FAQ's - Service
Series l
a) Is the cabinet plugged in?
b) If the cabinet is plugged in, is the circuit breaker tripped on your electrical panel? Try plugging a radio into the outlet to see if there is power.
The lights and fan are on, but the display is warm:
a) Is the compressor plugged into the outlet strip underneath the cabinet?
b) Make a small Temperature Adjustment. Set the control slightly colder. If the compressor cycles on, then someone may have changed the original control setting, or the control may need to be replaced.
c) If the compressor still doesn't run, unplug the cabinet and place a service call.
Series ll
a) Is the cabinet plugged in?
b) If the cabinet is plugged in, is the circuit breaker tripped on your electrical panel? Try plugging a radio into the outlet to see if there is power to the outlet (115V only).
The lights and fans are on, but the display is warm:
a) Is the compressor in a remote location? If yes, then check to see if it is plugged in, and if the circuit breaker is properly set. If the breaker is tripped, place a service call to find out why.
b) Make a small Temperature Adjustment. Set the control slightly colder. If the compressor cycles on, then someone may have changed the original control setting, or the control may need to be replaced.
c) If the compressor still doesn't run, unplug the cabinet and place a service call.
All Walk-ins:
Evaporator Fan Motor Stops Running (fan inside cabinet)
a) Immediately shut down power to the compressor and the cabinet to avoid compressor failure. Shut off the circuit breakers. These fans are meant to run continuously
b) Place a Service Call immediately.
Compressor Motor Stops Running (box is suddenly warm)
a) Verify that the circuit breaker is not tripped. If it is, then reset the breaker, and place a Service Call to find why it tripped.
b) Make a small Temperature Adjustment. Set the control slightly colder. If the compressor cycles on, then someone may have changed the original control setting, or the control may need to be replaced. If the compressor still doesn't run, shut power down to all circuits and place a service call.
Door Lights are all out (if equipped with glass doors)
a) Verify that the circuit breaker is not tripped. If it is, then reset the breaker, and place a service call to find why it tripped.
b) There is a small on/off switch located on the upper electrical raceway behind your doors. It can be found behind the furthest door to your right. Open this door, and look up behind it. You should be able to see the switch near to the electrical connection for incoming power. See if this switch has been turned off for some reason.
a) Visually inspect the Evaporator Coil. Are the fins iced over? If they are, then either shut the display down completely, or make a Temperature Adjustment to the warmest position (this hastens the defrost. Do not try this with SERIES l displays though). Leave the display alone until the evaporator coil is completely free of ice. This may take a while if the build-up was heavy. As the ice melts, there may be excess condensate water to deal with. Never attempt to manually defrost or remove built-up ice by hand or with tools! Once clear, reset the temperature control to the correct range (38 to 40 degrees). Perform Routine Maintenance as necessary. If the problem persists, place a service call.
a) Air directly exiting the Evaporator Coil is approximately 10 degrees colder then the overall temperature in your cabinet. Arrangements placed too close to the coil may be damaged. You may wish to adjust your shelving positions, or make a Temperature Adjustment to warm the overall display. It should be operated in the 38 to 42 degree range.
b) Perform Routine Maintenance, making sure that the Condenser Coil is clean.
c) Make a slight Temperature Adjustment to warm the cabinet a few degrees. If there is no change, and the Compressor is running continuously, your temperature control may need to be replaced. Place a Service Call to have your display examined.
a) First, determine what the true temperature is in your display. Immerse a floating aquarium thermometer in a vase of water somewhere inside. This will give an accurate reading as to the current set point. We recommend a setting somewhere between 38 to 42 degrees for optimum performance. Perform normal Preventative Maintenance prior to any temperature adjustment being performed. Adjustments should not be made to compensate for poorly maintained equipment.
b) Consideration should be given to these factors prior to lowering your displays temperature:
- Each degree you lower the temperature will consume more energy, leading to higher bills.
- Compressor run times will increase, decreasing the lifetime of the equipment. More heat & noise will be generated in your store.
- The possibility of freezing product or iced coils will increase. Product loss wastes time and money, and is not covered by any equipment Warranty’s!
Series l
c) If you determine that an adjustment is required, first find the Temperature adjustment screw. It will be located on one of the two sides of your Evaporator Coil, depending on the model and date of manufacture. You will need a flat-bladed screwdriver to make the adjustment.
Colder: Turn the adjustment screw 1/8 turn clockwise
Warmer: Turn the adjustment screw 1/8 turn counter-clockwise
These controls are very sensitive, so make small adjustments, and let the temperature stabilize over a few hours before rechecking the temperature, and making any further adjustments.
