Water cooled refrigeration system running all the time

[Go For It]

Water cooled refrigeration system running all the time
I recently purchased a 1994 Beneteau Oceanis 400. The boat came with a frigomatic Freezer and Fridge model W with seawater cooling. I noticed the water pump runs all the time even when neither system is calling for cooling. Seems like this is a waste of battery power. Can you advise if this is normal operation or is this system wired wrong

 

[Richard Kollmann]

Go For It, If you are saying evaporator stays warm then it is either compressor is not running or all refrigerant is lost.

If you are reporting poor performance and evaporator only has frost covering 20% to 60% of its surface then there is a refrigerant leak.

Is seawater condenser hot all over then water cooling is restricted.

You must define problem with as much detail as possible if you expect help.

 

[NYSail]

Go for it.... Well that does seem not to be right. Did they supply you with a manual? If not, call the company directly and I'm sure they will be able to trouble shoot this for you.
Good luck!

 

[NYSail]

And by the way, think you defined the problem pretty well.... "water continues to run when everything else is off"
Good luck

 

[Bill Roosa]

Sounds like the controller is either malfunctioning or not part of the pump control. Could be a bad install by the PO or a wire grounding or a bad circuit card in the controller.
check the pump power lead at the controller. If there is power even when the compressor is off then the controller is bad or possibly miss wired. Really need a manual to check. If you pull the pump wire and the pump continues to run then it is a shorted wire somewhere.
I too thought you explained your problem well.

 

[Richard Kollmann]

If both systems that power water pump have frost on evaporators when power is applied the problem is in one of the pump relay controls. Chances are this wiring will have been done by the person installing units and not be available in a manual.

Common wiring on a two dual condensing unit installation would be for each unit to have a water pump relay. First thing to do would be to shut down one units power at a time in order to see if one relay is bad and still getting current through to pump. Danfoss electronic control modules supply a small 12 volt current to pump relay operating coil when there is power across module terminals Small + and F. With power breaker turned off to that unit there will be no power to close relay.

As long as two relays are used with either one capable of energizing pump solution should be simple. If only one relay is used by both systems there would need to be isolation diodes in each small + control wire. A set of pictures of each relays wiring would help determine if they are wired correctly.