My wife and I have recently puchased a 2001 Hunter 380. We seem to have a problem getting our fridge and ice box cold enough. Both units are set on the lowest setting they will go. The fridge just does not get things that cold and the freezer will not freeze anything. We tried keeping a bag of ice in the freezer but, that just very slowly melts away over a long weekend. This is the first boat we have owned that has refrigeration, are our expectations just too high. I can't figure out which model was installed and I'm not sure of it's operation. Is it tied in with the AC function of our boat? Does it cool from water intake or just forced cold air? I've looked at the units on board and they look as if they are two separate compressors.
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Bob Pugh
FreezerRefrigeration
I own a new Hunter 380 also. The refrigeration unit is run off of a fan between the two (2) "boxes". Their is only one compressor in mine and it runs the freezer. It is a direct DC link to a cold plate. The closer the item is to this plate, the colder the item will be. We have not had a problem so I would suggest that you immediately turn this in for a warranty repair. One suggestion that someone gave me that I will pass along: The freezer/refrigeartor pulls 5 amps per hour. When in the slip/dock with AC power, turn the temperature control down low. When you leave, set them at 3 or so. This should keep your items cold without unduly draining your battery. I did have a problem with the thermostat on the refrigerator sticking. Merely turning the panel switch to off for a couple of hours took care of it. A little silicone spray keeps them moving smoothly.
I own a new Hunter 380 also. The refrigeration unit is run off of a fan between the two (2) "boxes". Their is only one compressor in mine and it runs the freezer. It is a direct DC link to a cold plate. The closer the item is to this plate, the colder the item will be. We have not had a problem so I would suggest that you immediately turn this in for a warranty repair. One suggestion that someone gave me that I will pass along: The freezer/refrigeartor pulls 5 amps per hour. When in the slip/dock with AC power, turn the temperature control down low. When you leave, set them at 3 or so. This should keep your items cold without unduly draining your battery. I did have a problem with the thermostat on the refrigerator sticking. Merely turning the panel switch to off for a couple of hours took care of it. A little silicone spray keeps them moving smoothly.
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Peter Brennan
Defective
You have a defective refrigerator. Since it came with your new boat, go back to the people who sold you the boat and have it repaired or replaced. Any modern boat fridge will make ice and freeze food at less than the coldest setting, though none I have ever heard of will keep ice cream hard.
You have a defective refrigerator. Since it came with your new boat, go back to the people who sold you the boat and have it repaired or replaced. Any modern boat fridge will make ice and freeze food at less than the coldest setting, though none I have ever heard of will keep ice cream hard.
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Russell Egge
Lessons learned from our 376
After 3 years we now have a refer that works well. 1. The water cooling pump must be on for the unit to cool. The compressor located under the starboard bench has too little airflow to cool without the additional benefit of the outside water. This can be a problem if you are at a dock. The unit is prone to clogging and can burn out the pump if left running for long periods of time. We "blow-out" clogs by removing the outside waterline at the compressor. 2. The hole drilled into the freezer for the cooling lines is way too big and needs to be filled with some of that urathane insulation in a can from home depot. This makes a very large difference. The hole to our unit is below the wine holder, just a couple of screws need to be removed. 3. The drain in the refer needs to be plugged with plug to prevent your cold air from escaping. 4. Check the seal on both doors to ensure there are no air leaks. West sells a sealing tape that is ok but I am looking for something better. 5. Not sure if this helps with performance, but we put some pipe insulation on the refriderant lines to elininate condensation in our never ending attemps to fight mildew 6. Check the settings for the thermostats. If the refriderator is too low it will take the cold from the frezzer. 7. Do not block the airflow between the units or your refer will not get cold. If you start with a warm unit, like we do being on a mooring it will take 12hrs to really get everything cold.
After 3 years we now have a refer that works well. 1. The water cooling pump must be on for the unit to cool. The compressor located under the starboard bench has too little airflow to cool without the additional benefit of the outside water. This can be a problem if you are at a dock. The unit is prone to clogging and can burn out the pump if left running for long periods of time. We "blow-out" clogs by removing the outside waterline at the compressor. 2. The hole drilled into the freezer for the cooling lines is way too big and needs to be filled with some of that urathane insulation in a can from home depot. This makes a very large difference. The hole to our unit is below the wine holder, just a couple of screws need to be removed. 3. The drain in the refer needs to be plugged with plug to prevent your cold air from escaping. 4. Check the seal on both doors to ensure there are no air leaks. West sells a sealing tape that is ok but I am looking for something better. 5. Not sure if this helps with performance, but we put some pipe insulation on the refriderant lines to elininate condensation in our never ending attemps to fight mildew 6. Check the settings for the thermostats. If the refriderator is too low it will take the cold from the frezzer. 7. Do not block the airflow between the units or your refer will not get cold. If you start with a warm unit, like we do being on a mooring it will take 12hrs to really get everything cold.
