, turning on the temperature controller, knob is only going to bring the minimum temperature down. Okay, now this one's cutting in at 42. That means that, more than likely, we have a temperature controller issue because it should be cutting in at about 40 39 40. On this particular control, so I happen to have a conversion kit for this. It's difficult to make out on the camera, but I'm concerned because that evaporator fan motor is spinning slower than I think it should so we're gon na pull it out and see. If this says the RPMs on the back, if it's supposed to be a 1550 rpm, which I believe it is, we've got a fan motor, that's bad. So I'm going to pull it out and check and we'll go from there before I replace a control, because that could be affecting the control.
So again, I know it's hard to tell, but there's a massive amount of airflow difference. Now that I put in a different fan motor I put in another one, a new one - I should say the rotation on the old one was 1550, but I could just tell it wasn't spinning fast enough now this one's in and it's moving a lot of air. So we're gon na watch another temperature cycle again to see where it turns on and off at make sure that the fan motor wasn't just the problem. Okay, so we came back on so that's what I thought well of 33 PI of 40 now so units operating properly and I went ahead and clean.
The condenser blew it out with nitrogen because it was internally dirty in the back of it. So that's gon na be it for this box. Okay, so just a little recap: we had a service call on a reach-in cooler, not working. We had previously diagnosed it.
Another tech did to have a bad temperature controller. We ordered the part, and then I came back out to install it and just did a double check on the diagnosis and actually found that the temperature controller was in fact not the problem. The problem was that the evaporator fan motor was going bad. It was spinning slowly, it was kind of hard to catch, but I've worked on enough of these regions that I knew that something was up, went ahead and replaced the evaporator fan motor and not solved the problem.
So inevitably, what was happening was the evaporator fan. Motor was not spinning fast enough. Therefore, the evaporator quote was getting colder than it should it has a constant cut in temperature controller that has the sensing bulb shoved into the evaporator coil, so that was sensing a cold with colder coil than it should have. So it thought that the box was down to temperature when it wasn't so.
Therefore it would take too long to turn the box back on and that's where we were getting our 42 43 degree temperatures. So I went ahead and once I corrected the evaporator fan motor or replaced it I should say, then the existing original temperature controller was working correctly. I went ahead and set it back down to the correct setting, which was about three and a half, and that got us within the temperatures that we needed to be so. This is just kind of like a reminder that you always want to be a hundred percent. Sure on your diagnosis - and sometimes you do miss things. Stuff happens. This was an easy one to miss, but you know you just try to be more thorough. Try to to make sure that we're diagnosing these things correctly because has we put that temperature controller in we would have quickly realized that the problem is still there even with the new temperature controller.
So all right, we'll see you guys on the next one.
The place where I work has a whole bunch of True reach-in display coolers. Often times if the cooler loses power it eventually leaks all of its refrigerant out. I don’t know why this is so but they do. That and sometimes we’ve had them totally quit. No power, no cool, nothing. Are you in Barrhaven ?
What a good catch on this one holy crap Are you in Orleans ?
My commercial refregerator does not turn on. It is however brand new.
Not taking anything away from your other tech, but thats why you can't teach experience. But i bet from now on he will think next time, hmmm i remember that time where the fan motor was slow and he'll check them ever time.
Its always the temp controller when the AC man comes out then it goes down again. Its like they don't know how to troubleshoot! Or it easier to R &R parts that are easiest?
This is the exact reason to always use True’s method of troubleshooting the thermostat. Pull the fan blades and use a thermometer buried in the evaporator near the thermostats cap to test cut in and cut out . True has a list of the cut in and cut outs in their literature. Been thrown by the sealed system issues , and fan issues ect. To many times . After getting several years of experience you have to fight that “I know what it is instinct “ . I know better and still end up doing it to myself every once in a while.
very good pick up you can not beat experience
Wow those are the standard coolers seen like fast food places like Starbucks
That's a lot of blue cheese dressing. Annnd now I'm hungry.
If a reach in cooler is cool but the fans arent working. How tk troubleshoot it?
What if the evaporator coil is frozen and still not holding the temp
My True freezer has three cond fans ,but one fan shuts down . Internal overload. I replaced it ,buy same over heat .
Any idea ?
It should be illegal to sell/put out products without out a wiring diagram or schematics, I love them, makes doing trouble shooting or repair much, much easier.
Another great video! I've ran into that exact situation, where I thought the temp. controller was bad, but then noticed the fan was slower than normal.
