keezer build help

[TripleJBrewery]

Hey all, I puchased a johnson a419 off ebay and it arrived today. I noticed it was changed to heat (used for a lizard rack), so I changed the jumpers to cool. The controller works when plugged into the wall, but the freezer will not kick on. Can anybody please help me on this? If I plug in a box fan, the fan will turn on no problem, so I'm not sure what's happening.

Thanks,

Josh

 

[beaksnbeer]

Will the freezer turn on when plugged into wall outlet?

 

[paperairplane]

Put freezer on full cold

 

[TripleJBrewery]

After messing around with it, I got it to turn on finally and it cooled to 40 quick.

What is the best temp to keep it set at?

 

[day_trippr]

"42"

Cheers!

 

[drthrob]

Do yourself a favor and either tape the probe to the side of the keg or wrap it in bubble wrap and let it hang free. Both of those methods have kept me from freezing a keg solid (after a lot of toying around with the settings).

 

[TripleJBrewery]

So after a few hours, the freezer won't kick back on. The temp probe says it's 55 inside. I'm not sure what is happening.

 

[drthrob]

So after a few hours, the freezer won't kick back on. The temp probe says it's 55 inside. I'm not sure what is happening.

Tell us what your settings are on the temperature controller: Diff, ASD, Set temp, etc...

 

[TripleJBrewery]

Sp: 42
sf: 0
ofs: 1
asd: 0
dif: 4

 

[drthrob]

Sp: 42
sf: 0
ofs: 1
asd: 0
dif: 4

There's your problem. You may be burning out your compressor in your freezer. Change the ASD to 12. You can turn offset off (I don't use it). Diff can be set to as low as 1 if you're desiring a specific temp. Setting it to 4 will allow a four-degree variation in temp. You want to set the ASD to 12 minutes to give it time between cycles. The temperature will not vary greatly in that period of time.

 

[TripleJBrewery]

Awesome, thank you so much! I'll change it and hopefully in the morning it'll be working again.

 

[TripleJBrewery]

So I went out and checked on it this morning and the freezer never kicked on as it was at 55.

I changed the jumper setting to see if it will fix it. Top jumper covers 1 pin and bottom covers both pins. Turn it on and it flashes 'asd' and the temp.

 

[drthrob]

That is worrisome. Try disconnecting the temp controller and plugging in the freezer without it. Make sure the freezer still works. If the freezer still works, do a search for Johnson A419 settings on Google. I had to change my jumpers to a cut out setting if memory serves but that has been awhile.


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[TripleJBrewery]

The freezer still works if plugged directly into the wall. I will try to see what I can find out by searching google. Hopefully something will come up.

 

[drthrob]

There is a specific jumper setting in which the power cuts out once it has reached the desired temp. That is what you want . You might have it set on a cut in setting and that is why it will not start.


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[TripleJBrewery]

Yea, the cooling 'cut-in at setpoint' is what i had it set at last night.

The unit came with a surge protector as the female end instead of a female extension cord end. I'm going to go to Home Depot and buy an extension cord, cut it up and replace it. I'm curious if that might be the reason?

 

[drthrob]

That is how I wired mine. Wife ran over a cord with the mower so I used that.


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[drthrob]

So change it to cut out and you should be good.


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[FuzzeWuzze]

Do yourself a favor and either tape the probe to the side of the keg or wrap it in bubble wrap and let it hang free. Both of those methods have kept me from freezing a keg solid (after a lot of toying around with the settings).

Is the Johnson probe water proof like the STC1000?

If so you should really put it in a small jar or bottle of water/star san solution.
That way the act of opening up your freezer doesnt let a ton of hot air in and cause your freezer to come back on when it shouldnt.

 

[drthrob]

Is the Johnson probe water proof like the STC1000?



If so you should really put it in a small jar or bottle of water/star san solution.

That way the act of opening up your freezer doesnt let a ton of hot air in and cause your freezer to come back on when it shouldnt.

I don't believe the standard probe is, hence the bubble wrap and taping.


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[day_trippr]

Is the Johnson probe water proof like the STC1000?[...]

fwiw, I don't believe there are any official claims extant wrt the STC-1000 temperature probe being waterproof.
Even the people selling these to the aquarium market don't actually claim that the probes are waterproof...

Cheers!

 

[TripleJBrewery]

So after switching from a surge protector to a single female outlet, the freezer will not come on. I tried plugging in a box fan and that wouldn't come on either. So somehow the female end isn't getting powered on. I have even switched the asd setting to 0 and 1 and still nothing.

 

[drthrob]

Try setting the temp to something like 85 and see if that does anything. Did you change it to cut out mode?


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[TripleJBrewery]

Yes, it is set to cut out mode. I have changed it to 85, I'll see what happens.

I'm about to go and just buy a new one of this doesn't work.

 

[TripleJBrewery]

So... went and bought a brand new one from the homebrew store, checked on it and the new one reads 41. Looks like the old one won't work for cooling.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

fwiw, I don't believe there are any official claims extant wrt the STC-1000 temperature probe being waterproof.
Even the people selling these to the aquarium market don't actually claim that the probes are waterproof...

Cheers!

Ive had mine submerged in a bottle of water for over a year in my keezer...so i'll say at least mine is waterproof.

 

[drthrob]

So... went and bought a brand new one from the homebrew store, checked on it and the new one reads 41. Looks like the old one won't work for cooling.

Well, hate that you had to buy another, but at least you got it working.


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[TripleJBrewery]

Very true. Thank you so much for the help!!