BM23 not cooling

[7-Sins]

Hello everyone,

I just signed up here because I am about to throw in the towel on my BM23.

Backstory:
I picked it up used from a friend, old 70s model I'm sure. Brown walls, stainless top, R-12. Ran great for me using commercial kegs for a while. In switching over parts for homebrew, I did a deep cleaning on the Kegerator. Hosed it down, etc. Pretty much the same procedure when I got it. Made sure it sat outside a few weeks in the summer sun to dry out.

Problem:
Went to plug it in, ran for about 5 minutes then I started to smell something & heard electricity arc-ing. Pulled the back cover off to find the wire powering the condenser fan had burned & shorting out. I found a retrofit model (off the internet for like $20). Soldered the bad boy back in there. Fan runs great, but now the kegerator wont get cool. I cleaned the condenser fins & made sure the fan was the correct direction before buying it.

Compressor runs indefinitely, I left it for about 4-5 hours and I get nothing. Little condensation on the expansion valve and it feels *maybe* 5 degrees cooler than air. All evaporator coils/fins room temperature. When initially turning it on, both high & low side tubes out of the compressor are room temp. After running for hours, the compressor gets warm/hot & the high side warm (can't tell if that's just from friction). I also bypassed the thermostat by jumping the wires & no difference.

I really don't see how it could be a freon issue, the system shows no signs of a puncture or leak. I wanna say after turning it off I can hear the freon "hiss" as it still transfers around the system. When the compressor powers on it doesn't sound locked up, everything sounds normal. My guess is that the seals in the compressor are shot? maybe from the initial fan seize up and the unit overheating?

I appreciate any help, I bought some cheap Danby converted kegerator to get me by, but the thing is a shame. The more I look at it, the more I want my BM23 back. However, I dont want to dump money in it, the cost of a replacement compressor would get me a nice start on a keezer. I am not even sold on that being the problem, nor would I know how to replace it.

[Acmemfg]

Possibility you "cleaned" something too well. First off I'd double check and see what your refrigerant situation is or isn't. Next...thermostat is always a concern. Maybe you somehow cooked yours. Bypassing it will result in a constant running cycle, but I would think it should get really cold?? But....if that is the case it's easily enough fixed and cheaply too. (hell, I have a OEM BM 23 thermostat sitting around the garage somewhere that I'm sure I could be talked out of for a song).

Barring those two concerns..well, ??????

[7-Sins]

Since it was working before, it had to be the cleaning or moving. It was layed on its back for an hour or so, but left upright for as I said a week or two before turned on. Allowing all the compressor oil to right itself. The mechanics of compressing freon shouldn't be bothered by anything water could effect (I.E. electronics). I mean if its running, it should be compressing... right? Bypassing the thermo would rule it out as a problem, as you said it would be really cold. However should that be the case, I appreciate the offer & will let you know!

About the freon, the only way to check is tapping into the Freon lines & get gauges to check the charge? High side or low side? Got any good sources for a place to buy a line tap?

[THE ICEMAN]

Since it was working before, it had to be the cleaning or moving. It was layed on its back for an hour or so, but left upright for as I said a week or two before turned on. Allowing all the compressor oil to right itself. The mechanics of compressing freon shouldn't be bothered by anything water could effect (I.E. electronics). I mean if its running, it should be compressing... right? Bypassing the thermo would rule it out as a problem, as you said it would be really cold. However should that be the case, I appreciate the offer & will let you know!

About the freon, the only way to check is tapping into the Freon lines & get gauges to check the charge? High side or low side? Got any good sources for a place to buy a line tap?

Keep in mind that is kinda difficult to diagnose something over the internet but I'll give it a shot.

In your first post you mentioned that the temp of the suction line & discharge line were room temp. You can tell a lot by what you feel but you will also need to know what pressures you are running.
As far as getting a tap valve, you would need to go to a refrigeration supply house or maybe a Grainger's.

There are several possibilities, there is no freon in the system, a restriction in the system or the compressor valves are shot & will not pump. Once again, you will need to know the pressures. If your suction pressure is very low or in a vacuum & your high side looks relatively normal, approx 125 psi or above, then you are either low on refrigerant or have a restriction in the system. Put your hands on the filter/drier & the capillary tube just beyond & see if it is very cold or frosted. If it is, you more than likely have a restriction.

If your pressures are roughly the same then the valves are most likely gone. Do you hear any strange or harsh/tinny noises out of the compressor while it is running or when it starts or stops?

OBTW, I have never seen a BM23 with an expansion valve, and I have seen a lot of them, 20 plus years in the business. Yours must be very old or retrofitted if it has one. Good luck.


THE ICEMAN

[7-Sins]

Thanks for the detailed reply!

My fridge lingo might be a little off. I am still learning this stuff. I have circled the line where *very little* condensation forms after a while running. I assume that's the capillary tube you mentioned. If anything was blocked there would at least be frost on some portion of the lines right? I mean these things are nowhere near that temperature, at any section.

There might be a little tinny noise but it doesn't sound strange, it sounded like it always has from what I can remember. Usually just a tinny vibration noise at startup for a little bit, especially the longer its been sitting off. I might try uploading a vid.

I will try to look around for line taps & borrow some gauges. Although if you say valves go bad, it might be the case For it to work then all of a sudden not, I dont see how the refrigerant could have leaked out.