SUCCESS STORIES: Repair thermoelectric cooler

André C

Joined Feb 27, 2019
2
Thanks to everyone who shared all of the great information in this thread. Based on your experiences, I ordered all new capacitors for my Wine Enthusiast FX-101 control board.

I started replacing the caps, but then my curiosity got the best of me. I broke out my old school Leader oscilloscope and a curve tracer I made so I could test each capacitor as I replaced it.

The first 5 caps I replaced all tested good, which had me worried this wasn't going to solve my problem. Then I got to C206 and I saw a curve that looked really leaky. Next I changed CA1 which tested as an open circuit. Later I got to C8 which was really leaky and wasn't charging much at all. Here's a little video of what I saw when I tested them.


Happy ending here. The new caps brought our wine fridge back to life. Thanks for all of the great advice here.
Really neat5 curve tracer you got there. Did you build it yourself ? If so, do you still have the schematic ?
If so could you send it back to me please ? <mod deleted email, antispam>

mod link
https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/members/ogiguere.785302/
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks to everyone who shared all of the great information in this thread. Based on your experiences, I ordered all new capacitors for my Wine Enthusiast FX-101 control board.

I started replacing the caps, but then my curiosity got the best of me. I broke out my old school Leader oscilloscope and a curve tracer I made so I could test each capacitor as I replaced it.

The first 5 caps I replaced all tested good, which had me worried this wasn't going to solve my problem. Then I got to C206 and I saw a curve that looked really leaky. Next I changed CA1 which tested as an open circuit. Later I got to C8 which was really leaky and wasn't charging much at all. Here's a little video of what I saw when I tested them.


Happy ending here. The new caps brought our wine fridge back to life. Thanks for all of the great advice here.
Hi Gator Bite. I also like your curve tracer. Would you mind sending me the schematics for it? I'd love to make one myself.
 

André C

Joined Feb 27, 2019
2
Hey Wayneh,

I have the exact same mini cooler, with apparently the same problem. When plugged in, the main control panel just beeps and flashes. The board you show is the exact board that is in my unit. Do you have a parts list for the items you replaced? I'm sure I need to perform the same repair you did.

In addition, I found that if I disconnect the peltier, then the unit powers up normally and the fans all turn on. Seems the peltier is taking too big of a load on the power supply. The peltier checks out fine so it must be the PS.

Mike
Hello Mike,
I own a Koolrite wine cooler and I had exactly the sanme problem as you when I disconnect the peltier unit, all work fine. So I went back to the power supply board, like many will propose later, replace C8, but didn't take any chance and tested all caps. One of the was open and all the other had higher than expected ERS value, so I replace them all. The main caps didn't need to be replace neigher the other big capacitor ( 1000uf I think ). Put the board bak in the cooler and voila ! everything back to normal. Maybe this will help someone else later on.
 

oldpantsNJ

Joined Jan 12, 2022
2
I also have the Wine Enthusiast fridge with two FX-101B boards and, surprise, one is no longer working correctly. I know you've already figured out that the FX101B board can't really be found anywhere anymore and got your fridge working with the C8 fix instead, but I did find this article where someone successfully used an FX101 board, with some modifications. I'm going to give the cap replacement a try first, then as a backup, try what he did with an FX101 or FX102.

Just to follow up on my own post, I ultimately bit the bullet and replaced the C8 cap on my faulty FX-101B board, just as many other posters have suggested. Everything is working fine now.
 

logan77

Joined Feb 23, 2022
4
Thank you all for your extremely helpful information. Thanks to all the information provided in this thread I was able to fix my Wine Enthusiast 6 bottle wine cooler with the PCB140411K2 board. In addition to C206, CA1 and C8, I also had to change the C10 (1000uF 16v). I replaced the 47uF 25v capacitors with 47uF 35v, and the 1000uF 16v with 1000uF 35v all 105C. I also seated all 4 capacitors about 4-5 mm higher and I made sure that they do not touch the 2 large resistors next to them. Out of the 4 capacitors that I replaced the 1000uF was measuring only 324uF. One of the 47uF was 35uF, the second 47uF was only 26nF (Nano Farad) and the third 47uF was 0.4nF (Nano Farad). I am also including the picture after replacing the 4 capacitors (yellow arrows pointing the 4 capacitors). Thanks again.InkedIMG_9051-1_LI.jpg
IMG_9054.jpg
 

epk

Joined Feb 27, 2022
2
hi:
My Emerson wine cooler died a couple days ago. First checked the main semiconductors. All ok. Would work if peltier was disconnected. Shuts down when loaded with the peltier. Started replacing caps. Turns out most had lost 10% of value. However it was C8 that was bad. it was only 10uF. When replaced, the unit started to work. So in this case it wasn't the big caps or the caps in the base drive of the switchers but it was the cap for the Vcc of the regulator ic.
P
 

cjuniorfox

Joined Mar 1, 2022
4
Dear colleagues. I newbie here.
First I would like to introduce myself.
My name in Carlos Junior. I'm from Brazil, currently living in the city of Nova Friburgo - RJ. I'm a electronic enthusiast, I assume don't having the proper formation. I learned some electronic basis at one course years ago and a proudly have fixed some PC switching power supplyes with some degree of success. But I far from have the knowledge and the experience of the fellow members of this forum.

