We handle Refrigeration, heating and Controls for wine production, and we currently work for more than 300 wineries, from boutique cellars to large production facilities.
Glycol Chiller repair is most of our winery work. When a cellar loses cooling or a Chiller alarms, we check the Chiller, Pumps, Piping and Controls to find the cause, on systems we installed and systems installed by others. We service Trane, Carrier, Daikin, York, G&D Chillers, Pro Refrigeration, Thermal Care and Multistack, plus most other brands. More on Chillers & Process Cooling.
We set wineries up on preventive maintenance (PM) plans so equipment is looked after year-round. Chiller visits cover Compressors, refrigerant charge, safety Controls, Condensers, Pumps and glycol strength, plus refrigerant leak inspections where required. Agreement customers get a separate 24-hour service line, preferred rates, a one-year parts and labor warranty on repairs and waived truck charges. See Maintenance & Service Agreements.
One team handles Refrigeration, HVAC, Boilers and modern Controls for your winery: Glycol Chillers and Tank Piping, Barrel Room Cooling, tasting room and office HVAC, Boilers and hot water, and Controls with remote alarms.
For new Chillers, Tank Piping or added capacity, we take on large installs as design-build or alongside one of the engineers we work with. See our Chiller installation services and past projects.
Problem: The Chillers weren’t running and the winery had lost cooling.
Repair: One failed Pump Drive had shut down the other Pumps. We got the Chillers running on local Pump control, then installed and programmed the spare Drive on site and restored automatic operation.
Verified outcome: Cooling restored the same day.
Problem: The glycol was warm and two Tanks had no cooling.
Repair: We got one Chiller circuit running and found a failed Relay. We replaced the Relay and a failed Compressor Contactor, corrected the refrigerant charge and tested both circuits.
Verified outcome: Both circuits tested and running.
Problem: The Boiler and warm Glycol System had been off for months, and grapes were already in the Tanks.
Repair: We traced the failure to lost communication between the Boiler Control Board and the Control Panel and restored heating. We then installed and configured a new Control Board and tested operation.
Verified outcome: Heating restored the same day.
Problem: One Boiler wouldn’t fire and showed an ignition fault, while the second Boiler carried the hot water load.
Repair: Failed Heat Exchanger gaskets were spraying water onto the Flame Sensor and Igniter. We disassembled the Boiler, replaced the upper and lower header gaskets and Piping flanges, resealed the enclosure and tested operation.
Verified outcome: Boiler back to holding temperature.
A maintenance visit checks the Condenser Coils and Fans, refrigerant pressures, superheat and subcooling for leaks or a low charge, and the Compressors, Contactors and electrical connections. On the glycol side, we test concentration, check level, Pump operation and Strainers, and purge air. We also test the safety switches, flow switch, sensors and alarms, and do California RMP refrigerant leak inspections on systems that require them.
It depends on the equipment and how hard it runs. Most winery Chillers need 2 to 4 visits a year, year-round, and we set the schedule in your Maintenance & Service Agreement.
Start with the alarm on the Chiller display. Common causes are low glycol flow (a failed Pump, clogged Strainer, air in the loop or a closed Valve), high-pressure trips from a dirty Condenser or failed Condenser Fan, low-pressure trips from a refrigerant leak, or a failed Compressor, Contactor or Relay. During harvest, the load can also simply exceed what the Chiller can deliver. We find the cause before replacing parts.
Set it for the coldest temperature your Tanks need, not lower, and keep the glycol mix protected well below it. A setpoint close to the mix’s freeze point, or low glycol flow, can freeze and crack the Heat Exchanger. A colder setpoint does not add cooling capacity. More on Chillers & Process Cooling.
We recommend calibrating CO2 Monitors twice a year, including once before harvest, or more often if the manufacturer calls for it. Between calibrations, a bump test exposes each sensor to CO2 to confirm it reads and triggers its alarms and ventilation. We provide calibration records for your files.
Yes. We rent Air-Cooled Glycol Chillers and Portable Glycol Chiller / Heaters for planned work and breakdowns, and we deliver and hook them up. Units are in highest demand during harvest, so request a rental as early as you can and we’ll confirm size, power and connections for your site.
We’ll follow up to confirm the details and schedule a visit.
Equipment down or production affected?
After-hours service is for Maintenance & Service Agreement customers. Online requests are reviewed during office hours.
(707) 544-1277