AZVendor Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 That doesn't surprise me that the guy was using a universal control, especially when you said one was new out of the box. Dixie thermostats don't come in boxes and that's why I previously said the problem could be a "bad/incorrect/improperly installed thermostat". I always use factory thermostats that I keep in stock for every make of machine. Universal thermostats can lead to universal problems. Hopefully it's fixed for good now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfdogs Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 So how do I tell the difference between a universal and an OEM temp controller? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 A universal is one that you buy at a local hardware store, Grainger, Johnstone Supply, etc. Those suppliers will never have a factory part for a vending machine. You have to get your correct parts from the manufacurers or any of several aftermarket vending parts suppliers. The descriptions I gave you of the two types of DN cold controls is how a factory cold control will be made. There is only one p/n (802.800.090) for the folded capillary tube thermostat that goes into the tube behind the evaporator, but there were several p/n's for the clip-in capillary tubes depending on whether the machine was 2 deep or 3 deep, or how the thermostat is connected to the wiring harness. You would need to check the proper parts manual for those numbers and then expect that the p/n in the manual has changed over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfdogs Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 A universal is one that you buy at a local hardware store, Grainger, Johnstone Supply, etc. Those suppliers will never have a factory part for a vending machine. You have to get your correct parts from the manufacurers or any of several aftermarket vending parts suppliers. The descriptions I gave you of the two types of DN cold controls is how a factory cold control will be made. There is only one p/n (802.800.090) for the folded capillary tube thermostat that goes into the tube behind the evaporator, but there were several p/n's for the clip-in capillary tubes depending on whether the machine was 2 deep or 3 deep, or how the thermostat is connected to the wiring harness. You would need to check the proper parts manual for those numbers and then expect that the p/n in the manual has changed over the years. Well, it's working. I turned the temp control and the compressor kicked off right away. I appreciate everyone's help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sciaky05 Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 As I stated in my introduction this is my first soda machine adventure. The machine keeps freezing the soda. It is an older Dixie Narco. The information on the refridgeration unit reads as follows: Dixie Narco Model 300, R12 8.5oz Serial # 0411 -3005CL, AMps 10.0, 115V/60Hz?1PH. Test Pressures 300 HS/150 LS The Thermostat does not appear to have a cold to warm adjustment. However it does have two small adjustment screws marked "In & Out" with colder being clockwise. The "In" adjustment screw seems to be stripped and does not move in or out. The thermos tat has the following markings on it: Stamped in the metal is the # 91581S83, ON the side it has the following: 98-37 802,800,500.51 9531N391 RevA Volts A.C. 125/250 Amps FLA 16/8 LR 80/40 Made In Mexico SIEBE In one of the earlyier posts it was mentioned to get a genuine Dixie Narco thermostat. How does one go about doing this? I have searched Genuine Dixie Narco parts to no avail. I even tried to look up the part number that was listed without much success. I don't know what the model of the machine is. It does have room to load two rows of cans. There are aproximately 7 - 8 slots to stack the cans in. Thank you for any help that you can provide. David M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 David, First item - you don't mess with the two screws marked In and Out as that is only to adjust the thermostat to work in high altitude locations. Your frozen product problem could be four things in descending likelihood: either your thermostat is set too high, is a stuck thermostat and needs to be replaced, has it's capillary tube incorrectly installed or is the wrong thermostat for the machine. Your thermostat must be set at 3 1/2 as anything higher can freeze products. To set it accurately you need to rotate the knob counter clockwise until the knob stops. This is the zero position and should also turn the compressor and its fan off. Mark this position on the mounting bracket with a pen so you know where zero is and then rotate the knob to 3 1/2 or about the 3:30 position from zero. If the compressor and fan continued to run when the thermostat was turned off then your thermostat is bad. This is the most common type of product-freezing issue with machines. If you had the knob turned up much higher than 3 1/2 then that could have also caused the freezing. Is your capillary tube from the thermostat clipped into the evaporator shroud in the back of the cabinet? Later model machines have a slot cut into the shroud directly behind the thermostat that the formed end of the cap tube will fit into. If your cap tube is just laying in the machine loose then that can cause freezing as it can't properly detect the temperature if it's not clipped into the slot where it can sense the air temperature. If you don't have a slot for the cap tube to fit into (look hard as it's dark back there and wiring may be in the way) then you have an incorrect thermostat. I say this because the thermostat you described has a clip-in cap tube. Most likely, if this machine has worked fine for a few months or a few years, the thermostat is probably correct and is just set wrong or has failed. If you turned it up trying to make the machine colder then the setting could be wrong. If you've never adjusted the thermostat and the machine has worked good for you for awhile then your thermostat has likely failed. One note here: even if the thermostat turns off at the zero position, you can still have a bad thermostat that sticks and then freezes products intermittently. If all the other parameters I mentioned above are in place and you are freezing cans - you need to replace the thermostat. You can email me for a replacement if that's what you need. My email is rbepic4gatgmaildotcom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sciaky05 Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 AZVendor, Thanks for your reply. Until recently, the soda machine has been working fine (for at least the last 5 years that I have attended this church). I talked with someone else that has attended longer and they couldn't remember anyone working on it for at least 12 years. The condensor coil was very dirty. I vacuumed it out the best that I could but will need to blow it out wit compressed air the next chance that I get. As best as I can remember the thermostat didn’t have a knob or stem for adjusting the temperature though it may have been broken off. I wish I had looked at it a little closer or taken a picture of that side of it. Unfortunately do to my inexperience, I did turn the colder “out” screw an attempted to turn the “in screw) but it seemed to be stripped. I would like to replace the thermostat to eliminate it as a possibility. If it wasn’t broken before I tried to adjust the in and out screws it is probably so far out of “whack” that it won’t work. The capillary tube from the thermostat is inserted into a tube (I’m guessing this is referred to as a thermal well) that is between the evaporator coil and the fan. The capillary tube that is on it now doesn’t have the sharp bend at the end like many of the ones that I have seen on line. I am concerned that the ones with the sharp bend in them won’t fit into the tube. I will send you an email so that I can order the correct thermostat. If you need some pictures to help identify the machine, I can take some on Sunday. Thank You, David Mayes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sciaky05 Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Here are some pictures to help identify the machine I am working on. It has 10 slots in it. It was quite dirty when I started. I have cleaned up most of it though I still need to blow out the condenser with air. I still need to get the correct thermostat. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 I'll be sending it to you on Tuesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sciaky05 Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 AZVendor, Thank you good sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sciaky05 Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 AzVendor, I have been working a lot lately so I just got the thermostat installed yesterday. I checked the temperature today and it was 33 degrees, a bit too close to freezing for my comfort. I adjusted the temperature just a little warmer and left the door open for about 10 minutes to let it warm up. I closed the door and let it settle for about a 1/2 an hour. I went back and checked it and the temperature was 41 degrees - perfect it is purring like a kitten. I replaced the ballast and bulbs while I had it open and looks great. Thanks for all your help. David M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.