Kombucha filling machine stops suddenly: Causes and solutions

In a fermented beverage production environment like Kombucha, the sudden stoppage of the filling machine is a nightmare. This phenomenon usually occurs according to the following scenarios:

  • The machine is filling normally when it suddenly stalls, the screen displays an unclear error or turns off completely.
  • Pressing the “Start” button again makes the machine work, but only for a few dozen minutes or a few hours before it stops again.
  • The machine stops at random times, not following any specific cycle, making it unpredictable for the operating department.

1. Common causes from the electrical cabinet

Degraded intermediate relays: After a long period of continuous operation, the internal coils of the relay age, leading to indecisive switching and loss of control signals transmitted to the filling machine components.

Unstable contactor switching: The contact surface of the contactor is pitted or covered with carbon soot due to electric arcs. When the Kombucha solution pump needs to start, the contacts do not mesh perfectly, causing phase loss or voltage drops, leading to a sudden stop.

Modular contactor damaged due to incorrect AC-7a rating for induction motor loads
Modular contactor damaged due to incorrect AC-7a rating for induction motor loads

Flickering control power supply: The switching power supply (usually 24VDC) providing power to the PLC and sensors experiences a decrease in capacity; the output voltage flickers, causing the microprocessor to misinterpret it as an error and command an emergency stop.

Swollen capacitor
Swollen capacitor

Loose signal wires, oxidized terminals: The Kombucha factory environment is particularly sensitive to metals. Moisture and mild acids in the air easily seep into the electrical cabinet, causing copper terminals to oxidize (turning green or black), resulting in electrical arcing and loss of signals from bottle position sensors.

Terminals oxidized due to humid environment and strong chemicals
Terminals oxidized due to humid environment and strong chemicals

2. Why are control electrical faults difficult to detect by the naked eye?

If a mechanical shaft breaks or a belt snaps, the operator can see it immediately. However, faults in the electrical cabinet are a “blind problem”.

From the outside, the wires still look intact, and the indicator lights are still on. Microcircuit oxidation, insulation degradation of the pull coil, or the wear level of the contacts inside the plastic housing are things that cannot be assessed visually. If the on-site maintenance worker lacks deep experience in automation electricity and measurement equipment, they will only fix it by “trial and error”, causing the failure to repeat.

3. Immeasurable risks when letting this situation persist

Temporary patching and letting the Kombucha filling machine operate in a “nervous” state will bring heavy consequences to the factory:

  • Continuous line stoppage: Breaks the production flow, wastes labor time, and causes delays in delivery to partners.
  • Incorrect filling cycle: Flickering electricity causes the filling valves to open/close at the wrong rhythm. The result is incorrect dosing, causing a loss of a large amount of high-value finished Kombucha.
  • Impact on product quality: Kombucha is a live fermented drink. Long waiting times due to line stoppages can change the temperature, carbonation level (CO2), and flavor of the tea batch before capping.
  • Risk of electrical cabinet fire: Poor contact points (arcing) generate enormous heat. If ignored, this is the root cause of an explosion of the entire central electrical cabinet, with damages up to hundreds of millions of VND and factory downtime for many weeks.

4. Expert Solution: In-depth Electrical Cabinet Survey Process

To end this situation definitively, your factory needs intervention from industrial survey and maintenance experts rather than ordinary repairmen. A professional expert team will perform a methodical survey process:

  • Measure source voltage and power quality: Use specialized measuring equipment to check the stability of the 3-phase input voltage and 24VDC control source, detecting voltage drops or harmonic interference.
  • Check contact resistance: Accurately assess the wear level of contactors, relays, and circuit breakers to see which components are due for mandatory replacement.
  • Assess electrical cabinet temperature with a thermal camera: Scan the entire electrical cabinet to immediately detect loose or oxidized connections that are generating hidden heat before they cause a fire.
  • Check control diagrams and wiring status: Review drawings, re-crimp oxidized terminals, treat insulation, and reorganize moisture-proof wiring according to food production environment standards.
Messy wiring and missing terminals make inspection, maintenance, and troubleshooting difficult.
Review to check the electrical cabinet diagram again

5. Conclusion

If your factory’s Kombucha filling machine shows signs of:

Then you should check the entire control electrical system as soon as possible before more serious problems arise.

Contact immediately with VietSonic

If your kombucha factory has equipment problems.