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Philip McSherry
Refrigeration contractor says...Defective Unit
Check operating manual......... Set dials 3/4 way......... Check that the Condensing unit has not got life jackets stuffed in front of the condenser???????? Put Temperature guage in empty freezer with nothing in refrigerator/freezer. part-should read 0-10 degrees. Have a tech take a quick look.......
Check operating manual......... Set dials 3/4 way......... Check that the Condensing unit has not got life jackets stuffed in front of the condenser???????? Put Temperature guage in empty freezer with nothing in refrigerator/freezer. part-should read 0-10 degrees. Have a tech take a quick look.......
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Carol B
What number is low?
When you say your refrig is set on the lowest, do you mean number 1 or 7? We also have the 2001 380 and have no trouble with refrigeration. When we get to the boat for the weekend, we turn the freezer unit to 6 or 7 and wait for it to get fairly cold before turning the icebox dial to around 3. If that does not work, it is defective because the refrigeration is great!
When you say your refrig is set on the lowest, do you mean number 1 or 7? We also have the 2001 380 and have no trouble with refrigeration. When we get to the boat for the weekend, we turn the freezer unit to 6 or 7 and wait for it to get fairly cold before turning the icebox dial to around 3. If that does not work, it is defective because the refrigeration is great!
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Bill Ubelacker
Water Cooled or Air Cooled
I just bought a 2002 380 and have had the same experience. The unit that came with my boat is the air cooled model. The only way that I have gotten anything to freeze, was to have it make contact with the cooling plate. I have started putting a block of ice or two in the freezer before going out for the weekend. That seems to help and reduce the battery drain somewhat.
I just bought a 2002 380 and have had the same experience. The unit that came with my boat is the air cooled model. The only way that I have gotten anything to freeze, was to have it make contact with the cooling plate. I have started putting a block of ice or two in the freezer before going out for the weekend. That seems to help and reduce the battery drain somewhat.
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Phil Williams
Temperatures
The refrigeration system is designed to maintain approximately 25 degrees in the freezer and 39 in the refrigerator with a duty cycle (time unit is on vs. off) of 50%. If colder temperatures are desired the temperature controls can be set to the coldest setting and a freezer of low teens can be achieved with a duty cycle of 65% on. Temperatures of 0-10 degrees are not normal for sailboat refrigeration systems as there is a compromise between amount of insulation used and battery power available to achieve and maintain such low temperatures. While your home refrigerator will operate with 0-10 degree temperatures the needs are not the same. At home you store frozen food for long periods of time and ice cream as wellf. On a boat the need for long term storage of frozen food is not as great as the space is not available nor the power. If you refrigeration system is not operating close to the above description you should contact the manufacturer of the boat and/or WAECO Adler/Barbour
The refrigeration system is designed to maintain approximately 25 degrees in the freezer and 39 in the refrigerator with a duty cycle (time unit is on vs. off) of 50%. If colder temperatures are desired the temperature controls can be set to the coldest setting and a freezer of low teens can be achieved with a duty cycle of 65% on. Temperatures of 0-10 degrees are not normal for sailboat refrigeration systems as there is a compromise between amount of insulation used and battery power available to achieve and maintain such low temperatures. While your home refrigerator will operate with 0-10 degree temperatures the needs are not the same. At home you store frozen food for long periods of time and ice cream as wellf. On a boat the need for long term storage of frozen food is not as great as the space is not available nor the power. If you refrigeration system is not operating close to the above description you should contact the manufacturer of the boat and/or WAECO Adler/Barbour
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janie sampson
freeze/fridge
I had a similar problem. I checked the insulation, seals, drains.... all recommended by the factory. What i finally ended up doing was removing the factory installed refrigeration equipment and putting in a system that really worked. Now I get a duty cycle of approx. 30% on. And this with a freezer/ fridge!!!!!!
I had a similar problem. I checked the insulation, seals, drains.... all recommended by the factory. What i finally ended up doing was removing the factory installed refrigeration equipment and putting in a system that really worked. Now I get a duty cycle of approx. 30% on. And this with a freezer/ fridge!!!!!!
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Tom
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