adler barber water cooled fridge or freezer

Stu Jackson · Jul 30, 2012

Have you tried obtaining the manuals for the unit. Either someone here might have it or do some internet sleuthing. Good luck, looks like a nice unit. Adler Barbour is now Dometic.

waternwaves · Jul 30, 2012

how long was it off

iwillmott · Jul 31, 2012

i am having freezer problems also and i was told if the cold plate does not complrtrly frost over that the r134 may be low- maybe O rings leaking?

Richard Kollmann · Jul 31, 2012

Your system is of a Crosby design taken over by Adler Barbour about 15 years ago and is either an engine driven compressor or a 12 volt belt driven compressor refrigeration system.

Your picture is of the high pressure switch and it is set correctly set at 200 psi safety shut off if water cooling ever stops or high pressure ever exceeds 200 psi. The 40 psi is its differential setting so when pressure drops 40 psi to 160 psi compressor will restart. In normal use this switch will never need to operate.

There should be another switch for low pressure with a pressure scale range from -30 inches of vacuum to 40 psi at the top, what are its needles set at? Maybe 15 psi and 5 psi differential are what you find on low pressure switch settings.

Is their a manual thermostat in one of the boxes to operate an electric solenoid to stop refrigerant flow to refrigerator? Box temperatures will depend on how long the refrigerant is pumped to each holding plate when compressor is running. Box temperature several minutes after compressor stops will normalize to the holding plate’s eutectic solution’s freeze point Plus about 10 degrees.

There is a refrigerant sight glass near the outlet line of compressor/condenser assembly. After unit has run for a while describe what you see in sight glass window?

When system is balanced correctly compressor needs only to run long enough to freeze plates solid, one to two hours depending on size of compressor. Pictures of components would help.

Richard Kollmann · Aug 1, 2012

From the pictures system is 110 or 220 volt AC seawater cooled system two holding plates in series and a single refrigerant Thermo Expansion Valve (TEV).

Only one pressure switch found High Pressure.

Superheat control by TEV is monitored by temperature change of evaporator coils in both plates. With no separate temperature control of each box. Difference in freeze point of holding plate solution will control each box’s temperature some time after compressor stops.

There must be a way to control compressor’s running time or compressor will run too long wasting energy and damaging compressor. Compressor appears to be ½ HP or larger meaning it could freeze both plates solid in one hour per day.

Generally systems like this one would have a thermostat or a low pressure switch to stop compressor when plates are frozen. Some systems control run time with a mechanical wind up one hour timer. If you can not find a low pressure switch or a timer then I guess previous owner used a circuit breaker or switch to manually control compressor

Several things will depend on how long compressor runs daily, box size, air and seawater temperatures, holding plate size, desired box temps and insulation. I would start planning on one hour run time twice a day after extensive running time the first day.

First step is to test systems overall performance yourself visually and touch without tools.

Begin with system as warn as possible holding plates. If boat is equipped with an AC ammeter record amperage before starting refrigerator then again 15 minutes after turning compressor on and record both in log book.

After recording amperage if you were able to open box first picture with expansion valve on top of plate and locate where the larger line is connected. After 15 minutes that large line nut will be +10 degrees F or colder. To tell if refrigerant flow is good place a slightly damp finger on nut if it feels like finger tries to stick to nut valve is working.

Next you need to test seawater condenser coil temperature to see how well it is cooling refrigerant. The white coil that circles around black refrigerant can is the condenser. VERY HOT Refrigerant from compressor inters condenser and after leaving condenser it is cooled and filtered. Touch Blue painted filter it should be only slightly warm. Record filter temperature cool, body temperature, slightly warm or hot.

Do you know what refrigerant is in this unit R12, R22, 134a.?

After system runs for about one hour report what you see in sight glass is it, Clear, ¼ full of liquid looks like a small stream, or is it a river filling 1//2 available space? Run compressor one more hour and report what you see in sight glass. A full sigh glass sometimes will look the same full or empty of liquid but if liquid color will and clarity is different.

Claude L.-Auger · Aug 3, 2012

If I'm not mistaken, Richard is an authority on refrigeration and has even written a book. You might want to get it to help your friend help you. good luck

adler barber water cooled fridge or freezer

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Stu Jackson

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waternwaves

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iwillmott

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Richard Kollmann

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Richard Kollmann

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Claude L.-Auger

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