Recharging Older Adler Barbour Cold Machine

[robertmfranklin]

Richard, I've never attached photos so I hope this works. Nope. I am feeling quite stupid, but I have never attached photos in this forum. The photos are on my Iphone and I wouldn't mind some instructions. 5 photos that now reside in my download folder on my laptop. I just can't seem to move them into the thread.

[robertmfranklin]

Richard,

Photos attached, I hope. Did this work?

Bob

[Richard Kollmann]

Your pictures solved the mystery, You have an Adler Barbour earlier CU model of their variable speed Danfoss compressor. Only a few of these were sold around 1996.

Now I need to start over:
Compressor does not run? But does fan run?
The normal problems with these CU models are electrical and not linked to refrigerant or compressor problems.

Suggested tests:
1. Printed circuit board inside the stainless box failed behind 15 amp fuse or near lower end. Check behind 15 amp fuse for overheating. Also look in open back area near bottom for burnt printed ground ground. See TECH TIP #1
TECH TIP #1


Test #2 Printed circuit board good and fan runs only, Remove power wires to Danfoss module and connect a fully charged 12 volt battery through a 15 amp fuse with correct polarity to Danfoss module Plus and Minus terminals. protect the lose wire ends removed from module. If compressor still does not run, try removing % amp fuse

Compressor still does nt run Problem may be the module Is the lable on module white or yellow.

[OzeLouie]

As suggested above, the problem is most likely power supply or a faulty MDM (motor driver module) Highly unlikely to be a compressor, refrigerant or refrigeration system mechanical problem.

A simple test:

Bridge out the lowest and third lowest terminals on the MDM (removing the brown and brown wires as per your picture first, then bridge. (See drawing below)

Using a good multi-meter connected to the negative and positive terminals (- & +) on the MDM as shown below, power up and read the voltage before and when the compressor starts or attempts to start.

The voltage reading with no load, before the compressor starts is meaningless, but do note that no-load voltage.

Next, continue to monitor the voltage as the compressor starts or attempts to start. If this voltage drops away by say a volt or more or below 10.8 volts then that confirms that most likely the power supply is the problem and that the compressor and the MDM is not at fault. If the compressor fails to start with only a small dip in voltage (fan) then the MDM is most likely faulty.

[Richard Kollmann]

https://youtu.be/r9FoE1uHzy8
Voltmeter testing will not detect low voltage spikes unless you have Superman's eyes.

[OzeLouie]

Originally Posted by Richard Kollmann

https://youtu.be/r9FoE1uHzy8
Voltmeter testing will not detect low voltage spikes unless you have Superman's eyes.

Richard, this emboldened above is totally incorrect advice:
Voltage drop, causing failure to start, is easily detected using a multi-meter as described in my post earlier and as the refrigeration industry recommends / recognises and as many readers here know. (Voltage drop not that strange invention called 'low voltage spikes' )

And anyone in doubt can simply confirm my test, on their own DC compressor at start up using their multi-meter and following the simple process we and most hands on refrigeration people use and endorse.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=be3JodoiC7U

OR..
https://www.keoghsmarine.com.au/isot...ed-on-computer

https://www.coastalclimatecontrol.co...dlIiwidGVzdCJd

.

[Richard Kollmann]

Louie, Technautics video and your links yes do all agree that low voltage when the duration of voltage drop is long enough that can be read on a volt meter is a good indicator of low voltage preventing compressor from starting a run cycle.

You fail to understand low voltage has always been detectable by Danfass BD modules incorporating a Low voltage LED. The voltage problems with the Danfoss modules every two weeks reported are in low voltage spikes not readable on voltmeters due too their short duration. Take the time to listen to all of Rich B Utube.


I have offered to test at no charge Danfoss control modules for twenty years because owner or technician claimed there was no voltage drop when compressor failed to start. I would not have made my offer of free service or the loan of a new testing modules if the low voltage check was not done first. I did sell over 200 replacement modules most for power transistor or component failures. Al though 40% tested were returned after completing a one hour at maximum loading with no trouble found.

[Richard Kollmann]

Louie, It is great you have good equipment and nice facilities support. You need to understand a boater miles or countries far away may not be technically equipped as you are and need simple non destructive advice to determine what is needed to solve their refrigerator problem. I base my advice on experience not unnatural beliefs as you suggest, I will again leave it up to the forum members to decide.

[robertmfranklin]

Great exchange with important information. Maybe take a file to the knife edge and smooth it out, if you get what I mean. The forum is so wonderful for us novices I'd like to see it stay real friendly.

