Refrigeration

Jun 26, 2009
19
Hunter 420 Olympia WA
Hello everyone, I have a 2001 420, it came with an Adler Barbour refrigeration. The compressor went out last summer and I am just getting around to replacing it with an Isotherm 2013 evaporator and compressor. I am running into a problem getting the old evaporator out as the tubing runs out the side of the freezer box and runs between the hull and the box. It seems that the lines run through the insulation and come out at the bottom of the box under the oven where the compressor is mounted. Any ideas on pulling the tubing out or fishing the new lines back down? I'm having the same issue with the thermostat wires. I have attached a pull cord to the end of the wire hoping to pull it up then use it to pull the new wire back down. That wire wont budge either as it appears to be embedded in the insulation around the freezer box. Any bright ideas? I dont see any easy way of removing the cabinet as I would have to disassemble the whole galley.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions,
--Jim
 

SG

.
Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
I know there might be issues (e.g., type of refrigerant compatibility, size of tubing, etc.) -- but you asked...

Could you just reuse the exiting lines and reconnect?
 
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JamesG161

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Feb 14, 2014
7,770
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
Thanks in advance for your suggestions
Reuse the old tubing.
It is the expansion valves and refrigerant that is the key.
Short tubing runs will not matter.
Jim...

PS: @SG beat me to the same idea.
 

JamesG161

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Feb 14, 2014
7,770
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
Also thermostat wires should be reusable too.
Jim...
 
Jun 26, 2009
19
Hunter 420 Olympia WA
Thank you for the helpful suggestions. When I started looking at replacements, information that I found said that the fittings from 20 years ago were not the same as what is used today. Which I found that the new isotherm fittings are much smaller than the old Adler fittings. To use the old tubing would have made me have to call in a Guy to recharge the system. Didn't want to do that if possible. As far as the thermostat wires, the old one used thin telephone wire with the modular plug on the compressor end. Yes, I could have cut it off and wired it in, but I really didn't want the very thin wire that was used. I also bought the "smart energy" control module which also has wiring to run.
UPDATE: I did get all the old tubing out and run a pull cord through. Alot of pushing and pulling and wiggling for hours to get the old loosened up enough. I'm not sure if I can feed the new tubing with the ends attached (pre-charged evaporator) through the tight hole... The thermostat wires broke off in the hole. I will try to run a fish tape through the insulation to pull the new wire set up. It will all work out, it's just going to take alot of time.
Thanks again!
-Jim
 
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