All other Models
a) If you determine that an adjustment is required, first find the Temperature Control. For Series ll displays, it will be mounted beside the evaporator coil, towards the rear wall, usually on the left side. It may be mounted anywhere on walk-ins, since it is supplied as a loose part for field installation.
b) All of our units are equipped with Pressure Controls. These controls can appear very similar to temperature controls. They are usually mounted as part of the Condensing Unit. Trained technicians should only adjust these controls. The scales of pressure controls always refer to Pressure (P.S.I., bar, etc.) rather then degrees of temperature.
Adjusting the Temperature Control
These controls are very sensitive, so make small adjustments, and let the temperature stabilize over a few hours, before rechecking the temperature, and making any further adjustments.
There are two scales on the control. One scale measures the Set Point, while the other scale shows the Differential. The temperature swing or range of your cabinet is determined by the control set point, plus or minus the differential setting, depending on what model you have. It is best to leave any differential adjustments to a trained technician.
There will be a screw located directly above both scales (for Series ll, we mount the controls upside down for easier access). Turn the adjusting screw above the temperature scale to move the indicator towards the desired setting. Remember to move the indicator in only small increments at a time.
Sliding Glass Door models:
All display cabinets must be plumb and level for sliding glass doors to seal properly. Visual indicators of a problem with leveling will be gaps at the top or bottom of the door seal against the cabinet sidewall, or gaps on the overlap seal door to door. The doors also may bind, and not glide freely if there is a problem. Leveling is not a service performed by delivery personnel. These cabinets are manufactured to rest on a sturdy, smooth and level floor. The longer the cabinet, the more it may be effected.
What you can do:
If a smooth and level floor is not available, then the cabinet will have to be shimmed to compensate for any floor irregularities. First get a collection of wood squares of assorted thickness. You will also need a 4' carpenters level and a tape measure.
1) Using the level, determine the slope of the floor. This will tell you which end is the highest. You will want to raise the rest of the cabinet until it is level with this end.
2) Next, hold your level flush against the face of the display against the highest end. This will tell you if the cabinet is leaning either forward or back.
3) Now you can start to insert shims under the cabinet supports to raise the cabinet into position. All four corners of the cabinet may need to be shimmed, as well as the center, both front and back. It will be helpful if two people level. One person can tip the display, while the second person can insert the shims.
4) You will be finished when your carpenters level can be placed anywhere against any of the horizontal or vertical surfaces and read perfectly plumb. A final test can then be made. Measure the doorframe assembly from the lower left corner to the upper right corner, and compare this measurement to the opposite corner-to-corner measurement. They should be exactly the same. If they are off, then the cabinet is still off. The bottom rail of the doorframe should also be perfectly straight, with no sag or bow.
What to do if there still is a gap:
Leveling the cabinet will generally solve ninety percent of seal problems. In rare cases, individual adjustment to the doors themselves may be necessary. If your cabinet is now perfectly square, and one of your doors is now out of square in the frame, the following procedure can usually be performed.
1) Remove the door from the display by lifting it up and swinging the bottom of the door out free from the bottom rail.
2) Once the door is removed, you can shim the individual door rollers with washers to square the door within the frame.
Swing Glass Door Displays:
If a smooth and level floor is not available, then the cabinet will have to be shimmed to compensate for any floor irregularities. First get a collection of wood squares of assorted thickness. You will also need a 4' carpenters level and a tape measure.
1) Using the level, determine the slope of the floor. This will tell you which end is the highest. You will want to raise the rest of the cabinet until it is level with this end.
2) Next, hold your level flush against the face of the display against the highest end. This will tell you if the cabinet is leaning either forward or back.
3) Now you can start to insert shims under the casters to raise the cabinet into position. All four corners of the cabinet may need to be shimmed, as well as the center casters, both front and back. It will be helpful if two people level. One person can tip the display, while the second person can insert the shims.
4) You will be finished when your carpenters level can be placed anywhere against any of the horizontal or vertical surfaces and read perfectly plumb. A final test can then be made. Measure the doorframe assembly from the lower left corner to the upper right corner, and compare this measurement to the opposite corner-to-corner measurement. They should be exactly the same. If they are off, then the cabinet is still off. The bottom rail of the doorframe should also be perfectly straight, with no sag or bow.
Final Adjustments:
Leveling the cabinet will generally solve ninety percent of any gaps there may be. To fine-tune your doors, use the Anthony Torquemaster mechanism. This is the bottom pivot mechanism on your glass doors. There are two adjustment screws. The screw on the face of the mechanism adjusts the closing force. This should be set so that the doors will close firmly, but not to the point of slamming. The screw on the edge of the Torguemaster controls the square of the door within the frame. You will see the door move back and forth within the frame as you adjust the screw. Use this for fine-tuning.
