Power Hungry Fridge - Dometic CR1065

[Hello Below]

I have a concern with the front loading fridge (Dometic CR-1065) on my 2012 Hunter 33.

After 8 days of cruising, we have had to empty it and shut it off. It ran continuously for that period of time. The fridge, which was pretty well fully loaded, held its temperature around 3C/37F(setting 4 of 7, higher setting = colder) in ambient temperatures of about 22 - 27C/72 - 81F. I even took out the drawer above it to see if the lack of air circulation was the problem. The temperature at the back opening of the drawer just above the top of the fridge was only about 5C/9F above ambient. I actually expected a higher temp. The fridge contined to run continously never or at least rarely shutting off. We were very careful in minimizing opening of the fridge door. And of course for about 10 hours each night we never opened the door, yet it ran continously. There is no condensation around the perimeter of the fridge door and I have confirmed the internal light on/off switch functions correctly when the fridge door is closed. Yet it never stops running. Once I set the thermostat to setting 2, the fridge shut off for about 20 minutes, the internal temp increased to about 4.5C/40F and then the fridge ran continously for the next several days. The fridge draws 3+ amps. Over a 24 hour period that is a lot of load (80 Ahr) on the house bank. The top loader with a similar temp setting and similar contents cycles on for less than 20 mins/hr.

Any experience/suggestions with smilar fridge symptoms?

 

[whatfiero]

power hungry fridge

how much circulation ya got to condensing coils? Most newer boats built with no air access to coil in back of unit

 

[Hello Below]

Re: power hungry fridge

Not a lot of room around the condensor but I would expect this in a boat; however, not having a powered fridge in my previous boat, my experience is nil. As mentioned in my original post the air temperature was less than 10F higher directly above the fridge than the ambient air temperature inside the galley.

The fridge door seal seems to be intact as there is no condensation around it and the thermometer seems to be functioning correctly as it is keeping the temperature at its set point. It does take a long time to get to that temperature though. I know little about this subject but I am thinking (and maybe hoping) that there is a lack of refridgerant and thus the unit needs to run all or at least most of the time.

 

[Sumner]

I'm guessing that might be what you are going to get unless it acted a lot different in the past.

Warm temps, front loading where you loose a lot of the cold air on opening and probably not much in the way of insulation might result in the current situation. The front loader that came with our Endeavour hardly had any insulation. It was 12 volt/110 volt and I think mainly designed to run while in a slip with shore power.

How much insulation is around the box? Our 2.3 cu. ft. portable ran about 40% of the time in hot weather and it has a true compressor on it. I think the new fridge I build with lots of insulation that is close to 4 cu. ft. and has a small freezer section is running about 10% of the time in the same kind of hear.

If you can't find any obvious problem try running it at say 50 deg. just to see if it will cycle on and off ok.

Good luck,

Sum

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[whatfiero]

fridge

I'd pull it out usually 4 screws face of unit there just RV fridges and have enough slack in wire to set on floor then run over night to see if does better then if works cut holes in cabinetry and maybe install computer fans to circulate air across condensing coils if it doesn't do better then yes needs freon

 

[Hello Below]

Re: power hungry fridge

Sumner, given that the boat is only a couple of months old (purchased new out of the box June 2012) there really is no history as to its past. There is very little insulation between the outer and inner shell. Although I have not measured I would say less than 2" if that. I treat the cold air in a front loader like water. When you open the door, the cold air pours out the bottom as water would. But even after 10 or 12 hours of the unit closed at night in about 65F galley temp, the fridge continues to run.

The CR1065 is a 2.3 cu ft fridge also. If it ran a 40% maybe I would be happy. As mentioned in my original post, I also have a top loading fridge/freezer that runs about 33% of the time. But at 100% or very close to it, the front loader is using more house battery than I am willing to allow.

 

[Sumner]

Sumner, given that the boat is only a couple of months old (purchased new out of the box June 2012) there really is no history as to its past....

Is going back to the dealer an option? As you mentioned running all night when there is no use just doesn't sound right.

Good luck with it,

Sum

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Our Endeavour 37

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[Rick D]

Try Posting Your Question Here:

http://www.kollmann-marine.com/

 

[Hello Below]

Re: power hungry fridge

whatfiero, I can give that a try (6 screws). But I am not comfortable in redesigning the cabinetry in a 3 month old boat. If needed the dealer will be doing that.

When I originally received the boat this fridge was not wired for 120V AC operation as it was designed for. But I do not remember it running all the time. I took the boat back to the dealer in early August for a number of fixes, including the rewiring of the fridge to operate from both AC/DC power. I am wondering if when they pulled the fridge out to wire in the 120V maybe they disturbed the coolant line. Now I must say that at the same time they replaced a very noisy fan in the top loading fridge. Thus maybe now that the top loader is quiet I am now more aware that the front loader is running continuously?

 

[alexco38]

I have a brand new Waeco. It ran almost continously. Got the manufacturer to create a ticket to have a local dealer to have a look.

They found the coolant was too low. Evacuated and refilled and now it can make ice. Runs about 25% of time drawing less than 5A.

Sounds like you should bring to the dealer's attention. Still under warrantee.

