Minor Repairs to the Massive Beer Cooler

A former version of me was quite fond of brown ale, especially Bell’s Best Brown Ale, a seasonal offering that I would stock up on each fall to keep me well-supplied for the coming year. When the attic was rehabbed into a grand entertainment space, it included Ray’s the Bar and a double back bar commercial beer cooler (that I still cannot believe the general contractor for that project was able to get upstairs).

Then came my hardcore lifestyle shift and great weight loss, and although I still love a good cold beer of a certain sort, I hardly ever drink. I’d rather get my calories from desserts and bread. And cinnamon rolls. Definitely cinnamon rolls.

After 10 years of mostly problem-free operation, that giant cooler lost a blade on its circulation fan, and I had to call in Quality Refrigeration Concepts to determine what’s needed for a repair job. That occurred on November 19th, my one day off work that week.

Alas, the QRC tech did not inspire me with confidence, referring to Beverage-Air as an uncommon manufacturer (it’s an industry leader and actually headquartered here in Winston-Salem), and then he said the fan and motor would both have to be replaced. The trip charge was $250 and his quote for repair approached $1,000.

Then when he didn’t show up for the following Monday’s 9 a.m. scheduled return, I got a late call that he had a doctor’s appointment, apparently. When we reached the noon hour, I canceled QRC and ordered a $26 fan blade online. That’s what I should have done to begin with but my instinct is to distrust myself with equipment like that.

This tinkering also led me to recognize a neglected element of equipment maintenance, which was soon rectified thanks to the second floor vacuum cleaner and its hose and attachments.

When my hot water heater was recently replaced, I mused and muttered about an emerging worry that modern service is about upselling and maximizing profits over, well, service. I think QRC was eager to take advantage of the situation, and it was disappointing. They did not convey a sense of being an honest or trustworthy business, nor dependable as I found when they pretty much blew off our scheduled appointment.

But hey: I’m glad to discover that QRC is not a good company because I’d also thought I might reach out to them about my HVAC system. No way in hell I’d do that now!