Anyone here troubleshoot chillers?

[jeffbrig]

I know we have lots of experts here, surely we have a member with experience in ac/refrigeration.

Just before heading to bed tonight, I noticed the tank temp was up to 86, evidently the chiller stopped working sometime today (it was normal 81 when I checked earlier in the day). I opened up the chiller (1/3hp Aqua Logic Delta Star) and had a quick look. The main fan is running normally, so it has power. The compressor does not seem to be running. The relay tries to pulls in every 30 seconds or so but clicks off immediately (~1 second). The motor is warm to the touch, but not terribly hot. Cold refrigerant line running to the heat exchanger is (not surprisingly) room temperature.

Three guesses offhand:

- Bad relay/contactor, won't hold, needs to be replaced
- Dead compressor safety shutdown?
- Low refrigerant safety shutoff?

Any thoughts/suggestions on how to proceed?

I'll probably call Aqua Logic in the morning, see if they can provide any troubleshooting support.


BTW, livestock is doing fine. I grabbed a big fan from the garage and put it on top of the tank blowing at the surface of the water. Water temp dropped 1 degree in ~15 minutes, and I have it hooked into my temp controller so it will shut off once the tank gets back down to normal.

 

[Flamehawk]

I think is the third...low refrigerant which is what my truck A/C was doing. It was shutting off the compressor due to low refrigerant. Hope this helps, JOHNNY

 

[jeffbrig]

I'm not even sure if these chillers have a safety switch built into them. They're pretty basic from what I've heard...

If anyone local has ac/refrigeration experience, I'll make it worth your while to come and help me sort this out. Frags, money, whatever. I'm really hoping to avoid disconnecting this thing and taking it somewhere to get it fixed.

 

[Rogger Castells]

Hi Jeff, Welcome back, I hope you guys had a great vacation. Knowing you I am sure you have done the following but I will still say them in case you miss one.

Have you disconnected the chiller from the power supply wait a few minutes and reconnect? this may reset any trips.

Have you check to see if there is any internal fuses?

if this chiller runs of a external temp controller, have you tried connecting it directly to the outlet?

if you have done all this my guess will be a broken internal thermocouple, it is usually located inside the cooling coil or the low coolant theory you have.

Good luck getting it repair soon.

Rogger

 

[jeffbrig]

yep, yep, and yep

Everything is getting power, it's just that the relay/contactor won't hold to pull the compressor in.

Thanks Rogger, trip was excellent, btw...

 

[jeffbrig]

Found a few possibilities from troubleshooting info on the aqua logic website:

Defective compressor overload relay.
Replace compressor high-temp overload relay.*

Compressor clunks and doesn’t run.
Replace defective compressor.*

Refrigerant levels may be low or gone.
Have refrigeration technician take pressure readings
and inspect for leaks and recharge system in
necessary.*

Fan operates but compressor does not.
Repair wiring to compressor.*
Replace compressor start relay, overload or start
capacitor.*

 

[jeffbrig]

Rogger, thanks for the PM!

btw, your mailbox is full...

 

[gasman059]

Hey Jeff worst come to worst i have a backup 1/3 inline with my other one that u can have until u r up and running. Shoot me a PM or call.
No suggestions.

 

[nyvp]

I have a real nice guy that does my ac work 954-536-1708 jean

 

[jeffbrig]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10370090#post10370090 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gasman059
Hey Jeff worst come to worst i have a backup 1/3 inline with my other one that u can have until u r up and running. Shoot me a PM or call.
No suggestions.

Thanks. If I can't get it patched up before the weekend, I may take you up on that offer.

 

[gasman059]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10371310#post10371310 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jeffbrig
Thanks. If I can't get it patched up before the weekend, I may take you up on that offer.

Just let me know , i'm planning to hook the second chiller inline with my current one for emergency purposes just like you are experiencing but have not developed the nerve to drill the wall again and so forth.
Anyways is sitting in my garage as we speak. I did installed an aquatronica to shut my lights in case of malfunctiuon - lost some livestock about a month ago b/c my chiller quit on me and was out of the house for 48 hrs thus I cooked my green porites and created some algae issues