Need to replace the fridge/freezer compressor on my 1982 35-3.

[Chuck Ray]

I have a 1982 35-3, the compressor for my fridge/freezer needs to be replaced. First I'm going to have to find a compressor to replace the old one as I'm guessing they aren't being made anymore. Does anyone have the specs for the compressor as I don't have a manual and the label has peeled off the unit itself. Second, should I consider replacing the fridge/freezer unit as well? I have attached some pictures.

 

[Pete the Cat]

The pictures do not appear to show a compressor or any part of the fridge unit you have. In any case, it is almost always cheaper to install a whole new thing than try to fix just the compressor. Having said that, the compressors for these small units are packed in oil and almost never fail unless they get salt water on them or some exterior damage. What is the indication for a new compressor?

 

[Chuck Ray]

The pictures do not appear to show a compressor or any part of the fridge unit you have. In any case, it is almost always cheaper to install a whole new thing than try to fix just the compressor. Having said that, the compressors for these small units are packed in oil and almost never fail unless they get salt water on them or some exterior damage. What is the indication for a new compressor?

Hi Ray, sorry I don't have a picture of the compressor included. I thought I had one but I don't. I'll take a picture next time I'm at the boat. The indication is that the temperature in the unit is starting to rise. When I bought the boat in October it was at 40, now it's closer to 45. I know I should have a technician come and check it out, but haven't yet. Regardless, it's a really old unit and I'd rather replace it now than have it quit on me down in Mexico.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Hi Chuck,
Not sure how much you check in here, but there was some recent activity on the refrigeration Master Thread *:

Icebox/Refrigeration on Ericson Yachts [Master Thread]

For E32-3 Refrigeration specifically see this thread We ussually stay on our boat just for the weekends. The orginal thermal fridge that came with the boat just doesn't work. For years because we have just not wanted to pump out the cooler each weekend we have brought food on the boat and...

ericsonyachts.org

Below are some other discussions that I've catalogued as this is something that's likely in our future. Our 35-3 only has ice boxes.

35-3 icebox conversion

Considering adding refrigeration to our 35-3... does anyone have experience with this and is it worth it? Thanks!

ericsonyachts.org

Isotherm refrigeration E35-3

This actually turned out to be a painless project:egrin: We decided on a Isotherm 2012 Compact classic. The draw and space requirements were closer to our needs than any other product. After measuring the volume of the of the existing rear ice box we decided to reduce the inside dimensions to...

ericsonyachts.org

Refrigeration question

A lot of Ericson sailboats ended up with a Adler/Barbour refrigeration conversion in the ice boxes and mine was one of them. It works OK, probably draws more power than the newer Isotherm models, but it has a rectangular "box" type evaporator that is mounted in top opening to the refrigerator...

ericsonyachts.org

Ericson 32-3 Refrigeration

The Ericson brochure claims the 32-3 icebox is a "6 cubic foot insulated ice box with insulated top and lid". I believe them regarding the insulation, my block ice lasts all weekend. To add electric refrigeration, the price of the Isotherm VE150 is tempting, but it says it is for refrigerating...

ericsonyachts.org

Ericson 32-3 Icebox Size for refrigeration

Trying to decide between the Isotherm 2501 or 2301 and I am not sure of the icebox size. I ripped out a rusted-out Alder Barbour unit 6 years ago and I am finally going to replace it. Of course any advice is appreciated. The PO was very happy with the original unit setup.

ericsonyachts.org

Refrigeration Recharge

Hey Guys, Has anyone recharged their own Adler Barbour cold machine themselves with the 134a kits from the auto parts stores? Mine is a few years old and I'm not happy with my mounting location. I'm going to move my compressor unit and it is low on coolant now anyway so I figure I will have...

ericsonyachts.org

Installing a “portable” fridge in place of the cooler in the sink

I have a 32-200, did not come with the optional fridge rather it has 2 coolers. I would like to in time replace both coolers with fridges. Maybe starting with the cooler in the sink, I guess the main question in this, has anyone ever had the in sink cooler out? It’s really not obvious how it...

ericsonyachts.org

Best wishes,
Jeff

* If you don't know about Christian's Master Thread List, it's a great place to start if there's something you need to tackle.

