My fridge stopped working on my '11 SO409. Please help!

[Cool Hand Luke]

I came to the boat and my fridge/freezer was lukewarm even though it's switched to the on position on the panel. I bought her 3 years ago and she's been good to me. No major issues. I hope this isn't some major repair.

Any ideas on how to begin? How to repair? Or, should I just ask the marina boat yard for help and submit a repair ticket... and then I might as well bend over and get ready for some uncomfortable costs since everything they quote is in the thousands

[Paul L]

You might get more assistance if you state the type, make and model of the refrigeration.

[Nicholson58]

The yard will just retain a local pro. Figure who services yours and call them. Is there a manual? Trouble shooting guide? On line help?

[NYSail]

Did you check power supply? Fuses? Reset button on compressor?

Pull the manual and do some reading before paying for help is my philosophy. Amazing how many times it turns out to be basic simple things....

Good luck!

[ozsailer]

Gday CHL,
It could be a number of things that come to mind 1) Blown Circuit breaker 2) stuffed thermostat 3) brokren wire or wire has come off terminal 4) stuffed fridge motor/compressor just to name a couple of things but more than likely one of these.
I dont know if you are much of a handy man but if you are a quick check with a multi meter will give you some answers. Have you checked power to the terminal base at the fridge motor. If power there I would be inclined to remove thermostat cable and put a jumper lead across them and see if motor starts running. (Please do only if you are confident and know what your doing and its a 12 volt fridge !!!!) If motor runs I would highly suggest its your thermostat that requires replacing. (This was the case on our boat and was an easy fix replaced with a electronic thermostat) If no power to motor issue pre fridge and requires tracing cablee to source of issue - check power at distribution board first to see of power going out to fridge.
Just some ideas - if not cofident or knowledgable to do this get the yard to sort it our for you.


Greg H
Lagoon 440

[beirutsailor]

Youtube is full of relevant videos. But one poor electric connection is all it takes. Check each, one by one, sandpaper and spray. Start with the battery terminal!

[sailing_gal]

As somebody else has said, we cannot help you without knowing what fridge you are talking about. Could be cooling issue, could be something as simple as, if water cooled, the water inlet being blocked so the compressor doesn't get cooled, could be a gas leak, could be a bad motor, could be worn brushes on a pump, could be lots of things...... Make and model!

[Cool Hand Luke]

Thanks for all the info guys. I’ll try to look up the model number. And will try some basic troubleshooting myself as you guys recommended. But I’m definitely a beginner so I don’t even know how to get to the fuse or compressor. Or even where either one is located. Time to study up [emoji433]

[Cool Hand Luke]

Step 1. Check! Found it. It’s making noise when I turn the fridge on on the panel. Not a weird noice just a noise as if it was working correctly.

[CarlF]

That’s an air cooled system.

Have you turned it off for a few hours and turned it on again? If that doesn't fix it (unlikely), since the compressor is running the odds are pretty high that a leak has let coolant out. The leak could be at the compressor, or the evaporator (the plate in the fridge), or the tubing in between.

Unless you have refrigeration repair equipment and the knowledge to use it you need a repair guy to find the leak and then recharge the coolant.

If the leak is in the evaporator, you usually have to replace it.

That may be a Frigoboat air cooled system. Check the manuals with the boat. If so, call Coastal Climate for help. Many refrigeration techs don’t know how to service them and mess them up.

https://www.coastalclimatecontrol.co...frigoboat.html

[Stu Jackson]

Richard Kollmann, the fridge guru, as stated, repeatedly, that 99% of firdge problems are electrical.


Go to his website and read.


None of us was born a fridge repair man. We all read and learned.

[Coolerking]

The cap tube and the suction line at the compressor inlet look kind of oily to me.

[Alita49DS]

If it is Jeanneau the chances are that it is Frigoboat. If so, welcome to years of unreliability and problems. Could be anything as the quality is rubbish.

[Cool Hand Luke]

It actually may be the compressor. I think it’s just the fan running and that’s the noise I hear.

[jt11791]

Originally Posted by Alita49DS

If it is Jeanneau the chances are that it is Frigoboat. If so, welcome to years of unreliability and problems. Could be anything as the quality is rubbish.

I guess you have some unhappy history, but Frigoboat has a good reputation and mine have been working great for 18 years.