EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

[beetle1303]

Received this dual doors dual temperature control wine chiller with some unusual issues:
1) On powered up, all the electronics seemed to be working properly - lights, temperature settings, current temperature, etc, all displayed correctly. But sometimes both zones will get chilled, sometimes upper zone only, and sometimes lower zone only. The temperature displays will show the correct temperature as it chilled (I placed a stand-alone thermometer inside and they compared correctly)
2) However, the chilling does not stop at the set temperature.
3) When both zones are chilling, there is a periodic click-on-click-off sound at every 10-20sec intervals, suspect from the solenoid.
4) If only a single is chilling, there is no such click-on-click-off sound.

I did some googling and found this youtube that appears to be the same controller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zxgGCip8ms

But compared to the PCB i have, it seems to be missing the wires connection for NTC1 & NTC2 connector (presumably the temperature sensors for the respective zones).

Is this the root cause of these inconsistent and unexpected behavior?

[beetle1303]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

I investigated further:
1) There are 2 display/control PCBs, one for each zone. Checked all the power and signal wires connecting to the main PCB, nothing opened or disconnected.
2) There is a "COMP" signal from one of these display/control PCB to the main PCB, presumably is to "turn-on/off" the the compressor.

This might be the reason that NTC1 & NTC2 connector is not use, and temperature control is within the display/control PCB for the respective zone.

If so, the questions would be:
1) What's causing it to chill randomly the top, bottom, or both zones?
2) What's causing it to chill past the set temperature?

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

Is there a temperature sensor on the evaporator coil in either compartment if so where dose it hook up to on which board or dose it have a thermostat with a sensing bulb attached to the evaporator coil

[beetle1303]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

Is there a temperature sensor on the evaporator coil in either compartment if so where dose it hook up to on which board or dose it have a thermostat with a sensing bulb attached to the evaporator coil

Yes, there is a temperature sensor in each of the compartment. The left display/control PCB for the top and right display/control PCB for the bottom compartment. They both measured ~9K ohm at ~28C.

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

Ok if this is the case look for a optic sensor on the controller board and and check if the sensor is working correctly or not

You might find the optic sensor near the microcontroller ic chip

[beetle1303]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

Ok if this is the case look for a optic sensor on the controller board and and check if the sensor is working correctly or not

You might find the optic sensor near the microcontroller ic chip

I do not know what a optic sensor looks like.. what does it do and how to test it?
I attached all the 3 PCBs, please point it out if you see it, thank you.

[beetle1303]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

I did some data collection on powering on, and observed that 8 out of 10 times, only the bottom compartment get chilled (non-stop to below zero). Once or twice the top compartment get chilled. And when it did chilled both top and bottom, the top compartment chilling stopped after a short while, dropping a few degC, while to the bottom compartment continue to chill to below zero..

I was suspicious of the solenoid valve, and took the voltage reading of it at the main PCB - it only read 45Vac while the rating of the solenoid is 220Vac.

Does this means the solenoid is not being power up?

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

I was suspicious of the solenoid valve, and took the voltage reading of it at the main PCB - it only read 45Vac while the rating of the solenoid is 220Vac.

Well this is your problem alright here if the solenoid valve is only getting 45 vac and it says it needs 220 vac that explains a lot why sometimes it would work and sometimes it would not work

Does this means the solenoid is not being power up?

Yes - > but now the question is why is this happening how is this solenoid powered from a triac or mosfet or something similar

[beetle1303]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

I traced the solenoid signal from main PCB back to the display/control PCB and found the voltage is 0Vac. So confirmed there is no signal at source to power up the solenoid valve!

Now trying hard to trace the display PCB on why there is not solenoid signal on power up..

[beetle1303]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

I can't find specs and more information about this solenoid beside just basic general functions a 3-way 2-terminal solenoid vale.

Anyone can give some insight of how I may "stimulate" the function by feeding external voltage into it?

I measured the voltage on "comp" pin (blue arrow), and it reads 4.13Vdc. Can I supply an external 4-5Vdc to "heat" pin (this is the solenoid input, red arrow)?

Also, for my knowledge, how would this this 3-way 2-terminal solenoid switches between the 2 terminals/valves?

