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Another Danby Strikes... more mod stuff

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  • Another Danby Strikes... more mod stuff

    Why is it that you always find the forums and the great advice AFTER you make a large purchase.

    Probably because you start looking when you have problems. And I sure did have problems. The very problem that the Danby is now famous for...... Foam and flatness.

    I started freaking out b/c I bought the fridge last minute for a party I'm having on the weekend. I've always wanted a kegerator and I was getting a keg for the party so I figured get a fridge, why not. But I needed one right away and local stores were going to have to do. Best Buy or Sam's Club had the danby, and some other ones for about $400 more. Danby looked good.

    So yes, foam and flatness and freak out. Thank you all for this forum and those that have paved the way for me to get my fridge working properly. I first tried the sensor in water trick, no go. I then did the 33k ohm resistor on sensor mod and I think I'm making progress. The Danby temp LED has read a solid 37 degrees and hasn't budged. It was fluctuating all over between 34 and 39 before.

    The air temp before the mod was around 40-42 degrees. But now it is actually at about 36 - 37 degrees, just as my LED reads, go figure. So now I get a nice blast of foam for about two glasses, then it calms down and I'm getting cold, CARBONATED beer. FINALLY!!

    So I want to continue to do some mods to my fridge. I want better circulation and eventually cool the tower as well. I was wondering if you could use the leads from the current fan to power the blower. From what I've read, seems people are powering externally. Why would you do that when you already have power coming in for a fan?

    PVC to the tower seems like a good idea too. How are people going about attaching the PVC to the blower? What is the size of the blower hole? And is there an equivalent blower that's not $80+ ??

    Thanks for all the great ideas. I look forward to participating in helping others.

  • #2
    The reason I opted for a 120 volt fan is because anything in the ballpark of cfm in a DC version is harder to come by. Not impossible, but not as readily available. Also these shaded pole blowers are used in many industrial applications and are sure to give many years of service.

    I'm still only using a fan as I've not had the time to open my tower opening yet and install a blower. And thus far I've not made it a priority because everything else is working well enough that the tiny shot of foam on the first draw of the day isn't a show stopper for me. But when I do, I have some thoughts on where I can get a DC powered blower with the same cfm that I will likely go with.

    Another reason I'd rather not use the Danby fan source is I want the blower to run when I want it to (continuous), not when Danby wants it to (with the compressor). I'd have no problem using the wires Danby has in there for a DC fan, but I'd prefer it to come from a source that is on all the time, not from their control board that I think we all agree is faulty if not poorly designed.

    I like to be in control. I'm the "automation guy" where I work and a long time ago my boss told me "we need to control the plant and equipment, not let them control us". Bypassing the Danby control board was in my opinion the best way to take control of the process.

    Good luck and welcome to the board.
    Malt is the soul of beer... and yeast gives it life..
    but the kiss of the hop is the vitality of that life!

    My three favorite beers: The one I just had, the one I'm drinking now and the next one I'll have.

    http://kegerator-social-network.micr...bygrouptherapy

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    • #3
      Computer Fans ยท Fan Adapters

      This is the route I'm planning on taking. Buy a 60mm fan adapter and then buy an 80mm fan. the adapter is $1 and you can get an 80mm fan that blows like 84 cfm for $15. That is 71cfm more than the 13 cfm factory fan. I've read the reviews though and that fan is loud, so if sound is an issue you may want to go with a different one. Either way, I would replace that fan with an 80mm of some kind. souldn't cost you more than $20 with shipping.

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      • #4
        I've seen a fair number of topics on this forum that deal with Danby kegerators and the issues surrounding them.

        For those that haven't yet bought a kegerator, you folks might want to know that Sears sells a kegerator under the Kenmore brand name.

        I've had mine for about 7 years, with no problems at all with it (knocking on wood here), and it comes with all the features that the others have... chrome-plated single-faucet tower (includes the standard faucet), railing around the top edge, heavy-duty casters, beer line in the tower, 5# CO2 bottle, American style Sankey fitting, and a single-stage regulator.

        If I recall correctly, this outfit was purchased for about $600, but of course, this was about 7 years ago.

        Hope this is helpful.

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        • #5
          Ugh.... I think I spoke to soon.

          I woke up this morning happy to find that my LED readout was still at 37. I opened it up and checked my thermometer that was sitting on top of the keg. It read 50 degrees. Not good.

          I unplugged the box to make sure it wasn't attempting a defrost. I kicked it back on and the LED read 38. My temp setting is at 36. I wanted it to turn the compressor on so I raised the temp setting to 44. Quite curiously, the temp readout started rising about a degree a minute. I found this strange and once the temp read 41, I kicked it back down to 36 and waited for the compressor.

          Nothing. But the temp started dropping again, about a degree a minute back down to 37. I have no clue what this is about or what is happening but I'm royally pissed about now. I was okay with limping along through this party before I did my other mods as I was not getting flat beer anymore. Now this.

          I'm so frustrated. I have no idea what to do. I want to return this junker to best buy, but the box is totally in pieces. I'm not sure how hard it's going to be to get them to take it back. The resistor I'm not worried about, they'll never see it. I'll be happy if I can just get it to stay cold for 2 more days.

          Any ideas?

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          • #6
            Okay. My little plastic cup with water that I had the sensor in is now a complete block of ice. The sensor is frozen inside. That might be why it's reading a solid 37 degrees. But shouldn't it warm up enough in there from being off for a period of time, and eventually melt?

            While looking at the sensor, the compressor kicked in. So I have no idea what's going on with this thing. Should I let the ice melt and just let the sensor hang in the air from here on out? My beer is still cold and carbonated. So maybe my thermometer isn't the best either.

            Bah! This is totally the last thing I need while trying to get my home ready for a party.

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            • #7
              Check the calibration of the thermometer in an ice bath. I bet it is off causing you panic. Panic is causing you to try things that are wasting beer drinking time.
              Malt is the soul of beer... and yeast gives it life..
              but the kiss of the hop is the vitality of that life!

              My three favorite beers: The one I just had, the one I'm drinking now and the next one I'll have.

              http://kegerator-social-network.micr...bygrouptherapy

              Comment


              • #8
                Try to take it back. Then do a conversion on a used fridge.

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                • #9
                  I got the sensor out of the ice block and I just let it hang at the bottom. I made it through an entire party with little to no foam (except for the initial burst to start the day)

                  I have considered taking it back. I actually own a keg conversion kit purchased from micromatic several years ago that i never used. The box is completely demolished, and the floor panel is all scuffed up from rolling the 1/2 barrel in and out to get to the sensor and what not. I'm not sure how I could convince them to take it back w/o just giving me another one.

                  Either way, I seem to be getting by right now. Thanks for all the advice and the calming words.

                  I still want to replace that circulation fan with something a little more robust than the tiny fan that is in there....

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                  • #10
                    I used a graphics card cooling fan for a computer. If I remember right it's rated at 39cfm. It has a switch to change the speed and cfm. I have it plugged into a dc converter. I had the fan so I figured "what the heck." I ran copper pipe up the tower. I used foam pipe insulation for the tower. I had some and just doubled it up in the tower. I have good return airflow. I've also done the resistor mod. I do have 2" of foam on the first pour but after that it's great. The tower and faucet stay cool, and the beer is nice and carbonated.

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