Life expectancy of refer components

[Stephen J Baltes]

How long should I expect A/B refrigeration components to last? I have a friend with a 1-2 year old Catalina 38 and he's had to replace the compressor already! Not sure but I gathered it was originally installed (Cat or the dealer, I don't know). That was going to be my first upgrade to the new Hunter 320 (on inland lake), but if it is going to be troublesome I might have to rethink that choice.

 

[Peter Brennan]

Pretty durable

The AB fridge system is usually very durable. There is just not much that can go wrong with it. The electronic module used to be prone to failure but not on the later models. Our boat came with a unit that apparently had been installed when the boat was new (1983). We had to replace the module when we bought the boat. I think because I did something wrong. Later, we had refrigerant leakage problem and had to recharge. Eventually following a fire on board the copper-aluminum joint at the evaporator broke which would have required a new evaporator and I elected to get a new system. There was never a problem with the compressor. Though I did not replace the AB with an AB, I think very highly of the AB. I replaced with a Frigoboat keel cooler unit.

 

[hp]

Life

Try the KeelCooler @ www.frigoboat.comIt has no fans or pumps and has proven itself to be one of the most reliable systems in the industry.