Series #9000 Solid Entry Door Troubleshooting
Why it Happens:
The door frames of your display are heated, and will normally stay moisture free, except in the harshest conditions. However door frame heaters will have no effect on the glass surface of the doors. Glass heat is normally not needed in a properly conditioned environment.
A refrigerated display will not only remove the heat from the air in the cabinet, but it will also attempt to pull heat from the walls of the display, as well as from the glass display doors. The effects on our wall panels are very minimal, because we use high-grade solid insulating materials in the construction. Even though our glass doors are the highest grade on the market, they cannot achieve the same degree of insulation as our walls.
Because of this refrigeration effect, the surface temperature of the glass doors is below the temperature inside your store. The colder you operate your display, the colder your doors will be. When the Dew Point of the indoor air rises to or above the surface temperature of your doors, moisture will begin to condense on the glass surface.
What does Dew Point refer to? At any given temperature, air can hold a certain quantity of water in the form of vapor. Warm air can hold much more water vapor then cold air. The amount of moisture in the air is expressed as a percentage, referred to as the Relative Humidity. Air totally dry would have 0%RH, whereas air that is totally saturated, and can hold no more vapor would be at 100%RH.
As an example, if you had a room at 77 degrees, with 56%RH, and simply lowered the temperature down to the Dew Point of 60 degrees without removing any of the moisture, the air would be totally saturated and dew would form on everything in the room. In the same example, leave the room temperature alone but set down a cold glass of ice water, itself well below the Dew Point of 60 degrees. The glass will eventually begin to sweat. The same thing would happen to a glass display door, if the surface temperature of that door dropped to 60 degrees. If your glass is sweating, this is exactly what is occurring.
Can Anything be Done?
a) Raising the temperature in the display case will also raise the surface temperature of the doors, possibly above the dew point.
b) If the air conditioning is on a nighttime setback, all that may be needed is to clean the doors off first thing in the morning. As the air conditioning begins to operate, the problem may go away.
c) A colder setting on the air conditioning may help to pull more moisture from the air. This may lower the Dew Point below the door temperature.
d) Is the air conditioning thermostat actually sensing the air where the doors are located? If it is in a separate space or room, then it is not controlling the area you need controlled.
e) Is there proper air supply and return distribution in the room, to properly condition the air? Is the Air Conditioning system sized correctly for your building?
f) Are you are leaving any outside doors open, perhaps to take advantage of cooler weather outdoors?
g) If all other avenues have been exhausted, and the problem is more then you can accept, then the final option would be to replace your present doors with new heated glass doors to compensate for the ambient conditions. This is an expensive alternative, since there would be no credit given for your present doors.
a) Have you plugged the display cooler into an extension cord? Flickering lights can be a symptom of low voltage. There can be a voltage drop if the display is plugged into an improper extension cord.
b) Check to see if the polarity of your receptacle is correct. Reversed polarity can cause malfunctioning of electronic ballasts.
c) Are you using fresh bulbs? Aged fluorescent bulbs, especially bulbs with darkened ends should be replaced. If not, they can hasten ballast failure. It is best to change all the bulbs at one time, rather then one at a time as they burn out.
d) If only one bulb is flashing, make sure that all the bulbs are firmly seated in their sockets. Try swapping the flickering bulb with another and see if the same socket is still flickering, or if the bulb itself is bad.
e) If all of the above steps have been ruled out, then it may be time to place a service call for an electrician check the circuit out.
The heart of your display is called the Compressor. Its job is to compress the refrigerant that is the lifeblood of your display, and circulate it throughout the system. To accomplish this task, it has pistons, a crankshaft and valve plates which operate at high rates of speed under pressure. It also has a separate fan motor to draw air through the Condenser Coil and across the Compressor to help cool it. The Condensing Unit assembly works together to transfer the heat from the refrigerated space into the air wherever it is located. Unfortunately, all of this work will result in operating noise. Whether or not this noise will be objectionable will be dependent on several factors:
a) Compressor location. If the condensing unit is located near to an area where you work, or a Sales counter, it may be more noticeable then if positioned back in your workspace.
b) The Shop layout. If your workspace has hard floors and ceilings, along with little background noise, the operational sound will be more apparent.
c) Personal sensitivity. Objectionable noise can be a very subjective thing. One person can find something unbearable, while the next person may never notice it. Any time a new noise enters an environment it will be noticed, until the point where it becomes a part of that space.
