Frigiboat Running Wild!! Help!!!

[redsky49]

"This crimp looks like it was not done correctly. The crimp appears mostly on the wire and not on the connector sleeve. I believe that is the crux of the problem. Use a proper crimp tool and adhesive lined shrink terminals. If shrink terminals are not available at least use a quality terminal not from a Walmart crimp kit."

You may be correct about that.

I don't normally have this type of connector in my toolbox, and may have picked up a couple just to make this install (or more probably used something I found among the prior owner's spares). Looking closely into both ends of the spade terminal I am surprised how short the actual metal barrel is. I also think this might be a vinyl cover rather than nylon.

The ring terminal insulating sleeve measures 18mm long, with about a 13.4mm metal barrel. The spade terminal measures about 15mm, with an (estimated) barrel length of about 9.9mm. I think these comparisons/differences are important. You can see the barrel clearly on the vinyl insulated terminal. Very difficult with the vinyl one.

I just found the bag of bargain connectors that the prior owner left aboard and they are indeed poor quality vinyl connectors. I should have procured better. That is mostly on me, being reluctant to throw things away. Hopefully this will also serve notice to others.

I have a good quality ratcheting double crimper, but the shortness of the terminal most likely made centering the crimper on the terminal troublesome. You can see the double crimp if you look closely on the ring terminal. I can't really recall making the actual crimp ten years ago. I have made probably a thousand crimps on this boat alone, many thousand over the years and the law of averages dictate that some were likely poor - just can't recall any at this point

In any case, my refrigeration problem seems solved. and I will track down any spade terminals I may have used elsewhere and replace them, especially if they are this vinyl type.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by redsky49

I believe I may have identified the problem.



The take away from this? Check all push-on terminals.

Couldn't have said it better myself.
I found and replaced every stinking one of those 1/4" spade connectors on my boat with ss. screw terminals with soldered on ring terminals.
The factory wiring was designed to be easy for an idiot to assemble, but really sucked for long term reliability.
That was at least ten years ago.
No problems since, at least with the wiring.

And yes, I said "SOLDERED".