H290 Refrigeration

[Jon Bastien]

Hi everyone,

I have a Hunter 290, and the refrigeration unit has not worked since I bought the boat last year. I have done some minor troubleshooting, but still can't figure out what's broken-- It simply does not start, no matter what I do.

I'm considering replacing the whole thing. Does anyone know if there's enough space between the hull and the back wall of the ice box to install one of these?

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|406|10789|86418&id=323775

I'd check it myself, but the boat's in Florida and I'm in the Middle East for the time being.


And, just for those in-the-know, here are a few of the troubleshooting steps I've taken:

- There's voltage at the compressor, and I've run jumpers directly from the battery to the compressor to eliminate the possibility of corroded wiring.

- I've bypassed the thermostat, and still no start-up.

- I've heard that there's a fan circuit that must work on some models, but haven't tried to install (or bypass) one yet. There's no fan attached to my unit.

- I've also spotted some small cracks on the evaporator plate, so I suspect that it's actually a refrigerant leak (and a low-pressure cut-out in the compressor).

Ultimately, though, it doesn't run, and if the cracks in the evaporator are the culprit, it's going to take quite a bit of work to replace it. May be easier/cheaper in the long run just to replace it...

Thanks for any and all advice!

 

[Benny17441]

Get a marine refrigeration technician out there to survey the unit and give you an estimate to get it back up and running. For a small service call fee you can now make an informed decision and avoid second guesses.

 

[DeniseO30]

If your sure the Evap is cracked the refrigerant would be gone. To replace that and put the system in order by a tech may easily equal the cost of replacing it with a newer unit. If you call a tech be sure to ask them is they know how to work on small and domestic size refrigeration.

The one you have listed would be good if you have the space. But I'd suggest going with a condenser and evap like you have because you will have more flexibility for the install. Just follow the instructions to the letter you won't go wrong.

 

[onecoolair]

Hi everyone,

I have a Hunter 290, and the refrigeration unit has not worked since I bought the boat last year. I have done some minor troubleshooting, but still can't figure out what's broken-- It simply does not start, no matter what I do.

I'm considering replacing the whole thing. Does anyone know if there's enough space between the hull and the back wall of the ice box to install one of these?

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|406|10789|86418&id=323775

I'd check it myself, but the boat's in Florida and I'm in the Middle East for the time being.


And, just for those in-the-know, here are a few of the troubleshooting steps I've taken:

- There's voltage at the compressor, and I've run jumpers directly from the battery to the compressor to eliminate the possibility of corroded wiring.

- I've bypassed the thermostat, and still no start-up.

- I've heard that there's a fan circuit that must work on some models, but haven't tried to install (or bypass) one yet. There's no fan attached to my unit.

- I've also spotted some small cracks on the evaporator plate, so I suspect that it's actually a refrigerant leak (and a low-pressure cut-out in the compressor).

Ultimately, though, it doesn't run, and if the cracks in the evaporator are the culprit, it's going to take quite a bit of work to replace it. May be easier/cheaper in the long run just to replace it...

Thanks for any and all advice!

My freezer backs up to the galley sink. Part of unit is under galley sink on wall the cold machine part is in the freezer, much like this design. The difference is the compressor is separate and next to a/c under settee in front of galley. I would concider this adler unit for a replacement if that ever came to pass. Would just loose some space under my galley sink. But would pick up space else where. Looks like a very nice design. Some friends had a 29.5 and I believe this adler design may work, just would need to do a little farther investigation to confirm.
I hope the follow info below helps you make the right choice for you.
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The adler barbour cold machine rocks...