keg won't shut off - danby

[danbysucks]

I bought a used Danby, the one everyone has problems with. The temperature control didn't work when i bought it, you would push the arrow key to change the base temp and it would just sit there and laugh at you. I went through 2 kegs and thought I had the pressure right and the temp seemed about right(foam would be controlled with chilled glasses on the second pour), so I bought a keg of Troegs hopback. It was the best tasting troegs i've ever had, fresh as could be. One day I looked at the kegerator and just had a notion I could get the temp control to work, hit the arrow and the temp went down. It was a great day, because the troegs was a little warm to the tounge. Then, while sitting on my couch I heard it just start beeping. It was changing from C to F back and forth. While it is annoying, having warm beer is even more annoying so I just ignored it and drank some troegs. Well, after getting home from work yesterday I found my kegerator at 1 degree F and had frozen beer. The compressor won't shut off. My solution is a Ranco ETC-111000 - Single Stage ETC Temperature Control w/ Sensor to control the temperature myself
Controller

A fan from radio shack to cool the tower, because I was getting terrible foam from the troegs. I'll build a duct work in the back to use this fan to blow air into the tower and circulate in the kegerator itself. I will power with a dc tranformer I have at home.
3" Fan

Does anyone have any other suggestions on how to fix this? Or something else I should add in while I am modding?

[cubby_swans]

Call Danby. The temperature control board is likely shot. Replacements from Danby are cheap (Under $15 with S&H) and easy to install.

[psychodad]

Fifteen bucks and you get another board that will someday likely give the same problem. Were it just a little flaky that's one thing, but a frozen keg is something that would inspire me to do a more permanent fix.

[incutrav]

I just ordered a new control board this morning. Total came to $10.24, but it will take a couple weeks to get. Figure might as well try it, but if it craps out again, im definatly getting a Ranco or similar, but Ranco seems to be the most economical choice.

[110toyourleft]

funny....my danby, which was new 1.5 yrs ago, just did the exact same thing.

A few weeks ago, it would sit at 43, this pm i came home and it was at 16F.

Hey danbysucks, lets meet up and drink.

[danbysucks]

funny....my danby, which was new 1.5 yrs ago, just did the exact same thing.

A few weeks ago, it would sit at 43, this pm i came home and it was at 16F.

Hey danbysucks, lets meet up and drink.

This danby is about 5 years old, and was going up to 43-48 sometimes, I just figured it was the self defrost. Seeing the thermometer I put in it at 1 degree made me laugh, I didn't even think this thing could get that cold, so at least I know the compressor is still strong.

If we drink 110toyour left, it would either be frozen beer or some of the tasty Victory multipack I just bought.

I should have my ranco today at my house, and I just ordered it yesterday. That is awesome service. I definatly recommend the company I post in the first post (sorry micromatic, yours was rated lower).

I see no benefit in ordering the temp control board since I will be controlling the temp myself.

[gbb]

Could you post back and let us know if the controller works well?

[incutrav]

Danbysucks: Do you know if you have to wire a plug that goes to an outlet onto that Ranco controller? I know the Johnson controller has it already on it, but when looking at Ranco and Dayton controllers, doesnt look like they do.

[lunkhead]

danby JC temp mod.JPG

danby_after.JPG

Ranco_danby.JPG

Here are pictures of how to mod the danby DKC645 for external temp control and still allow the display to work. First pic is for the wired in JC unit, third is for the wired in Ranco unit and second pic is to "Hot" wire the unit always on to use with a "plug in" controller. Note, the "hot wired" style will shut off the display when the unit cycles off. On the Ranco I have added an R ed and G reen blocks for indicator lights I added to show when the unit is running or not, the unit is too quiet to tell. I have done all my wiring at the compressor but it can be done at the control board too, your choice. Here's the link that explains my changing from the JC unit to the Ranco, http://www.micromatic.com/forum/us-e...khead+external

[danbysucks]

GBB- I'll let you know how it works. I'll post pictures too if I feel extra motivated while working on it.

incutrav - You have to hardwire the unit, but you can always just cut off an extension cord and wire the female end onto the unit and then plug your kegerator into the plug. Or just buy some 12 gauge wire and wire a female end on one side and hardwire to the ranco. It is really simple.

