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Johnson Temp Controllers

Kegging
#1

About a year ago I thought my serving dridge had given out because the temperature inside had risen to mid 50s. It’s a 20 or so year old kenmore upright freezer with a johnson temp controller. After unplugging the fridge and controller a couple of times and rechcking the settings everything was back to normal.

Last week my beer were pouring extra foamy and seemed warm. I checked and sureeugh the temperate was 57Fbt he ontrollr w stil set for37F and the freezer was running. I tried umplugging and restarting like last year, a few times, to no avail. I figured the freezer had finally given out.

I decided to test the freezer and plugged it straight into the wall, went to bed and when life kicked in the next morning I pretty much forgot about it for a couple days.

When I sent to pull a beer Friday night nothing came from the tap. I opened the door and all the lines were frozen solid. I looked down at the temp controller whose probe was still in the fridge and it red 3F!

So I unplugged the fridge and let the door stand open for about 24 hours then plugged it back into the johnson controller. It’s now perking along at 37F again…

I pulled a Pilsner yesterday. It was kind of dark and bitter. I think maybe there was still some ice in the keg. Will be interesting to see what it’s like after the ice metls.

Today the all centennial IPA tastes pretty amazing.

#2

I’ve had something similar happen with my Ranco. Traced it back to the probe. Replaced it and all is well. Can you replace the probe on a Johnson?

#3

Thats a good question… It can be replaced… seems as though you’ve got to pull the cover and loosen some screws… I’ve got a Johnson controller too… I put the probe in a tube of aloe vera gel… Well, I was hoping it wouldn’t harm it, such a water could… The stuff I’ve read said not to immerse in water… which I did a few years ago… Sneezles61

#4

I used to keep the probe in a plastic bag inside a mason jar of water. For the last couple of years I’ve just let it hang inside the fridge.

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#5

Yep, same here.

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#6

I also have a docooler temp controller that controls a chest freezer for cold storage of 3 kegs, a few bottles and my hops. I’ve never had an issue with it. Cost my about 1/3 of what I paied for the Johnson including the cord I bought and installed on the docooler.

#7

My Johnson Controls Temp controller failed again. I needed to bottle a few bombers off the tap today and no matter how low I put the gas I kept getting foam. That’s when I realized the temperature in the frieezer was 57 agiain.

This is the third time in a year it’s failed like this. It’s maybe 4-4 1/2 years old. My docooler controller is maybe 6 months newer.

I just ordered another docooler temp controller to replace it. The johnson controller cost me about 4 times as much as the docooler.

$15 for the controller, $10 for a 6 ft 3prong extension cord. Done and done.

#8

Mine is acting up too… But it went down to deep freeze… I’ve unplugged it a few times and now it seems to be working… I’m looking about the web… maybe somewhere some has posted this problem and knows how we can fix them… Sneezles61

#9

third time is enough for me. I sent a msg to NB to find out if there’s any kind of warranty coverage on the controller at this point but I don’t trust it anymore so it really doesn’t matter.

#10

I’ve got some back ones I salvaged off an actual beer cave… But, I’ll see why this buggar is letting me down… Is it just the jumper? Or, where the probe attaches? I’d like to think the guts are bullet proof… Sneezles61

#11

Well they’re certainly not bullet proof. Mine has been set the same way since I bought it.

NB offered to give me $20 off a new one but I obviously have no trust in the product any longer and that would still put the cost at $60. I’d rather spend 25 bucks on a korean made controller I trust.

#12

I can only hypothesis the probe is where the problem lies… I’m still researching stuff… Gotta ask from different angles… to see if I get some info to read… Sneezles61

#13

Nope. The probe is reading correct temperature. and ist’s being dispayed correctly on the controller. high 50s. The controller is also showing the set point of 36F with a 2 degree variance but the controller is not turning the fridge on.

#14

Is it indicating it’s in cooling mode? I think it’s a little snowflake on the display.

If so, it is probably a stuck relay. Give it the 'ol Fonz treatment.

#15

It is now after three unplug/plug in recycles but I’ll be giving it the ol’ trash can treatment as soon as my new docooler arrives.

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#16

I’m not ready to give up… BFH treatment… :smirk: Sneezles61

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#17

A.K.A. percussion tuning.

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#18

Alright, heres some info to disperse… It seems on the temp controller that is installed on the freezer, theres a course adjustment screw that you can adjust. It will only allow it to act like a fridge! I will be tinkering with that this W/E. Sneezles61

#19

I’ve heard this before. Where is this alleged adjustment screw located?

#20

One said screw is hidden by some gimmicky sticker… Some of the stuff I read, has you to pull out the fine controller with a putty knife… Remove the knob, and some where there, lurking under a sticker is the alleged resolving screw… Now some say it takes about 4 full turns… Oh yeah, do unplug it whilst one goes on the proverbial snipe hunt… You wouldn’t want to be wacked now… would you? I’ll be brewing tomorrow, so I’ll hang out with all me brewing gizmos… And when I find this, I’ll take a picture and post… Did I mention, some friends have a fairly new 5 cu. ft. freezer… free? :sunglasses: Sneezles61

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