Calling All Fridge Engineers

[Aleman]

OK Having killed my Norfrost Chest freezer through forgetting to connect up the compressor heater for winter use ( :evil: ) I have been on the look for a 'new' keg fridge.

I've always been partial to those commercial bottle coolers, but they are a bit expensive second hand (350-500 quid) still I kept looking and eventually my mate BarnsleyBrewer came up trumps and spotted this Osborne 3500 Double Bottle Fridge on eBay

I made a low offer (100 quid) which was accepted, that should have told me something, so funds transferred via bank transfer (Yeah no Paypal That should have told me something) and a courier arranged to collect it. It was at this point the seller told me that the plug cable had been curt off . . . No it wasn't ont he description . . . that should have told me something . . . . but as I was planning on connecting it all up to a TC-10 that wasn't really an Issue.

So courier delivers it . . . . And the cable had definitely been cut . . . . as had every other blooming cable that was connected to the compressor :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: and the thermostat ripped out. Butchered might be the appropriate term

OK That is not a problem as I was planning on rewiring it to my needs anyway. . . . As I removed covers I at least found that there were ends of wires left in place to give me a clue as to how to wire things up. . . . So the wiring is no bob on, but . . . . and here is the tricky bit, whenever the power is applied to the Compressor The RCD trips . . . so there must be a short somewhere . . . or is it something worse. I have removed all connections from the compressor and just plugged the compressor in directly with no other connections and it is the compressor that has the fault the condenser and evaporator fans work ( well sort of the condenser fans don't turn so I need to replace those) .

What do I need to check to get this working ?

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Sorry to hear about the troubles Aleman, thought you'd got a bargain..can't you complain to ebay about it?

BB

 

[Aleman]

It gets worse than that, I went out to the shed last night, and all the lights were off :wha: :wha:

Turns out that the Maxi 310 that I use for fermentation cooling has developed the same fault :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

So far the Hop Freezer is still running :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray:

 

[Muddydisco]

Will post later tony busy at work. But have you got a multimeter that'll check resistances / continuity???? Or even better a mega???

 

[Aleman]

Multimeters Yes :) . . . . Megga no . . . .

 

[crofty83]

That's a bugger Aleman. Can eBay not do anything for you?

 

[Vossy1]

Bloody hell Tony, you're not having much luck

 

[Aleman]

I just knew I really should have bought the New LEC Catering Fridge I had my eye on, but couldn't stretch to 340 quid. Funny thing is that I don't think the Bottle cooler will actually hold that much more than the narrower catering fridge. I can with a bit of wiggling about get 5 Cornelii in it which I suppose is OK . . . and I could get another layer on top . . . but with the lec Fridge I could easily get two layers of 4 kegs in it . . . . Infuriating isn't it because I know that I will go and get the LEC fridge out of frustration :twisted:

Still I don't know if this fridge or the 310 is dead one yet. I've still got 30 days to lodge a dispute, but eBays hands are tied as I paid cash on collection. I'm going to point out to the seller that he didn't mention that the unit was wrecked in the description, and even with a complete rewire it is still faulty, and see what he says. As I'm away next week I'll give him that time before going to eBay.

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Wish I'd never posted it Aleman, feckin' fleabay .. Grrrr

Hope you get a good result out of it mate. :thumb:

 

[screamlead]

I got roughly the same prob with my beer cabinet, with constant powercuts here some over 6 hours in length my fridge keep leaking after defrosting out the back. This all dripped onto the relay box which was connected to the compressor which in turn shorted and blew that as well so now i need a new compressor. Cant quite afford it yet - maybe next month as even here its around 70 quid for a new one fitted etc, good thing is i will rewire it once i get it back for a lagering fridge. I have all the gear to do it just not yet lol.
No idea what a compressor would cost over there for that size though prob a bit more than mine but if all else fail you could always make a shed load of cheese
Good luck anyway hope you get it sorted, i'm still after one out here but the turks wont part with them as they all reckon they are brewery supplied? :

 

[Vossy1]

I know it hurts to buy new but sometimes it's worth it, just to avoid the agro....hind sight...wonderful thing :lol: Let's hope you can sort something out, the seller basically lied about the condition....extremely :nono: