Had much difficulty with the Refrig/Freezer on my 380. I believe I solved the problem by changing out the unit with a air/water cooled unit and by adding an air vent. The water heater and the Refrig. compressor built up quite a bit of heat in a confined area.
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Bob Knott
John Please give more details/
John., I was thinking of adding a refer/freezer unit this winter as my 380 did not come so equiped. I was going to add the unit under the starboard settee but without water cooling. I knew I'd have to add a vent, but that not a big deal, so my question is what went wrong with your initial installation. What type of unit etc. And what type did you go to know that your happy with. Thanks for your answers Bob Knott 99 H380 #506 S/V Serenity
John., I was thinking of adding a refer/freezer unit this winter as my 380 did not come so equiped. I was going to add the unit under the starboard settee but without water cooling. I knew I'd have to add a vent, but that not a big deal, so my question is what went wrong with your initial installation. What type of unit etc. And what type did you go to know that your happy with. Thanks for your answers Bob Knott 99 H380 #506 S/V Serenity
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Wayne Estabrooks
My 340 Refrigeration
On my 1997 340 I have the Adler Barbour Cold Machine and it worked great even in the 100 degree heat we have been experiencing lately here in North Carolina. I thought I would have some problems then but it kept ice cubes in a bag stuffed behind the freezer unit. I have been very pleased with the operation and performance of this unit. The unit is air cooled and the compressor is under the setee at the forward end. My hot water heater is under the setee at the aft end. It adds some heat to the cabin but does not seem objectionable. Overall I am very pleased with this system. I understand the water cooled units work better but there are tradeoffs it is more complexity.
On my 1997 340 I have the Adler Barbour Cold Machine and it worked great even in the 100 degree heat we have been experiencing lately here in North Carolina. I thought I would have some problems then but it kept ice cubes in a bag stuffed behind the freezer unit. I have been very pleased with the operation and performance of this unit. The unit is air cooled and the compressor is under the setee at the forward end. My hot water heater is under the setee at the aft end. It adds some heat to the cabin but does not seem objectionable. Overall I am very pleased with this system. I understand the water cooled units work better but there are tradeoffs it is more complexity.
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Chris Van Lauwe
What Refrigeration
Our Hunter 340, which was commissioned in late May still does not have a refrigeratior that works. Dealer had Refrigeration mechanic come in and he said it was either the compressor or condensor that was bad. Dealer installed brand new unit including thermostat. Now you can hear the freon when you turn it on go through the tubes in the refrigerator compartment, but they do not get cold. Dealer is stumped. Only thing I can think of is that the freon level is too low. At the rate we are going the system might get up and running by the time I haul it outat the end of the season. Definitely not impressed with the unit, or with refrigeration mechanics ability to service these units. Dealer has been pretty good, wish my wife had a better attitude. She is extremely disappointed as I am as to the length of time to get this fixed.
Our Hunter 340, which was commissioned in late May still does not have a refrigeratior that works. Dealer had Refrigeration mechanic come in and he said it was either the compressor or condensor that was bad. Dealer installed brand new unit including thermostat. Now you can hear the freon when you turn it on go through the tubes in the refrigerator compartment, but they do not get cold. Dealer is stumped. Only thing I can think of is that the freon level is too low. At the rate we are going the system might get up and running by the time I haul it outat the end of the season. Definitely not impressed with the unit, or with refrigeration mechanics ability to service these units. Dealer has been pretty good, wish my wife had a better attitude. She is extremely disappointed as I am as to the length of time to get this fixed.
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gary
c-400
I have a catanila 400 hull number 10 And after 3 years I still do not have a working refigerator and freezer. For the first 2 years they could not get them sealed. Now the compressers are working but there seem to only be 1 inch or less or insulation in the walls. This does not keep the heat out.
I have a catanila 400 hull number 10 And after 3 years I still do not have a working refigerator and freezer. For the first 2 years they could not get them sealed. Now the compressers are working but there seem to only be 1 inch or less or insulation in the walls. This does not keep the heat out.
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Michael Cohn
Chris, Gary...
Chris, if your aren't happy (and it doesn't sound like you should be) make them get another mechanic - don't give up on this - it's too important. Gary, Hunter is notorious for underinsulating the boxes on it's boats. I have *no* idea why they do this, since insulation is relatively cheap. On my H45, I got fed up and drilled some 1/2 holes in the furniture, sprayed in 2 part foam, and plugged the holes with teaks plugs. It really helped my running time a lot, although I am still unsatisfied and am considering insulating the inside of the box as well. If Hunter had done this right to start with, I wouldn't be faced with this problem now. MC
Chris, if your aren't happy (and it doesn't sound like you should be) make them get another mechanic - don't give up on this - it's too important. Gary, Hunter is notorious for underinsulating the boxes on it's boats. I have *no* idea why they do this, since insulation is relatively cheap. On my H45, I got fed up and drilled some 1/2 holes in the furniture, sprayed in 2 part foam, and plugged the holes with teaks plugs. It really helped my running time a lot, although I am still unsatisfied and am considering insulating the inside of the box as well. If Hunter had done this right to start with, I wouldn't be faced with this problem now. MC
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Phil Williams
Refrigeration Ventilation
The compressor is pulling heat out of the ice box and this heat must go somewhere. On an air cooled system the heat is released into the surrounding air. This works well when the air exchange rate is high. If the compressor is in a small non-ventilated compartment then the compressor will have to work harder to remove the heat when the air temperature around the compressor rises above 95 degrees. There are many ways of ventilating the compartment. Adler/Barbour has duct kits and stainless grills to accomplish this.
The compressor is pulling heat out of the ice box and this heat must go somewhere. On an air cooled system the heat is released into the surrounding air. This works well when the air exchange rate is high. If the compressor is in a small non-ventilated compartment then the compressor will have to work harder to remove the heat when the air temperature around the compressor rises above 95 degrees. There are many ways of ventilating the compartment. Adler/Barbour has duct kits and stainless grills to accomplish this.
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Paul Bednarzyk
Refrigeration in H380
Bob and John, I had a refrigeration unit added to my 380 and yes the compressor is located in the starboard settee between the a/c unit and the freshwater pump. Went with a Grunert PolarMate which is water cooled. Here in Florida, seems to be the only way to go. The system works well. I can keep ice in the freezer section for a week or more and have even been able to keep ice cream solid for a long weekend in 90 degree plus heat. I'm sure an A/B unit similarly arranged would work just as well. Paul Bednarzyk S/V Knot Again H380
Bob and John, I had a refrigeration unit added to my 380 and yes the compressor is located in the starboard settee between the a/c unit and the freshwater pump. Went with a Grunert PolarMate which is water cooled. Here in Florida, seems to be the only way to go. The system works well. I can keep ice in the freezer section for a week or more and have even been able to keep ice cream solid for a long weekend in 90 degree plus heat. I'm sure an A/B unit similarly arranged would work just as well. Paul Bednarzyk S/V Knot Again H380
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James Hunter
Keeping your cool in confined quarters
My compressor was installed in the enclosed engine compartment under the cockpit in my Beneteau First 35. It ran all the time and ice cube production was cyclic. The engine compartment had two large passive air vent hoses attached to vent grills on the inside of my cockpit. I fashioned a housing using a 4 litre plastic milk jug and connected one of the two vent hoses to the cooling raditor of my fridge compressor. I left a gap between the housing and the radiator in case the hose did not provide adequate volume for the fridge rad. My fridge compressor runs lee frequently. There is now fresh cool air flowing through my fridge rad and throughout my engine compartment and out the second hose and no shortage of ice cubes.
My compressor was installed in the enclosed engine compartment under the cockpit in my Beneteau First 35. It ran all the time and ice cube production was cyclic. The engine compartment had two large passive air vent hoses attached to vent grills on the inside of my cockpit. I fashioned a housing using a 4 litre plastic milk jug and connected one of the two vent hoses to the cooling raditor of my fridge compressor. I left a gap between the housing and the radiator in case the hose did not provide adequate volume for the fridge rad. My fridge compressor runs lee frequently. There is now fresh cool air flowing through my fridge rad and throughout my engine compartment and out the second hose and no shortage of ice cubes.
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