Waeco Weary

[sailorstan]

Kind Folks:
I've had it with the Waeco frige and have decided to replace it. I understand Catalina quit using Waecos and now uses Isotherms. Are Isotherms any better? I'd welcome any suggestions for a reliable frige replacement. Many Thanks.
Stan Brown
s/v Intrepid
Fairhope, AL

 

[Stu Jackson]

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=1052741&highlight=fridge

 

[jsalley]

Before you trash the Waeco, you might want to check a couple of things. First, the rectifier that senses AC voltage and converts it to 24V DC for the fridge, or passes through the boat's 12VDC when no shore power is present, often fails (it's the small black box in the cockpit locker that plugs into the AC outlet in the locker). I replaced mine 3 times with the same unit, which is pretty inexpensive, then finally wised up and spent the money on an Isotherm rectifier (about $225 from Defender, I think) and have had no further problems with it. The original rectifier is cheaply made and fails due to overheating, whereas the Isotherm is much heavier duty and better constructed. Second, check in this forum for the recent thread I posted on improving refrigerator ventilation. That, more than anything, has improved the performance of the Waeco fridge. I, too, was going to give up and replace the Waeco with an Isotherm until I saw the cost. The replacement of the crappy original rectifier and creation of the exhaust air vent into the cockpit locker seem to have resolved the Waeco's issues.

 

[jsalley]

There was a thread on this forum back in May 2011 on replacement of the Waeco with an Isotherm Indel 85L, which is an exact fit in the cabinetry (I'm using the mobile site, so can't insert the link, but you should be able to do a search on the 309 forum to find it). The OP got the Isotherm fridge directly from Catalina Yachts for $950, which he said was a 20% discount from retail.

 

[tahomathundr]

I just had to replaced the rectifier on my 309 and I used the same type as the original and it was $84 at a Waeco supplier in Seattle. My original lasted 7 yrs but quit working on the AC side not the DC side as most have done. That will give you a cost idea if you do the work yourself. The hardest part is cleaning out the locker and getting inside to do the work. Bob

 

[michaeel]

Thanks jsalley...My frig went out and it was the $70 rectifier...I was about to replace the frig until I read this post!