Busted keezer, whats the deal?!?!

[ThatFishGuy]

Hey everyone,
So i finally got back into brewing..... and i just discovered my keezer no longer works!!! I had decided to bottle my beer anyways but now its just bothering me that i cant get it to work. I run it with a ranco controller. I've checked the wiring on the controller several times to make sure its correct, so here's the problem: The freezer turns on since the sensor reads that it is warmer than the set temp, the controller says its on, i can hear it switch on, and i can hear the freezers compressor running....... but it doesnt get cold. I let it run for a few hours and it RAISED one degree. (im assuming from the heat of the motor running). What could be the problem? The last time I used it was for a party about 4-5 months ago and it worked then. Any ideas? It just sucks because I bought it off craigslist on the cheap so its not really worth putting much money into repairs. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
-Sam

 

[david_42]

The first thing to try is to plug it directly into the outlet. If it still doesn't get cold, it has probably lost it's freon charge and it's time to find a new one.

 

[ThatFishGuy]

I kind of figured that I was going to have to just replace it. How does it just "lose charge" ? just out of curiosity.
-Sam

 

[Hermit]

How old is it? Sometimes sealed systems have a longer warranty.

 

[ThatFishGuy]

I have no idea how old it is. Im at least the 2nd owner, it doesnt look terribly old, but definitely has a few years on it. I've had it for 3 years, and the previous owner probably about the same.

 

[david_42]

A freezer loses charge when it develops a hole or crack in the tubing. Corrosion and metal fatigue are the main causes.