Beverage Air BM23 not cooling properly

[xcasey69]

I have a Beverage Air BM23 that is not cooling properly. When I first plug it in, it cools properly and then within a day gets up to 55-60 degrees. Could this be just caused by being low on freon? Can anyone tell me how to charge it? I did see that it uses R134 and not R12. I am trying to find a serive company in the Denver area, but thought I might try to charge it myself if possible. I was told be a refrigerator repairman that it is a sealed unit and will likely require compenent replacement. Any information that can be provided would be greatly appreciated. I want to get back to drinking cold beer from it again soon!

[THE ICEMAN]

In order to recharge the system you must be certified to work with refrigerants. And if it needs recharging, it means you have a leak in the system which would require a leak detector.

From what you describe it sounds like the evaporator coil might be freezing over. Is the evaporator fan running? Does the compressor run continuously? Is the temperature control set too cold?

THE ICEMAN

[xcasey69]

How do I check these things? I am new to this as this is the first time I have had any problems with the kegerator.

[THE ICEMAN]

Originally Posted by xcasey69

How do I check these things? I am new to this as this is the first time I have had any problems with the kegerator.

The evaporator is located inside towards the top of the kegerator. Take a flash light & look up through the grill where the fan is & see if you see any ice on the coil & if the fan blade is turning. The fan should run all the time. You can also reach up behind the coil & feel for an ice buildup. The temp control is typically numbered 1 to 9 with 1 being the warmest. A 4 setting is a good starting point. The compressor should not run continuously. With the door closed it should cycle on & off anywhere from 5 to 15 min.

THE ICEMAN

[xcasey69]

I have had it unplugged for a while. I plugged it in and the fan is running all the time. The thermostat was at 9 and I turned it down to 4. I noticed the door seems to be sagging and there is a gap around the top where the seal is. IS there an adjustment to the door somewhere? I also notcied the copressor seems to be clicking on for only a few second and back off regularly. Is this a sign of low freon and that I should unplug it or am I alright to let it run a while and see what happens.

Thanks for the help!

[THE ICEMAN]

Originally Posted by xcasey69

I have had it unplugged for a while. I plugged it in and the fan is running all the time. The thermostat was at 9 and I turned it down to 4. I noticed the door seems to be sagging and there is a gap around the top where the seal is. IS there an adjustment to the door somewhere?

IIRC there is not much of an adjustment on the doors. Check the pivots & see if they are worn.

Originally Posted by xcasey69

I also notcied the copressor seems to be clicking on for only a few second and back off regularly. Is this a sign of low freon and that I should unplug it or am I alright to let it run a while and see what happens.

Thanks for the help!

It sounds like you have a problem with the compressor. There is no pressure control on a unit of that size so a low freon condition is not a factor. The compressor may have overheated due to a bad condenser fan (near the compressor) or a dirty condenser. Check those, unplug the unit & let the compressor cool for a few hours. If you're lucky, after a few hours, the compressor will start up & run. If not the compressor "might" be locked up. You will need to get a service company to confirm this. To give you an idea, if my company were to replace the compressor it would be in the $600 to $800 range.

EDIT: If the unit is 5yrs or less, the compressor should be covered under Bev Air warranty.

THE ICEMAN

[Scott Zuhse]

Is the condenser clean?