Refrigeration - Evaporator vs. Holding Plate

[sailcrazy]

As another point of reference...we have a water-cooled, open wheel Bitzer compressor system that drives 2 old Grunert holding plates in our freezer and 1 larger old Grunert holding plate in our refer (via switching solonoids). I (not a refer engineer or technician) designed/selected the components and assembled them into the present system from a stateside supply house in 2002. I've had an issue with the compressor inlet rubber hose connection, and have had to add refrigerant 3-4 times since. And I've changed the filter/dryer twice and had an expansion valve go south once since initial installation. It runs off shore power or the genset, and we run it 2x/day,every day.....and absolutely NO issues with the strainer-cooling water pump-outflow. For us, who have been in the tropics(Philippines, Thailand,Asia) the Medd, and now the Caribb the whole time, water cooling has been a total no-brainer......works good, lasts a long time!

[Richard Kollmann]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

I've already been banned from that thread...ha ha ha....

Rich, The only way you could be banned is because you have the most reliable energy efficient beer cooler refrigeration that can be operated on free power from wind or solar.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Richard Kollmann

Rich, The only way you could be banned is because you have the most reliable energy efficient beer cooler refrigeration that can be operated on free power from wind or solar.

Trust me, there are other ways for Rich to get banned . . . .

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by Exile

Trust me, there are other ways for Rich to get banned . . . .

As easy as a quick thumb type and "Submit Reply" before I even get out of the bunk in the morning.....

[newhaul]

You ought to pop over its getting ridiculous as normal when certain people show up in threads involving CC

[Typhoon]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

The Good:
The Pacific Sail and Power Boat Show is over and I'm flying back home to La Paz, Mexico.

The Bad:
There was a mudwrestling party on Cruisers Forum but I was too busy taking orders to play in the mud pit and missed the fun.....damn....

I missed all the action as well . We were doing the same thing . Working the spring boat show in Annapolis . The weather was a little cool but the sun was out and it was a great turn out . . We always enjoy doing the shows and meeting fellow boaters . As for the mud fight , glad to have missed it . I hope the opening poster got the answers he needed to help sort out his system .

One thing for sure , if I was a new forum member I would be a little hesitant to ask a refrigeration question here .

Regards John

[Richard Kollmann]

Originally Posted by ColdEh Marine

I missed all the action as well . We were doing the same thing . Working the spring boat show in Annapolis . The weather was a little cool but the sun was out and it was a great turn out . . We always enjoy doing the shows and meeting fellow boaters . As for the mud fight , glad to have missed it . I hope the opening poster got the answers he needed to help sort out his system .

One thing for sure , if I was a new forum member I would be a little hesitant to ask a refrigeration question here .

Regards John

John, If you would not go to this forum looking for answer to mobile refrigeration questions where would you recommend some one look for help. If it were technical trouble hopefully an interested person with a question would consult the manufacturers web sites. If the manufactures web site does not provide assistance in typical repairs or service bulletins and sales person can’t help what do you suggest? We all can not go to boat shows and if we could I now of three companies now four at US boat shows that have technical sales representatives present.

[john61ct]

the point of the comment was actually:

This forum would be much more useful for noobies if the experts focused more on just being helpful, reduced their arguing a bit, maintaining a friendlier tone.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by john61ct

the point of the comment was actually:

This forum would be much more useful for noobies if the experts focused more on just being helpful, reduced their arguing a bit, maintaining a friendlier tone.

Oh but they've been extremely helpful and friendly, even though it does present a dilemma for a sailor who's more focused on cold beer and frozen ice cream than reefer mechanics & theory. Forget about evaporative vs. eutectic plates, water or air-cooled compressors, saving the last few amps of our batteries, or gaining the last couple of degrees of cooling in our reefer boxes. I now know I may need to choose CoolBlue on account of all the laughs from Rich, or maybe one from Seafrost because of their track record on my boat, or possibly a unit from ColdEH because of their outstanding taste in boats, and definitely have to consider one from OzePete because . . . well . . . I like Australia. All of the most critical factors to make an informed buying decision are now in place.

[Typhoon]

Originally Posted by Richard Kollmann

John, If you would not go to this forum looking for answer to mobile refrigeration questions where would you recommend some one look for help. If it were technical trouble hopefully an interested person with a question would consult the manufacturers web sites. If the manufactures web site does not provide assistance in typical repairs or service bulletins and sales person can’t help what do you suggest? We all can not go to boat shows and if we could I now of three companies now four at US boat shows that have technical sales representatives present.

Hi Richard

Just wanted to say thank you for helping Foeboat get that evaporator plate that I sent him up and running.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...4a-200233.html

Your advice and expertise was right on, as usual . We were to busy to help this time .

As you know, I think the forums are a great resource and I post often when I can be of help . People can also contact me directly through our web site or even call if need be .

Thanks again Richard

Regards John.

[Typhoon]

Originally Posted by Exile

Oh but they've been extremely helpful and friendly, even though it does present a dilemma for a sailor who's more focused on cold beer and frozen ice cream than reefer mechanics & theory. Forget about evaporative vs. eutectic plates, water or air-cooled compressors, saving the last few amps of our batteries, or gaining the last couple of degrees of cooling in our reefer boxes. I now know I may need to choose CoolBlue on account of all the laughs from Rich, or maybe one from Seafrost because of their track record on my boat, or possibly a unit from ColdEH because of their outstanding taste in boats, and definitely have to consider one from OzePete because . . . well . . . I like Australia. All of the most critical factors to make an informed buying decision are now in place.

Nice Boat Exile

[Richard Kollmann]

Originally Posted by ColdEh Marine

Hi Richard

Just wanted to say thank you for helping Foeboat get that evaporator plate that I sent him up and running.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...4a-200233.html

Your advice and expertise was right on, as usual . We were to busy to help this time .

As you know, I think the forums are a great resource and I post often when I can be of help . People can also contact me directly through our web site or even call if need be .

Thanks again Richard

Regards John.

John, I was not aware that Foeboat had added refrigerant with stop leak additive mixed in refrigerant. It was a big mistake to use stop leak in this system. There is only a small chance that system is not destroyed based on amount and type of sealant that actually interred system. The new refrigerant sealers used to stop leaks in automobiles is activated when exposed to moisture and air and will continue to block refrigerant flow in a system operating with only 120 grams of refrigerant. We will know more when he answers my last post. John You may want to Email him.

[Typhoon]

Thanks Richard , I saw you had the ball and did not read the entire thread .

I will drop him a line as you suggested .

Stop leak is a very bad idea . As you said I hope he didn’t trash it .

Regards John

[hellosailor]

john-
Other than "seawater is cheap" why would you use "polar tubes" when it is so simple to make your own eutectic solution, or to buy the plastic bottles of "blue goo" that are used to keep thermos chests cold? Much better at holding cold than plain seawater.

[john61ct]

Sheer ignorance, 8-)

seawater was a step up from H2O

Originally Posted by hellosailor

when it is so simple to make your own eutectic solution

links to howto, retail supply sources in the US would be appreciated.

I want specific sized tubing to optimize the fit in the target coolboxen.

I suppose if the blue cubes are cheap enough in bulk, could just cut them up and transfer their solution.