Cold Plate is Hot?

[T37Chef]

Yes yes yes...I know, refrigeration is often overlooked until its breaks down.

Well we finally had the boat out today for the first time this season...loooong overdue...anyway, the "cold" plate wasn't cold at all, in fact it got hot????

It's a water cooled engine driven system and according to the PO, he and his "engineer" brother designed it . I guess I just ignored that when he told me. So I cant find any thing to identify what was used to build it.

I am thinking it has to do with a hose/leak in the cooling system as there was some water in the bilge thats not usually there. (at the time I thought the unusual water was the new shaft seal needing adjustment) Perhaps it didn't get a good winterizing and caused something to fail????

It has always worked well, with-in an hour it was frozen solid, and just needed about 30 minutes a day to recharge, even in the summer.

Thoughts please.

I tried google and a search but didn't come up with much info.

[denby]

When you say hot the plate is actually heating up?

[denby]

In reading your post again and thinking this over, you have a water problem. There is no water getting into the condenser.

[T37Chef]

yes, it got hot, sounds like a H2O issue uh.

[Sailormann]

cooled engine driven system

Hmm - were you reversing a lot ? Maybe it cools down when you go forward and heats up when you go backwards ???

[denby]

Originally Posted by T37Chef

yes, it got hot, sounds like a H2O issue uh.

Yes it dose sound like the refrigerant is not being cooled so the entire system will warm up. Take a look at the water cooled condenser, the problem is there.
I won't be around tomorrow until late so if you have any more questions I'll get back to you. Let me know how it works out.

[denby]

Originally Posted by Sailormann

Hmm - were you reversing a lot ? Maybe it cools down when you go forward and heats up when you go backwards ???

I know you're being funny but for general knowledge it makes no differance which way a direct drive piston compressor spins. I had to reverse a 30 hp 3 phase compressor that was locked up the other day to get it running till I can get a crane in to replace it.

[denby]

T37Chef,

What was the problem? Or did you fix it yet.

[T37Chef]

I think its got a mind of its own, it seemed to fix itself, or at least close to what it is supposed to do...fiqure that out????

It still isn't freezing as quickly as it had, normally it would freeze in about 60-70 minutes, and just needed a 30 minute recharge each day.

What do you think about removing the coil and looking at it. If I do that I would need to change the filter and recharge the system???

[denby]

Originally Posted by T37Chef

I think its got a mind of its own, it seemed to fix itself, or at least close to what it is supposed to do...fiqure that out????

It still isn't freezing as quickly as it had, normally it would freeze in about 60-70 minutes, and just needed a 30 minute recharge each day.

What do you think about removing the coil and looking at it. If I do that I would need to change the filter and recharge the system???

No don't open the refrigeration system. Can you reverse the water flow throw the condenser?