Reefer Questions

[norules]

We have a 2005 Cyclades 51.5 Beneteau with two refers, one water cooled unit in the island and one air cooled in the galley. Both seem to work poorly at best. We have checked them out and everything we can maintenance is working. What is the best way to get them working properly? One fellow said compressors were old and shot? FYI we don't want to spend a fortune retrofitting to new units. Thanks in advance for your experience and help.

[Mycroft]

Not enough information. Is this a new-to-you boat?

Did they work well before? Until when?

What are the symptoms that make you say they perform poorly?

[scuba0_1]

You have a 10 year old fridge lucky if the ones in the house last that long

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[norules]

Boast is new to us. refers work OK, just not working consistently. Voltage issues have been rules out. I think my question is.....If the compressors are replaced can we expect refers to work better? Do the compressors wear out after time? What else in the refer system might wear out after 10 years?

[motaman9]

What brand are they? Do you have gauges to check your refrigerant gas levels? Are the fans running? Do the compressors vibrate when running or start and then stop? If they run what's the surface temperature of the compressors? What do your evaporator plates look like ? Frosty? Frozen or just cold and sweaty? I have had more than one tech tell me that as long as you don't let the compressors run dry without refrigerant to lubricate them you should get a very, very long service life out of them. I always start by checking the thermostats on our units. Bypass them on the controller and if they run better replace the T-stats. Also, make sure your T-stats aren't covered with items in the fridge.


www.learntoliveaboard.com

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by scuba0_1

You have a 10 year old fridge lucky if the ones in the house last that long

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My current one in my house was purchased in 1996, I did have to replace a thermostat a few years ago, the outside is beginning to show rust, wife is after me to buy another one, but we leave for cruising in two years, and it looks like hell, but works fine, I know I will have to replace it to keep her happy.
I did replace the one in my boat last week, it was working fine, just undersized for a 15 cu ft box that I have, it was an Adler Barbor Super Cold Machine, circa late 1980's.

Ten years is not old for a quality compressor from my experiences with them.


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[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by norules

If the compressors are replaced can we expect refers to work better?

No, I see people make this mistake all the time.
They put in a new compressor, and in the process of recharging get the system running good again. So they "think" the new compressor fixed the problem when all it really needed was to have the charge fixed. The only winner here is the refrigeration tech who played the "lets replace parts to figure it out game" on your dollar.

Originally Posted by norules

Do the compressors wear out after time?

Everything has a useful life, but a 10 yr old compressor, heck it could have plenty more life left in it.

Originally Posted by norules

What else in the refer system might wear out after 10 years?

The No 1 issue with Marine Refrigeration systems that I see when they are not cooling properly and running more than they should is a Refrigerant charge problem. The No 2 issue isn't a problem with the system itself, but with poor box insulation in a hot environment. If the best performing system in the world is put in a box with crappy insulation or has a volume larger than the compressor can handle in a hot environment, it just can't keep up with the incoming heat. The system could be working cherry but simply not able to handle the load of the box.

So what else can wear out?
Not much since most of the parts in a refrigerant system on non-moving or aging parts. All you really have moving is Refrigerant Gas, A pumping compressor, Electronic Controller, Fan to cool condensing unit, Thermostat to turn it on and off, and then either an expansion valve or fixed orifice. Of these the most common failure point is a leak of refrigerant gas.

There are lots of smart folks here on CF that can help you figure this out, but we need info...data:
some photos
give us the make/model of your refrigeration system
What's the CF of your boxes

The more data we can see from you it narrows down the "my brother in law, sisters cousin's best friend" type of advice and pure guess work, of better known as a WAG (Wild ASS Guess). We would much rather be making a SWAG (Scientific Wild Ass Guess) with a little more data.

Good luck!

[roverhi]

The big problem with manufacturer installed refrigeration systems is the insulation in the icebox. They don't put anywhere near enough insulation around the box so the compressor has to work overtime to maintain a cool temp. Ball park imsulation thickness for the rigid insulation from building stores is 4" sides and bottom for a frig and 6" for a freezer. Top insulation should 2" and 4" respectively. That's a lot of space taken up which cuts down on the size of the box or increases the space necessary which doesn't sell boats to the dockominium crowd. There are space age insulations which have drastically less thickness requirements but also drastically hire costs.

[kentobin]

Not enough information. Are they not getting cold enough? Using to much current? Cycling to often? Are you using holding plates?

[Moonos]

Water cooled refer. That made me laugh.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by Moonos

Water cooled refer. That made me laugh.

New to boating?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Moonos

Water cooled refer. That made me laugh.

Called a Bong

[Moonos]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

New to boating?

Is refer a marine way of mentioning refrigeration? I'm a refrigeration mechanic and I've never heard it called refer before.

I'm new to sakling, but not new to boating.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by Moonos

Is refer a marine way of mentioning refrigeration? I'm a refrigeration mechanic and I've never heard it called refer before.

I'm new to sakling, but not new to boating.

Yes, Refer is short hand for Refrigerator.

Opps....cultural slang.

Pot...Refer...marijuana...cannabis...
I'm sure the list of nick names and slang is long!

[senormechanico]

It used to be called a "reefer".
Actually both refrigerator and marijuana cigarettes were called reefers.

From Urban Dictionary:

reefer
slang for marijuana; refers to a joint, bowl, plant, or sac of marijuana

refer
REFER:

An abbreviated term used to identify the common-place, everyday, plain old "refrigerator".


Bart the bone-head keeps his reefer in the refer.