Troubleshooting
KL13499 Fermentation Glycol Chiller with Digital Control | 4 Pump Model | Troubleshooting
Front Controllers not working
Not turned on
Turn controller on by holding Down button for 3 seconds*
Transformer issue
Check transformer to ensure 12V DC is output
EE Error
Probes not plugged in
The Front Controllers will display EE and the alarm will sound if they are turned on when the temperature probe is not installed. Install the temperature probe or turn the controller off to clear the EE error
Front Controllers cycling on and off
Time Delay issue
Set a time delay on one of the controllers - adjust Parameter F6 to any value other than 1 to do this
Pump Blockage
If the pumps are blocked due to contaminaints or ice build up in the reservoir this cn cause excessive power draw. Empty, clean and flush the reservoir then test again
Pump Faliure
If a pump has failed for some reason (for example, ice build up) this can cause power cycling. Turn each controller off by holding the down button for 3 seconds, then turn on one by one to isolate this. If the issue is isolated to one controller test that pump
Reservoir not reaching Set Point Temperature
Thermal Loss
If the reservoir does not reach the Set Point Temperature when cooling, this can be due to thermal loss in the system. See Checking System for Thermal Loss below
Insufficient Clearance
A minimum of 100mm clearance is required on each side of the glycol chiller to ensure adequate heat dissipation for the condensers. Move the unit into open space to improve cooling efficiency
Pumps not working
Set Point Temperature not correct
The pumps will cycle on or off as called by the cooling relay of the front controller. If the ambient temperature is higher than the set point, the pump will activate. Check that the set point temperature is lower than the measured temperature
Temperature probe in wrong location
For the most accurate results use a thermowell in the fermenter wto insert the temperature probe
Faulty or blocked pumps
See above for troubleshooting steps
Heat Relay on but unit is not getting wram/hot
No Heating Device installed
Refer to Heating Relay Instructions to install an (optional) heating device
*NOTE: The display will illuminate if the up button is pushed whether or not the controller is turned on. If the display immediately goes off this indicates the controller is not turned on.
Checking System for Thermal Loss
The cooling power of the Glycol Chiller is independant of the cooling power of the system - IE the system when connected to fermenter(s). For best results it is important to minimise thermal loss by insulating all lines and fermenters, running as short a line as possible, and ensuring inlets and outlets of cooling coils or jackets are correctly connected.
If the Glycol Chiller is not cooling as expected, or if it is not cooling to the current set point, this can indicate that the thermal losses in the system are too great for the Glycol Chiller to overcome.
To determine if this is a issue with the unit or if it is an issue with the setup it is important to test the cooling Power of the Glycol Chiller independantly.
To do this, the Gylcol Chiller must be isolated from the fermenters and tubing connecting to the fermenters. We want to only test the cooling power of the reservoir. To do this, remove any existing tubing and run a short length of 10mm ID tubing from the outlet and linlet of each pump as below:
When disconnected, fill the reservoir with fresh gylcol solution or with water. NOTE: If using water do not set the reservoir temperature below 2° as this may cause freezing issues.
Make a not of the starting temperature - this will be the ambient temperature or thereabouts. Make a note of the time this reading is taken.
Set the reservoir to 0°C (if using glycol) or 2°C if using water.
Leave the Glycol Chiller to run, checking every 10 minutes to observe and note the temperature of the reservoir.
When the set point temperature has been reached, make a note of the total time taken to reach this temperature.
If the Glycol Chiller takes a long time to reach the set point temperature - in excess of 6 hours* then there may be an issue with the Glycol Chiller preventing it from cooling effectively - see Reservoir not reaching Set Point Temperature Troubleshootiing above.
*NOTE: This number is a guide only and external factors will play a part in performance.
If the set point temperaure is reached in a reasonable timeframe then it is likely that any cooling issues are caused by thermal loss in the system. To combat this, reduce the line length, check that the inlet and outlet are the right way round and insulate the fermenter(s).
It is recommended to set the reservoir temperature to around -5°C when using glycol solution when crash cooling (for example)
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