Old Pepsi Cooler Problems

[russ_h]

I have an old Pepsi cooler from the Seventies that was converted to a fridge. Technically not a shop tool, but if it were working properly it would be an awesome place to keep beverages cold.

The issue, it will not keep a consistent temperature. It will run the right temperature for a while and then suddenly freeze everything.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... So trouble shoot the t-stat,....

 

[bushmechanic]

Ayuh,.... So trouble shoot the t-stat,....

It's this sort of thing that confuses people and buggers search results.

Thermostat is the word you're looking for. Try it. Use all the letters. It may seem obvious, but "t-stat" isn't a term that can be productively searched, and not everyone is going to make the connection with a thermostat.

Sometimes visiting task, enthusiast, or hobby-specific forums can feel like you've stumbled into a group of people speaking in tongues. We think thermostat is obvious, but hop on over to a place where people think something you don't know should be obvious...

 

[Wood'nMetal]

Make/model of the machine would help. I've refurbed a few of the old Dixie Narco and Vendo machines over the year.

As A-duh mentioned, thermostat could be the culprit but also could be cooling fan, compressor, etc.

Check out forums like vending chat and soda-jerks for more info.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Some older systems like that have some weird thermostat controls on them. Some of them as the compressor looses cooling capacity will actually start freezing everything. As the run time is extended due to the compressor not being able to reach a cold enough temp to cycle the thermostat. On those a new control will not help the situation. For instance if the thermostat is set to cycle at 5-10 degrees and the compressor is so worn that it only creates a max of 15 then the refig runs all the time and everything freezes. This is usually represented by the thermostat cap tube attached to the evaporator some where instead of just being in the air flow somewhere. Hope for your sake its only a thermostat and not a compressor on it's last legs.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Is it low on freon? low freon, compressor runs long, freezes. just a thought

 

[russ_h]

Thanks for the suggestions! I had never considered the compressor & refrigerant as possible sources of the issue.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

We can speculate all you want. Without performing some meaningful diagnostics it's hard to say. Could be a sticky thermostat/pressure operator, a low refrigerant charge or a lot of other things, but it's not an inefficient compressor. That would only cause high box temperatures or extremely long run times.

Tommy

 

[Bondo]

It's this sort of thing that confuses people and buggers search results.

Thermostat is the word you're looking for. Try it. Use all the letters. It may seem obvious, but "t-stat" isn't a term that can be productively searched, and not everyone is going to make the connection with a thermostat.

Sometimes visiting task, enthusiast, or hobby-specific forums can feel like you've stumbled into a group of people speaking in tongues. We think thermostat is obvious, but hop on over to a place where people think something you don't know should be obvious...

Geee,.... I'm sorry,.... I was replyin' to russ, not for the benefit of google,...

I'm a single digit typist just tryin' to help other's with my limited, uneducated knowledge,....

I've had little to no problems with my 61,000 plus posts over at iboats.com helpin' fellow boaters,...

I guess the Best I can do, is from now on, I'll only post in threads that I think Yer not gonna read, 'n then complain about,.....
Btw,.....
Yer entire post is Off Topic,.....

'n, Yes, I voted for President Trump,..................

 

[bambbrose]

When converted into a refrigerator the capacity of the compressor on whatever the pulled the guts from may not be the same as the cooler you have. I'm not sure if there is a model number on the compressor, but if there is, it would be worthwhile to see if you can see what kind of capacity it was originally designed for.

Additionally, I would be curious, if there are ports for gauges, what your discharge pressures are sitting at. Do you know what kind of refrigerant is in it?

 

[Bluedodge]

Geee,.... I'm sorry,.... I was replyin' to russ, not for the benefit of google,...

I'm a single digit typist just tryin' to help other's with my limited, uneducated knowledge,....

I've had little to no problems with my 61,000 plus posts over at iboats.com helpin' fellow boaters,...

I guess the Best I can do, is from now on, I'll only post in threads that I think Yer not gonna read, 'n then complain about,.....
Btw,.....
Yer entire post is Off Topic,.....

'n, Yes, I voted for President Trump,..................

I always liked your insight Sir. And I love the way you start every post with "Ayuh".
Finding out you're a President Trump fan is icing on the cake. If you were closer, I'd buy ya a beer.

 

[eddieK]

^^^I would as well ^^^^

 

[Bondo]

I always liked your insight Sir. And I love the way you start every post with "Ayuh".
Finding out you're a President Trump fan is icing on the cake. If you were closer, I'd buy ya a beer.

^^^I would as well ^^^^

Ayuh,..... I Truly appreciate that fellas,...

Have to settle for something other than a beer though,....
Been Dry for 20 years, Just this month,....

Best decision I ever made,...

 

[russ_h]

When converted into a refrigerator the capacity of the compressor on whatever the pulled the guts from may not be the same as the cooler you have. I'm not sure if there is a model number on the compressor, but if there is, it would be worthwhile to see if you can see what kind of capacity it was originally designed for.

Additionally, I would be curious, if there are ports for gauges, what your discharge pressures are sitting at. Do you know what kind of refrigerant is in it?

Ah, I should have been more clear. When I wrote that it was converted to a fridge, I meant that the rails and coin mechanism had been removed. I'm positive the original owner did not change the compressor.