Master Threads (Recurring Topics)

Master Thread in a title identifies a full discussion of a popular topic. Posting to a Master Thread keeps topical information together. Autopilot Installation (Electric) https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/threads/38-200-below-deck-linear-drive-installation-autopilot-master-thread.12103/ Bilge Pump...

ericsonyachts.org

You can always find that link in Christian's signature line.

 

[Chuck Ray]

Hi Chuck,
Not sure how much you check in here, but there was some recent activity on the refrigeration Master Thread *:

Icebox/Refrigeration on Ericson Yachts [Master Thread]

For E32-3 Refrigeration specifically see this thread We ussually stay on our boat just for the weekends. The orginal thermal fridge that came with the boat just doesn't work. For years because we have just not wanted to pump out the cooler each weekend we have brought food on the boat and...

ericsonyachts.org

Below are some other discussions that I've catalogued as this is something that's likely in our future. Our 35-3 only has ice boxes.

35-3 icebox conversion

Considering adding refrigeration to our 35-3... does anyone have experience with this and is it worth it? Thanks!

ericsonyachts.org

Isotherm refrigeration E35-3

This actually turned out to be a painless project:egrin: We decided on a Isotherm 2012 Compact classic. The draw and space requirements were closer to our needs than any other product. After measuring the volume of the of the existing rear ice box we decided to reduce the inside dimensions to...

ericsonyachts.org

Refrigeration question

A lot of Ericson sailboats ended up with a Adler/Barbour refrigeration conversion in the ice boxes and mine was one of them. It works OK, probably draws more power than the newer Isotherm models, but it has a rectangular "box" type evaporator that is mounted in top opening to the refrigerator...

ericsonyachts.org

Ericson 32-3 Refrigeration

The Ericson brochure claims the 32-3 icebox is a "6 cubic foot insulated ice box with insulated top and lid". I believe them regarding the insulation, my block ice lasts all weekend. To add electric refrigeration, the price of the Isotherm VE150 is tempting, but it says it is for refrigerating...

ericsonyachts.org

Ericson 32-3 Icebox Size for refrigeration

Trying to decide between the Isotherm 2501 or 2301 and I am not sure of the icebox size. I ripped out a rusted-out Alder Barbour unit 6 years ago and I am finally going to replace it. Of course any advice is appreciated. The PO was very happy with the original unit setup.

ericsonyachts.org

Refrigeration Recharge

Hey Guys, Has anyone recharged their own Adler Barbour cold machine themselves with the 134a kits from the auto parts stores? Mine is a few years old and I'm not happy with my mounting location. I'm going to move my compressor unit and it is low on coolant now anyway so I figure I will have...

ericsonyachts.org

Installing a “portable” fridge in place of the cooler in the sink

I have a 32-200, did not come with the optional fridge rather it has 2 coolers. I would like to in time replace both coolers with fridges. Maybe starting with the cooler in the sink, I guess the main question in this, has anyone ever had the in sink cooler out? It’s really not obvious how it...

ericsonyachts.org

Best wishes,
Jeff

* If you don't know about Christian's Master Thread List, it's a great place to start if there's something you need to tackle.

Master Threads (Recurring Topics)

Master Thread in a title identifies a full discussion of a popular topic. Posting to a Master Thread keeps topical information together. Autopilot Installation (Electric) https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/threads/38-200-below-deck-linear-drive-installation-autopilot-master-thread.12103/ Bilge Pump...

ericsonyachts.org

You can always find that link in Christian's signature line.

I should have checked that. I'm not in here much but I should have done that first. Thanks for the information!

 

[Prairie Schooner]

I should have checked that. I'm not in here much but I should have done that first. Thanks for the information!

No problem. We're all in this together. If you have follow up questions, maybe put them in a thread with related content. It aggregates the collective wisdom for all of us. Cheers.

 

[peaman]

When I bought the boat in October it was at 40, now it's closer to 45.

