Supera F3R-1 evaporator fans not running at all.

[fixbear]

Top of the switch is on the left in the picture.  Right.

 

Now we  are getting somewhere.  Swap the two white wires. I didn’t know you had a lighted switch. That is likely the backfeed voltage we see with the switch poles. The infeed belongs on the two center spade terminals. Light will then be out unless switch is on.  If not, swap whites back and swap blacks. The switch light is internally wired across the two terminals (black/white) on the right side

 

A Wiggen is a quick voltage/continuity tester with a magnetic coil against a spring. It also has 2 LED’s for polarity and AC/DC determination.  Measures AC and DC voltage, polarity, and continuity. Your local electric house will have one. I’m on my 3rd in 40 years and like Square D. Leads on them are replaceable.  .They are used more often than a multi-meter because they create a load on the circuit and don’t give false readings. However, do not use on critical solid state. Today’s multi-meters are almost all low impedance for electronics. And yes I miss my old Simpson 260 analog.

 

As for the fan motors, If you look at the back of the motor, it will have a thick full diameter colored plastic case if ECDM. What they are beside expensive is a electronically commutated DC motor that uses 1/4 the power of a shunt wound motor or 1/2 the power of a PSC motor. The EPA started requiring them about 5 years ago.  They are sensitive to surges and harmonics. I have not seen a benifit from them as they cost more the the savings and have had a record of short life.

[albumen]

yes top is on the left.

[albumen]

Ok…the light is not out in the off position with the infeeds on the center terminals.  So I swapped as you suggested so now the infeed is on both of the bottom terminals.  The light is out in the off position and on in the on position.  Did I read your comment correctly?   

 

I did not get a chance to get a wiggins today…perhaps tomorrow.  

 

Motors:  all machined aluminum with a black painted coil strip in the center.

 

Next steps?

[ectofix]

My head is swimming from reading all of this thread.  The methodology of TechTOWN’s timeline within threads doesn’t help any.

 

So you swapped the wires on the switch?  That should at least make it like it should be.  Supply for both poles of the switch coming in on the same side of it and load also on the same side.  Makes things more logical when you’re jumping around the circuit with meter leads.

In your picture of the switch – that IS just one switch, RIGHT?  Hard to tell as pictured.  Almost looks like two separate switches.  The schematic illustrates the main power switch as just a double-pole/single-throw (one switch).  Either on or off.  OFF position doesn’t count as a pole.

What is it that you wiggled and caused the voltage changed?  Whatever it was, that’s a problem.  Take a better look at that and fix/replace it.

 

ANYWAY.  Now it’s my turn.  I’ll make your brain swim with a quick lesson on reading circuit voltages:

 

Reading voltage while referencing GROUND (as a COMMON point for the functioning components [the LOAD]) only works when ground is part of THAT circuit.  In MOST appliances, USUALLY (but not always), ground is NOT part of the circuit.  A schematic will illustrate whether or not it is.  When it IS, it’s generally done to serve a low voltage sub-circuit (like 24v) within the unit from a built-in transformer…OR…where a spark will jump to it to ignite a flame for a stove or an oven.  However, IN THIS FREEZER, neither is the case.

 

So, NEUTRAL should your reference when reading the 120v circuit.  In your freezer, that includes everything except the compressor and the condenser fans.  For THOSE, you would reference the other line coming in (for the 230ish volts).

 

The reason I say to NOT use ground?  Well, although ground and neutral are, indeed, bonded W-A-A-A-Y back in the service panel, there’s a WHOLE lotta wires and connections separating those two legs.  Besides, the GROUND wire (green) coming in is merely there to be connected to the unit’s metal CHASSIS…for safety reasons.   Specifically, it’s there to trip a breaker if LINE comes into contact and shorts to chassis.  Otherwise, if that happened and the chassis WASN’T grounded, then the metal frame in the unit becomes LIVE and therefore a shock hazard.

 

You need to be referencing the circuit’s (and component’s) NEUTRAL leg for a proper input.  That’s the typical troubleshooting practice.  Only use a suitable reference point (neutral or the other line…depending on the circuit voltage) at the onset of your voltage testing.

 

However, what if those voltages aren’t making sense? (as is your case)  I always tell guys “Look at the problem the way the malfunctioning LOAD sees it”.  So looking at it that way, forget that reference point.  Your so-called reference (neutral or the OTHER line in) PROVED that it’s present where it comes into the unit, but is the LOAD seeing it?

