Repairing a wine cooler

[jgmann67]

A friend has a 200+ bottle wine cooler that he want out of his house. The cooling unit doesn’t work - not sure if the compressor is shot or it just needs Freon.

I’m grabbing a pick up truck this weekend and am going to grab it. Worst case, it’s a 200+ bottle wine rack. I can always use more storage.

What would it cost just to replace the cooling unit and just be done with it?

Has anyone done maintenance on one of these? What typically goes wrong?

 

[Johnd]

A friend has a 200+ bottle wine cooler that he want out of his house. The cooling unit doesn’t work - not sure if the compressor is shot or it just needs Freon.

I’m grabbing a pick up truck this weekend and am going to grab it. Worst case, it’s a 200+ bottle wine rack. I can always use more storage.

What would it cost just to replace the cooling unit and just be done with it?

Has anyone done maintenance on one of these? What typically goes wrong?

I bought a used one, about the same size, pretty inexpensively, as it wasn’t cooling. Refrigeration tech spent a couple hours to find and repair a pinhole and recharge the unit. Worked like a charm til I sold it.

It’s hard to say what typically goes wrong, it just needs to be evaluated to see what’s not operating properly.

 

[AkTom]

To repair a wine cooler... make sure it’s done fermenting, degas and let it age. Don’t be too hasty in bottling. You may need a little acid blend, but without your recipe and process, we’lol have to wait for someone more experienced to come along...
Cheers

 

[JohnT]

Hey,

When it comes to wine coolers, you need to call the experts...

 

[jgmann67]

Hey,

When it comes to wine coolers, you need to call the experts...

Old Bartles & Jaymes... the cooler cooler, made in the cooler!

 

[mainshipfred]

Please bring it upright. I bought an old old 70 bottle one for $25.00 and thought I had a steal. The owner had it plugged it and it worked just fine. I laid it on it's side to bring it back and it never worked again. Even if there is a problem don't make if worse by laying it on it's side. I've read it has something to do with the oils leaving the compressor.

 

[AkTom]

You definitely need to let them sit upright for several hours if it’s been laid down. Typically it’s not an issue as long as you remember to let the oil drain back.

 

[meadmaker1]

I am a refigeration repair guy if it has been laid down it may or may not benifit from being stood back up if liquid gets trapped in the compressor you need serious repair work.
If it only needs refrigerant (freon has been unavailable for years) its probably r134a but I doubt therthere are service ports, so you will need to add them. If it has service ports its easy Walmart sells the car boost kits and you should be able to find adaptors on line.
Lets talk diagnosis Access the compressor. Turn it as cold as it goes. Then plug it in ,does the compessor run, if yes the smaller line coming from the compressor shoud get very warm or hot the other should get cold. If no check for voltage to compressor if yes let me know i ll he you check the coptessor. If no follow wires to the controls you msy be able to bypass the contols it could be a failed thermostat. I check in nearly every day keep me posted. Check the fan also and clean the condensing coil. This is an equal and opposite reactipn machine if it cant expell the hot it wont make cold .

 

[sour_grapes]

I was hoping Meadmaker would weigh in! Not disappointed.

 

[jgmann67]

So I got the unit home. The cooler was remove before we loaded.

Had to take it apart and put it back together in the basement. It was too big.

So we’re back to the original problem. Got the unit still out of the cabinet. I have a blog thread from somewhere that suggest that I take it to an hvac guy to check for leaks and put a valve on it so I can recharge it myself when needed.

It’s supposed to fit 500 bottles. But I think 200 +\- 50 is as good as this gets.

 

[jgmann67]

So I got the unit home. The cooler was remove before we loaded.

Had to take it apart and put it back together in the basement. It was too big.

So we’re back to the original problem. Got the unit still out of the cabinet. I have a blog thread from somewhere that suggest that I take it to an hvac guy to check for leaks and put a valve on it so I can recharge it myself when needed. It uses R134a refrigerant.

View attachment 48974

It’s supposed to fit 500 bottles. But I think 200 +\- 50 is as good as this gets.

 

[ceeaton]

Just keep the dogs from taking a wide turn when they get to the bottom of the stairs, or you might find a woosie dog to the right of the unit!

 

[meadmaker1]

So I got the unit home. The cooler was remove before we loaded.

Had to take it apart and put it back together in the basement. It was too big.

So we’re back to the original problem. Got the unit still out of the cabinet. I have a blog thread from somewhere that suggest that I take it to an hvac guy to check for leaks and put a valve on it so I can recharge it myself when needed. View attachment 48974

 

[meadmaker1]

Hmmmm where's my text.

I am an hvac guy
Where are you in the world
Pressure taps are easy with simple tools
What refrigerant is listed on it.

 

[jgmann67]

Hmmmm where's my text.

I am an hvac guy
Where are you in the world
Pressure taps are easy with simple tools
What refrigerant is listed on it.

Yep - I went back in the thread and reread your post. Sorry.

I'm in Central PA, near Harrisburg. Refrigerant is R134a.

 

[meadmaker1]

Look up.
Supco piercing valve

You can add these yourself.
I can tell you where if you post a picture.
Wall Mart has r134a.
You will need a hose adapter but these can be made easily.

 

[jgmann67]

Look up.
Supco piercing valve

You can add these yourself.
I can tell you where if you post a picture.
Wall Mart has r134a.
You will need a hose adapter but these can be made easily.

Cool. A summer project.

 

[Burton Kent]

So I got the unit home. The cooler was remove before we loaded.

Had to take it apart and put it back together in the basement. It was too big.

So we’re back to the original problem. Got the unit still out of the cabinet. I have a blog thread from somewhere that suggest that I take it to an hvac guy to check for leaks and put a valve on it so I can recharge it myself when needed. View attachment 48974

It’s supposed to fit 500 bottles. But I think 200 +\- 50 is as good as this gets.

I have one that I got off Craigslist. The drawers are probably quite a bit longer than a wine bottle to let you place them alternating forward and backwards, with the necks in the middle of the shelves.

 

[sour_grapes]

Cool. A summer project.

Or, if I may revise your punctuation: "Cool: A summer project."

 

[mainshipfred]

Or, if I may revise your punctuation: "Cool: A summer project."

And you're the one asking US if it were leafs or leaves.