Icemaster Max 4 Troubleshooting and Issues

Mike-Howard

I've been digging around on the forums and looking for general online repair discussions about the Brewbuilt Icemaster Max 4 chiller and so far there is not a lot of information. So, since one of my two Max4's has started to have issues, I'm going to try and post information here that might be useful for others who could eventually run into some of the same issues.
I've been running two Max 4's for about 2 years, handling four 1 BBL fermenters on one unit and two 1 BBL fermenters and one 1 BBL brite tank on the other. I run the chillers at -6C (21F), even though the recommened lowest temp is -2C, as that temp seems to be able to handle what I need in these Texas summers. I run a 60/30 blend of water to glycol so I don't have any icing issues.
Yesterday I found one of the chillers was not cooling as it should. I have two active fermentations going on, one was set to cold crash at 38F and the other is at a diacetyl rest at 75F. The temp reading on the main controller was at 10C and while the one fermenter was reading 75F where it should, the other was reading 55F, when the day before it had been at 38F. So the unit appears to be cooling, just not at the level it should be.
I've read about some issues online that point to the chiller controller or the temp probe, but that doesn't seem to be my issue (although I'm just now starting to troubleshoot). So this is where my unit is before I start digging into it to see what is wrong:
The compressor seems to be running (it is hot to the touch and feels like it is running)
The compressor fan is running and blowing hot air across the coils.
The coils do look a bit dirty, but not plugged.
The internal coolant feels cool, but not cold.
I'll update this thread as I proceed through steps to try and figure out what is wrong (hoping it isn't low refrigerant or the compressor)

Mike-Howard

First checks and some pics.
I took off the lower left cover and first thing I noticed was that the Yellow wire (Ground) was disconnected from the plug. Not really the issue and that could have been unattached ever since I received the chiller. I reattached it anyway, but there was no change in the units performance.

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The unit had cooled down a bit more since I left it, but it was still sitting at 4C, when the setpoint was at -6C. The unit is cooling, just not to where it should be and I did notice that the controller was not calling for cooling, as indicated by the lack of the "Cool" LED being illuminated. I also noticed that the fan was not on and the compressor was not running.

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I checked the temperature of the glycol bath around the coils and it was reading around 34F which is 1C, so there is a slight discrepancy of around 6 degrees. Not sure of the calibration of either my meter or the temp probe/controller, but 6 degrees seems like a lot for unit designed to control fermentation temps. No icing was observed around the coils, but obviously it isn't that cold.

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The system had been able to keep my fermenters wthin 1 or 2 degrees of setpoint, even during the multiple 100F degree days we have had in Texas this year. These units are sitting in an uninsulated building, which is slightly cooled, but temps can reach the mid 90's in there during the summer and even hotter during the days I'm brewing. But this chiller is struggling to get to 38F to cold crash my American Stout.

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I was able to transfer one of the fermenters contents to a Brite tank and maybe that will have allowed the other tank to reach my cold crash temperatures, but something is obviously not working. My other Icemaster Max 4 is still running like a champ with one fermenter sitting at 68F, one stting at 38F and now the Brite tank sitting at 38F, the controller is set to -2C and the readout is sitting at -2C. These units are defintely beasts and I would highly recommend them, as I have said they are working with no issues for over 2 years. But as with everything you buy these days, they don't last forever. Hopefully I can figure this issue out and get back to chilling.
So I'll be continuing my troubleshooting in the following order:
Locate and Clean the Temperature Probe in the glycol bath
Reseat the Temperature probe in the unit Controller
Replace the Temperature Probe in the glycol bath
Replace the unit Controller (would love to replace it with a Fahrenheit version and maybe one that has WiFi connectivity like this SmartPID)
Replace the Run/Start Capacitor
Have a Technician from our local Refigerant Equipment repair facility come out and check/top off the refrigerant level.

Mike-Howard

FYI, here is the manual for future reference.