Help please, unit keeps running

I just purchased this Cavalier uss 12-96 from a manager from coke, he stated that it was good to go and had it in his home, I have had it plugged in for 15 hours and it has not shut off yet, it is over half full of soda also, the thermostat setting is on 5, i turn it down and it does not go off until i reach the off selection, even then the fan (not the compressor fan) keeps running, i only shut it off two times for less than 3 minutes each, could this be normal, what should i check,  mayday! I appreciate anyone who could give some insight, and love the sight.
Thanks
Larry '>

[johnieG]

Not to worry about the inside (bottle area) fan it does indead run all the time. this is normal and only uses about 4-10 watts
of power ( abuot as much as a night-lite) if it's seems a little too load then check the seal (rubber) around the vending area
(assuming it's a glass door machine)

Thanks again JohnieG, I am worried about the compressor and compressor fan, it has been running for 18 hours straight, the machine seems cold, should the compressor and compressor fan shut off if I turn it down to 1 or 2 instead of 5 or is it just going to run for 24 hours or so until it shuts off, I am just worried about a freeze up, any comments appreciated and thanks!
Larry :'>

[Jim]

Larry,

Something is definately wrong if the compressor continues to run...  At this point, I would start with the thermostat. A replacement thermostat will correct the problem of not shutting the compressor off at the proper temperature. If the cooler has reached its set temperature of say 5 (like yours), and you wait a minute until the compressor kicks on, you should be able to turn the thermostat to a warmer setting and the compressor will shut off, but only for a short time since you have the cooler door open and it will continue to get warmer which will eventually kick the compressor back on to cool the compartment.

Secondly, if it's running for hours and not freezing, you could be looking for additional problems as well...
Not sure if this helps any...

Thanks jim,
this did help, i noted on the thermostat two things, there is an adjustment for cut in and cut out, i did adjust some and found that helped when i tested the thermostat  on our freezer, holding the sensor inside the  freezer until it shut off, the sensor was laying against the side of the cover on the condensor, held in place as it was folded through a loop, does it belong inside the loop (couldn't get it to shut off in this position even on the 1 setting (9) is highest) I placed the temp unit directly against the condensor unit itself and it seems to work on the 1 setting, is this correct or should it be placed on the outside of the condensor unit on the loop against the cover? I appreciate everyone's help, it is great to find such a helpful site!
Thanks again
Larry
pictures possible if needed :'>

[globalcompressors]

Larry,

  The probe needs to be in the air flow of the evaporator fan.
If it is up against the coil itself, the unit will read the temp of the coil instead of the air. The coil temperature will run about 25 degrees colder than the air temperature of the box. Example, 40 degree box, 15 degree evaporator temp. The coil temperature rises and falls more frequently and can "short cycle" the compressor. The air temperature is more constant and even more so when the box is full of product. Did you replace the current thermostat? Does the coil freeze up? Just wondering.

Eric

Eric,
Thank you for your help, everyone here is very helpful and I greatly appreciate it. I did not replace the thermostat yet, It has a cut in and cut out adjustment screw on the side of it, I adjusted the screws and blew out the inside of the thermostat and it seems to work well (i think), the coils do not freeze up, the cans are nice and cold, the thermostat sensor end, sits inside a copper looking loop that is attached to the side of the tin, it is in the shape of a loop, quite a bit larger than the  sensor end, this is attached to the tin, but just above an opening in the tin that allows air to circulate, not sure if this is correct, we have the thermostat set on 4 out of 9 and seems to work well, how long should the compressor run, how long should it be off, with a light load @ 30-40 cans/bottles max and of course not opening it alot.
Thanks for the help, I appreciate everyone's input.
Thanks
Larry '>

[globalcompressors]

Larry,

  The run time will vary. A lot depends on the thermostat, how old the box is, the insulation of the cabnet, how much product is inside, and the condition of the cooling system itself. A good running system with an empty box should cool down fairly quick, 45 to 90 minutes. If the box is full of hot product, much longer. The nice thing about a full box is that it will hold temperature for longer periods between cycles but take longer to cool down and shut off. Another factor is the different sizes of cabnets. My experience has been that 95% of all classic machines run 1/4 hp units but vary in cabnet size. This will make a difference in run time as well. As a rule, a compressor will run about half as long as the down time between cycles. If the thermostat is bad, it can cycle very quickly between run times causing the compressor to "short cycle". You are looking for a temperature of 35 to 38 degrees off to around 40 to 44 degree on. You should have 5 to 10 degrees differential. Hope this helps!

Eric