True Freezer

[markettech]

Customer has a T-72F which was purchased new about a year and a half ago. Defrost term./fan delay has crapped out 3 times already. Customer thinks it's something we're doing to cause this. Never really cared for "True" quality, but this failure rate is ridiculous. Not to mention it's a pain in the arsh to change. Anybody else running into this?

I'm tempted to pull "X" off the clock and run a straight time defrost with no fan delay - worried about cooking the case out and excessive ice formation though.

[tarzanseal]

this freezer has a safety klixon t-stat attached to the evaporator. when the evaporator temp gets to high it opens and stops power to the heat strips.it wont reset untill the evaporator cools to 28 degrees. had problems with this same model just 3 weeks ago.brand new but would not cool below 11 degrees. plus it kept icing up the evaporator like it was not going into defrost.even with a clean evaporator still 11 degrees.unit would only stay in defrost 3-4 minutes.changed the 3 wire defrost thermostat.same thing it would only stay in defrost 3-4 minutes.turns out this unit had a hermetic compressor that was bad. true sent out a copelametic condensing unit and this unit went to 16 below and the icing problem went away.seems with the old compressor the evaporator was to warm. when it went into defrost all it took was a little heat for the 3 wire thermostat to make the "x" connection on the time clock.

[markettech]

This unit has 3" of ice on coil, yet IMMEDIATELY kicks out of defrost - Pull "X" off the clock and the coil defrosts completely, amp draw at name plate amps. Temp pulls down fine once coil is clear. Install new termination klixon and unit works just fine for up to 8 months at a time.

Just wondering what the general consensus is on True brand units. 10-15 years ago they seemed to be ok. Now, I can't be so sure.

[Dad]

We see them go bad all the time on the True boxes but they last longer than 8 mos. Not that I am saying you are not but we use OEM not generic/off the shelf. Could that be a difference. We also limit the clock to 3 x 20 min and leave x wired.

With fans running during defrost the product will ice in the package and the compressor just hates to start.

[markettech]

The part is OEM and, as far as I know, still under warranty (We do not do our own billing). Maybe its a bad batch of klixons - who knows?

[selfemployed]

Trues lit. shows that cabinet is 4 wire set up. 115v./208-230v. I know it's a lomg shot but is there a chance the plug, cord or recptical is wired wrong ? The current load on the inti/term klixon is small, fans or solinoid is all. Unless the cabinet has an intermittent short in the X lead to the clock from the evap. section.

[icemeister]

I haven't experienced any particular problems with their fan delay/termination thermostats at all. I had one a few years back that was apparently sticking in the closed terminator position but it cured itself of that. I still have the replacement on the shelf.

Trues definitely aren't service friendly by any means as most stuff is a PITA to get to and/or work on. The biggest problems I've had with the freezers has been refrigerant side issues like plugged cap tubes, broken up valve plates and rub through leaks due to vibration. On the electrical side it's been thermostats and door switches mostly.

In general, although their overall quality is cheap IMHO, they don't seem to have a higher than average component failure rate than anybody else these days. Most of the stuff that use to last for many years tends to crap out prematurely any more.

[jumperwire]

sometimes i call the manufacture tech support
did i say that. i did like the cutout component part and clock to 3x20. did i say that.

[markettech]

Originally posted by jumperwire
sometimes i call the manufacture tech support
did i say that. i did like the cutout component part and clock to 3x20. did i say that.

Funny thing - I stopped at the store to change out the faulty klixon today (I didn't condemn it - just puttin' the parts on) and tested out the control after I had the whole &*#@$*! put back together and pulled down to within 10F of temp.

Defrost terminated IMMEDIATELY!!! After tracing out the wiring, I found the "X" wire (which happens to be neutral) shorted to ground somewhere inside the frame of the cabinet. Until I get a final decision from the office, she's runnin' on straight time!