Converting the Frigidaire 7.2 cu ft Chest Freezer

[BA_from_GA]

my temp controller has settings for the temperature and temperature differential (how far you let the temperature get from your set temp before it kicks on) I was wondering if anyone is using this type, what settings there using

Mine works the same way. I have had it set at 38 with a 4*diff, and itbworked great, just kicked it down a degree to see how it does.

 

[Catt22]

my temp controller has settings for the temperature and temperature differential (how far you let the temperature get from your set temp before it kicks on) I was wondering if anyone is using this type, what settings there using

FWIW, I have the set point (temperature setting) at 46*F using a 10*F differential. This holds the beer at 40*F. The beer temperature varies less than 1*F with this configuration. The compressor runs for about 20 minutes and is off for about 60 minutes with ambient (room temp) at about 74*F. The freezer is a 7.5 cu ft model with a 2 X 6 collar. A muffin fan running continuously circulates the air in the freezer and the collar is insulated with rigid foam. I've been experimenting with wider and wider differential settings to see how this affects the temperature swing of the kegged beer. I plan to increase the differential setting until I get a swing of 1.5 degrees min to max which I figure won't even be noticeable in the served beer. I'm trying to find a good compromise between minimizing compressor cycling while keeping the temperature variance of the beer at an acceptable (un-noticeable level).

 

[pola0502ds]

on for 20 and off for 60? That sounds more like it. Some other people were posting it only turns on a couple times a day.

 

[pola0502ds]

If you hinge the lid to the collar, what are you guys doing with the holes that are left behind on the freezer exterior from the hinge when it was originally mounted to it?

 

[boralyl]

If you hinge the lid to the collar, what are you guys doing with the holes that are left behind on the freezer exterior from the hinge when it was originally mounted to it?

I just put the original screws back into the holes and called it a day.

 

[Quaffer]

I've heard of "planing' boards on a band saw ... never on a table saw ... you must have some very skinny push sticks!

A 2x8 on edge stands so tall that the blade does not quite make it halfway through the width of the board. The top of the board is therefore "safe" to hold on to. As long as the board goes straight through there is no problem, but it is difficult to correct for misalignments. The blade binds easily. I do confess being more than a little nervous doing this though. Now that I think of it, I don't recommend people doing this.

 

[pola0502ds]

Quaffer, I have been looking at other peoples wiring diagrams for the same love temp controller. I just got mine in last night and plan to wire it tonight but on these other diagrams I never see them jumping 2 terminals. Why do you do that?

Also, are there different versions of the tsx-10140 that I should worry about, like making sure that if I use your wiring diagram I need to make sure the love controller is exactly the same. The part number is but I don't know if I can check for something else.

 

[Catt22]

If you hinge the lid to the collar, what are you guys doing with the holes that are left behind on the freezer exterior from the hinge when it was originally mounted to it?

I didn't do anything with the un-used holes. They are on the back side of the freezer and not in view. The holes do not penetrate the interior wall of the freezer, so there is no air leakage or any problem like that. You could easily plug the holes with a screw if it will make you feel better, but really nothing to worry about at all.

 

[pola0502ds]

To run power to the fan, i wonder if you can cut a hole in the hump on the inside of the freezer, under that is the compressor, and run a the wire to the fan, through that hole, and out. Silicone that hole and be good to go?

 

[Catt22]

To run power to the fan, i wonder if you can cut a hole in the hump on the inside of the freezer, under that is the compressor, and run a the wire to the fan, through that hole, and out. Silicone that hole and be good to go?

Yes, you could do it safely that way. Through the lid is another option. I would drill through the back edge of the lid and down at an angle so that the wires would not be visible and the top of the lid would remain intact. Through the collar (if you are using a collar) which is what I did.

 

[pola0502ds]

I like that idea too.

 

[Quaffer]

Quaffer, I have been looking at other peoples wiring diagrams for the same love temp controller. I just got mine in last night and plan to wire it tonight but on these other diagrams I never see them jumping 2 terminals. Why do you do that?

