Emergency Heatcraft Walk-In Freezer Diagnostics – Chick-fil-A Austin, TX 10.14.26
Setpoint Services responded to an emergency after-hours commercial refrigeration service call at Chick-fil-A in North Austin, Texas, for a walk-in freezer experiencing elevated temperatures and refrigeration controller alarms. The freezer was equipped with a Heatcraft/Bohn BEL0130BS6EEAYE215 evaporator and BCH0035LCBCZX1908 condensing unit operating on R-448A refrigerant.
During diagnostic testing, the technician discovered that the exterior door-mounted thermometer was reading approximately 22–25°F warmer than the interior thermometer and electronic intelliGen refrigeration controller. The controller also displayed stored high-temperature, low-superheat, and backup battery errors. Live superheat measured approximately 9.7°F, with no active low-superheat condition observed during testing.
The freezer temperature decreased from 13.5°F to 11.1°F during the inspection, confirming that the refrigeration system was cooling, although it had not yet reached its programmed −5°F setpoint. A follow-up visit was recommended to replace the inaccurate exterior thermometer and controller backup battery, correct the controller's date and time, verify the defrost schedule, and confirm proper freezer temperature pull-down and cycling.
Additional refrigeration diagnostics were recommended if the low-superheat alarm returned or the freezer failed to reach its required operating temperature.