Big picture diagnosis . Great catch brother .
Your video very helpful . Are you in Nepean ?
Not sure if you’ll see this as most comments are a year old, but do you think an amp draw test could’ve confirmed that fan motor ? Are you in Kanata ?
That has to be the cleanest piece of in-kitchen equipment I've seen you work on. Chef Ramsey would be proud.
So, the other technician's True diagnosis was false!
Recommend you replace the motor with manufatures OEM Motor and not one with a faster air flow.including the blade pitch.
Question? I have a true cooler an the compressors cutting on an off, temp control maybe. Service area Ottawa??
I don't know if you will see my comment. I'm trying to replace a fan motor myself but I don't know how to get to it. Can you tell me should I do it from the top front or inside the freezer? thanks
do u recomend this brand? shame it breaks under 10 years
Hey great video as usual. Here saint lucia we order most parts . From America.
What kind of filter is that?
How would I access the clear hose used for draining water from the cooling unit?
What did you do to the other tech that misdiagnose the problem?
id never tought bout that thanks. Would love to see videos you work on some bakery proofers too
People that are taking the time to watch refrigeration, and heating vids, are the techs, that want to better them self, you may have scene 1000 different things in the field, but it’s the 1001, that could ruin your reputation. Keep up the great vids brother.
I work with really greasy kitchens and the higher condenser coils on the top are like vacuums for gunk. I started using 1/4 foam with a metal upside down "T" with a bent 90 on top of condenser with a strong magnet to hold metal "T" which holds the foam from falling down off of the condenser coil. Way easier than spraying cleaner using towels and water hoping nothing leaks down into some fish or cake. I change out in spring time before the kitchen gets really hot during the summer. Unfortunately restaurants want to save a dime now but later on will have to spend a dollar down the road.
Thats the first thing i check on all the true coolers
hey can you tell me where you got that magnetic strap for that meter
And you dont think cleaning an internally plugged condenser would of had something to do with it? Once you dropped the head by cleaning it and in turn dropped the suction to normal. That gave you a much colder evap coil. The owner had t.sat at coldest setting right?and it never got cold enough, thats why he called. After you blew it out it ran normal. doesn't mean the mtr wasn't weak, But you solved it by cleaning it. A word to all you help, ambient conditions esp in kitchens. is vital to temps and always make sure you start with a clean cond as best as you can. Sometimes you cant help it,100- 110degs no ac greese filled ect.but never overlook a simple blow job to get you off on the right foot Service area Nepean??
I always watch your videos after work. I do mostly install but I've been getting into more service. Your videos are always helpful and remind me to always check everything Service area Orleans??
Interesting seeing that blue filter in there. Think it's a good idea to put those filters on bottom mounted units or would it prevent air flow just as much as dirty fins would? I ask because I was thinking of doing this a while ago. What's the black tube like thing sticking out the front of the filter? Thanks!
Yep, definitely a nice catch. Always pay attention to the fans. Thanks.
I always set true temp controls to 5 even the factory has me keep them at 5. but if I put a A12-701 its normally at 3 or 4
hey mr hvacr. Im a new refrigeration apprentice. We service larger grocery stores. What meter would you recommend that wont break the bank?
Nice catch, thanks for a tip
Great video for diagnosis need this one in mytool box do these units have a certain cfm I should check because thats another step that I will be able to use in my troubleshooting techniques also are your videos available to purchase I dont know how to keep this info hate to lose you mentioned it should be a 1550 rotation do you mean rpm
Do you work on Traulsen stuff much?
Great job
Just replaced 2 of them last week
I think they're 6w fan motors
Brilliant! I also work on restaurant refrigeration and hvac 99% of the time. Watching your videos help me on things like this one. Great videos and thanks for sharing them.
Hello I'm using my moms profile, but I'm about to get into refrigeration and you videos are the most helpful and way better explain then the trade school I went to. You are a teacher, I'm starting an entry level job at Great Lakes in Chicago for refrigeration, I'll be looking to your videos for help, thank you sir my name is Julian
This is the best kind of service call because it is a teachable moment for us and for the tech who misdiagnosed it. He may never have learned that if he didn’t make that mistake. Great video.
nice catch, i cant say I would have caught that, thanks for posting Service area Barrhaven??
Your explanation of issues and how it could be misdiagnosed "top notch". Recent subscriber and so glad I did.