My friend has a 2006 Hunter 33 with the same fridge. It doesn't run 100% of time. May be 25-30%

 

[CarlN]

Some things to check:

Is the plate fully covered with frost? If so, you probably don't need refrigerant. But I'd still insist that Hunter check it under warranty.

Is there a drain? Stop it up if there is.

I there any leakage at the door seals? I know you checked for condensation, but with a front loader even the smallest air leak is serious. If the seals are not magnetic, examine them to see if there is compression contact all around. If there is any area that looks uncompressed, try sticking on some 1/8" thick foam weather stripping to the suspect areas. Keep adding it until there is obvious indication of compression after opening the door.

Carl

 

[Hello Below]

I will definitely be taking the boat and fridge back to the dealer. But as we live on an island (albeit a large one) and the dealer is on the mainland a trip to visit them is at least a 3 day ordeal. So when I go I try to be fully armed with a todo list and also as much background information/questions/recommendations as I can get so that they fully understand that I don't wish to have to return for the same item twice.

The CR 1065, from what I can determine, went into production in mid 2011. I believe the predecessor was the CR 65 which had an external rectifier (WAECO MPS-35 ??) to convert from 120v ac to 12V DC vice a built in one the CR 1065.

 

[J Hunter]

it is exhibiting symptoms of low refrigerant charge

Realize that almost all refrigerators are "binary" controls. Meaning on when above desired temp, off when below. If the only thing that turns it off is raising the t'stat setting, then it simply is not cooling to it's design capacity, which specifically is enough to chill the whole thing down when you load it up with warm beer.

Once the thing is cold, either it makes the t'stat and shuts off and waits awhile for some cabin heat to infiltrate it, or something is wrong. Good to eliminate the stuff like door gasket or blocked condenser, you are right to assume a fridge running correctly with a fairly contained space around the condenser will be throwing off some noticeable heat when it's been on continuously and working properly (the heat it's removing from the inside has to show up somewhere). Find some reefer gages and hook them on if it's not one of those confounded completely soldered tight jobs and let me know what they say, what type of refrigerant it has in it and what the box and cabin temps are, you can have a very good idea of whether it's low on refrigerant before making your journey to the mainland.

So you've got door leaks, bad condenser air flow, frosted over evaporator to double check as not the issue, and low on gas the suspected culprit.

Pretty much the only other things that it could be if it's not one of the things you already touched on are: failed or missing insulation, which seems doubtful (is the outside of the cabinet cold anywhere) plugged/restricted metering device, thats going to be tough to diagnose until you find out it's running low pressure on the low side, add gas and still have the problem. This can be a real bear when it intermittently plugs the metering device with ice bits or waxy cold oil, but since your problem is straight up all the time, hopefully it's not that. An outlier may be the compressor having some weird wiring mistake (if it's dual 120/240 volts, dc or some weird two speed thing this could be possible I guess) that makes it run slow, but you'd need an understandable schematic and a wiring instruction sheet to check that.

 

[Joe2954]

As someone mentioned above, check the freezer. If it is covered with frost refrigerant is ok. If it is 1/2 covered (front to back) it is low. If there is no frost there is little to no refrigerant.
My isotherm runs low every couple years. When it is low it runs almost continuously. When topped off it runs about 40% of the time. When I open cabinet, you can feel and smell the heat.

Simpler is better in controls.

 

[Hello Below]

My intent is to check the freezer for frost first then I plan on getting more accurate temperature and current load data now that we are alongside for awhile. I will load the fridge with water bottles and allow it to come to temperature using a wireless thermometer. Then isolate both AC and DC power sources from the fridge (i.e. shut it down without opening door) and record the increase in temperature over time. This should tell me if I have an insulation or other heat leakage problem. I will remove as much DC load as possible (remaining on will be the CO monitors, water tank meter and JVC radio) and employing my Victron battery monitor I will determine what that steady state load is. I will reconnect the DC to the fridge and determine over several days what current the fridge is actually consuming over time.

If need be I will redo these tests with the fridge removed from the cabintry thus allowing good circulation around the fridge.

Not really a lot of work as I can do other stuff while taking the data.

 

[Mike B]

Before you do all that replace the thermostat. Just had the same issue with my freezer. Called the fridge dealer in Annapolis who confirmed my suspicion. They said they only last a few years. Replaced it and all is back to normal.

 

[Hello Below]

Before you do all that replace the thermostat. Just had the same issue with my freezer. Called the fridge dealer in Annapolis who confirmed my suspicion. They said they only last a few years. Replaced it and all is back to normal.

On my behalf, my Hunter dealer has worked with Dometic and they have decided to replace the fridge under warranty. My boat is currently at the dealer's docks for some other warranty work.
All is well.

 

[Hello Below]

Old out and new in. New Dometic fridge works like . . . well works like it should. Silence is golden as it use to run for days on end. Will never know if a shot of refrigerant would have fixed it or not. The removal, installation and negotiation with the manufacturer was all done under warranty by my dealer. Great folks that have supported me to the fullest.

 

[Mike B]

Well you can't beat that deal. Glad to hear they're taking care if you.