Kegerator problems...please help!!!

So I have a Magic Chef 4.4 cu ft minfridge that I converted into a kegerator. It has a cooling tray that I bent back with no problem. In fact, the conversion went pretty well and it worked just fine. I was able to use it for a week or so. The fridge doesn't seem to be keeping cool anymore though. The freezer tray stays cool but not cold and it stays colder near the line where the coolant comes to it. The compressor is hot to the touch which I don't know if that's normal or not. The compressor also doesn't click on and make noise like it used to. All I hear is like a trickling sound. I tried unplugging and plugging back in and the compressor actually came on but now it doesn't seem like it's turning on any more. And after doing that the freezer tray did get a little cooler. I have the temperature sensor clipped onto the freezer tray which from my understanding is where it should be. Am I screwed or is this fixable?

anybody?

bwomp313 said:

anybody?

Click to expand...

Those mini fridges run coolant through the freezer section in order to cool the entire fridge. Look at the freezer section that you bent for crimping. You may be able to unbend it to re-enable the flow.

If it worked for a week and now doesn't, odds are the refrigerant tubing was bent / cracked when the freezer section was folded down. (The tubing is crimped instead of a nice arc at the bend.)

Any chance of a pic of the bend.

I just took another look at it. The arc isn't crimped at all; it's a nice smooth bend.

I reread your original post. You say the compressor runs hot. How Hot? 5 sec. hot? or scalding, burn your hand hot? When you touch the compressor can you feel it compressing?

I would say, unplug it tonight. Let the compressor cool until morning. In the morning plug it back in after a cup of coffee and a nice breakfast. Listen carefully. Does the compressor start? If so, how long does it run? Listen for the overload to trip. It's attached to the compressor. It's possible that the start relay went bad? These small fridges are notorious for burning out their start relay.

Bumbler said:

I reread your original post. You say the compressor runs hot. How Hot? 5 sec. hot? or scalding, burn your hand hot? When you touch the compressor can you feel it compressing?

I would say, unplug it tonight. Let the compressor cool until morning. In the morning plug it back in after a cup of coffee and a nice breakfast. Listen carefully. Does the compressor start? If so, how long does it run? Listen for the overload to trip. It's attached to the compressor. It's possible that the start relay went bad? These small fridges are notorious for burning out their start relay.

Click to expand...

Ah, I see. Will do. I'll give it a nice listen in the morning. Now if that's the problem, is it an easy fix? I'm not very handy.

Also is it possible that there's a coolant leak in the system?

bwomp313 said:

I have the temperature sensor clipped onto the freezer tray which from my understanding is where it should be. Am I screwed or is this fixable?

Click to expand...

Is this the OEM temperature sensor or what? Where was the sensor located originally? Are you using an external controller? I'm thinking that maybe having the sensor attached to the freezer tray is causing the compressor to shut down prematurely. Try removing the sensor from the freezer tray and see what happens. Just a WAG on my part, but something to try at least.

Catt22 said:

Is this the OEM temperature sensor or what? Where was the sensor located originally? Are you using an external controller? I'm thinking that maybe having the sensor attached to the freezer tray is causing the compressor to shut down prematurely. Try removing the sensor from the freezer tray and see what happens. Just a WAG on my part, but something to try at least.

Click to expand...

This is the OEM sensor. After I first modified the fridge it was freezing everything and I finally realized that was because with everything I did inside, the sensor was wagging in the breeze so i clipped it to the freezer tray and it kept it at a much more reasonable temp after that.