Refrigeration

[Jim Brener]

When we purchased Wind Spirit the Adler-Barbour worked at 50% and never was cold enough to keep frozen foods. It died 3 years ago and we just replaced it with a Cold Machine CU-100 and it works great, too great.  The evaporator frosts up, which may indicate moist air entering or just normal. However, the food next to the evaporator also freezes and keeping food from the evaporator reduces the usable volume in the box.  Any tried and true suggestions as to what works.

On another note, after I installed the Cold Machine, it did not work.  A-B authorized a technician to look at the problem and he tech said he fixed it.  This was late Fall, this Spring the unit did not work.  After many emails to Defender and A-B another tech was sent to evaluate and found a Shrader valve that was causing the refrigerant to leak out.  Don't know what the first guy did, most likely just replaced the refrigerant and never looked for the cause,  as A-B does not pay a going rate for warranty work.  They did, however, pay the going rate for the second repair with urging from Defender.

[Stu Jackson]

One of the things folks have done in the past is to build a small separator inside the box.  I recall many C36 skippers doing that.  It doesn't have to be fancy, some heavy cardboard would do for a first try to see if that works.  Just get a piece big enough to fit athwartships just forward of the evaporator (assuming your evaporator is on the aft end of the icebox, like ours) running from port to starboard inside the box.  If that works, then just try to find some other more long-lasting material that will work, or go the least expensive route and replace some inexpensive material from time to time.

[crieders]

I take it these are not holding plate units. I installed an Isotherm holding plate refrig that runs off the batteries. It is slow to cool and I usually start it with a bag of ice but such units tend to be very reliable.