Refrigeration

recycle · #1 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008

My refrigeration is from 1994 and is not very effecient any more. I want to upgrade. I have a Adler Barbour DC with the freezer and a door over the freezer. Any suggestions on a replacement?

erps · #2 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008

You have a few choices on DC units. The one you have isn't a bad little unit, and if you install the right resistor to get the running speed you want, you can tweak your efficiency a bit. You'll probably want to check the condition of your refer box insulation. It doesn't last forever, it gets wet and loses it's insulating ability. Check out Richard Kohlman's website for more information.

sailingdog · #3 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008

Get an Engel unit.

recycle · #4 (**permalink**) 05-08-2008

Thanks for the input. It seems to run forever and never shut off. All the seals look good and I closed the doors on a dollar bill and it was hard to pull out so I think I have a good seal. It does shut off when I turn the thermostat from 0 to 7 it will turn off at around 5 when it's at 38 degrees. Once it starts back up it never shuts off. One of the lines from the compressor will have an inch of ice around it and the freezer will have a skim of ice around it.

chucklesR · #5 (**permalink**) 05-08-2008

I have a Dometic on board and love it. It's Propane powered, as is my Voyager 2500 oven and stove. I use a 20 pound tank every 3-4 weeks of constant running. It makes ice cubes nicely too.

artbyjody · #6 (**permalink**) 05-08-2008

I have one of those Waeco chest style fridge units and runs on DC and AC. And here is a suggestion. Sometimes buying one of the self contained units and stripping them of the parts and using them in your existing cooler can be more price point advantageous. Since the Waeco was for my Catalina and my Barberis has two coolers but non with fridgeration - I am going to gut mine and retro fit into my existing coolers.

Dometics are nicer as they can combine AC/DC/Propane as the power source (my rv has that kind).

recycle · #7 (**permalink**) 05-08-2008

Propane, never thought of that.

hellosailor · #8 (**permalink**) 05-08-2008

recylce-
"Once it starts back up it never shuts off." That could be the sign of a $5 relay which has worn out. The relay contact points eventually burn and can arc-weld shut when they get old, leaving the circuit stuck "on" forever.
The expensive fix is a new $5 ($10?) relay. The traditional fix is to get a "relay point file" from a shop that still sells tools for ignition point relays, and gently polish the relay points smooth again. If you can't find one of those fossils, you can use a double-extra-fine nail file (glass or crystal type) or a piece of 600-grit or finer sandpaper doubled over so it sand both sides at once.

When cars "all" had ignition points and replacing them was a part of every tuneup (and they cost something like 10 gallons of gas? 20?) it was routine to polish the points that way, to prevent them from sticking.

If you're lucky--that's all it is, a minor control failure, nothing in the AC lines themselves.

recycle · #9 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008

Any ideas where I can find the relay? I also thought about changing the thermostat. This is the first boat I own with refrigeration.

erps · #10 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008

The fact that it shuts off when you turn your thermostat up to 5 rules out a relay in my opinion, after all, it did shut off. If it runs all the time and you can't get your box temperature below 38, to me that's either such poor box insulation that the refer unit can't keep up with the heat leaking back into the box or the refrigerant level is funny, which affects efficiency.

You really should check this site out:
KollmannMarine Boat Refrigeration Specialist