There is little that can be done to quiet a condensing unit once in place. It cannot be enclosed, since it needs good airflow for efficient operation and lack of service expense & headaches. You can discuss moving the condensing unit to a more remote location within the store with a qualified refrigeration technician.
Any sudden change in the operating characteristics of your equipment should be investigated. If the character of the normal operating noise suddenly changes, this could be an indicator to service problems that may lead to equipment failure. Normal operating characteristics are generally smooth in character. A steady hum and fan noise is normal. Mechanical knocks, pings or clanking should not be present, and should be investigated. The source of these types of sounds should be correctable.
The source of water leaks in refrigerated cabinets can be from two sources:
1) The Evaporator Coil Drainage System. The copper tubing and fins in the housing of the coil are colder then the air inside your cooler when the compressor is operating. As air is forced through the coil by the fan motor, moisture will collect on these fins. This moisture will form droplets, and fall into the bottom pan, which is part of the evaporator coil assembly. From there it will be directed into a drain hose, and then into the bucket, floor drain or electric hot pan.
- If the drain line becomes plugged or obstructed at any point, then water will back up and spill over the edges of the coil. If this is the problem, the unit will need to be shut down, and the obstruction cleaned out.
- If the coil assembly is not pitched back towards the drain hose, water can pool in the front of the drain pan, and be blown out or leak from screw holes. Drain pans generally have a pitch designed into them, but if the cabinet itself is not level or pitched forward, it can defeat this design feature. Recheck if the cabinet is leveled properly. If more drain pitch is required, the evaporator coil assembly can be shimmed to assist the water to flow back to the drain.
2) General Air Leaks. Whenever the cold air inside the cabinet meats the warmer outside air, moisture will form. Thus, if a floor or ceiling seam is not sealed properly, you may notice condensation or water droplets on your walls or at the floor. The leveler that the cabinet is, the tighter all of the seams and doors will shut. Use a 100% silicone caulk to seal any seams where you notice condensation.
Some coolers when installed in a non air-conditioned warehouse will develop condensation on the outside of the walls or especially the entry doors when the weather is warm and/or humid. There is little that can be done to alleviate this situation. Sometimes air movement, in the form of a floor or ceiling fan can help reduce or eliminate the problem.
Normal maintenance on our coolers is very easy. Well-maintained equipment will enjoy few mechanical failures, run efficiently and last for a long time. It pays to tailor a regular cleaning program for your equipment. How often cleaning is required is determined by the use the equipment gets, and how dusty the environment is.
Monthly:
a) Clean the Condenser Coil of your condensing unit. It will be safer for you to shut off the circuit breaker when you do this. A Shop-Vac works well for this purpose. Not only can you vacuum the surface, but also you can reverse the flow of air to blow deeply imbedded dust out from the center of the coil. Blow it out from both directions as best you can. You can then wipe off the housing and compressor with a damp rag. This simple maintenance is the single most important thing you can do for your system.
b) Clean the interior of your cabinet. Avoid using harsh cleaners that can pit the painted finishes over time. Mild soap and water will normally be sufficient, especially if done on a regular basis. Hard water stains can be cleaned with a mixture of white vinegar and water. Bleach and water can be used to clean mildew and mold. If you notice any of the caulk seals coming loose, pull it free. You can pick up small tubes of silicone at any hardware store to reseal the joint.
c) Check to make sure that your doors are sealing tightly to the cabinet. A visual inspection is all that is normally needed. You should be able to close the door on a dollar bill, and feel resistance when you pull the bill back out. Click here if you need help adjusting your doors.
Annually:
a) Clean Your Evaporator Coil. This may be more involved then you wish to get involved in. Evaporator cleaning solutions are sold at refrigeration wholesalers by the bottle. They are specially formulated to clean the type of sediment that can collect over time in these evaporators. They are also very easy to use. Directions will be on the bottle. Power will need to be shut off. The drain tube should be disconnected, and the bottom pan of the evaporator coil can then be unscrewed and removed. Clean and disinfect the inside of the pan, and follow the package directions to clean the copper tubing and fins of the coil itself. If you are uncomfortable with these procedures, you can always schedule a preventative maintenance service call with a refrigeration technician.
b) Clean your door gaskets with a soft cloth, soap, and water. Repair any small tears with a clear silicone adhesive. To keep them soft and pliable, wipe them down with a vinyl preservative, commonly sold at automotive supply stores. If a gasket should tear beyond repair, it pays to have it replaced, both in extra operating expense and less wear and tear on your compressor.
