Recharging Gas in Engel fridge: West Country

[RIBW]

Hi,

Does anyone know:-
a) If it is possible to still recharge an Engel SRT568BF (The chap in the repair depot seemed to indicate that it was - but he is in Hampshire)
b) Who in the West Country could do it?

I am happy to dismount the unit and take it to someone.

Thanks in advance
Bob

 

[philip_stevens]

No indication of where you are in your bio. so whereabouts are you in the West Country - a big and long area.

Without some info of where you are, not able to help much.

I know a chap in West Cornwall who recharges car and boat fridges.

 

[RIBW]

Hi Philip,
Thanks for your response.

I am happy to take the fridge anywhere in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and West Dorset.

Thanks
Bob

 

[NickRobinson]

Hi-
Wouldn't the job have to be done in-situ?

I would have thought you would have to pass pipes through bulkheads to remove.
I know new units have once-fit connectors to allow this, not sure about second time around.

Also, WHY does it need recharging? if you have a leak in the plate/exchanger you leave on board, you'll only find out when you connect it all
up.

Keep us all posted, I'm in the same position and would like to know how you sort it/cost-

Nick

 

[RIBW]

Hi-
Wouldn't the job have to be done in-situ?

I would have thought you would have to pass pipes through bulkheads to remove.
I know new units have once-fit connectors to allow this, not sure about second time around.

Also, WHY does it need recharging? if you have a leak in the plate/exchanger you leave on board, you'll only find out when you connect it all
up.

Keep us all posted, I'm in the same position and would like to know how you sort it/cost-

Nick

Hi Nick,
The boat is new to me (3 weeks) so I am not totally au fait but it appears to me that the unit (a front opener with a second hinged fascia - wooden) is self contained and slides out into the gangway for removal. No part of it is accessible from elsewhere other than the front. My assumption is based on a visual inspection and the agent's thought that the cost of shipping it to him would be disproportionally expensive.

The unit is 20 years old and the immediate reaction of the agent was "if it is over 10 years old, running, but not cooling well, the first suspect is the need for a recharge". I know my car's a/c needed recharging after 8 years.

I'll report success/failure as and when.
Regards
Bob

 

[vyv_cox]

If it's the same as my old Engel fridge it is completely self contained, no external pipes.

 

[philip_stevens]

I have used Air-Con Doctor to re-gas my previous car, and he told me that he can re-gas boat fridge units, either on the boat or as a fridge unit.

01209 701376

Give him a call.

 

[RIBW]

I have used Air-Con Doctor to re-gas my previous car, and he told me that he can re-gas boat fridge units, either on the boat or as a fridge unit.

01209 701376

Give him a call.

Thanks Philip,
I'll give them a call tomorrow.
Regards
Bob

 

[superheat6k]

Your Engel has a hermetically sealed system including the compressor, so it simply shouldn't leak. A car's compressor has a shaft seal that can weep gas especially when not in regular use.

Also if the Engel is pre 1997 it may be using R12, which is completely illegal to use (as in re-charge) and would be virtually unobtainable anyway. (R12 equipment in service can still be used indefinitely, but if it does leak time for new kit).

If it is using R134a then this gas is available. So if it is to be fixed then the leak needs to be found, normally a leak is evidenced by an oily patch. Simply re-gassing is pointless as not only is this illegal, unless the leak is found and fixed, but within short order the new gas will leak out too.

A simple check of any fridge is that the compressor discharge gets too hot to touch soon after start up, and the suction gets cold enough to form dew on its surface.

 

[William_H]

Engel fridges of older design (i speak here specifically of the little chest freezer) used a vibrating compressor with flapper valves.
Mine did the same thing ie running and not cooling. I took it to a fridge repair shop (domestic). A quick check of gas prssures when running showed that the compressor was not compressing due to bad valves. Gas quantity was oK being a tightly sealed system.
So firstly check very closely that the tubes in the freezer section (evaporator) have not been damaged by scraping or wear. If it has then that will need to be repaired then regassed.
Then remove the fridge and take it to a fridge repair shop. Be prepared for possibly expensive compressor replacement and regass. Good luck olewill

 

[RIBW]

Thank you for for that information. It has prompted me to go back with questions to the appointed repair shop. If necessary, I'll take the fridge to Hampshire.
[As the unit is appx. 20 years old it maybe it is an item to be added to the purchase list for the Southampton Boat Show!]

