Gsquared18 Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 So I was told that the thermostat in the machine may have gone bad so I ordered one on Ebay from Vending World. I thought the item description said the thermostat was for a the 276E but it turns out it was for just the 276, The female plug orientation on the new one is different from the stock one and after contacting the seller, they said some people just make that thermostat work somehow because the 276E one is very expensive. So all I could think to do was cut the plug and direct connect the wires to the new thermostat. The plug I cut off doesn't look like anything special so I don't think I removed some type of needed component. No matter where I turn the dial on the new one, the temp cools down under 40 degrees and never shuts off. So what am I doing wrong? 1st photo is the old thermostat 2nd is the new one 3rd is the machine plug which I now removed and directly attached wires to the new one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 The new thermostat you got is for an older non-E model and is designed for the folded end of the capillary tube to slide into a brass tube behind the evaporator. Your E model won't have that brass tube and your capillary tube might now not be long enough to reach the back of the cabinet where the old cap tube was clipped into a slot in the evaporator plenum. If the new cap tube is long enough to reach the back plenum then form a loop in it instead of the three folds of the end of the cap tube and then slip the loop into the slot you see in the back rear corner. Set the new thermostat to 3 1/2 on the dial and see if the machine now cools properly. If it still gets too cold and won't turn the compressor off then the new thermostat is bad. If you want a proper thermostat for this you can email me at rbepic4gatgmaildotcom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gsquared18 Posted August 21, 2017 Author Share Posted August 21, 2017 Thanks. Just sent you an email. I couldn't get the new tube through the slot as it was too big for it. I just ran it over the top of the metal plate just above the slot and tried to suspend the loop in the same area where the old one was. Tried it at 3 1/2 but it just never shut off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gsquared18 Posted August 26, 2017 Author Share Posted August 26, 2017 AZVendor, I emailed you early this week but never heard back. I returned and purchased the correct thermostat for the 276E which I just installed. I put the end of the tube in the back where the original one was and turned the dial to 3-1/2 but the temp is at 34 degrees and dropping with this new thermostat not turning off. So three thermostats later and the temps are still dipping down into the freezing zone so what could it be? Do the circuit boards in the machine have anything to do with temperature control? Also, is there supposed to be a bend or loop at the end of the wire/tube? This one didn't come that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 Who are you getting them from? What part number are you getting? They may not know what they are doing. There should be a loop in the end of the cap tube with a short tail on it if done by the factory. Make sure the cap tube touches no metal except the back air plenum. To calibrate it properly turn it CCW to where it stops and this will be zero. The compressor should also be off at that point. Then, using that point as 12 o'clock, turn the dial to what would be 3:30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gsquared18 Posted August 28, 2017 Author Share Posted August 28, 2017 I'll check the part number but I got it off of VendingWorld (EBay) out of Rancho Cucamonga. Like I said, I sent you an email last week to buy from you but never got a response. The first thermostat which was the 276 model did have the horseshoe bend at the end but this one didn't. Everything else looks identical to the original part. The one in the link (if it'll open) is the the one I bought except in their photo, the bend is there. I guess I can pull it out of the machine and duplicate the bend? If you don't mind me asking, what's the purpose of the loop? Also, part of the tube (not the end where the loop should be) does touch metal as it has to pass through the slit in the sheet metal. The old tube ran the through the same way. Lastly, unless my wireless thermostat is malfunctioning, the compressor now turns off at 31-32 degrees and turns back on around 36 degrees. The drinks aren't freezing up or icing but I just don't remember it getting that cold. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dixie-Narco-E-model-soda-machine-thermostat-fits-276E-501E-600E-80280058011-/372053215265?hash=item56a0198821:g:3OAAAOSwxzBZn0N2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lacanteen Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 I get mine from Dixie Narco. Part # DIX60901220003 GE TEMP CONTROL 501E/600E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryChris Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 Maybe the wires going to the thermostat are shorted out, effectively bypassing the thermostat. I guess that could only be verified by removing the thermostat and seeing if the compressor still runs. Otherwise, i guess the only other possibilities are that you are measuring the wrong thing, your measuring tool is wrong, or you have another issue along the lines of no air flow where the end of the thermostat is. So... what are you using to measure temperature? Where are you measuring the temperature? What is the temperature? And did you try turning the thermostat off until the compressor kicks off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 You don't put the entire loop through the slot. The loop is designed to be inserted into the slot and sit there. That should be the only metal contact point. If you pushed it all the way in then you have it in direct airflow which it isn't designed for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gsquared18 Posted August 28, 2017 Author Share Posted August 28, 2017 Got it AZ. Thanks. I will fix that tonight. Angry Chris, I'm using a wireless LCD thermometer I got at Wal-Mart that I've had for a year or so. 1) I've checked the wiring and it's fine. 2) When I first installed the thermostat, I calibrated it just like AZ stated and it does cycle on and off. 3) Right now I have 3-4 inches of the tube behind the sheet metal which I ran through the slit. I have it suspended in the air in the back right corner of the air plenum. I'm assuming there's is plenty of air being drawn over it from the fan in the middle of the box. 4) I will create a loop like the picture above and re-position the tube to how AZ just told me to do it. 5) I have the thermometer inside the air plenum as well about 3 inches from the tube. Thanks for all the help. Today it seems to be hanging around 40 degrees so it is fluctuating. Hopefully once I relocated the tube, it'll be constant like it was before. I live in Knoxville, TN and the humid days are gone. Plus, I have the machine in the garage so the system is not stressed whatsoever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gsquared18 Posted August 29, 2017 Author Share Posted August 29, 2017 Well the re-positioning of the tube fixed the problem. The temperature has now leveled off around 40 degrees and unlike the original thermostat, doesn't cycle on and off nearly as much. Thank you soooo much for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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