Also, are there different versions of the tsx-10140 that I should worry about, like making sure that if I use your wiring diagram I need to make sure the love controller is exactly the same. The part number is but I don't know if I can check for something else.

Terminal 7 of the TSX-10140 supplies power to the controller itself. I jumper it to terminal 8 to provide power for the compressor via the internal relay. Without the jumper you will need another wire for terminal 8.

Before you start wiring you should take some time to understand how it works. It may prevent accidents and possible injury. Follow one wiring diagram, don't mix and match from two diagrams unless you understand how it will affect operation.

There is only one version of the TSX-10140. They will all be identical.

 

[pola0502ds]

Thanks Buddy, got everything wired and working but I am getting a open probe error?

Your right I should completely understand this but I guess i don't, why do I need to wire into the original thermostat? I thought that is what the controller and prob are for? My buddy who does wiring for a living is wondering if we can just completely get rid of the original thermostat.

On the original thermostat should I have it turned all the way up or down?

After you have it wired up and do the first test run, should the freezer kick on right away if the set point is at 45? Or because of some of the settings, will it take a few minutes to turn on?

 

[Quaffer]

Thanks Buddy, got everything wired and working but I am getting a open probe error?

Your right I should completely understand this but I guess i don't, why do I need to wire into the original thermostat? I thought that is what the controller and prob are for? My buddy who does wiring for a living is wondering if we can just completely get rid of the original thermostat.

On the original thermostat should I have it turned all the way up or down?

After you have it wired up and do the first test run, should the freezer kick on right away if the set point is at 45? Or because of some of the settings, will it take a few minutes to turn on?

An open probe error will result when there is a break in the wire for the probe, or more likely, there is a bad connection at the controller, terminals 1 and 2. Make sure that you did not connect to terminal 3 using the probe that came with the controller. If I remember correctly there is also a setting in the controller that specifies which type of probe is attached, it should be set to NTC or this error may occur.

The only reason I kept the original thermostat is that it can be used as an on/off switch, just like it did from the factory. The thermostat cannot be set to a high enough temperature to interfere with the new controller, so it does not really matter what you set it to as long as it is on. You can bypass the thermostat and go without it, no problem; you just won’t have an on/off switch.

 

[Quaffer]

After you have it wired up and do the first test run, should the freezer kick on right away if the set point is at 45? Or because of some of the settings, will it take a few minutes to turn on?

It is a requirement that temperature controllers above a certain size do not start the compressor immediately after a power outage. The reason is that it will be very hard for the utility company to start all those compressors at once. The start time is a few minutes, and I think it varies between different controllers to give the utility company a soft power-up.

 

[pola0502ds]

Thanks for all your help. I got my collar mounted yesterday and wired up the controller. I checked the connection for the temp probe but I am still getting that same error. If I put that probe in a glass of ice water and it reads 32 degrees, that error will go away. When I take it out of the water and it's just measuring the temp of the air, the error comes back on.

As far as when the compressor will kick on, we thought we still had it wired wrong until after we let it sit for a few minutes and all of a sudden it turned on. It was a beautiful sound!

So, I really have not tested it yet. Can you tell me what the best way to do this is? Because the temperature inside the freezer is at room temperature right now, should i get a glass of water at the same temp to put the probe in? Then adjust my set temperature to just above that set temp?

Also, what I ended up doing was completely removing the thermostat.

One problem i am running into is that on one corner on my lid, the gasket won't sit flush and there is a gap for cold air to escape. I don't think it was sitting flush even before I added the collar. If you look at the gasket you can see it's warped. Anyone know how to correct this? It's a used freezer so it's not likes it under warranty.

 

[Catt22]

It is a requirement that temperature controllers above a certain size do not start the compressor immediately after a power outage. The reason is that it will be very hard for the utility company to start all those compressors at once. The start time is a few minutes, and I think it varies between different controllers to give the utility company a soft power-up.