I'll report back when I know more.
Regards
Bob

 

[RIBW]

I'll report back when I know more.
Regards Bob

A little late to report back, I know - apologies; It would seem that the fridge will still work satisfactorily provided it is powered by 230V ac or a running engine (14.2V dc from the alternator). In both these cases, the fridge will go down in temperature and cut out at the set temperature. However, when supplied with 12.6-ishV from a battery, it runs continuously. I think this is partly due to the fridge being in an enclosed compartment (save for a small vent grille away from the workings) which is stopping good air circulation. A trial with a small extractor fan improved the situation and is on the list of RTIs for next winter. I am guessing that some of the poorer performance under battery alone is caused by simple square law electrics reducing the compressor efficacy.
Thanks to all for your earlier help
Cheers
Bob

 

[superheat6k]

Are you sure its a compressor driven unit, could be a small absorption fridge.

These use two or three heaters -12v, 240v and sometimes a gas flame. My neighbours caravan has such a unit - works well on 240v but will just about hold temp on 12v, but won't cool anything down. When the 240v heater blew the thing was next to useless, but the element was simple to change.

The Engel dual voltage swing compressor unit uses a small convertor to drop the voltage to the compressor when on 240v. Therefore I would expect similar performance on either voltage. However, my 12 v packed up due to a dirty supply cap ended fuse.

 

[RIBW]

Are you sure its a compressor driven unit, could be a small absorption fridge.

It looks like one (from others' photos) and sounds like one. If the 'inverter' is as simple as olewill suggests, perhaps the compressor just sags a bit ?

Apparently, removal of the fridge is very difficult. I Performance this summer will decide how far up the work list it gets.

Cheers
Bob

 

[philip_stevens]

I think the compressors are 12vdc with a transformer giving 12vdc from 240vac mains.

When on mains supply, you may be getting a stable 13.5vdc, and when on 12vdc battery, you may only be on 12.5vdc or even less.

Can you check the voltage on battery and mains?

 

[William_H]

I think the compressors are 12vdc with a transformer giving 12vdc from 240vac mains.

When on mains supply, you may be getting a stable 13.5vdc, and when on 12vdc battery, you may only be on 12.5vdc or even less.

Can you check the voltage on battery and mains?

No pretty sure the compressor runs on something like 12v AC as produced by the inverter or the 50 hertz 240v mains. If it runs OK on the mains but seems to struggle on 12v but Ok on 13.6v then as suggested look at the DC wiring including fuses wiring etc. Or it could be a bad transistor in the inverter. Again if it is like the old chest frezers. olewill

 

[RIBW]

View attachment 50596

Can you check the voltage on battery and mains?

Philip (and olewill),
Regret not easily! The reason this has turned into a long saga is largely because the fridge is built in and totally inaccessible without removal. By all reports, most attempts at removal result in its fastenings disappearing into inaccessible parts of the bilge - its just one of those jobs that should not be attempted unless absolutely necessary and adding value can be assured. However, I have found someone else's photo of the back of the fridge - attached.

Cheers
Bob

 

[pvb]

No pretty sure the compressor runs on something like 12v AC as produced by the inverter or the 50 hertz 240v mains. If it runs OK on the mains but seems to struggle on 12v but Ok on 13.6v then as suggested look at the DC wiring including fuses wiring etc. Or it could be a bad transistor in the inverter. Again if it is like the old chest frezers. olewill

Yes, the Engel swing compressor works on AC, provided by a small inverter circuit to transform the 12vDC into a 50Hz AC voltage. If it works OK with the engine running, but not on battery alone, it can only be a problem with the supply wiring being too small and the resultant voltage drop. Upgrade the supply wiring to minimise voltage drop.