is my chest freezer dying?

[bmbigda]

I have a medium sized Haier chest freezer that I've been using as a fermentation chamber for 2 years, and a kegerater for 1 year prior to that. I bought it used 3 years ago, but its roughly 10 years old.

For the past 2 years, I've had it in my garage, soft wired to a 2-stage Love controller, with a utility light as the heat source. For 2 years this setup has never failed me, holding the beer inside tightly to tempertaures from 35F to 80+.

2 weeks ago, I began fermenting a lager, setting the Love controller to 50F. I have done this many times in the past with great success. For the first 2 weeks, it was holding to 50 degrees just fine.

Then one day, I noticed it was stuck at 57 degrees. Wouldnt go up, or down. Inside walls of the chest freezer were cold to the touch. I plugged the chest freezer directly into the wall (bypassing the Love controller). The compressor is humming, but much quieter than it normally does. It hangs out at 57-58 degrees, won't go any lower.

Is this a sign that the compressor is getting ready to give out? I don't know much about refrigerant appliances.

Thanks,
Bryan

 

[xdalisx]

I work in a restaurant and whenever one of our fridges/freezers stops cooling it is never a good sign. Not always the compressor going out, but it is always something that costs a good deal to fix

 

[wilserbrewer]

Is this a sign that the compressor is getting ready to give out? I don't know much about refrigerant appliances.

Thanks,
Bryan

I think it already gave out if it is not chilling below 57

 

[bmbigda]

I think it already gave out if it is not chilling below 57

yes, but not completely. its been hanging out around 57 for 4 or 5 days now, and the inside walls as of this very moment are cold. Ambient has been in the high 60's though so maybe that small delta combined with the insanely good insulation the chest freezer has, is allowing it to persist?

I unplugged it just now to test it. Will give it a day or two powered off to see if it bounces back.