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

When the solenoid coil is not being powered on one side is activated when the solenoid is being powered then the other side of valve is activated

In other words when the coil ( with either power on or off depending on how the system is setup ) would be in cooling mode or in defrost mode ) one inlet port two output ports or it could be the other way around depending on how the manufacturer wants it function


If it is a dc coil just use a bridge rectifier and power the coil

Make sure weather or not it runs ac or dc current this is very important fact to know

Have the compressor running when you power the coil for it to change form one function to the other function to work correctly

[beetle1303]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

This is a dual evaporators chiller, and the solenoid has 1 input and 2 output to the respective evaporator. The relay to this solenoid is switched on by the C1815 transistor with input from the "HEAT" signal pin from the display PCB.

I am thinking of feeding a 4-5Vdc, with a on-off switch, to this "HEAT" signal pin and this should turn on the relay which then switch the solenoid to the other valve. So if I turn on and off this "HEAT" pin, then both compartments should get chilled over time.

If this is the case, then the display controller PCB must be faulty because it does not switch on/off anymore (although it worked once when I heard the relay turning on-off, but stopped working after awhile..)

Does it make sense?

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

The question is does powering the solenoid coil change the function of the unit if so then I would agree with you however I would recommend being very careful about injecting voltage into controller board because if done wrong could make the controller board completely inoperable

A better approach would be to understanding how the circuit controlling the heat pin and how it is controlled and what trigger it to change state

Because it could be that the part of trigger circuit has some type of issue

If you are wanting to activate a relay understand how the pin out of the relay and just short the relay output contacts pins to activate the opposite state of the relay

If I were doing this I would recommend removing the relay from the board and checking its function off the board if working correctly off the board then I would try to figure out what is wrong with the board circuit and why it is not working correctly

I would not trust just using only a ohm meter to check the relay contacts I would hook a light bulb ( if you have a bench power supply and some automotive light bulb to test the relay output pins ) to test weather or not the relay output pins are capable of carrying current

Or another option is if you can [ isolate ] ( make sure that the pins do not have any connection to the controller board ) the relay coil pins from the circuit board and attach two wires to relay coil them yes you could inject the 4.5 to 5 volts to activate the relay just make sure that you are correct about what the relay coil voltage is for the coil

[beetle1303]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

I found video tutorial that described similar dual evaporators fridge with the same 3 ways solenoid valve - basically the control starts with solenoid at "home" (usually refrigerator compartment), and the switching the valve to whichever compartment that need the chilled refrigerant most.

So, yes, I am equally if not more concerned about injecting external voltage into the controller. Instead, I think I will just tap a on-off switch onto the COMP pin which has 4.13Vdc on powered up to the HEAT pin.

I guess I just want to confirm that the solenoid valve is working, and the controller is faulty somewhere..

[beetle1303]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

Here's new update:
1) I have wired an on-off switch between Heat & COMP pins.
2) On powered up the relay starts to click-on but click-off immediately
3) This click-on click-off is repeating every 5 sec.
4) It stops when I switch off the on-off switch
5) After about 20 min, the top compartment is really cooled to about 2degC, but the top compartment is just slightly cooled to about 27degC (from starting temperature of 28degC)
6) This click-on click off eventually stopped when the compressor is off (as expected)

Effectively, it seems like the voltage to the C1815 transistor that turns on the relay get cut off immediately after turning it on, and got recharged to repeat itself every 5 sec...

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

If this the case then you could have a controller issue but is it the controller or is it a supporting component of the controller

Okay what does the other transistor across from the one you marked

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

5) After about 20 min, the “top” compartment is really cooled to about “2degC”, but the “top” compartment is just slightly cooled to about 27degC (from starting temperature of 28degC) <——



6) This click-on click off eventually stopped when the compressor is off (as expected)

Please explain in more detailed information about what you have above because I am confused about you are talking about

[petehall347]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

you could monitor 2sc1815 base or just change it ..
on another note i wouldn't use that transistor for a relay driver . i would choose a better one .

[beetle1303]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

If this the case then you could have a controller issue but is it the controller or is it a supporting component of the controller

Okay what does the other transistor across from the one you marked

The other transistor is controlling the compressor relay (in blue).

[beetle1303]

Re: EuropAce EWC 3108 Wine Chiller - Seems like no temperature sensor input

Please explain in more detailed information about what you have above because I am confused about you are talking about

My apology, typo error. The "bottom" compartment get chilled as usual, but the "top" compartment barely get chilled at all...