Kegco kegerator not cooling

[Merkur]

My Kegco XCK-1 kegerator has stopped cooling. I have done all the basics - checked the start capacitor, replaced the overload switch and relay, checked the controller and compressor windings. I am thinking that it has lost its refrigerant charge. It's R290.

Has anyone had this issue or repaired one of these? Does anyone know the amount of refrigerant these use?

I have searched online but cannot find any information on repairing these.

Paul

 

[whoaru99]

Sometimes the charge amount is listed on a name/data plate somehere on the unit.

 

[sfrisby]

I just dealt with that last month. Needed r290 refrigerant. My unit needed something like 4.9oz but the previous poster is right that the label inside your unit should have the required amount.

The smallest amount I could find was a 3 pack of 8oz canisters on Amazon. So I’m sitting on 2 extra cans. Want to buy one? Ha!

Also note the adapter that is required is different from standard refrigerant adapters.

 

[Merkur]

I just dealt with that last month. Needed r290 refrigerant. My unit needed something like 4.9oz but the previous poster is right that the label inside your unit should have the required amount.

The smallest amount I could find was a 3 pack of 8oz canisters on Amazon. So I’m sitting on 2 extra cans. Want to buy one? Ha!

Also note the adapter that is required is different from standard refrigerant adapters.

Thanks @sfrisby . Was this the same Kegco XCK-1? I am thinking I need a can of the R290, one of those self piercing cap taps, a flexible pipe to connect the can and a bullet clamp like this.

I have never done work on refrigerant or AC before. I understand that with R290 it is important to do the work in a spark-free, well ventilated area. Did you get a vacuum pump to evacuate the system before refilling? Are there any other tips? Is it worth buying a gas leak detector made for R290 to determine if there are any leaks after filling?

 

[Merkur]

I found the data label and schematic inside the kegerator, and am posting it here for others who may need it. It looks like I only need 2.11oz of R290.

 

[Bobby_M]

Is the compressor actually running or does it hum for a bit and then the thermal relay clicks off?

 

[Merkur]

No the compressor is running as long as it's plugged in. The end of the capillary in the kegerator itself is getting frosty but not the evaporator itself. I bought a leak sniffer and haven't detected anything yet. The cans of R290 have arrived and the hose and gauge should arrive tomorrow. I will add a self-piercing tap (even though you are not supposed to do that with R290), charge it and then check for leaks again with the fans off.

Paul

 

[sfrisby]

Hey Merker. Haven’t been on here in awhile so sorry for the late response. We have different model kegerators. I hired someone to do the work but I watched him as he did it. No ventilation or vacuum or anything like that. He just hooked up his apparatus to refill with a scale to verify how much he was installing. I took a couple pics in case it happened again down the road.

 

[sfrisby]

Another thing about 290, it’s suppose to self seal small leaks in the system. Kind of like fixaflat.

 

[day_trippr]

R290 is simply refrigerant grade propane. Any "self-sealing" product (as pictured above) adds the sealant, just like the predecessor "self sealing" cans of R143A did. But most refrigerants do not contain sealants...

Cheers!

 

[Merkur]

Hey Merker. Haven’t been on here in awhile so sorry for the late response. We have different model kegerators. I hired someone to do the work but I watched him as he did it. No ventilation or vacuum or anything like that. He just hooked up his apparatus to refill with a scale to verify how much he was installing. I took a couple pics in case it happened again down the road

Hey Merker. Haven’t been on here in awhile so sorry for the late response. We have different model kegerators. I hired someone to do the work but I watched him as he did it. No ventilation or vacuum or anything like that. He just hooked up his apparatus to refill with a scale to verify how much he was installing. I took a couple pics in case it happened again down the road.

Thanks. Ok it's been a week now and I believe it is fixed. I bought some R290, some self-piercing taps, a hose and gauge and, most importantly an explosive gas, R290 sniffer. I tested the sniffer/alarm on the BBQ and it's really sensitive. Detecting a few ppm of propane.

I moved the kegerator to the driveway for maximum ventilation, added the self-piercing tap, purged the lines on the gauge and coupled it into the suction line on the compressor. I found the pressure there was high (around 60psi) when the compressor was off but it dropped rapidly when the compressor was turned on. I gradually added R290, many short 1-2 second bursts per the many YouTube videos. I got the pressure up from 8 or 9psi to around 21psi. I stopped there, disconnected the hose and re-weighed the can of refrigerant. The total amount added was 0.9oz from the 8oz can. I had to buy a 3-pack so 0.9oz out of 24oz!

I then let the kegerator run and did a really thorough leak test along all the tubes with the fans disconnected on the Evaporator and condenser. Not a peep. I then let the kegerator run for several days in the 90F garage. The inside of the kegerator went from 87F to 40F in less than an hour. I then put it all back together - a lengthy task - and re-tested for leaks. I have been running it now for a week and it is maintaining 38-40F with no sign of leaks.

The only question I have is whether 21psi is a good number when the compressor is running.

Hoping this helps someone else in a similar predicament. The total cost to repair was $192, plus my time and that includes $89 for the R290 sniffer and a new start relay, overload protector and start capacitor (all not needed but cheap and good to have on hand). Some would have returned them on Amazon but I am hanging onto them. You never know when you might need an explosive gas detector!

 

[Merkur]

Update: it has been 7 months now and the kegerator is still cooling and running well.