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  • Beverage Air WTF48A

    Posted by guest on June 7, 2017 at 12:00 am

    I have a Beverage Air WTF48A  and it either freezes or is about 80 degrees.  I’m not able to figure out what the problem is. Any suggestions?  I bought it used and it sat about 6 months before I plugged it in.  There’s a dial on the back which I assume is a timer for the defrost but the label is wore off.  I can’t find anything on the partstown web site regarding this unit.

    greger replied 6 years, 9 months ago 1 Member · 7 Replies
  • 7 Replies
  • fixbear

    Member
    June 8, 2017 at 7:02 am

    It’s quite simple, they are known for it.  Check the temp control to be correct  and bonded to the coil.  Should be a Ranco A-12 of some sort.(fixed cut in of 36 to 38 degrees)  Or in high load times the coil freezes up from a pan space open or gasket not sealing.  Or in high load times the condenser fan is not moving enough air to cool the unit.  Overheats and binds.  And I’ll be willing to bet on this one it is a combination of at least 2.

  • john

    Member
    June 8, 2017 at 7:57 am

    I’m still looking for a owner’s manual, but in the meantime, have this parts manual:

    http://download.partstown.com/is-bin/intershop.static/WFS/Reedy-PartsTown-Site/-/en_US/manuals/WTF48_spm.pdf 

     

    You may find it very useful in the future.

     

    -John

  • fixbear

    Member
    June 8, 2017 at 8:01 am

    Apologize Gregger,  I did not realize that this work top was a freezer.  Never seen a work top that was a freezer.in all my years of servicing.  The timer in the back is for defrost heaters. It shuts the compressor and fans down.  Then puts power to the evaporator heating coil. The heat is terminated by a thermal Klixon attached to the evaporator return line close to the evaporator or mounted to a heat transfer plate on the head of the evaporator.  .  Often this same control will re-power the evaporator fan when the tail coil is freezing after defrost..  Coil icing has always been a problem with work tops/ prep tables.  They tend to be opened to often and the doors held open to long by the nature of the beast.  As for the defrost timer, it isn’t a good one like a paragon,  but a simple fixed one like a domestic fridge or Ice vending case.It has a hole with a knob that has ramps and can only be turned clockwise ahead.  Most are built to between 6 and 8 hour cycle with a 20 to 30 minuet defrost.  But I have also seen 12 hour and 45 min.  They do tend to hang after aging for many years of service.The motor and gear friction isn’t enough to push over the cut in ramp inside the switch.  Especially in high heat locations as the grease inside dry’s out.   Manually advance it and the compressor should come on. Order a replacement.

     

       This unit is also the first one I’ve come across with a split condenser/compressor. Must be hard to get to the condenser fan.  Make sure the fan bearing has no radial looseness, fan binding, and spins free.  That location looks like a good one to coke the oil in the fan motor.

     

       Freezer compressor’s are designed to run at a 0 suction temp. Anytime that the case is above freezing the the compressor has to run in a overload condition.  There is a vast difference in what each manufacturer considers acceptable lifespan and overload.That’s why freezers have so much shorter of compressor lifespan compared to coolers.  Place a Ammeter on the compressor and watch as it comes out of defrost and brings the box down. This also mean’s that compressor Klixon overloads get a workout as well and sometimes get weak. 

     

       To summarize, Check timer, condenser fan, and motor starting/running..

  • fixbear

    Member
    June 8, 2017 at 8:28 am

    John, look under SP model for install manual. WT is for work top. UC is for under counter. Not certain what the SP and DP are, but they share manuals and I know that the SP has stainless interior instead of aluminum. Of course R and F are for refrigerator and freezer.

  • john

    Member
    June 8, 2017 at 10:31 am

    SP is sandwich prep and DP is pizza prep (d is for dough, I think?) 

  • fixbear

    Member
    June 8, 2017 at 12:23 pm

    yep

  • greger

    Member
    June 8, 2017 at 1:59 pm

    Thanks everyone really appreciate it, this should get me pointed in the right direction

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