Over 5 years ago I bought a Vinotemp 508 bottle wine cellar that was 10 years old and had its cooling unit replaced with a Wine Mate 2500 HZD three years before I bought it, which makes the cooling unit 8 years old.
Lately it’s been running a lot longer. It was running all morning with it set at 58, it didnt go below 59. I moved it up to 60 or 61 to get the compressor to shut off for a bit. It shut off and when I went to check on it later it was reading the temp as 56 even though it was set to 61 and not running. I think the thermostat may be going but later today it was running constantly while set down to 59 so I set it to 61 again to rest it. I put a thermometer in it and when it said 62, when it turns on again, it actually was 62. In my mind it’s replacement time vs trying to fix it.
I can get the Wine Mate HZD for $1249 plus delivery. The opening is 14.5x13.5 but was jury rigged from when a larger unit was in it that was 16.25x 14.5
I saw in some old post some people went to a Cellarpro cooling unit but they are larger than my opening.
I also saw some went to Breezaire, which is almost $300 less, but for one person lasted 10-11 years.
Any input on the Wine Mate 2500 HZD vs Breezeair WKL 1060. The Wine Mate is supposed to be for 250 cubic feet and the Breezaire for 140 cubic feet. I wish I could fit the Cellarpro as they are supposed to be much quieter… I’d have to enlarge the opening for that.
Just looking for input on who has used these units, how they worked for them, any problems with installation.
Seems that you are determined to replace your unit but depending on its overall condition an 8 year old unit should still have a lot of years life left. Then again you had the compressor replaced which leaves you with the original coils. It might be worthwhile to have it checked by a licensed technician who can verify operating parameters and give you proper advice.
Considering the low temperature reading you observed with the fact that you were not able to drop the temperature prior might indicate a faulty thermistor but it is a bit tricky to pin it down without troubleshooting the unit thoroughly. Improper airflow, low refrigerant level, electronics and many other parameters can lead to those symptoms.
IMO the most important consideration before purchasing a new unit is the after sale service. Nothing leaves a customer more frustrated then slow and mediocre repair in case of a malfunction. And lets be clear about it. Its not a matter of - if the unit breaks down - but simply when. So be prepared.
They tend to leak freon because warm copper tubes submerse in order to evaporate the condensed moist. The tubes later inevitably decay. Make sure you get the right size.
It will cycle at 62 ok, on for 30 mins. Used to be ok at 58 and on for 15 mins. If I try to lower to 61 it runs and runs. My buddy can put in a valve and add coolant if needed. He 's going to call Vinotemp to talk to the tech. We may also replace thermistor.
Call the manufacturer, but it’s a small charge maybe 6-8 oz. make sure the refrigerant you use does not contain any oils/leak sealers (common in automotive small cans).
Hi …My sister and I had two identical “Wine Enthusiast” cabinets w/ Koolspace compressors. They would both run a lot without cooling. Came across this article and read some of the comments after and thought I wound give it a shot…both have been working flawlessly for almost a year…not sure if I’m able to post some links but these might help you get back up and running …GL
Yes, just a temporary (could be minutes or years) fix. Most leaks are in the evaporator coils but it could be anywhere, a good tech can probably find the leak location but it most likely will not be repairable.
Well, had the unit serviced. Charlie soldered in valves for the high and low pressure. He thinks the leak may be low by where there is some signs of condensation and rust. He used a device to detect it , but the unit had such low pressure by then. He drained and refilled. It is working fine now. He feels if it goes down fast it’s prob by evaporator coils, slow leak prob in the copper tubes in/out of compressor. It came down to temp. easy now. Lets keep fingers crossed.
Have your technician run the leak test with the system charged when it is operating at higher pressures. An electronic leak detector is very sensitive and should easily direct you to the effected area. In case of a very tiny leak you may ask him to add a special dye. It will show smallest imperfections after a few weeks of operation which can be revealed with a UV lamp. Or you can just keep your fingers crossed.
Have had my Wine Mate 2500 HZD recharged with gas for years. About every 9 months. Recently it seems to be a different issue with some blockage in a tube. My guy Charlie believes it can be fixed, but needs to find the part.
That said, a replacement Wine Mate 2500 is $1695 plus shipping. I have also looked at the Breezaire 2200 unit, which seems to be the same capacity. It has a one year parts and labor, 5 years parts warranty. Has anyone here used Breezaire units? Any input on one vs the other?
Will a CellarPro unit fit? They seem to have a reputation for greater reliability than Breezeaire.
I’ve had 2 of each, too small a sample to draw meaningful conclusions. That said, anecdotally the Breezaires lasted 8 and 12 years before springing leaks and requiring repair, after which they were still going strong over 10 years later when we moved and left them behind. Only had the CellarPros 2 years so too soon to know.
The CellarPro units are a different size. Would have to do some serious modification and lose a few bottle spaces… I emailed them to see if they have other configurations