Another Frozen Kegs Thread

[Fifthplanecomin]

Honestly, I did try searching the forum for threads on this topic but the default search function finds words in threads...

Anywho...Here's another one.

For five months I used my A419 Johnson Controller set at 35F without any issues. I previously had the temp probe just hanging dry in mid air....no problems...

Then life happened for reasons and I unplugged the unit.

(4 Months Later) I completed the Keezer build with a collar *same freezer* and I duplicated my setup. Checked that the SP was at 35F still. Diff 5. Then BLAMO!! Frozen Kegs.

It never froze stuff before...

[Put the probe in a plastic bottle of water they said]

OK:
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1444676786.903909.jpg

BLAMO!!! Frozen Bottle of Water AND Frozen Kegs again.

Now I'm hoping if I leave the lid open over the next few hours I can actually serve something during Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner tonight...

I've changed my SP to 40 but at this point if it was at 35F and the probe allowed itself to have a water bottle freeze solid on itself it raises my curiousity on what's wrong.

Thoughts?
Suggestions?
Insults?

 

[billl]

A set point of 35 with a dif of 5 means that the cold doesn't turn off until you hit 35-5 = 30 degrees.

When you were measuring air temp, it didn't really matter if your air got to 30 or even 25. The thermal mass of the kegs dwarfs the air, so if the keg was 35 and the air was 25, you might pull the keg down to 34.9.

 

[Fifthplanecomin]

Food for thought. I'll gobble gobble on that as I check the turkey. Thanks.

 

[day_trippr]

A set point of 35 with a dif of 5 means that the cold doesn't turn off until you hit 35-5 = 30 degrees. [...]

That's a good possibility, depending on which Cooling mode the A419 is set to use:



Cooling/Cut-in would fit the "Frozen Beer Scenario" nicely.

Otoh, Cooling/Cut-out goes the other way: the compressor will start at Set Point + Differential and stop at Set Point.

Cheers!

 

[Fifthplanecomin]

Yep. That was the hidden setting. All along I thought it was set to turn on for additional cooling if it got 5 points above 35. Hence my confusion.

I set it to 40 watched it drop down to 35....BUT it didn't turn off at 35...it stayed on.

While watching it stay on I was wondering when it would kick off. Instead of just standing there staring at a number I simply cranked the set point up to 45 and it turned off.

It seems to be holding fine at 35 and nothing has frozen yet.

Mind you while playing around with this when there was nine people in my house waiting on Rootbeer and Carbonated Water (previously frozen and frozen lines) I had to switch, thaw and clean out lines and make a mess.

Seems once beer was flowing again fewer people provided fecal matter.

But...a couple ladies did run off to buy bottled fizzy water so the DD's Thanksgiving wasn't ruined.

I just always thought it was set to a Cooling/Cut-out mode.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1444723178.190729.jpg

Maybe when I find a fornification to distribute I'lI make it so but for now we seem to be thawed and staying at or above 35.

If I find frozen lines and kegs in the morning I may need to rethink my life.

Thanks guys.
Cheers.