 

The next step is to put your lead across THE COMPONENT.  If that light, motor, element, etc. isn’t getting it, then the voltage is being dropped elsewhere.  Whether it’s an outright OPEN in that component’s supply circuit…or a resistance that’s dropping the voltage to a point that’s not usable by the load.

 

Remembering the basics:

Source Circuit Load

Ya gotta narrow it down.  That doesn’t change and the problem is usually (but not always) in only ONE of them.

 

With that in mind, then you gotta get down-‘n -dirty by doing a bit more walking around within the circuit with your test leads and observing for other deviations with what’s expected versus what you’re actually reading.  As said before…you’d then move that second test lead off of your trusty reference point…and walk it around to narrow down to the actual fault in the circuit.

 

So if you’re NOT getting proper input to a load, here’s another ploy.  Much like an ohmmeter, but employing your voltmeter instead.  It allows you to follow the OTHER rule of electrical troubleshooting that I tell the guys:  “Troubleshoot a problem under the conditions which it occurs”.  An ohmmeter…with its meager 9vdc battery…doesn’t allow you to do that.  It doesn’t provide a true test of the circuit’s stamina.  A circuit in operation at 120v (or 230v) is under conditions that it’s designed to operate.  The measly ohmmeter battery simply can’t go there.

 

NOW. There’s a KEY thing to realize about your voltmeter.  Your voltmeter only reads a DIFFERENCE in potential (voltage) between two test points in a circuit.  For instance:

If you read across a CLOSED switch (one side of it to the other) or… one end of a wire…to the other, there should NO difference in potential. Therefore, 0v would be read on the meter. Otherwise, If you read across an OPEN switch, you would read SOURCE voltage applied to the circuit (as long as nothing’s downstream of that circuit that may be  open).  So in a 120v circuit, you’d read 120v across that switch.

H-O-W-E-V-E-R.  What if you connected your meter read ACROSS a CLOSED switch and it reads 30 volts (instead of 0v)?  50 volts (instead of 0v)?  Maybe even 120 volts (instead of 0v)?

 

Well, the meter is now reading a difference of potential when there shouldn’t be one.  So then you’ve revealed a RESISTANCE there that shouldn’t be there.  Whether a SLIGHT resistance….or an OPEN.  These can be caused by:

An “iffy” wire connection. switch/relay contacts that are pitted or carboned up. a bad solder joint on a board.

Such conditions MIGHT conduct electricity.  Maybe electricity that a 9vdc battery in an ohmmeter cannot properly “stress-test”., But having that resistance due to an aforementioned flaw…with normal circuit voltage applied….might fail to a point where it will heat up (at the connection) and drop enough voltage to prevent whatever’s downstream from performing properly…or at ALL.

 

I could go on…and on…AND ON – but that’s all I have to offer for now.  Troubleshooting electricity definitely requires knowledge AND application of its fundamentals.  Experience in doing so ALWAYS contributes to greater a understanding for… the NEXT time.

 

It’s definitely not as easy as learning to bake a cake. 

[fixbear]

Nicely verbalized ectofix.

[fixbear]

Now that you have the switch wired correctly. Recheck the voltages across the switch as before. The trace wild voltages should be gone. Now you can replace the controller without fear of damaging a new one.

[davejohnsonnola]

I have scrolled too quickly thru this thread so apologies if I overlooked.

What is the OP using to measure voltages? Does your DMM have a Low-Z function?

Need to book mark and re read as anything that fix and ecto have engaged is well worth the read even though I have no familiarity with this particular piece of equipment.

[albumen]

Thank you so much.  I appreciate you spending the time to share your knowledge.

[albumen]

Thank you Fixbear.  Could not of solved this without your guidance.  Appreciate the time you spent.  BTW:  Had a tech come out as 60″ prep table not cooling but everything running…he added some freon, used a $199 sniffer (per what he told me) to tell me it is a leak in the evap coil he thought but could not be sure unless he spent more time and this unit not worth it.  He had another call.  Sent him on…bill $581..took under an hour.  I would of hated to see what this bill would of been even if he spent half the time I did.  Thank you so much.

[albumen]

Stray voltage gone.  Controller replaced.  Voltage off the #2 fans using #5 neutral as a reference yields 118.7 volts.  Fans running as they should.  Temp holding at 1 degree F all day.  Controller went out perhaps due to mixed switch inputs(been like that for 3 years) or power surge due to storms or both.  Not sure but I think we are done here.  Thank you.