Freezer thermostat - analogue or digital?

[travellerw]

Thanks for posting Pete and Rich.. I had a local guy tell me 6 minutes.. I guess I will be adjusting it down.

[patprice]

Old thread I see but all above discussion revolves around a BD50. Is it all aplicable to my BD35?

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by patprice

Old thread I see but all above discussion revolves around a BD50. Is it all aplicable to my BD35?

Yes....the BD50 and BD35 use the exact same controller and thermostat.

[patprice]

Thanks SVTD I will give a digital thermo a try.
Have ordered this one....
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-All-...72.m2749.l2649

[Outventure]

i have issues with my freezer and thought i'd ask here before opening a new thread.
I have an isotherm freezer and it's a nice stainless steel inside unit that I rather repair instead of replacing. It works, but doesn't freeze below -3°C (26° F)
So I had already 3 fridge mechanics on the boat who installed additional fans, replaced the gas and finally I ordered a brandnew compressor and controller (BD50) and had it installed. Even now it doesn't go below the above mentioned temperature. So the last thing i may replace on the unit is the thermostat. I already have that inkbird digital 12V one, but my last fridge mechanic didn't want to install it. (wasn't capabable i guess). Where i am, there isn't much of a choice of marine mechanics.. (Panama Pacific Westcoast).

I am in Europe at the moment and may order a manual Vitifrigo Thermostat, however, i would love to hear some feedback from people who ordered and installed one of these digital thermostats. Did you get your fridge / freezer to work better?

Thanks so much for any help!

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by Outventure

I am in Europe at the moment and may order a manual Vitifrigo Thermostat, however, i would love to hear some feedback from people who ordered and installed one of these digital thermostats.

See link in response #19 above. This will work as a digital thermostat and will be much cheaper than a Vitifrigo thermo.

[Outventure]

Originally Posted by Bill O

See link in response #19 above. This will work as a digital thermostat and will be much cheaper than a Vitifrigo thermo.

Thanks Bill. I have that thermostat (the amazon inkbird version) already as I've read that it may work, however I was looking for a confirmation of someone who has actually installed it on his fridge / freezer. May i ask if you have done so?

[Bill O]

Not on an Isotherm, but for a fridgoboat freezer (should be the same though w/a BD50).

Biggest thing is to set your range so it moderates the frequency of the compressor turning on/off.

Was your old thermo for a fridge? Shouldn't be too hard to put in the inkbird to test if it just a wrong/bad thermostat.

If that doesn't do it, would open a new thread and get Richard involved after you discuss specific symptoms. (is the tube coming out of the box freezing?, amp draw, etc.)

[Richard Kollmann]

Originally Posted by Outventure

i have issues with my freezer and thought i'd ask here before opening a new thread.
I have an isotherm freezer and it's a nice stainless steel inside unit that I rather repair instead of replacing. It works, but doesn't freeze below -3°C (26° F)
So I had already 3 fridge mechanics on the boat who installed additional fans, replaced the gas and finally I ordered a brandnew compressor and controller (BD50) and had it installed. Even now it doesn't go below the above mentioned temperature. So the last thing i may replace on the unit is the thermostat. I already have that inkbird digital 12V one, but my last fridge mechanic didn't want to install it. (wasn't capabable i guess). Where i am, there isn't much of a choice of marine mechanics.. (Panama Pacific Westcoast).

I am in Europe at the moment and may order a manual Vitifrigo Thermostat, however, i would love to hear some feedback from people who ordered and installed one of these digital thermostats. Did you get your fridge / freezer to work better?

Thanks so much for any help!

I would like to point out a thermostat only stops and starts compressor and low box temperature is determined by how long compressor is allowed to run.

The evaporator inside box and the refrigerant flow control ( probably Capillary tube ) determines limited Btu output of compressor. So there is a good chance a larger BD50 will not improve that units performance.

I would suggest two tests, Bypass present thermostat so compressor runs continuous to see how cold the freezer will get in 4 hr, 6 hr or when desired box temperature is reached. If this compressor is a BD35 then I would see that it is running at max speed of 3500 Rpm.

It this box's heat to be removed is too large for evaporator to handle a fan moving air across evaporator plate offer a lower box temperature but not normal low freezer temps of 8 to 15 degrees F.

An amp reading after unit runs for 30 minutes with box temperature will determine amount of work done at that moment.

[Outventure]

Thanks Richard for the feedback.
Ok, i will run these tests that you mentioned. thanks.
Just as a conclusion for my immediate question: that inkbird digital 12v thermostat would be the right choice, also over a mechanical original one.

I got the BD50 as the old one was also a BD50. I am in tropical temperatures (around 32 C / 90 F most of the time) and I really need that freezer for the fish that we catch . Also I've invested already too much to just stop now and I can't see a reason why I wouldn't get it to work with that brandnew compressor / controller..

[Richard Kollmann]

Originally Posted by Outventure

Thanks Richard for the feedback.
Ok, i will run these tests that you mentioned. thanks.
Just as a conclusion for my immediate question: that inkbird digital 12v thermostat would be the right choice, also over a mechanical original one.

I got the BD50 as the old one was also a BD50. I am in tropical temperatures (around 32 C / 90 F most of the time) and I really need that freezer for the fish that we catch . Also I've invested already too much to just stop now and I can't see a reason why I wouldn't get it to work with that brandnew compressor / controller..

I am not the one to ask about electronic thermostats especially on refrigeration using evaporator temperature controlled thermostats. I do recommend an adjustable remote thermometer calibrated for area where frozen fish are kept.
I lived in tropical weather 30 years with both my boats 12 volt refrigeration systems running at my dock. On your freezer I would expect to see amp flow of 6 to 6.5 until box temperature is below +15 degrees. Assuming compressor is running at max speed. The current across thermostat to get max speed is 5 milliamps.

I have had six cu ft freezer system designs using BD50 compressors that run in hot weather almost 100% of the time maintaining 4 to 8 degrees F freezer temps.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by Outventure

Just as a conclusion for my immediate question: that inkbird digital 12v thermostat would be the right choice, also over a mechanical original one.

Attached is the Frigoboat MkII electronic thermostat hook up instructions which is basically the inkbird controller in cooling mode.

Still wanted to know if a tech filled your system, possibly overfilled it and maybe part of your problem. Is the line coming out of the box going back to the compressor frozen/heavily frosted?

Do what Richard suggested to test to see if you system can pull the temp down.

[Outventure]

Thanks again for the info and feedback.
I‘m back on my boat and bridged the thermostat and have the compressor running now for a continous 6 hours.
Temp doesnt go below -2 C / 28 F.
The line that‘s coming out of the unit is not frosted.
Totally clueless now and very frustrated.
If you have any idea what to do i‘d very much appreciate, otherwise i‘ll probably have to order a mobile freezer box. (Which im thinking that i should have done before throwing money at a new compressor..)

[alaskanviking]

took me a little bit but i found the article

https://seabits.com/save-battery-bee...dge-optimizer/

Haven't heard anything lately on it, and i cant check the product website here at work

[Outventure]

Thanks Alaskanviking!
This looks really awesome and like an addition to the freezer that I would love to have. However, I've already thrown a few hundred bucks at this freezer and before spending another 300 (what this unit seems to be) i'd love to know if that will really solve my problem.. i will get in touch with the producers, though. thanks a lot for giving this idea, I haven't heard of this device yet (and i have to admit I would love to get it only because of it's cool name ):
cheers!