Hunter 460, is the refrigerator/freezer supposed to work on batteries?

JamesG161 · Jun 25, 2016

I discovered my H 430 ran only on 120VAC.
You can use your inverter and house batteries, but batteries get sucked down so fast.

I had it nearly kill my batteries when shore power was cut off by a nearby land lightning strike.

So now due to @Maine Sail suggestion I leave my Inverter OFF.

I now only invert when I have guests who expect the 120VAC plugs to work

Or maybe to recharge the Admiral iPad.

Jim...

FastOlson · Jun 25, 2016

Basic trouble shooting... check and see if your fridge compressor is wired to your 12 volt breaker panel. Is there a refrigeration breaker on that 12 volt panel? Is that the "switch" you use to turn the reefer on and off?

Loren

JamesG161 · Jun 25, 2016

Brad Gielissen said:
mine won't even run with the inverter

That is a good thing, I think.

Here is mine Grünert... I have the cold plate model , but they list the other styles in this link...
http://www.marinespecialists.com/marineairsystems/grunert/body.html

What we do, is turn it on a few days before a cruise, then buy 2 bags of ice to put in freezer, plus 1 gallon of frozen homemade tea.

No genset/shore power... the box stays ≈20-25 F° for 12-14 hrs. At anchor and ready for a batt charge, start the Genset and Frig for 2 hours and fix supper, sleep and rise, another 2 hours in morning before weighing anchor.

4 Day later we still have 1 bag of ice. Most by beverage consumption.

Jim...

Benny17441 · Jun 26, 2016

In many of the larger boats where generators are commonly found Hunter installed 120V refrigerators. They provide much larger fridge and freezer capacities. When away from shorepower and with the generator Off they will run on the inverter drawing power from the batteries. Check your inverter connections as apparently it is signaling that it is not getting adequate voltage from the batteries. Always remember to pre-cool your unit with shorepower instead of with the batteries.

Mikem · Jun 26, 2016

My 2003, 466 has 12v refrigerator and freezer. No need to invert. As mentioned earlier check your circuit breaker panel for 12vdc or 120vac.

Stu Jackson · Jun 27, 2016

Yes, in order to even begin to answer this question, you need to tell us what make of fridge and whether it is 12V, 120V or both. Yup, some can do both. Please let us know so we can help you.

Terry Cox · Jun 27, 2016

Our 1991 P42 came equipped with a freezer and refrigerator that operate 12VDC. Both Adler Barbour units work great keeping the beer cold and the frozen food frozen. Not sure why someone would have equipped the boat with 120VAC units unless they had no plans to ever leave the slip. What more can I add.

Mikem · Jun 28, 2016

My Adler Barbour units will run on batteries for 2 days, that's from a 900ah bank.

JamesG161 · Jun 28, 2016

Brad Gielissen said:
Just boggles me mind that they would not make this where it would run on 12v...

How about one that needs no genset/shore power or battery to run?

SMAD Gas Refrigerator, 3-Way Absorption Refrigerator, 40L

Uses Propane.
Jim...

PS: There are many of those gas types and style for RV use too. Our 120VAC Model can freeze a beer

.
Amazing how you can catch fish, filet them, and keep them fresh without ice or when we anchor and run the Genset, same as shore power , why not the frig? It is perhaps a luxury on our cruiser.

Each to his own.

Don Lucas · Jun 29, 2016

Brad Gielissen said:
Okay,
I am confused on this subject. I purchased my 2001 Hunter 460 in December. I was under the impression that the refrigerator and freezer were supposed to work off the batteries if off shore and without the genset working. From the first I tried doing this it would trip the inverter (Heart Freedom 25, 2500 watts). I replaced both batteries (8d) and the problem still continues. Can anyone with experience with similar setup give me an some insight and what I might have to do to run on batteries?

Will the inverter power something else? Try powering some other load from it to see it is trip the inverter.

My 2001 410 has 12V DC refrigeration. I'm surprised that Hunter would have used a different panel for the 460 as that seems to not be a good manufacturing cost method. Do you have your boat manual as mine has a whole section about running the refrigeration.

jlp0217 · Jun 29, 2016

Come on guys, read the OP's post. Though he does not adequately describe his system it is clearly a 120 V system. What your 12 System does is of no immediate interest to him.
My 120 VAC Refer draws about 5 amps. That would be 50+ amps at 12 V through an inverter, or 600 Watts, Any inverter that large or larger should be able to power it until the batteries get drained.

OP: You should check the specs on your inverter, and the refer and to see that it should work. When it doesn't work, you need to check the current draw of the fridge and any other AC devices on the Inverter and determine whether the load is to great, the inverter too small, or a bad breaker on the inverter or some other system fault. A cheap clamp on ammeter is all you need, but if not comfortable with making such checks, you should get help from someone qualified.

Again of no interest to the OP, my AC fridge is not wired to the inverter, nor is the water heater. but I do have an engine mounted compressor. Running the engine for 1/2 hour 2 times a day keeps my fridge and freezer cold, and the hot water hot.

Jim

Tkeeth · Jul 5, 2016

My 97 430 would not work without generator. Compressor was wore out and drew too many amps. I cut the old unit out and put in modern 12/120v vitrifrigio units.

29palmsailor · Jul 8, 2016

Brad:
I have a 2000 Hunter 460 with a Gruenart Cold Plate system and it will only run from shore power or genset. I would love to get it to run off inverter but no luck yet. My system also uses salt water cooling and isn't working well as it should as it never cycles off, sea water always pumping, but this coming Friday I'm getting it serviced and fixed.

I contacted Hunter and was able to get them to help me find a PDF version of the Hunter 460 owners manual. It's posted on one of my blog posts if you're interested in downloading it from there or printing as an extra.

The fridge and freezer are a work in progress as we prep for travel in 2018.

The site is livefree2sailfast.com, hope it helps.

JamesG161 · Jul 8, 2016

29palmsailor said:
isn't working well as it should as it never cycles off, sea water always pumping,

I have the Grünert cold plate too.
Look for door leaks, maybe put a wash cloth in drain to allow water drips out, but no air back flow.
If my cold plates frosts up fast, I look for air leaks, thaw and then with cold stuff inside it cycles.
Jim...

29palmsailor · Jul 8, 2016

Jim, thanks, never thought of the towel. But we did block the drain hole completely, didn't help. I think I need freon. Bought the boat in early 2015 and have never serviced the system, so it's probably time and I'll learn how to do it by watching

But it never cycles, so I think it's a freon issue- thanks for the reply

Hunter 460, is the refrigerator/freezer supposed to work on batteries?

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