Danby Temperature Modification Question

[oceanguy]

I have just installed the new temperature sensor from grainger. My question is that I have 4 wires and not the 3 as described and shown in the pictures. Do I need to do anything to the brown wire? I am also going to add the 33k ohm resistor. Unfortunately, I found this site the day after installing the new temperature control.
Also, a side question - my digital controls stopped working and I was stuck with the setting that it was at. It still kept my beer luke cold and with no help from Danby when it was in warranty, no one ever showed up when setting repair appointments. Are there replacement parts available via the internet? Is it the control board (behind the touch pad) or the circuit board under the black metal shield?

[psychodad]

If I recall, the brown wire is a fan. Leave it be. More air moving around this thing isn't going to hurt anything. Follow the wiring diagram on the back. What you want to do is provide the compressor with power through the new temperature switch you installed instead of the Danby board.

[oceanguy]

psychodad - I appreciate the confirmation. I am hoping you could offer some advice on the part's availability for the danby's. My controls on the front stopped controlling the temperature all together. My hope was to replace the defective part and possible just resolve with air flow and the resistor. For now, the temperature control is getting me colder beer. However, I do think the compressor is going int thermal protection - either that, or it is still going into automatic defrost mode? My temperature is still fluctuating up to 45 but down to 35 (prior low would be 37 and that wouldn't last long). I do notice when the temperature goes up to 45, the cold plate inside is very wet (as you would expect). I removed the back plate and cleaned the coils and noticed the compressor was extremely hot. I guess I want to make sure I don't fry the compressor - maybe if I get the control board, I can start from scratch.

Thanks,
OceanGuy

[psychodad]

If you completely bypassed the Danby controls, the auto defrost is history. Which means that if you suspect you are going into a thermal overload, you better find out why and correct it. The compressors on these guys run hot, so don't let the warmth you felt alarm you. When you notice that you are running in the 45ish range, check to see if your new controller is passing voltage. If it is and the compressor is off, chances are you may be thermally faulted. If you are handy with a multimeter, you can confirm this easily.

I don't know what to tell you about getting a replacement component of any kind from Danby. If you have had no luck thus far from them, I don't think you will in the future. And were they to be aware that you modified your unit, they will wipe their butt with your warranty.

[timmytes]

I'm thinking of purchasing a Danby unit. All of them seem to have problems on this board but the Danby seems fixable. My question is, has anyone had luck adding a Two tap tower. I would like to be able to tap into two different 5 Gal. kegs. If so, have you had any luck with the blower set up with the new tower.

Thanks

[fugley]

Originally Posted by lunkhead

Have received a few questions, here's the pics of what my mods look like

Attachment 23

Attachment 24

Attachment 25

The blower is from MPJA - Power Supply, Power Supplies, Security Cameras, LCD, Fans, Etc.. This is a 24volt unit that I power with a 6volt dc wall transformer with the wires fed thru the co2 tube opening. Note mpja has a min order amount. Everything is mounted to a 1x2 which is attached where 2 of the cooling plate screws are. Just add extra lenght to the screws to make up for wood thickness. The majority of the blower output (which is plenty even at the low voltage) is open blowing up the cooling plate, but it puts plenty of air up the copper pipe to cool the tower. I could not get a fan to do this. The pipe top opening is about 2" below the tower top and you can feel the return air coming out the bottom of the tower. The 33k ohm resistor works good in my unit. I suggest trying a bucket of water in the cooler first just to make sure it will work for you.

Why or how does the 24v blower run on a 6v xformer? (This is my first try at a question, hope I'm doing it right.) 'cause I want one!

[psychodad]

Originally Posted by timmytes

I'm thinking of purchasing a Danby unit. All of them seem to have problems on this board but the Danby seems fixable. My question is, has anyone had luck adding a Two tap tower. I would like to be able to tap into two different 5 Gal. kegs. If so, have you had any luck with the blower set up with the new tower.

Thanks

Two taps shouldn't be a problem with a blower. In fact I will be adding a second tap to mine when I switch to corny kegs soon.

[psychodad]

Originally Posted by fugley

Why or how does the 24v blower run on a 6v xformer? (This is my first try at a question, hope I'm doing it right.) 'cause I want one!

It works but at a slower speed.

[sharkarce]

I have an old plug for a coordless phone, on the back it reads:

AC\DC adapter
Input 120V
Output 6V

Can I splice this and hook it up to the 24v blower?

If not, then what exactly am I lookking for to power the blower?