Now, the problem I facing and I would like to ask for some advice.

I have a wine cooler with the FX-101, board PCB70323E1 with issue.
If I turn it with the sensors and no load, the board apparently works ok with all desired voltages. The same when the fans are plugged in. But soon as I connect the Peltier, the board starts to shuts down and on. Fells like the overcurrent protection circuitry it's actuating.
If I left the board on a couple minutes, the cooler just starts working with no issues.
I tested many of components and I find no issues. It's anyone have some advice?

The picture of the board and also a short video follows. https://linksharing.samsungcloud.com/qGJb6FVmT9x6

Best regards.
 

Attachments

epk

Joined Feb 27, 2022
2
Dear colleagues. I newbie here.
First I would like to introduce myself.
My name in Carlos Junior. I'm from Brazil, currently living in the city of Nova Friburgo - RJ. I'm a electronic enthusiast, I assume don't having the proper formation. I learned some electronic basis at one course years ago and a proudly have fixed some PC switching power supplyes with some degree of success. But I far from have the knowledge and the experience of the fellow members of this forum.

Now, the problem I facing and I would like to ask for some advice.

I have a wine cooler with the FX-101, board PCB70323E1 with issue.
If I turn it with the sensors and no load, the board apparently works ok with all desired voltages. The same when the fans are plugged in. But soon as I connect the Peltier, the board starts to shuts down and on. Fells like the overcurrent protection circuitry it's actuating.
If I left the board on a couple minutes, the cooler just starts working with no issues.
I tested many of components and I find no issues. It's anyone have some advice?

The picture of the board and also a short video follows. https://linksharing.samsungcloud.com/qGJb6FVmT9x6

Best regards.
Carlos:
Similar to my experience. Letting the electronics warm up is indicative of a low capacitor value. Electrolytic caps increase in capacitance as they warm up. See my previous post. May be yours has a low value cap ? Check C8 its easy to replace or put another one in parallel.
P
 

cjuniorfox

Joined Mar 1, 2022
4
Carlos:
Similar to my experience. Letting the electronics warm up is indicative of a low capacitor value. Electrolytic caps increase in capacitance as they warm up. See my previous post. May be yours has a low value cap ? Check C8 its easy to replace or put another one in parallel.
P
I tested most of the capacitors (with one of those chinese component testers). At least the most important ones are within the specs. The only exception was one of 22uf with slitly high ESR, reading something about 8ohm and de capacitance at the spec. But I know, at least for the primary side, the tester doesn't be able to accuarly test the capacitor at the real working scenario, where high current and high voltage are applied to the component. I'll follow your advice and check for the C8. Thank you
 

logan77

Joined Feb 23, 2022
4
Bom dia Carlos.
Her are my suggestions:
Start with C8 and change the capacitors that I pointed in the attached picture (similar to what I changed in my posting above). But replace them with higher voltage capacitors with minimum 105C temperature rating. Try to install the capacitors 4-5mm higher and make sure that they are not touching the large resistors next to them. If this does not resolve the problem you need to check other capacitors. But it is a fact that all these wine cooler boards are using low quality and low voltage capacitors and changing them all is not a bad idea. Good luck.
 

Attachments

cjuniorfox

Joined Mar 1, 2022
4
Bom dia Carlos.
Her are my suggestions:
Start with C8 and change the capacitors that I pointed in the attached picture (similar to what I changed in my posting above). But replace them with higher voltage capacitors with minimum 105C temperature rating. Try to install the capacitors 4-5mm higher and make sure that they are not touching the large resistors next to them. If this does not resolve the problem you need to check other capacitors. But it is a fact that all these wine cooler boards are using low quality and low voltage capacitors and changing them all is not a bad idea. Good luck.


Carlos:
Similar to my experience. Letting the electronics warm up is indicative of a low capacitor value. Electrolytic caps increase in capacitance as they warm up. See my previous post. May be yours has a low value cap ? Check C8 its easy to replace or put another one in parallel.
@logan77 and @epk.
I tested the C8 capacitor. Guess what? It's faulty. The capacitance reads within spec, but the ESR was way off, reading above 20ohms. The tester struggled as much just for obtaining the readings. I assume the component was exhausted.


I replaced it and then, the cooler becoming to behave slightly better. It still struggles to start working properly, but the behavior was way much better than was before.

