Issues with frige after aquarium temp controller build

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D_Ranged_Eskimo

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I just got done building the aquarium temp controller to get success! It's been up and running great since Sunday, but I came home for lunch today to find my frige draining a ton of water out of the back. The light was on inside, but the compressor wouldn't kick on, and it had gone .5 C above the limit it is set at.

Before I went back to work, the compressor kicked back on and started cooling again, but my concern is that this will continue to be a problem.

Has anyone else encountered this issue, and is there anything that can help prevent this from happenning? The frige is a bit old, but it's been cooling just fine. I'm not sure if the compressor froze up due to the temp controller turning the whole frige on and off repeatidly, or if it's just the damn Texas heat in the garage.
 
Maybe the internal temperature controller has a delay, so even though the freezer got power, the compressor just hadn't had enough time to turn on yet.
 
Yeah, I was gonna say the same thing as LVBen, it probably has a time delay to keep the compressor from burning out. Does your temp controller allow you to set a temp range, meaning that if you set it for 65F, the range that it controls at would be 1-5 degrees above or below the set temp? I set mine to a 3 degree range.

As for the water, is it humid where you are?
 
Thanks guys.

Yeah, I built the aquarium temp controller which has a variance controller for the tempurature. I've got my set at .5 + or - degree celcius variance, but I might have to raise that to let the frige get a litte more of a break.

It is humid down here, but for San Antonio, it's been very dry this year. It does have a delay on it, but I haven't seen it flood water out of the back of the frige like it was doing today.
 
Oh, I've seen portable A/C units that have condensation tanks on them. When the tank gets full, the unit turns off. It sounds like you just had a full condensation tank.
 
Oh, I've seen portable A/C units that have condensation tanks on them. When the tank gets full, the unit turns off. It sounds like you just had a full condensation tank.

Thanks for the info. I wonder if there is a way to run a drip line to ensure it won't store and dumb like it did today.
 
I'm betting you have a no-frost refrigerator/freezer and it was in the middle of a defrost cycle...which would explain why the light was on, compressor off, and water dripping out of it, while your controller had power on the unit...

Cheers!
 
I've been a refrigeration tech for about 10 years now. I'm not exactly sure what this sytem you built is, but it sounds to me as if your starting system is either shot or your compressor is shutting off on thermal overload. chances are you need a solid state relay or "hard start" kit for your compressor.

Please explane this system that you built and exactly what you did to your fridge.
 
I'll say this again: the noted event would be perfectly normal behavior for a frost-free refrigerator/freezer in the middle of a defrost cycle...

Cheers!
 
I'll say this again: the noted event would be perfectly normal behavior for a frost-free refrigerator/freezer in the middle of a defrost cycle...

Cheers!

he said his fridge was draining a "ton of water out the back" ... if he is just refering to the drain pan in the fridge, that YES its fine... but if he means out of the back of the of the fridge and onto the floor... then there is a problem.
 
he said his fridge was draining a "ton of water out the back" ... if he is just refering to the drain pan in the fridge, that YES its fine... but if he means out of the back of the of the fridge and onto the floor... then there is a problem.

Yeah, that would be a plugged - or disconnected - drain line, not a problem with the compressor, start circuit, etc...

Cheers!
 
Yeah, that would be a plugged - or disconnected - drain line, not a problem with the compressor, start circuit, etc...

Cheers!

9 times out of 10, if there is water overloading the drainpan in the very back(behind) the fridge, it's due to exessive freezer defrost. usually caused by a compressor that is either not starting again, or has tripped the thermal overload due to a bad condensor fan motor or a SUPER clogged condensor.

drainage issues INSIDE the fridge are usually just a clogged drain line (peas and crud) or a deteriorating drain pan bafle (sub zero models)
 
What I have is a frige with a freezer on the top of it, and with this temp controller, it is shutting the whole frige on and off (ei. when the temperature reaches its set level, the whole frige is kicked off, including the light, when the temperature reaches the highest level allowed by the controller, it turns the whole system back on) My guess is that I need to redesign the system so that it only kicks the compressor off at the desired temperature, and not cut the power to the entire system. I can't imagine the frige turning on and off as if it were plugged and then unplugged is good for the components. I'm not sure what I can do to wire it into the system itself to control the temperature, but any suggestions or help is greatly appreciated.
 
