New fridge for squadron 58

[jrudge]

I have a squadron 58 2004.

The fridge in the galley ( has small freezer compartment ) has stopped working in the fridge part but works for the freezer. This is odd as it is one circuit with I assume a plate behind the plastic at the back of the fridge.

I now need a new one. Snag is werefrom ?

It is 540 wide / 540 deep and 860 high.

Does anyone have any ideas ? I would have thought they were standard sizes but it seems not !

If anyone has found a replacement I would appreciate details.

The model of the existing one is not marked. It has a penguin symbol but they don’t list this size on their site and no model number is given.

Thank you

 

[Seastoke]

Voltage and gas ie what does it use

 

[colhel]

On our home fridge it stopped working because a small drain hole inside at the back of the fridge was blocked. I think it dripped into the condenser

 

[PlanB]

https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/...upright-freezer-3-star-12-24v-black-sl-ru102b

This would fit - dometiq also do similar sizes. It's just a case of looking at all the manufacturers - Google "boat fridge".

 

[Seastoke]

If I remember,it’s either Dometic , isotherm, or try Webasto .

 

[jrudge]

Voltage and gas ie what does it use

It is 24/240 gas no idea but given I will get a new one not worth finding out

 

[jrudge]

On our home fridge it stopped working because a small drain hole inside at the back of the fridge was blocked. I think it dripped into the condenser

The freezer part works but not the fridge. Given there is one loop and 2 plates I have no idea why but it is what it is !

 

[vas]

J,

since you wont avoid puling it out of it's spot, maybe do it now and see what's happening behind it.
I can only imagine there's an issue with some sort of blockage, the barrel shaped filter thing blocked or something like that. Not saying it's easily fixable, just remove it and wiggle things at the back
sometimes even turning it off for a few hours and on again may revive it (but obvs not to be relying on it long term)

V.

 

[PaulRainbow]

The freezer part works but not the fridge. Given there is one loop and 2 plates I have no idea why but it is what it is !

The reason for that is, you have a leak in the refrigerant circuit and the fridge is low on refrigerant.

Refrigerant is circulated through the evaporator (the aluminium plate that surrounds the freezer compartment) and that in turn makes the fridge cool. You have enough refrigerant to cool the freezer compartment, but not to a low enough temperature to keep the fridge cool. I'll bet if you put a fridge thermometer in the freezer box it isn't as cold as it should be.

 

[Portofino]

You could try a motor home manufacturer.They use the same fridges .A large RV dealer might even have stock on display.
Its what we did in the SoF when one of ours seemingly packed up .It was old + bit grubby so we wanted a new one anyhow .
They didn’t quite ,out of about a dozen popular sizes on display have the right size , but the catalog did and 5 days later it arrived .
24 V 220 etc .

Next time I was in Antibes I enquired at the well know electric boat shop near the blue lady lub ….there “ marine “ price rrp was double the RV guys down the road in La Nap for the same Waeco bit of kit .

Any SoF guys it’s at the back of Lidl near the airport in Mandeliu ….a large RV site .You can’t miss it .There big accessory shop does a lot of stuff that’s crosses over into boats eg Marinco plugs and shore power leads , toilet spares , water pumps , tubing , lights , TV paraphernalia etc etc are about 1/2 price of a marina based outfit .

 

[Hurricane]

If it can't be fixed, have you thought of using a domestic fridge as a replacement.
In my case, I found an A+++ fridge that fitted.
It is way more efficient than the old Dometic unit - uses less than half the load.
For me thats important because we run on batteries a lot - not the same for you though but I'm sure a domestic fridge will be significantly cheaper as well.
I had to do a bit of fiddling with the electrics - fitted an extra inverter an interlocked it with the old 24v supply.
But I'm very pleased with it - 4 seasons ago.

BTW - the gas will probably be R134A - should be on a label next to the compressor.
If it is R134A, in the UK Halfords supply the gas but a little cheaper on line.