I've never heard of this requirement before and I'm having a hard time believing it's true, and especially so for small residential type refrigerators and freezers. Many of the digital controllers have an anti-short cycle delay feature and it's purpose is to protect the compressor in the event a malfunction of some kind. The ASD setting is typically adjustable from 0-30 minutes. There is no other delay feature that I am aware of as might be a government requirement.

 

[Quaffer]

I've never heard of this requirement before and I'm having a hard time believing it's true, and especially so for small residential type refrigerators and freezers. Many of the digital controllers have an anti-short cycle delay feature and it's purpose is to protect the compressor in the event a malfunction of some kind. The ASD setting is typically adjustable from 0-30 minutes. There is no other delay feature that I am aware of as might be a government requirement.

Remember that this temperature controller is not meant for home refrigerators or freezers. It is meant for larger commercial units, for where there may be multiple such units. You have noticed this power-on delay in the Love controller, right? Or are you speaking hypothetically without actually owning one of these?

Edit: I am trying to remember where I heard about this. It may not be a requirement after all, perhaps just a good idea that manufacturers implement for this very reason. I first heard about it with respect to large electrical water heaters (in Europe), but I have seen references to it since here in the U.S, and to compressors as well. Compressors are particularly vulnerable to brown-out conditions and it may be for the protection of the compressor primarily.

 

[Catt22]

Remember that this temperature controller is not meant for home refrigerators or freezers. It is meant for larger commercial units, for where there may be multiple such units. You have noticed this power-on delay in the Love controller, right? Or are you speaking hypothetically without actually owning one of these?

I have a Johnson A419 and several of the analogs. I also have a Love controller. It's still in the box, but I've read the instructions and manual, so I'm familiar with the settings. There are a number of parameters for the Love controller that can delay cycling, but they can all be set to zero as well.

The Love controller is designed to operate any heating or cooling device up to a 16 amp draw according to the specs. The point being that they are designed for smaller units, not larger industrial equipment.

I'm still not buying the thing about delayed start requirements. Can you point me to the regulation you are referring to. You know, document your claim so to speak? I didn't think so.

 

[pola0502ds]

So what are you guys doing to cover up the back of the controller? the wires are still exposed so I need to do something to at least splash proof it.

 

[Quaffer]

I have a Johnson A419 and several of the analogs. I also have a Love controller. It's still in the box, but I've read the instructions and manual, so I'm familiar with the settings. There are a number of parameters for the Love controller that can delay cycling, but they can all be set to zero as well.

The Love controller is designed to operate any heating or cooling device up to a 16 amp draw according to the specs. The point being that they are designed for smaller units, not larger industrial equipment.

I'm still not buying the thing about delayed start requirements. Can you point me to the regulation you are referring to. You know, document your claim so to speak? I didn't think so.

If your Love controller works like mine, and I think it will, you will find that the minimum off time is set to zero by default, yet there is a power-on delay of a few minutes. The power-on delay is not mentioned in the manual, nor can it be adjusted.

Larger industrial units are often controlled by contactors which are easily driven by the modest relay in the controller.

If there is a requirement for power-on delay, and there still might be, it would be one set forth by power companies or industrial groups, not the government. I will get back to you on this because all I have right now is from memory.

 

[2puttbird]

A 2x8 on edge stands so tall that the blade does not quite make it halfway through the width of the board. The top of the board is therefore "safe" to hold on to. As long as the board goes straight through there is no problem, but it is difficult to correct for misalignments. The blade binds easily. I do confess being more than a little nervous doing this though. Now that I think of it, I don't recommend people doing this.

Okay ... I take back my comment and probably owe you an apology ... I didn't realize that you probably have one of these really cool tall rip fences

http://www.woodsmithtips.com/2011/05/12/resawing-wider-boards/?autostart=true&utm_source=WoodsmithTips&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=4762

 

[Catt22]

If your Love controller works like mine, and I think it will, you will find that the minimum off time is set to zero by default, yet there is a power-on delay of a few minutes. The power-on delay is not mentioned in the manual, nor can it be adjusted.

Larger industrial units are often controlled by contactors which are easily driven by the modest relay in the controller.

