12v refrigeration advice

[Catpainzmcspice]

My sailboat once was fitted with a icebox pump which long ago died. Repairing or replacing the galley ice box has never been on my list of things to do. My mini fridge works just fine.

But this week I came across this unit for free. Now my interest is piqued.

It looks about the same size as the old one. It's 12v.

I don't know anything whatsoever about refrigeration. Is a refit possible? Difficult? Is it worth it to transplant this pump? How about those wires... any clue?

Any helpful links or insight for reworking or installing sailboat ice boxes would be well received!

Ok, thanks!

[KestrelBuck]

There are many Adler Barbour in service out there. The company is now owned by Dometic.

Recently the little cooling fan on mine gave up the ghost. Dometic does not seem to have parts support for the adler-barbour product line on their web site. I was able to find the fan at RParts - www.rparts.com.

Originally the A-B were made for the DIY market. They came to the buyer already charged with refrigerant. Ergo, the original installation process was pretty simple.

As far as a retrofit to an existing evaporator or holding plate, I'll defer to the reefer gurus on the forum.

[Jentine]

This site has all the information you need. KollmannMarine Boat Refrigeration Specialist

[redcobra]

Check here.
Waeco is now a division of Dometic and the AB Cold machine and Super Cold Machine are sold through this division.
WAECO mobile solutions - Cooling units

[MarkJ]

If the unit is being given away then that would mean its been replaced because its not good enough.

Could you be taking on a problem?

[Catpainzmcspice]

Those are excellent links. Thank you!

I live aboard and my fridge is on the dock. An inboard icebox would be a leap in my quality of life. :0)

[Catpainzmcspice]

Mark, you've raised another question....

I work for a boatyard company in seattle. One of our yards is shutting its doors and we, the employees, are being granted a free-for-all on 30 years of boat parts strewn about. I laid claim to this reefer unit. It had a label which said "spare. " very curious.

I'd really like to know if there's a way to test the unit before I even try to install it.

[hellosailor]

spice, that's not refered to as a pump, it is a refrigeration compressor unit.

You can't test it for functionality without having it hooked up to the rest of a system, so you can actually find out if it is compressing refrigerant and maintaining correct flow and pressure. All you can do is see it it runs at all, versus being frozen up. (Nothing to do with cold, but with being seized.)

And the first thing you need to do is find out which refrigerant (R12? R134a? R22?) the compressor is rated for, and which one was in your old system. You can't just mix 'em up although you can debate about flushing and converting them.

A system marked "spare" should be plugged or capped if it isn't fitted with self-sealing vlaves, because any moisture in the system mixes with the old freon and forms acid that eats things out fro the inside. That also applies the the parts on your boat.

So, yes, a spare compressor assembly MIGHT be all you need. If it matches up to the rest of your system, if both sides were sealed or are in good condition, (and if it was tagged as a s"spare" one hopes it was working and put away properly to preserve it) and then all you need is the correct refrigerant, a vacuum pump, and a set of gauges to match that refrigerant. And if it needs a refrigerant that you can't legally buy, just beware that there's a thriving business in counterfeit products out there too. Some professional aid, or simply hiring a pro, may not be a totally bad idea on this.
Refrigeration is easy: Like poker, or pro basketball.<G>

[Catpainzmcspice]

Hah! Too true, Sailor. As you politely and elegantly hinted, this unit is most likely worth more to me at the marine consignment shop than in my sailboat.

I'm going to bench this whim and focus back on repairing the blisters in my bottom. *slightly* more important.

Thanks again