Lunkhead - Thank you for that info. I don't want the front controller unit working at all. It beeps and does some weird ****, so I just want it disconnected. How would I do that? I planned on figuring it out when I sat down to fix the kegerator, but you know this machine way better than I do, hope you can help.


Thanks all

[incutrav]

I would love to see pics of somebody that has the Ranco or Johnson Unit wired in to the Danby. Where do you mount the box at on the fridge? I get the wiring diagrams, but i dont understand how the external control gets powered, its its not the "plug in" style controller, like the Brewers Edge, or the Johnson Control that has the cord(looks like some of the JC units come with no cord as well). If you simply "hard wire" in the controller, does the fridge power the external controller? Sorry for stupid questions, me and electrical stuff dont get along.

[lunkhead]

GBB- I'll let you know how it works. I'll post pictures too if I feel extra motivated while working on it.

incutrav - You have to hardwire the unit, but you can always just cut off an extension cord and wire the female end onto the unit and then plug your kegerator into the plug. Or just buy some 12 gauge wire and wire a female end on one side and hardwire to the ranco. It is really simple.

Lunkhead - Thank you for that info. I don't want the front controller unit working at all. It beeps and does some weird ****, so I just want it disconnected. How would I do that? I planned on figuring it out when I sat down to fix the kegerator, but you know this machine way better than I do, hope you can help.


Thanks all

If you want to kill the danby control/display just make sure the black wire going into the control board is disconnected, but just make sure the black wire is connected to the red wire going to the compressor. Both the black and red wires will not be connected to the control board. incutrav, pics are in post 9 on how to wire or you could do it like danbysucks said. Any of this wiring can be done at the control board or at the compressor, the wiring just need to be extended out to reach the new controller. The JC unit does not need to be powered, it's just switching power, and the 3rd pic in post 9 shows how to power the Ranco

[incutrav]

Pics?

I ended up cancelling my order for the Johnson, and got the Ranco 111000 from the same place as Dandysucks ordered his, really good price. Anyway, I would love it if someone posted pics of the completed, mounted controller showing where you routed the senser, where you mounted the controller, etc. Its one thing to look at all these diagrams, seeing actual pics would be a real bonus

[danbysucks]

I have pictures of what I did on my camera, but I threw a party on saturday night, cleaned up sunday and got sick on sunday. Excuses I know, but as soon as I remember to hook my camera up to the computer, I will post the pictures of how I wired it. Works great too! Only thing I still need to do is enlarge the tap hole to 3 inches now.

[danbysucks]

Here is basic instructions I used for wiring the Ranco to an extension cord. Don't try and hold me responsible for anything if this doesn't go right for you. I'm not suggesting you do this without an electrician . . . though it is super easy.

Pic one is the diagram we used to wire to 120volt.
Cut an extension cord in half and stip about 3/4" off each wire. Put a cable clamp on the bottom of the ranco then put the 2 cut ends of the extension cord through the connector. In picture 2, the female end of the extension cord is on the left side of the ranco.
Picture 3 shows where the white(negative) wire goes. The black wire is the power wire (postive).
Picture 4 shows where to connect the black wire. You will also need a short piece of wire to jump between the female plug side and the male plug side as shown in the picture. The green (ground) wire gets a wire nut to connect the 2 wires. Tighten the cable clamp when you are done working in the ranco.

I mounted the ranco on the back above the power cord, used 4 3/4" screws. I drilled a hole from the inside of the kegerator out if you are looking in the rator i drilled on the back left side above the little shelf. I then inserted the rancos thermomter through it and tied it to where the danby's thermomter used to be. I would like to mount it on the ceiling in the front, that that should be the warmest spot inside the rator.

I also disconnected the danbys control of the compressor so right now if I would plug it into the wall it would run until I unplugged it. I needed this because my display was messed up and I wanted to go colder than what the Danby would allow me to program.

I have my ranco set at 4 degree intervals, turns on at 30 turns off at 34.