Refrigeration - After period of no use, compressor runs, no cooling, where to start?

[iyamwhatiyam]

Hello Master Reefer Techs! After a period of no use, probably as much as a year, I've now corrected my shore power inop issue. Yay! So now let's run the fridge, right?

Well, the fridge compressor runs and gets warm, but the fridge does not cool AT ALL. Yes, it did previously run just fine before the period of prolonged inactivity. SO, air gap, need to bleed? Refrigerant recharge? If all the gas is gone, would checking for leaks with soapy solution do any good if there is nothing left to leak out? What user serviceable items are there? Since I'm 90% sure it needs a recharge, should I just call a tech, or can I do it myself? It's FL so maybe I can pick up a can at the auto parts and shove it in an appropriate orifice? Can anyone recommend a tech in the greater Jacksonville, FL area? Do I ask too many questions??? Can you tell I've never serviced a reefer before?

BTW... I have a 1989 Catalina 30 MKII. The compressor is a Frigoboat Marine Refrigeration model K 35 F. I'm attaching a photo of the compressor and the power supply. Thank you for reading!!!

[Richard Kollmann]

There is a good Frigoboat Tech in St Augustine FL. There is a 90% probability of refrigerant loss do to Oring seal leaks at one of the refrigerant line connectors. It is important that only fresh new seals provided by Frigoboat be used. VESCO in US web site provides information on seal replacement and refrigerant servicing but special equipment is requiired to service the refrigerant, vacuum pump and method of getting refrigerant from container to compressor. A tech will first check static pressure in system to verify loss of refrigerant. If static pressure is good then dirty boat supply current to module is interrupting the three phase current pulses to variable speed compressor.

[iyamwhatiyam]

Thank you Richard! Great analysis. I’ll start searching for the tech today. Nothing like an excuse to visit St. Augustine...

[iyamwhatiyam]

For those of you who don't know, Refrigeration Guru Mr. Kollmann has an amazingly informative website at Kollmann Marine

Mr. Kollmann, is your book "12 & 24 Volt Refrigeration Book" still available? I'm a FL resident so I'm figuring the 6% sales tax only applies to the book purchase price but not the S&H? I'm ready to write a check!

Thanks again for your help!