Beverage-Air BM23C Compressor not running

[danielac]

I found this forum today when looking for troubleshooting advice on my beverage-air. While I'm not surprised at the high quality of the content, I am none-the-less impressed there is a beer forum to exchange ideals and offer advice. Thanks....
I recently turned on my Beverage-Air after it sat for several years. Prior to starting it up I removed the shroud on the back, cleaned the coils and the overall unit. The compressor came on when I plugged it in and it starting cooling down to around 40 degrees. I turned up the thermostat dial and came back several hours later to find the internal tempurature was around the ambient temp in my garage (50 degrees). The compressor will not come back on now regardless of how I set the tempurature dial?? Any thoughts? thanks again...
Dan

[reliefdvm]

Is the condenser fan (the fan in the back by the compressor) running? If not then either the power relay is not working or your thermostat is not working. To test the thermostat (The cheaper of the 2) - you can either disconnect the wires at the thermostat and connect them to each other, or use a multimeter and check to see if power is going to the relay - if the compressor and fan kick on when you cross the wires then the thermo needs replacing. If not then you need to check the relay or the starter - I'm not as familiar with testing these - maybe somebody else can jump in on this.

good luck

[danielac]

Reliefdvm
Appreciate your time. No, the fan is not running in the back by the compressor. I will break out the trusty multi-meter and check the voltage (or not) out. I've owned this unit for 20+ years and replaced the thermostat in 1994. Hope that's what it is this time as well. Pretty easy and inexpensive fix.. Again thanx.
Dan

[reliefdvm]

It's pretty unscientific but we used to test relay by tapping, or whacking, the relay with the plastic handle of a screwdriver. If it suddenly worked - the relay was bad. My money is still on the thermostat since that is the one thing that you changed - by changing the temp.

let us know what you find.

[THE ICEMAN]

There is no relay controlling the condenser fan on a BM23. The power is routed through the temperature control so if your compressor is cold & not running and the condenser fan motor is not running the problem is in the control.


THE ICEMAN

[reliefdvm]

Sorry about the mistake, When I was testing mine I guess I just assumed that since the fan and compressor came on at the same time that the single relay would supply power to both compressor and fan when the thermostat tripped. But now looking at the wiring diagram, you are correct, it looks like the thermostat directly supplies power to the cond fan and the compressor relay comes after.

Iceman thank you for the correction.

[danielac]

Thanks again guys. I'll order/install a new tempurature control and let you know.
Dan

[danielac]

Guys:
Installed a new temperature control this morning and so far the compressor is cycling and cooling. Thanks again for your excellent advice and willingness to help. Now I have to clean the crude out of the lines, get my C02 refilled and get a barrel to do some quality control!...
Dan