Bypassing my kegs thermostat

[Joseph Williams]

I recently picked up a Summit SBC677BINK dual kegerator but the compressor keeps cycling off and won't come back on. I'm looking to bypass the thermostat and install the STC-1000. If i run a two wire from inside the unit and tap into the power cord for constant power will that work? I want to bypass the main board but still use it for things like the fan and led light.

I can post more detailed pictures of my board when i get home.

 

[day_trippr]

What is the cycle time - and what temperature range does it seem to hold (if any)?
Before I would replace the existing thermostat I'd bypass it and see if the compressor keeps running beyond the point it shuts down now. That would prove there's not a problem with the compressor side - like a thermal shutdown - before spending money on an add-on controller...

Cheers!

 

[Joseph Williams]

I recently picked up a Summit SBC677BINK dual kegerator but the compressor keeps cycling off and won't come back on. I'm looking to bypass the thermostat and install the STC-1000. If i run a two wire from inside the unit and tap into the power cord for constant power will that work? I want to bypass the main board but still use it for things like the fan and led light.

I can post more detailed pictures of my board when i get home.

What is the cycle time - and what temperature range does it seem to hold (if any)?
Before I would replace the existing thermostat I'd bypass it and see if the compressor keeps running beyond the point it shuts down now. That would prove there's not a problem with the compressor side - like a thermal shutdown - before spending money on an add-on controller...

Cheers!

It cycles on when you originally plug it in for like 10 mins and turns off. I’ve replaced the board twice. There’s something wrong with the boards that’s making the compressor shut down thinking it’s satisfied.

 

[day_trippr]

Wait - you replaced the existing thermostat twice and still have the cycling/shut-down problem?
Wouldn't you think the problem resides elsewhere - like, the compressor is hitting a thermal shutdown point?
Cheers! And Welcome to HBT, btw

 

[Joseph Williams]

The first one was definitely out of a old unit and after calling them out on it they sent me a new one and refunded me for the other so basically I didn’t pay anything. I had a tech friend diagnose it and he thinks it has something to do with the main board shutting the compressor down because it thinks it satisfied. The compressor runs and it gets cold but it just never cycles back on. If I keep turning the unit off and on I can get it down to temperature but who wants to do that.

 

[day_trippr]

Ok, so there's a chance the root issue is the actual thermo sensor feeding the controller.

I'd definitely want to basically "hot-shot" the compressor straight to AC, bypassing the controller, and see if it stays on until you break that circuit. If it does I'd feel comfortable wiring up an add-on controller, but if the compressor shuts down same as always I'd be calling a disposal company...

Cheers!

 

[Joseph Williams]

I have tried heating up the sensors but something on the main board is telling it to shut off. This is the board i’m working with.

 

[day_trippr]

Do you have a multi-meter or DVM? If you do, run the system until the compressor shuts down then measure the AC voltage to the compressor. If there's no voltage the controller board is causing the problem; if there is voltage the compressor side is the problem...

Cheers!

 

[Joseph Williams]

Yes I already checked it and there’s no voltage when compressor is off.

 

[day_trippr]

Good to know. Either you've been unlucky with the replacement controllers or the thermo sensor feeding them was the actual problem.
Any chance you have an actual wiring diagram for this machine?

Cheers!

 

[Jwill]

I guess there’s a five post maximum on this site. Anyway I found a emergency drain hole that I can use to run wires from inside my kegerator to the board. I just have to mess around with the wires in order to bypass the main board. I was also wondering if I wire the compressor to this inkbird should I leave the lights and fans plugged into the board or just wire them to run as long as the unit is plugged in? Also I do not have a wiring diagram unfortunately.

 

[Jwill]

Ok, so there's a chance the root issue is the actual thermo sensor feeding the controller.

I'd definitely want to basically "hot-shot" the compressor straight to AC, bypassing the controller, and see if it stays on until you break that circuit. If it does I'd feel comfortable wiring up an add-on controller, but if the compressor shuts down same as always I'd be calling a disposal company...

