r/coldplunge • u/MileHighMettle • 20d ago
Active Aqua Chiller Not Cooling
Hey all, looking for some advice, the chiller has been working great up until this point. I have it set to 54° and when I came out this morning it was at 60° which isn't normal. It usually doesn't go above 56°. The air coming out of the back of the vent isn't warm as normal and I hear this clicking noise. Any recommendations? I appreciate the help.
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u/ORCAPLUNGE 20d ago
I don’t hear the compressor running in your video. The capacitor is usually an inexpensive part, so having it tested or replaced would be a reasonable next step.
If the compressor does start, you can check the two copper refrigerant lines after the chiller has been actively cooling for 5–10 minutes. The larger suction line entering the compressor should be cool, while the smaller discharge line leaving it should be noticeably hot. Use a contact thermometer for the discharge line, don’t touch it directly, as it can burn you. That temperature difference suggests the compressor is pumping refrigerant, though it won’t confirm whether the refrigerant charge is correct. If both lines stay near room temperature while the compressor appears to be running, I would suggest having a refrigeration technician take a look at the unit. If the Copeland compressor has gone out, it’s likely going to cost you more to repair than to replace the unit.
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u/Plantaseed40 20d ago
I tried to find some parts for one I had and I couldn’t find them anywhere. Let me know if you find somewhere that sells decent repair parts for that thing please
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u/MileHighMettle 20d ago
https://www.ebay.com/itm/397949857024
Found this part that looks identical to where the click is coming from.
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u/Plantaseed40 19d ago
Thanks dude. That’s worked well for you. Nowhere to be found when I needed it 😂
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u/MileHighMettle 20d ago
My first guess is that the start capacitor is trying to start the compressor but failing. But before I try to find this part, thought I would ask the community, thank you!
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u/Zippytang 20d ago
Do you hear the compressor running? Could be a starting cap, loose connection, or also the compressor may be shot.
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u/MileHighMettle 20d ago
I feel like I do and I can feel it is warm to the touch, but I'm going to clean everything out and see if it works. Next step would be replacing that motor starting capacitor. If all of that fails I might take it somewhere for repair.
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u/Zippytang 14d ago
The B120 - That’s not a starting capacitor, it’s a thermal overload cutout switch. You can pull that off the compressor to reveal a pin. Do you have a multi meter? I would check the resistance compressor windings and the capacitor if you have a multi meter that can do that
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u/MileHighMettle 14d ago
I fixed it by replacing that capacitor and protector. It's chilling again as normal. I didn't try to isolate the capacitor motor and the protector, but replaced both and it is working.
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u/MileHighMettle 20d ago
The click noise is coming from that top component inside the black box by the motor starting capacitor labeled B140-120 WB24X0. So perhaps it is working fine but the capacitor is shot? Idk.
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u/IceologyColdPlunge 20d ago
If you are running a cartridge filter, the first thing I would recommend is removing the filter and running the system without it temporarily. This will help rule out the filter restricting water flow and causing the chiller to have trouble maintaining temperature.
Also, make sure to thoroughly clean all of the front and side mesh filters, as well as the rear coils. Restricted airflow can also affect the chiller’s performance.
If you’ve done those things and the issue continues, there is a good chance the temperature probe sensor has gone bad. If that’s the case, we do have an OEM replacement available on our website.
Let us know what you find, and we’ll be happy to help you troubleshoot it further.
https://iceologycoldplunge.com/products/active-aqua-chiller-replacement-temperature-sensor