If there is a requirement for power-on delay, and there still might be, it would be one set forth by power companies or industrial groups, not the government. I will get back to you on this because all I have right now is from memory.

1. I have a brand new Love TS-13010 controller and I just checked it out. There is no delay. All of the parameters (d2 thru c3), which could affect a delay have a default value of zero. Cut power to the controller several times over a period of 10 minutes or so. Nope...no delay at all. None of my other controllers have a delay either.

2. IIRC, this is still a semi-free country. I don't think the power companies have the authority to issue such a broad regulation to manufacturers. Either it's code or it's not. If it is a code type regulation, I would think that it could be located somewhere.. Industrial groups would likely automatically reject the idea on the basis that it lacks flexibility.

3. Yes, small relays can be set up to operate larger relays. No surprise there. These controllers are nothing more than digital thermostats with a built in relay that handles line voltage. Some have more features than others, but they are still just simple digital temperature switches.

 

[pola0502ds]

I posted this at #290, "So what are you guys doing to cover up the back of the controller? the wires are still exposed so I need to do something to at least splash proof it."

Is this even a concern?

So after running my keezer for a few days I noticed that if i have my temp set to 40 degrees the controller reads 35. Is there anyway to correct this? Quaffer, i followed your programming guide to a tee.

 

[Rick500]

I just wrapped the part of the controller inside the kegerator with electrical tape.

 

[Catt22]

I posted this at #290, "So what are you guys doing to cover up the back of the controller? the wires are still exposed so I need to do something to at least splash proof it."

Is this even a concern?

So after running my keezer for a few days I noticed that if i have my temp set to 40 degrees the controller reads 35. Is there anyway to correct this? Quaffer, i followed your programming guide to a tee.

1. The Love controllers are designed to be mounted in a panel or some other enclosure. This is not absolutely necessary. The terminals are somewhat covered by a plastic cap on the back, but it won't be moisture proof. Some tape should offer some protection, but I would find some way to cover the back with a box of some kind if going through a collar. It's not a big deal really.

2. The probed temperature reading will often be considerably lower than the set point. I think this is because the freezer cools off faster than it warms back up, so it spends more time at the lower end of the differential range. I have mine set at 44*F right now and the beer is at about 38*F, +/- 1*F, so that's about 6* lower than the set point. This is running with a 10* differential and the probe in the air. Separate thermometer measures the actual beer temp.

 

[pola0502ds]

So you don't put your probe in a glass of water?

What exactly does the differential do?

I was actually thinking about finding a water proof electrical box and mounting it to the back of the control to protect it against possible splashes etc...

 

[Catt22]

So you don't put your probe in a glass of water?

What exactly does the differential do?

I was actually thinking about finding a water proof electrical box and mounting it to the back of the control to protect it against possible splashes etc...

Nope, I have a muffin fan running continuously in the freezer and the probe is in the air stream of the fan. Others report good results with the probe in a container of water, but I've never had good results doing it that way.

The differential is the span in degrees for the on/off of the power relay. Typically when in a cooling mode, the compressor will come on when the probe temp reaches the set point + the differential setting. It will shut off when it reaches the set point. Some digital controllers allow you choose between set point + or set point - the differential. I currently have mine set up to come on at the set point and cool to set point - 10*F. I've been experimenting with wider and wider differentials to see how much it affects the beer temp. The changeable parameters differ with various controllers. I have several Johnson analogs that have a fixed differential and no other adjustable parameters other than the heating or cooling option. They work well even though they lack a lot of flexibility.

 

[pola0502ds]

So to test the temp of your beer, do you just pour a glass and measure it right away?

 

[Catt22]

So to test the temp of your beer, do you just pour a glass and measure it right away?

I do that and I also have a wireless thermometer with the probe inside the keg. I just put the transmitter inside a ziplock bag, sanitize it and float it on top of the beer. The poured beer will typically be several degrees warmer in the glass than it is in the keg. I suppose the lines, shanks, taps and the glass itself warm up the beer some right away as it is poured.