freezer working intermittently Oceanis 50

[Zest]

hi, our freezer on 2001 Bruce Farr design is being temperamental. it works fine some days perhaps for a few hours or longer then stops working.
we had had 2 engineers look at it . the first said there was too little gas and added more and it worked for a day. The second said there was too much gas and took some out and it worked for 2 days then stopped. the fridge is fine.
the boat in now sailing from st Maarten to Panama and the crew are perplexed?
has anyone had the same problem and got any suggestions? thanks very much for any ideas

 

[Gunni]

What model? The Adler-Barbour (now Dometic) have an indicator LED that blinks a trouble code. Typical problems include overheated compressor from dust clogging the condenser radiator. The unit will cut off to protect itself. Carefully vacuum/brush radiator clean. Make sure the unit has good ventilation.

 

[Zest]

What model? The Adler-Barbour (now Dometic) have an indicator LED that blinks a trouble code. Typical problems include overheated compressor from dust clogging the condenser radiator. The unit will cut off to protect itself. Carefully vacuum/brush radiator clean. Make sure the unit has good ventilation.

hi
the fridge is working fine so i dont think it has to do with the compressor or it would affect both. do you agree? i will find out the model from the crew. thanks for the information.

 

[Gunni]

Need more information about the configuration of your install. Try Beneteau and have your HIN available.

 

[Mike B]

Zest like Gunni said have them clean the fins on the compressor. Dust can build up on them and reduce performance considerably. It's a long shot but has solved problems on my 43 which has similiar compressors. Also if they can reach them have them reseat all the connections to the powerboard on the compressor. Low voltage issues will cause the compressor to fault out. Once it does it tries to restart after a couple of minutes. It will continue to do this periodically until the problem is resolved. Good luck and let us know if they fix it.
Mike

 

[Jentine]

I had a great laugh

at your expense. I was most amused about the two engineers adding and removing the refrigerant. I had the same situation a couple of years ago and to date have not resolved the problem. I have found that it is not dust and dirt, it is not gas, it is not the thermostat, in fact ............... it isn't anything. The problem is most prevalent after defrosting the system but usually resolves itself in a couple of days.
What I have done to resolve the frustration is to never shut the system down even when defrosting it. This lessens the time it has a temper tantrum. I leave the setting at 4 and let the freezer run as long as it wants and when it reaches the desired point (only the mythical creature that lives within knows) it will cycle on and off as intended.
On thing that throws a monkey wrench into the formula is the refrigerator which is a spill-over system and had a direct effect on the freezer. It is especially bothersome when the engine is running and since the engine is adjacent to the refrigerator, it generates heat that is unwanted.
Well, that should be enough information to add to the confusion.........just remember, you are not alone.

Jim