Cheers!

So i would take the wire from my overload and tie it into the power of my kegerator?

 

[day_trippr]

Not sure what "from my overload" means, but AFTER REMOVING THE LINE CORD FROM THE OUTLET (!) you could splice a wire from the hot side of the AC line cord near where it plugs into the control board (but leave the original connection to the board intact) and connect the splice to the hot side wire to the compressor (remove that from the control board and splice into it). That would let you then plug the line cord into your Inkbird to control the compressor directly and in theory keep everything else in the fridge working.

The one potential fly in the ointment would be if the unit uses either a condenser fan, an evaporator fan, or both. It/they may not spin all of the time that the compressor is running (if they shut off in that ten minute window that you've been experiencing, for instance). You'd have to observe the behavior and accommodate whatever happens (basically, hard wire the fans to the compressor)...

Cheers!

 

[bracconiere]

I guess there’s a five post maximum on this site.

??? says the guy to the guy with 27k....and welcome, with a split personality!

 

[Jwill]

??? says the guy to the guy with 27k....and welcome, with a split personality!

Idk maybe its for new members but i wasn't able to post until i waited 24 hours.

 

[day_trippr]

Yes, I believe Management set that to stem the (mostly Korean) spam we were being blasted with last year.
I'm not sure how many days before they let you loose but it shouldn't be long

Cheers!

 

[Jwill]

Not sure what "from my overload" means, but AFTER REMOVING THE LINE CORD FROM THE OUTLET (!) you could splice a wire from the hot side of the AC line cord near where it plugs into the control board (but leave the original connection to the board intact) and connect the splice to the hot side wire to the compressor (remove that from the control board and splice into it). That would let you then plug the line cord into your Inkbird to control the compressor directly and in theory keep everything else in the fridge working.

The one potential fly in the ointment would be if the unit uses either a condenser fan, an evaporator fan, or both. It/they may not spin all of the time that the compressor is running (if they shut off in that ten minute window that you've been experiencing, for instance). You'd have to observe the behavior and accommodate whatever happens (basically, hard wire the fans to the compressor)...

Cheers!

If i don't have the inkbird yet is there a way to jump it out and bypass the board just to see if it runs longer than the ~10mins its been running?

 

[day_trippr]

Do everything I listed then plug the line cord directly into a wall outlet...

 

[Jwill]

Do everything I listed then plug the line cord directly into a wall outlet...

So the compressor shouldn't turn off until i unplug the unit, unless it's garbage like you said earlier.

 

[day_trippr]

Yes, that would be the expectation...on both counts.
Cross your fingers

CHeers!

 

[Joseph Williams]

Yes, that would be the expectation...on both counts.
Cross your fingers

CHeers!

So I’m going to splice into the red wire and disconnect it from the board?

 

[day_trippr]

Without a wiring diagram I have no idea about any particulars, sorry. But you should be able to follow the line cord to the control board, and the compressor wires back to same. Use your meter if you have any doubts about which side of each are "hot" - and hope the design doesn't switch neutral (I've never seen that, but again, without a wiring diagram it's not a lock)...

Cheers!

 

[Joseph Williams]

I have them spliced but the compressor doesn’t seem to want to kick on.

 

[Jwill]

All is good. I got the compressor to kick on and it’s cooling down to temperature without turning off. All I have to now is wire up the inkbird.

 

[day_trippr]

Excellent! What was the thing that made it work?

Cheers!

 

[Jwill]

Excellent! What was the thing that made it work?

Cheers!

I guess the quick splice wasnt crimped enough down.

 

[Jwill]

I got pretty lucky that the compressor wasn't crapped out.

 

[day_trippr]

Indeed.

Have fun with it!

 

[Jwill]

So after getting the Kegerator going i decided to build a bar. It's still early but its coming out nice.

 

[Jwill]

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