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3-door cooler problems... thoughts on the issue?

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Integraoligist

New member
So I just got done worrying about my freaking prep-table because it wasn’t cooling past 50F but then after pulling things apart and putting it back together is working fine for the past few weeks… but NOW my main 3-door cooler is acting up!

The other day there was this PFFFFFFTTTTTTT sound (which sounded like a capacitor blowing) but it did not stink like electrical, instead it smelled like rotten food. That lingered inside the fridge for about 30 minutes then went away. And everything went back to normal. OK then…

This morning, I’m sitting in my office and i can hear the fan click on, run for 13 seconds, turn off for 2 seconds, turn back on for 13, and so on for 4 times, THEN the compressor kicks on. Cools the temp down. Then turns off. Then after a few minutes with the temp is high enough the cycle starts again.

Ideas? Is the starter relay shot? Could that have caused the smell?

Thanks all for the help… AGAIN with these cooler problems!
 
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It depends on what brand of cooler it is. If it is one of the Traulsen “Intella-Traul” machines, your best bet is to call a factory certified Traulsen tech that knows them inside and out. They’ve got all sorts of logic boards , 2-speed fans, and it could be one of 1-12 different sensors or switches.

Now if it is something simple, and you have 134-A refrigerant leaking, you can buy that by the can, and use an R12 to 134 conversion kit and top it off yourself. For 2 years my cooler guy has been chasing a pinhole leak on the low pressure side, i would only lose refrigerant with a power outage when both sides of the compressor would equalize. I had it go down in August, I did the DIY 134-A retro kit, and the leak sealer in it fixed it. I got lucky, some of the sealents can clog capillary tubes and cause big headaches. So, call a qualified tech.
 
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This is just a thought. . . does it have a timed defroster on the unit? I have a freezer that when it goes into the defrost cycle it sounds different than normal running. With the time change at the beginning of the month, you may have not been where you could hear it prior to this.
 
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Integraoligist said:
where is that usually located?
Click to expand...
That is typically something you need a refrigeration technician to do for you.

Talk to some other local restaurant owners to see who they like to use for their refrigeration service company, some techs just like to throw parts at the unit to see what fixes the problem, or they do other things to treat the symptoms instead of the root of the problem. Having a refrigeration tech that knows his job very well and is favored by other local Biz is a huge bonus that will serve you well in the long run.
 
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