Broke my temperature probe

[Fantastical]

I haven't been having any luck with my keezer lately... Today I managed to break the end of the probe off of my temperature controller.

Some alcoholic smelling liquid came out and the freezer immediately shut off much to my disappointment.

Does anyone know what liquid it is filled with and how a typical temperature controller works? I might as well give fixing it a go before I shell out for a new one.


Thanks!

 

[day_trippr]

I'm guessing you have a Johnson analog controller? It probably is alcohol in the bulb and capillary tube. It's going to be a challenge to refill that and seal the leak...

Cheers!

 

[gsector]

Hmm, weird, I thought most probes on stuff like that were metals that changed resistance with temperature. Non-electric thermometers (afaik) use either mercury or alcohol. So, my guess is that it is alcohol if you are sure it wasn't condensation.

If you can't replace the probe, you'll probably need a new controller. Orrrr, look up that thread on how to manually adjust the thermostat on a freezer (and maybe fridges too). It takes a few tries to get it, but mine works great and I know others have had great success with it.

 

[kmat123]

After breaking a cheap Chi Companies analog temp prob I decided to upgrade to a Ranco which has a much more pliable electric thermo probe.

 

[Fantastical]

I've sealed up the hole with some jb weld overnight. I am going to go buy some rubbing alcohol today to see if I can get it to work. I'll let you all know how it goes. Thaks for the replies!

 

[day_trippr]

I've sealed up the hole with some jb weld overnight. I am going to go buy some rubbing alcohol today to see if I can get it to work. I'll let you all know how it goes. Thaks for the replies!

How are you going to refill the bulb and capillary now that you've "sealed" it? Also, as the regulation mechanism is actually pressure based, you have to remove any/all air from within.

Finally, there's a good chance that the solution that spilled out is actually an alcohol/water mix - with the alcohol merely serving to keep the water from freezing in use. Perhaps you can get lucky with Google in determining what kind of ratio to try...

Cheers - and good luck

 

[Fantastical]

I figured someone might ask that...

I will uncrimp the end and siphon it into there. I might have to disconnect it at the dial to get it to flow through but I think that I can do it.

I'm excited to give it a try tonight! Wish me luck!

Matt

 

[kmat123]

I figured someone might ask that...

I will uncrimp the end and siphon it into there. I might have to disconnect it at the dial to get it to flow through but I think that I can do it.

I'm excited to give it a try tonight! Wish me luck!

Matt

Good luck sounds like you will need it :rockin:

 

[grendle77]

Inside the cap tube and bulb is refrigerant that expands at higher temp and contracts at lower temp. The refrigerant puts pressure on bellows, on the other side of the bellows is a spring that the temp dial controls. With said refrigerant in line at a know temp refrigerant will put X amount of pressure on bellows and will over come spring turning compressor on, or the spring will over the pressure cycling compressor off. Short answer is you need a new temp control.

 

[Fantastical]

So I wasn't able to resurrect the probe.

However I did end up modding my freezer so it acts like a fridge now. Thanks to that post that is on here somewhere!