Re-gassing Waeco refridgerator ?

[CJ13]

Our fridge isn't getting down to temperature, so i guess it needs re-gassing.
Can anyone recommend a good refridgeration engineer in the Poole area?

 

[Refueler]

Check Yellow Pages for Air-Con service agents - they usually cover fridges and other stuff.

Note that early machines often have refrigerant gas such as many of the Freon's that are now banned. They should be able to advise and supply alternative.

 

[boatbuilder]

The problem is that if the gas got out once, what is to stop it happening again.
You will need to have the system pressure checked, although as far as I know it is actually a vacuum test.
Small fridge plant is very prone to attack by salty air.

 

[Sailfishing]

If your plant is still chilling, its under charged not empty, try a leak search with either 'snoop' or if you haven't got any mix some washing up liquid with water (as if making childrens bubble solution) and apply a little over all your fittings, soldered joints etc, should bubble up if theres a leak, remember to check during different cycle conditions.

You could also possibly rig a blow touch so that the air is drawn in via a length of tube, if freon is present the flame will burn green, use the open end of the tubing for leak checking joints.

All this will be done by an engineer if you get one in, he should be able to set right and leaks you have, and recharge your system with a modern alternative

 

[CJ13]

Thanks for the advice so far.
To clarify the boat is a 2006 Bavaria. The fridge is cooling, but doesn't get down low enough to trip the thermostat (gets to about 6 deg C after 12 hrs). From previous experience it should be frozen solid by then!!
The cooling circuit contains R134a, which means nothing to me.

 

[Sailfishing]

Well the good news is that R134A is one of the new alternatives the old gasses so you can charge as much as you like, I'd do the leak checks I suggested and get someone in to look at it for you, as mention try the yellow pages under air conditioning.

 

[2Tizwoz]

Electronic leak detectors are not too expensive on ebay

Is there a problem with the insulation or some other part of the system? Is the condenser clean?

 

[MASH]

134A isn't very expensive either, unlike a visit from a fridge engineer, which will make your eyes water.

Don't halfords sell top-up kits still?

You certainly should find one on the internet. 600g can of 134A will do several top-ups. Also you need the adapter hose to connect the can and fridge's schraeder valve. All bog standard stuff. Easy to do yourself.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Clickee

 

[jparham]

R134A has a 'leak sealer' within it, so you could try just gassing it up again and see how it lasts. You will see that most of the cans come with a meter these days. You can get the can and pressure meter/hose cheaper on Ebay.

 

[Pete735]

Sorry to disabuse you, but R134a does not have a sealer in, just R134a. Some (but not all) aftermarket cans have a sealer and in some cases a dye in. Aftermarket cans with sealers are not always suitable for hermetic compressors which I suspect you have, so I would advise caution.

The chances are you have a joint that needs nipping up, but your safest bet is as suggested, an a/c engineer via yellow pages or similar, he will have a decent leak detector and it should not take too long to find the problem. Boat systems are so small any leaks are normally within arms length!

 

[colvic]

Hi
We had a couple of these fridges and one had exactly the problem you describe, and ran so much in trying to cool down that the batteries never lasted as long as they should have done between charging.
Turned out to be the interior light switch had moved very slightly and no longer switched off the 6w bulb which generated enough heat to keep fridge from freezing.

Sent letter from Marina electrician to Waeco who paid his bill in full!!

 

[PooleCool]

Hi,

I'm a fridge / electronics engineer in the Poole area, and I'm happy to work on systems in-situ. Just google poolecool

Cheers, Ian