Unfortunately, I run out of caps and I need to buy those ones you have pointed out. I'm also considering fully recapping the board. Isn't a procedure I like to do that very often, but many of original caps was faulty, so anyway. I believe recap, it's the best thing to do.
I am also converting the board to work at 220v (here at city of Nova Friburgo, the mains it's 220v and not 127v as the rest of the state) and the smoothing capacitor voltages it's 200v. I know that because they are in the series, the voltage it's divided between the two, but I also know the peak voltage gets close to 175 volts. It's that assumption correct?
Anyway. I appreciate the support of colleages.

After replacing the capacitors, I'll back to say if it's worked or not.
 

logan77

Joined Feb 23, 2022
4
@logan77 and @epk.
I tested the C8 capacitor. Guess what? It's faulty. The capacitance reads within spec, but the ESR was way off, reading above 20ohms. The tester struggled as much just for obtaining the readings. I assume the component was exhausted.


I replaced it and then, the cooler becoming to behave slightly better. It still struggles to start working properly, but the behavior was way much better than was before.

Unfortunately, I run out of caps and I need to buy those ones you have pointed out. I'm also considering fully recapping the board. Isn't a procedure I like to do that very often, but many of original caps was faulty, so anyway. I believe recap, it's the best thing to do.
I am also converting the board to work at 220v (here at city of Nova Friburgo, the mains it's 220v and not 127v as the rest of the state) and the smoothing capacitor voltages it's 200v. I know that because they are in the series, the voltage it's divided between the two, but I also know the peak voltage gets close to 175 volts. It's that assumption correct?
Anyway. I appreciate the support of colleages.

After replacing the capacitors, I'll back to say if it's worked or not.
I am not knowledgeable enough to answer your question about converting the board to 220V. But I suggest that you keep the board as is and use an AC to AC (220 to 120V) transformer with enough watts to power your wine cooler at 120V.
 

cjuniorfox

Joined Mar 1, 2022
4
If you take a look at the schematics posted from @MrChips, will realize that this board it's actually bivolt. To switch the voltage from 127v to 220v it's just a matter of removing one bridge between the choke coil and the smoothing capacitor. I just did that and check out, worked.
At @MrChips posts, he also mentioned that replacing two diodes was needed, but my board already has the correct diodes, so that step was not needed.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
Many years ago when I temporarily had a service tech job servicing Superscope audio stuff, the "Rubycon" brand ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITORS WERE USUALLY FAULTY. So replacing them was usually the fix. They did not leak or swell, they just changed from capacitors to resistors. And failed caps are so frequently the source of the problem that replacing them is often the fix. Just be careful to get the polarity correct. Just check that one long thread about the electronic keyboard. for three years folks have been replacing the caps and fixing them. Probably 20 or more fixes! Same caps each time.
 
Another successful repair for my Haier 8-bottle wine cooler! This cooler was experiencing many of the same issues reported in this thread: not cooling, chirping noise from the front panel, LED panel blinking, and unresponsive front panel buttons. This unit has an FX-101B board, and simply replacing the 47uf 25v capacitor at C8 got it back up and running.

I recorded a small video showing the issue and the repair to help any other newbies out there:

This is a great forum and thanks for the work you've all put in to narrow down the issue leading to this easy fix.
 
I used a PCB4 board from Newair to get my 24 bottle Wine Enthusiast cooler back on line. I was going to replace the capacitors, but too many other chores. When I do get a little extra time, I will change the capacitors just to feel good about it.

The attachment holes are positioned such that with higher standoffs, the board fits in the original location.

The power wires are hard wired so I had to splice into the originals. But the other connectors plug right in.

It’s been running fine since Oct. 21’Newair.jpg
 
probably 1 or 2 diodes from the input bridge are broken,replace all 4 (1n4007) but you have to measure the two transistors in the main part of the circuit ,if 1 or two are broken,also check base resistor 2 ohm and diode in base circuit. I replaced transistor and resistor and it worked,but you could hear not good,then it appeared that the base diode was interrupted.
Hi there, I wanted to thank all on this forum for the valuable suggestions and advice provided!

My board is a Foshan Hanyi Computer board powering a 12V thermoelectric Farfalla wine cooler model FWC-40BK. This board does not fully resemble the FX-101 nor the FX-102 and I could not find a replacement board.

After reading the entries into this forum, I decided to take a stab at trying to fix it, because it somewhat looked similar on the PSB side. Through a few trial and errors (I am not electrically trained), multiple bad soldering joints (had to learn to repair a trace + pad I accidentally tore up), loads of youtube videos and a couple of electronics books, I finally fixed it. Success! Had to replace 6 caps (slightly different numbering so I won't include here), two D13007K power transistors, a 2 ohm resistor and all the 4 bridge rectifier diodes (IN4007). Plus the fuse a couple of times. Indeed C8 was really in bad shape with high ESR.

Special thanks to kcvogels for his above advice, as I had missed the bridge rectifier and the 2 ohm resistor. Every entry in this forum counts.
 
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