Exploding cans.. is it the thermometer? Thermostat? Condenser?

[Rhaugle]

Hey guys,
Newby here both to cola machines and this forum..
I have a uss-8-64 machine that I recently bought. After cleaning it up, I loaded it up with my favorite brews and sodas and put the thermostat on the coldest setting I could to get it chilled down. Of course, I had forgotten that I did that, and when I checked it in the morning, I had 1 blown can. I turned the thermostat down to 2.5 (instead of 5 or 6 that it was on) and it was running just fine for 3 or so weeks. I went out and checked it this morning, and I now have a slushy mess all over. I looks like about 5 cans have blown. I live in Houston and the machine is in my garage. We have had some really hot days. My worry now is that when I checked it this morning, found the mess that I have, I noticed that the inside of the machine was not as cool as I would have expected it to be. Every row of cans has cans that have bulged out, not all have exploded. But the top half of the unit is warm, and the bottom is cold. The top has pools of water, and the bottom couple rows has ice. As I said, Im new to all of this and not sure what kind of problem I have. Is this a compressor problem? Condenser problem? Thermostat problem? Thermometer problem? Freon problem?
 

also, whats the easiest way to clean up a sticky mess?

Thanks Guys.
Let me know if you need more information to diagnose this problem..

Ryan

[Fire708]

To clean up I use the spray can of window cleaner or warm water and a little dish soap.

Is the fan inside the machine running? The evaporator fan should run all the time.
The condenser fan (outside the cooled area) only runs when the compressor is running.

[Rhaugle]

Both fans are running. I have it unplugged right now to clean it out.. I will plug it back in, in a little bit and see if it cools. I'm hoping that something was just stuck due to icee dr pepper build up. Is there a recommended chill setting? I guess I could just start it off at 1 and go up slowly to desired temp?

[pinballdude]

Get you a refrigerator thermometer to hang in there. See if you can get it to less than 40 degrees. 34-36 degrees would be great. Hang it where your problems are and check back in an hour.
I'm not a cooler guy but I keep thermometers in my restaurant coolers and check them daily.

[Rhaugle]

I have 2 thermometers in the machine now, both are showing about 10 degrees. So I found my problem, the temperature is not adjustable. I can have my thermostat set to the "off" position, or on full blast "7" and it pumps out the same temp air... freezing. How easy is this to diagnose? Is it as simple as a loose wire  in my thermostat or is the thermostat itself broken? Or did the previous owner load it so full of coolant that it cant do anything but freeze?

[SIGNGUY]

Sounds like a thermostat problem...

the thermostat is what regulates it to turn on and off... yours is just one or off..

get a new one in there. and start at setting one , monitor the temperature over a few hours and adjust one setting a time until desired temp is reached.

The good news is you have a nice cold unit.. just need the mechanics to turn it on and off at your desired temp.

[Rhaugle]

Does $40 sound about right for a new thermostat? Thats what SodaJerks has them for... is there a better and/or cheaper place to get parts?

[SIGNGUY]

I buy all my parts from Rod and Janet at Funtronics and I think the pricing is about the same..  cheap fix for your issues.!

Good luck!