Perlick Kegerator Cooling issue

I've owned a Perlick kegerator with glycol unit for a few years with a Dixell XR20C temp controller with no problems until now. I've verified the XR20c parameters with Perlick.

Here's my issue: The unit runs, but has stopped cooling. It sounds like the condenser is not working, even though I can feel air flow from the condenser coils. At first I thought it was a freon issue and I turned off the unit for approximately 2-3 hours, as I was going to contact a refrigeration specialist.

Just before the phone call, I had a hunch and turned the unit back on...voila!! I could hear the condenser kick on a it started to cool the unit down. Everything was running fine until this morning when I noticed that the unit wasn't cooling. I then turned off the unit for 30 minutes and turned it back on. It was then cooling once again.

Any ideas what the problem might be?

When you say "condenser", do you actually mean "compressor"? Because a condenser is a passive element - it's just a heat exchanger (the hot side), just like the expansion coil (the cold side). They don't "run", and they don't make noise (well, except maybe the occasional gurgling sound).

If you meant "compressor", the next question is, is it the compressor that isn't running when you expect it should be running? But if you leave the unit turned off long enough, then turn it on, the compressor does run?

If that's the case, I would immediately suspect the unit is low on refrigerant, and the low pressure cutoff switch is disabling the compressor (basically protecting it from running dry). When you let the system sit long enough it builds enough pressure in the loop to close the low pressure switch and let the compressor run - until the cycle repeats.

I'd definite call a tech to put his gauge set on it, and do a leak detection on the compressor seals...

Cheers

Daytripper: Many thanks!!!