 

[PaulRainbow]

If it can't be fixed, have you thought of using a domestic fridge as a replacement.
In my case, I found an A+++ fridge that fitted.
It is way more efficient than the old Dometic unit - uses less than half the load.
For me thats important because we run on batteries a lot - not the same for you though but I'm sure a domestic fridge will be significantly cheaper as well.
I had to do a bit of fiddling with the electrics - fitted an extra inverter an interlocked it with the old 24v supply.
But I'm very pleased with it - 4 seasons ago.

BTW - the gas will probably be R134A - should be on a label next to the compressor.
If it is R134A, in the UK Halfords supply the gas but a little cheaper on line.

That's for air-con, not supposed to use it in fridges.

 

[DavidJ]

The freezer part works but not the fridge. Given there is one loop and 2 plates I have no idea why but it is what it is !

Staying in an apartment hotel last year I had the same problem. There was a fan which dragged cold air from the freezer to the fridge which had stopped, so maybe fan or fridge thermostat problem.

 

[jrudge]

That's for air-con, not supposed to use it in fridges.

It is r134a it is written on the label

 

[jrudge]

Staying in an apartment hotel last year I had the same problem. There was a fan which dragged cold air from the freezer to the fridge which had stopped, so maybe fan or fridge thermostat problem.

The fan is running. I have checked the thermostat is bridged so runs all the time

 

[jrudge]

If it can't be fixed, have you thought of using a domestic fridge as a replacement.
In my case, I found an A+++ fridge that fitted.
It is way more efficient than the old Dometic unit - uses less than half the load.
For me thats important because we run on batteries a lot - not the same for you though but I'm sure a domestic fridge will be significantly cheaper as well.
I had to do a bit of fiddling with the electrics - fitted an extra inverter an interlocked it with the old 24v supply.
But I'm very pleased with it - 4 seasons ago.

BTW - the gas will probably be R134A - should be on a label next to the compressor.
If it is R134A, in the UK Halfords supply the gas but a little cheaper on line.

I am looking at a domestic one. There is no gas top up. It is crimped.

 

[jrudge]

The reason for that is, you have a leak in the refrigerant circuit and the fridge is low on refrigerant.

Refrigerant is circulated through the evaporator (the aluminium plate that surrounds the freezer compartment) and that in turn makes the fridge cool. You have enough refrigerant to cool the freezer compartment, but not to a low enough temperature to keep the fridge cool. I'll bet if you put a fridge thermometer in the freezer box it isn't as cold as it should be.

Quite likely. The issue is that if it is low on gas then it has a leak. And finding that leak and then repairing it is suspect renders the unit dead.

 

[jrudge]

J,

since you wont avoid puling it out of it's spot, maybe do it now and see what's happening behind it.
I can only imagine there's an issue with some sort of blockage, the barrel shaped filter thing blocked or something like that. Not saying it's easily fixable, just remove it and wiggle things at the back
sometimes even turning it off for a few hours and on again may revive it (but obvs not to be relying on it long term)

V.

the back just has the heat exchanger. The cold plate is inside the fridge and there is no obvious way to access it. Inside is just plastic.

 

[Hurricane]

I am looking at a domestic one. There is no gas top up. It is crimped.

My drinks fridge was the same - you cut the crimped bit off and fit a Schrader valve.



You then, of course lose any of the gas that was in the system so to be sure you would the vacuum out, test that it holds the vacuum and then put the correct amount of gas back in.
The correct amount of gas is fairly easy to find in the spec sheets - measured by weight.
You need the kit though - gauges/hoses - vac pump etc
I have been interested in learning about this stuff so I bought all the tools and did a lot of reading/youtubing

I, did fix the fridge so will be moving on to A/C later this year.

I'm no expert in this subject - I was trained as a Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Engineer but I didn't do any Refrigeration work.
Superheat6K is the expert on this forum.
If you understand his forum name, you will be getting close to understanding the refrigeration cycle - and how to charge it.
But there is lots of information out there on the subject.

 

[Hurricane]

That's for air-con, not supposed to use it in fridges.

Yep R134A is used a lot in car A/C systems but also in domestic fridges.
In fact, I haven't (yet) come across a fridge using anything other than R134A