noisy maxi cooler?

[bottles]

Hi everyone.
I've got a maxi cooler not sure of model number. It has one outlet and two python ports.
Bought off evilbay several years ago. Recently moved house and found that is not cooling as well as it did, makes same amount of noise but doesn't ever turn off. Don't think the temp where is being used is much different from previous set up.
Does the noise, metal clack and gritty liquid sounds, need looking into? Would the thermometer inside have died or been knock out in the move? Moved it myself and don't remember any abuse.
Andrew

[Fil]

sounds like a fan blade may be scrapping on the radiator its supposed to blow cooler air over??

open it up and have a look see, its not a very complicated device, its a compressor (roundish metal thingy) chilling the coil in the waterbath that the ice wall builds up around.

The heat is dumped into a radiator similar in look to what you would find in the front of a car all be it a lot smaller and a fan blowing air over it.

if the fan isnt blowing effectively, which is the only thing that could be causing a metal clacking sound thats easily fixed that i can think of?? well that would drop the efficiency of the chilling and need it to run more to the same effect.

the only other moving parts to make clacking sounds are the recirc pump, and the compressor, the compressor needs a specialist who can contain the refrigerant gasses so not a diy fix, and the recirc pump can be disconnected easily enough , it should be connected by a plug/socket to its control circuitry. So can be disconnected for a quick test to see if thats at fault, though that wont have much effect on the chilling efficiency just the transfer too the product coils.

i will keep my fingers crossed for a dodgy fan,




this chiller uses an agitator not a recirc pump..

[bottles]

Well I had a go opening it up to see what's going on. The fan works though a lot smaller then the one shown. More like a cpu fan.
To take it apart I had to turn it around to get to the screws. Nothing looks broken so turned on, all sounded perfect. Great. Then noticed that there is a red disk sitting on the circulation motor. Think its a fan for the motor that has broken off in the past and could be the claky sound?
Hang on does it sound Ok the way it was? No! No clunking sound but it did sound as if something feel off in the water tank.
so let's open up the tank. Sounds simple only find all the screws. Got about 5 out with no movement in the insulation lid. The saw there is what looks like a screw under the handle which I can't get at. The screws on the side might give access but not easily.
Hopefully some pics might help explain.
Andrew

[barneey]

Unless the handle has a rivet on it, it should pop out.

The lid will have a seal on it t stick it down so this will become unstuck if you lift the top of the tank.

The red fan part on top of the python pump if off centred will vibrate causing noise, yours looks broken.

Another screw holding down the python pump to the tank lid is a good idea to stop more vibration also slacken the holding down bolts for the python pump and move the move slightly, does the noise stop?

Finally these python pumps are in constant use in a pump environment, the shaft is house and rotates on 2 bearings, these become worn and might go rusty, so it could be the bearing that has gone,

[Fil]

I think my chiller pictured above is a decade or 2 older than yours the waterbath lid on mine was sealed with tacky putty, which i pulled off and re-rolled to reseal later.. but it did resist initial opening quite strongly and ended up cracking the thin vacuum moulded lid shell..

just start prying open where you know you have removed the retaining screws, then one started you should be able to gauge the force needed to lift the lid and identify any unseen retaining point left..

with the lid off you should see an ice wall forming after an hour or so iirc the pic above was after about 90 mins..
and its building up significantly there.. (rest the lid on while chilling..)

if the ice forms up ok you can rest assured the compressor is probably ok

Is the chiller enclosed in its new home?? my bigger 4 line chiller sits in a 2-2.5m cubed 'cupboard' with the kegs, if turned on and the door is left closed the chiller soon heats up the whole area well past 30C just from its exhaust, so if enclosed in a tight space that may be the reason behind constant running??.

perhaps the clacking was a loose screw in the case and the result of vibration build up??

[bottles]

Well I've finally got in after having remove the outside part of the body. No obvious sign of what's clanking? Reassembled and alls quiet.
Do you know which way the fan is supposed to run on the radiator? As mines sticking air into the cooler through the radiator. Id had assumed it would blow.
Andrew

[Fil]

blowing heat out is the norm afaik..

it might be blowback off the obstructing radiator your detecting?? a flat sheet of paper held against the radiator 'outside' will stick if air is being sucked thru, and will fall away if not you may need to case up to test that??

it must have had a spirit/ghost/gremlin trapped inside, now you have let it out its probably screwing up something else for you ..