Now my stupid novice question. Can you get frost on the holding plate in the ice box without the compressor running. As I see from the video a couple posts back it is possible for the fan to run without the compressor running.

Sometimes I think that is what is happening in my case, but the white box in my ice chect is frosting up ... a little.

[OzeLouie]

Originally Posted by robertmfranklin

Great exchange with important information. Maybe take a file to the knife edge and smooth it out, if you get what I mean. The forum is so wonderful for us novices I'd like to see it stay real friendly.

Now my stupid novice question. Can you get frost on the holding plate in the ice box without the compressor running. As I see from the video a couple posts back it is possible for the fan to run without the compressor running.

Sometimes I think that is what is happening in my case, but the white box in my ice chect is frosting up ... a little.

It is likely that you have a power supply problem. See post 19 here. The comp is most likely starting and stopping due to the voltage dropping away. Suggest you monitor the voltage at the comps MDM and watch for voltage change. If it shuts off on low voltage (which I suspect) the voltage will jump up.

[Richard Kollmann]

Originally Posted by robertmfranklin

Great exchange with important information. Maybe take a file to the knife edge and smooth it out, if you get what I mean. The forum is so wonderful for us novices I'd like to see it stay real friendly.

Now my stupid novice question. Can you get frost on the holding plate in the ice box without the compressor running. As I see from the video a couple posts back it is possible for the fan to run without the compressor running.

Sometimes I think that is what is happening in my case, but the white box in my ice chect is frosting up ... a little.

Robert you are addressing your problem the right way and following simple instructions will get you to a simple less frustrating less expensive solution. It might turn out after my two tests it is the module and I then loan out test modules at no cost to you except shipping.

[robertmfranklin]

Richard,

After some minor re-tightening of the wires going into my module, the system is now frosting up. In the interest of "doing no harm" I think I will leave well enough alone for now. As you suggested compressor problems are infrequent compared to electrical ones.

However, while I am focused on the system, I wonder if you might help me identify an adapter that would allow recharging, if it were ever needed. Now is the time for me to obtain the adapter.

I have looked extensively and can't find what I need.

My recharging port has a male thread with a female threaded cap. I have carefully removed the cap so there was no pressure on the soldered joint and covered the orifice temporarily with a piece of tape to keep it clean. Inside is a Schrader valve.

I happen to have an automotive recharge kit I hose, gauge and trigger, would like to use, if possible, but it has a quick connect fitting which will not attache to the threaded recharge tube. I expected a simple adapter would be available, but no.

Your suggestions, please.

Bob Franklin

[Richard Kollmann]

The pictures worked before so send pictures of the end hos fittings that connect to compressor and refrigerant bottle. Also the one on the refrigerant tap a can.
The cap on compressor service fitting is important with its seal inside as these valve cores leek very slowly over time.

With the above info I will send info you need available on AMOZON or I can get it for you.

[robertmfranklin]

Richard,

Terrific. I am going to return to the boat on Wednesday and put the cap back on. It was on fairly tight and now I understand why.

[Argyle38]

I'm having the same issue as the OP with my AB cold machine. The evaporator plate only gets really cold right near where the refrigerant enters/exits the plate. It's like there isn't enough refrigerant in the system or not enough pressure the push the refrigerant through all of the channels in the evaporator plate. I'm thinking that maybe some of the refrigerant may have leaked out but I'm not sure where. If that were the case, why would only some leak out but not all of it? It seems to me like if a hole developed in the copper tubing, I should get no cooling at all. I still get some, but it's very week.

Over the previous few weeks, I did have a thermostat issue that caused the system to run very high duty cycles (the t-stat switch wouldn't turn off). The cooling system seemed to be working fine, however, with everything in the cold plate freezing and plenty of frost. Perhaps running at a high duty cycle over-stressed something.

The compressor and fan both seem to be running. When the compressor runs it gets warm and I can feel the mechanism running what feels like normally. The current draw is strange. When it first starts up, there is a 6 Amp draw, which has been normal. Than, after a few minutes, the current drops down to just under 4 Amps. That is not normal behavior.

Pics of the system are below. Standard cold machine from sometime in the '90's. Simple Danfoss control box.

Any ideas on what I should look at in particular to suss out the issue? It may be time to replace the whole unit, but I'd hate to do that when it could be a servicing of the joints in the tubing and a re-charge of the coolant.

Thanks!