Refrigeration not cooling

[Perfect Excuse]

I have no refrigeration knowledge, but appreciate cold beer.
Situation: refrigeration on a H410 with a freezer compartment and a spill over fan to the refrigerator compartment. Even with continuous running things are cool, but not cold enough. The cold plate (if that is the correct term) is around three sides of the compartment. Frost forms on only one of the sides. It was working well enough to inadvertently freeze beer and wine.
Question: does the frost forming on only one side suggested that this is a problem with the cold plate?

 

[Don Lucas]

Well unlikely that the evaporator suddenly is blocked up in such a way as to only cool 1 side (I don't even think it is possible). More likely you have lost capacity, but now you need to find out why.

Were all the sides getting frosted up before?

Is it an air cooled AB system or a older water cooled unit (appears people with that one hated it). If air cooled have you cleaned the condenser coils (under the settee at the unit). If water cooled have you checked the water flow?

What do you have the thermostats set at, have you adjusted them?

On my air cooled system I can freeze stuff in the refrigerator side if I set the temp low enough.

 

[Jeff10528]

I have no refrigeration knowledge, but appreciate cold beer. Situation: refrigeration on a H410 with a freezer compartment and a spill over fan to the refrigerator compartment. Even with continuous running things are cool, but not cold enough. The cold plate (if that is the correct term) is around three sides of the compartment. Frost forms on only one of the sides. It was working well enough to inadvertently freeze beer and wine. Question: does the frost forming on only one side suggested that this is a problem with the cold plate?

You may be low on refrigerant. Suggest you get an a qualified tech to check the system outandfix.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Go to Richard Kollmann's website

http://www.kollmann-marine.com/Performance problems.aspx

 

[Benny17441]

Try the do it yourself stuff before calling the tech. 1) Insure the seal on the refrigerator door is doing its job and that the door closes properly. 2) Clean the condenser coils with a degreaser and compressed air 3) In an air cooled unit make sure the fan is operating when the compressor cycles on . 4) Check the thermostat that the compressor engages when the temperature is lowered and disconnects when it is raised and that the set temperature is adequate for your needs. 5) if the refrigerator is water cooled make sure there is adequate water flow out of the discharge thru-hull. If you have diminished flow there is likely an obstruction in the intake port. 6) Check how your compressor is powered whether by 12V or 120V and test the input voltage to make sure it is within specs (if you do not feel comfortable testing 120V a/c power leave it to a professional) The thing is stable voltage from a shorepower pedestal is sometimes unreliable. If everything checks out then the most common cause would be the unit is low on Freon due to normal loss over time or a small leak which may have developed. For this you would need a refrigeration technician to top off, find any leak, conduct repairs and refill the system. When a refrigerator is low on Freon it tends to freeze up by literally forming ice around the coils and this reduces the cooling power of the unit. You can turn it off and let the ice melt and when you turn it on again it may seem like it is working fine until it ices up again. A poor seal on the door will result in excessive frost being created in the freezer part . Dirty coils reduce condensation and efficiency. Low a/c voltage will cause the compressor to run hot and may cause damage to it. Lack of proper cooling air flow or water flow may also cause the compressor to run hot. A hot compressor may prematurely cut out before properly cooling the unit or a faulty safety switch may be cycling the compressor off prematurely. You may turn the unit on and make sure the compressor starts and see how long it goes before it cycles off and what is the temperature inside the unit. It is the thermostat that should control the compressor cycling.

 

[Perfect Excuse]

Thanks all. It is water cooled and the flow is good. It is 12V. First, I will clean as suggested, that the logical start and recharge second. Web site was very good.