Keezer help

[Merow2]

I purchased a used home built 4 tap keezer with a Johnson A419 controller. I currently have 3 corny kegs in it and I can not get it to cool lower than 40 degrees. I have verified the temperature with a cup of water and digital thermometer. Using a thermal imager I have checked for cold air leaks and found none. Inside is a 4" fan that runs to circulate the air. The controller probe is between 2 pieces of styrofoam. The keezer is in my garage where the temperature averages 70 degrees. It has plenty of ventilation around the unit. The factory power knob is turned on high. The controller shows the snowflake symbol and the following settings.
Sp 30
SF 0
OFS 0
ASD 12
DIF 1.
Any ideas on what I may be doing wrong is helpful. Would like to get it to cool down to 34 degrees.

 

[day_trippr]

Have you noticed any frost buildup in one corner?

To be frank, your one hope is the A419 has a flakey relay. Not unheard of, and you could prove that by plugging the freezer directly into an outlet and see what happens (obviously keep an eye on it lest you freeze your beer stash).

But if that doesn't pan out that leaves the freezer guts, and typically what you're seeing is a low refrigerant condition. At the near-death stage the cabinet temperature will hover in the high 40s/low 50s and you may notice frost concentrated in an upper cabinet corner.

It's sometimes possible to recharge the system though these days there's no service port in the oem equipment so either one has to be soldered on or a piercing saddle valve used to allow hooking up a charging set.

My first keezer was a Craig's List purchase and lasted four years before exhibiting the slow "can't keep cold" trend. Fortunately it lasted just long enough for me to build its replacement - using a new unit...

Cheers! (and good luck)

 

[Merow2]

I will try plugging In just the freezer without the controller this weekend. As for frost i haven't seen any frost anywhere on it. I did notice one strange thing and that is if there is just one corny keg in it it will get down to about 35 degrees with 2 kegs it's about 38 and with 3 kegs it stays around 40 and 41 as long as i turn the controller to 30.

 

[Merow2]

Well I unplugged controller and plugged in freezer directly left over night and never got below 43 degrees so I guess that means only option now is to buy another freezer and start over.

 

[Merow2]

Well I couldn't give up on the keezer. Finally diagnosed it as low freon. Actually was able to repair it and recharge it. Works perfect now.

 

[tellyho]

Well I couldn't give up on the keezer. Finally diagnosed it as low freon. Actually was able to repair it and recharge it. Works perfect now.

Can I ask how you went about repairing it? I suspect I'll be facing the same problem soon.

 

[501irishred]

Were you able to locate the leak before charging? If not (it will eventually go down again) and you suspect it’s in the evaporator coil, which is not repairable with conventional means, there is still hope. I’ve used these direct inject leak sealers successfully in multiple applications that would have previously sent equipment to be scrap metal. The are a little pricey considering you probably only used a few oz of 134a or 404a refrigerant, but it is a viable “repair” if you have a pinhole leak in an area you can get to.

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Nu-Calg...C49FW8hTfoKzwkHPlZObLWHC-LhixUdBoCIiQQAvD_BwE

 

[Mic Carp]

Can I ask how you went about repairing it? I suspect I'll be facing the same problem soon.

That’s great news it would have sucked having to start over.
Now you have the whole weekend to enjoy frosty cold beers