If this is your primary concern, unless you have some cash to burn, you might want to get deeper into things. Is the system original (1982)? If yes, then, it has probably given all it can. Otherwise, is the system air cooled or water cooled? In either case, loss of performance may very well be due to fouling of the condenser heat exchanger. In that case either clean the coils (for air cooled) or check and address the water circulation and temperatures (for water cooled).

In the worst (but totally survivable) case that your system can provide no further use: you should replace the entire refrigeration system (cold coil, compressor, condenser), but not the refrigeration compartment itself (the "ice box"). For that, see the links provided by others above. But in no case should you seriously consider replacing only the compressor in a typical refrigeration system as you describe. It can be done, but it is unlikely to work well for long. That is because of issues with contamination in the refrigeration circuit, and compatibility issues with refrigerants and lubricants which circulate within the system.

These systems are typically sized based on cubic feet of icebox volume. That's more to assure fast recovery after opening the lid than it is to maintaining temperature. There are other vendors with suitable systems, but many here have been well served with Isotherm systems.

 

[Chuck Ray]

If this is your primary concern, unless you have some cash to burn, you might want to get deeper into things. Is the system original (1982)? If yes, then, it has probably given all it can. Otherwise, is the system air cooled or water cooled? In either case, loss of performance may very well be due to fouling of the condenser heat exchanger. In that case either clean the coils (for air cooled) or check and address the water circulation and temperatures (for water cooled).

In the worst (but totally survivable) case that your system can provide no further use: you should replace the entire refrigeration system (cold coil, compressor, condenser), but not the refrigeration compartment itself (the "ice box"). For that, see the links provided by others above. But in no case should you seriously consider replacing only the compressor in a typical refrigeration system as you describe. It can be done, but it is unlikely to work well for long. That is because of issues with contamination in the refrigeration circuit, and compatibility issues with refrigerants and lubricants which circulate within the system.

These systems are typically sized based on cubic feet of icebox volume. That's more to assure fast recovery after opening the lid than it is to maintaining temperature. There are other vendors with suitable systems, but many here have been well served with Isotherm systems.

Thank you for your insights. I didn't think about replacing parts in the ice box itself.

 

[Chuck Ray]

No problem. We're all in this together. If you have follow up questions, maybe put them in a thread with related content. It aggregates the collective wisdom for all of us. Cheers.

TY.

 

[Pete the Cat]

I have the original Adler Barbour unit that was installed in 1982 on my Tartan 37 and it works great--spent 2 years cruising Central America with no problems. Over the years, I have had to replace the condenser fan (I bought a big computer fan from Amazon) and the control unit (the original was mechanical, the replacement was electronic. Most of the failures I have seen have more to do with folks not managing the box itself (cold goes down and having an open means the coldest air will go to the bilge if not blocked or putting the compressor next to the engine or in some closed box--the production boat guys were notorious for doing this--it is impossible for a compressor to dissipate heat if it is in a hot place. Replacing the compressor may not be the solution to your problem. If you are going to Mexico, you will likely be on your own and you might want to do a bit more investigation of the problem.

 

[bsangs]

Is your compressor actually dead, or just not cooling as efficiently? Not knowing which compressor you have, I have a Sea Frost unit that's pretty old. When I started noticing it wasn't cooling well early last season, I contacted the manufacturer and they suggested I try recharging it at first, which involved a can of R-134a. Once I added that to the system, it went back to working normally. If it's something as simple as that, you could save yourself a lot of time and money. Good luck.

 

[Nick J]

One of the issues you might run into is the availability of refrigerant. I'm not sure about other states, but Washington band the sale of the gas to non licensed HVAC techs. I had a service port that was leaking recently which caused my system to loose gas and stop cooling. My buddy owns an HVAC company so he was able to help me replace the valve and recharge the system. It was an easy job, but if you don't have access to gas, you really can't do much. If I didn't have that connection, I would have to pay someone which adds up quickly. If you also consider most of the other parts are towards the end of their service life and will require recharging the system to do any maintenance, it might be better to purchase a new sealed system.