[psychodad]

That should run it although at a slower speed than 24 volts would.

[lunkhead]

Originally Posted by sharkarce

I have an old plug for a coordless phone, on the back it reads:

AC\DC adapter
Input 120V
Output 6V

Can I splice this and hook it up to the 24v blower?

If not, then what exactly am I lookking for to power the blower?

Psychodad is correct that the bower just runs slower. The 24vdc unit I use is rated at 33cfm at 24vdc. This is way to much air to move around in such a small area and the blower makes alot more noise. I just use a 6vdc wall transformer that actually puts out about 7.2 - 7.3 volts dc. Anything less than 5.5vdc and the blower won't turn. It runs cool and quiet and I always leave it on. There are dc wall transformers that will put out various voltages, Radio Shack has one, if you think you'll need to adjust the speed up or down. Also with my blower at the lower voltage the current needed is alot less.

[sharkarce]

Hey Guys, Thanks for all your help thus far. I managed to to order the blower from MPJA and install it using PVC for the piping and a 9VLT power supply (its routed the same way as lunkhead just with PVC). I'm still experiencing about 1/2 of foam on the first draw, after the first draw it comes out fine but if I wait about 15 min. or so its back to 1/2 foam. Does the foam insulation make a big difference? I was originally using a 6VLT output power supply so I figured I'd bump it up to 9. I currently have Amstel Light on tap, I did notice that Amstel and Heineken are very foamy beers. Do you think the Insulation and temp. mod will correct this or make it better?

[madcrazy10]

^^^

Just curious. How cold is your beer coming out of the tap?

[sharkarce]

Actual degree wise I do not know, never took the liquid temp. The beer does feel like its coming out pretty cold, even the first draw. I can take the temp. tonight if that will help.

[madcrazy10]

I've read on here that if your beer isn't coming out very near 38 degrees it will causing foaming. I'm having a foam/termperature problem myself right now so I do not know from experience, yet.

[jdgstat]

From the looks of it, it sounds like I need to solder a resistor in my Danby. The thumbnail in the first thread is complete greek to me. I've soldered speaker wires before, so this shouldn't be a problem.

Now for a few questions:

1) What does the resistor do? I understand the net result is it should lower the overall temperature of the air in the Danby, but how does it achieve this?

2) What/where am I putting this resistor? Where are the wires coming from?

Sorry for the totally noobish questions, but I really want cold/non foamy beer! (=

[psychodad]

Originally Posted by jdgstat

how does it achieve this?

It brings the temperature that the control board sees closer to an accurate temperature. In turn, the controls run the compressor longer to get the temperature down where you want it.

[sharkarce]

Originally Posted by sharkarce

Hey Guys, Thanks for all your help thus far. I managed to to order the blower from MPJA and install it using PVC for the piping and a 9VLT power supply (its routed the same way as lunkhead just with PVC). I'm still experiencing about 1/2 of foam on the first draw, after the first draw it comes out fine but if I wait about 15 min. or so its back to 1/2 foam. Does the foam insulation make a big difference? I was originally using a 6VLT output power supply so I figured I'd bump it up to 9. I currently have Amstel Light on tap, I did notice that Amstel and Heineken are very foamy beers. Do you think the Insulation and temp. mod will correct this or make it better?

To answer my question for other people having similar problems in this forum...
YES, the temp mod, along with the insulated and cooled tower does make a huge difference.

Like I said earlier, I performed just the blower mod and that wasn't enough. After insulating the tower and also adding the resistor BAM, no foamy beer!!!

Thanks for everybody's help!

[jdgstat]

What type insulation did you use? Something from Home Depot, etc? Just curious what worked for you.

[louiss3000]

First, thank you all for the wealth of information. A friend converted an old refrigerator, and I caught the bug. I was able to get a great deal on a Danby for $285. It had the temperature issues that I now know plague the Danby units.

After trying various tricks with the Danby sensor, the swing was just too wide, so I bought a Ranco temp controller. While having a beer and contemplating where to locate the new sensor, I said to myself... What would be the downside of strapping the sensor directly to the lower part of the keg? I have mounted a 4" fan inside, so I should be moving enough air to prevent the beer line from freezing while the keg is cooling down, but after it stabilizes, that shouldn't be an issue.

Is there a downside to this idea?

LS

[Scott Zuhse]

Seems to be an effective method for controlling the actual beer temperature.

[beer_hunter]

first off thnk you thank you! I have done all the mods except that when I do the temp sense mod my danby shows a E E on the display and beeps is this normal after the mod?