I once had a minifridge with a thermastat that was stuck closed. I went out and bought an electrical digital timer. Every 4 hours the entire fridge would shut off for 20 minutes. Worked great....but this was NOT A FROST FREE FRIDGE!

The cold control or thermastat is just a potentiometer or reostat(variable resistor). as you set the knob(temp), the contact has to go a little further to close the gap. When the cold litterally shrinks the contact flap closed, your compressor now has juice, and goes on!(some of the modern ones work off much more advanced systems, but u get the idea)

Now what you are doing is basicly disabling the refrigerators ability to self defrost itsself at its specific designed period of time. most fridges are on a 8 hour 12-15 minute defrost cycle to melt all the ice buildup in the freezer. (unless its a GE or other smart fridge with sensors....they might defrost for a couple minutes 10 times a day, or only twice a day)

First off, what kind of fridge is it? how old? find the model and serial number for it(should be on the inside wall of the fridge, or possibly behind the toe kick on the bottom front)

Let me know, and I'll shoot you some tips so you can jump the thermastat instead of the entire fridge !
 
The cold control or thermastat is just a potentiometer or reostat(variable resistor.

The thermostat is not a potentiometer or rheostat. Typically it's nothing more than a bi-metal contact operated mechanical switch. I'm sure some have solid state thermistor/thermocouple type thermostats, but most of the older fridges use the cheaper mechanical versions.
 
Frige is a Hotpoint No-Frost CTX24GA (not sure if if the X belongs there, my label is a little farked up, but the CT 24GA is correct)

I also looked back on the aquarium controller build thread and found that the delay should be set at 10 minutes, which mine was set at 5 after I was mashing the buttons to figure out what everything did. I'll see if that helps with the compressor.
 
The thermostat is not a potentiometer or rheostat. Typically it's nothing more than a bi-metal contact operated mechanical switch. I'm sure some have solid state thermistor/thermocouple type thermostats, but most of the older fridges use the cheaper mechanical versions.

I stand corrected, I deal with to many nobby things :p I was prolly thinking stove switch.

quoted from my boss, "A fridge cold controll is a bimetallic strip which is a long thin strip consisting of 2 dissimilar metals connected together, and wound into a coil. Since the two metals have different thermal expansion properties, as the temperature changes the coil winds tighter or unwinds. This causes to contacts to close or open, like a switch or relay. You can see one of these in most room thermostats."

You got that inverted, chief...

Cheers! ;)

when the temp changes some **** happens :)

Frige is a Hotpoint No-Frost CTX24GA (not sure if if the X belongs there, my label is a little farked up, but the CT 24GA is correct)

I also looked back on the aquarium controller build thread and found that the delay should be set at 10 minutes, which mine was set at 5 after I was mashing the buttons to figure out what everything did. I'll see if that helps with the compressor.

I pulled up the that model number and I got like 34 different fridges. No big deal really, If u wanna check some parts list for you fridge you can use the sears website, its the best for any appliance. Just type in "parts" @ the sears homepage search. http://www.searspartsdirect.com/par...RAD/1811/0166000?searchedModel=CTX24GA&blt=15

Anyway, so you have your temp controller wired right into the main power for the fridge correct? You will probably want to interupt the thermastat instead. Locate where the dial is in your fridge and do your best to dismantle the plastic facia panel that is holding it in. When you get the thermastat out, there should be a wire going in, and a wire coming out.(they might be right next to eachother) All you have to do is bypass the thermastat and you should be good to go.

Does this have a freezer on top?
 
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