Frigoboat Horror (True) Story

[vientoman]

I too purchased and installed a keel cooled Frigoboat system and I am very interested to know what could have caused such a catastrophic break in that keel cooler block. My system is installed and tested but my boat has yet to be launched.

Upon install, is it possible that the keel cooler block could have been over tightened to the point where it caused a crack. The firgoboat keel cooler does not seem to be made from a solid cast chunk of silicon bronze, rather it seems to be some form of centered bronze that could be more prone to initial cracking and continued propagation. Sorry for your troubles

I will follow this thread with interest.

[sww914]

My only thought at seeing the pictures is stray current.

[SvenG]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Replacement is great but its only part of the story. If you don't determine what caused it in the first place we'll look forward to deja vu in about three weeks.

Couldn't agree more. Without knowing why the first installation failed you'll be no better off with the new equipment.

It has still been very useful to us as it makes us wonder if would could have done anything remotely similar in our installation. Overtightened bolts or missing/broken negative connection seem most worrisome.



-Sven

[witzgall]

We have all had products or installations that have not gone or worked as we wished. I think that this thread can serve as a good example on how NOT to voice ones issues publically. There are way too many variables in such an installation to thrash a company publically in this manner.

Chris

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by witzgall

We have all had products or installations that have not gone or worked as we wished. I think that this thread can serve as a good example on how NOT to voice ones issues publically. There are way too many variables in such an installation to thrash a company publically in this manner.

Chris

Particularly a company that will replace an expensive product, even though the failure of the product was due to installation error. Kudos to Veco.

[bmm32005]

I agree, KUDOS to Veco/Frigoboat. They did the right thing and they will benefit from it. I am in the process of installing the keel cooled system over the Winter and would be very interested in the cause of this issue.

[senormechanico]

Well for one thing, don't really crank down on the keel cooler nut !

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by konakoma

The components were removed and returned to the local distributor, and we commenced the warranty process. That was weeks ago, and we have gotten nothing but the runaround, and the Frigoboat rep sends us questions (wrong email address, which we had to tell them twice to fix) aimed only at trying to find a fault in the install to deny warranty. ?

So what we basically have here, is an install fault. Either too much torque (and I installed mine- they warn against overtightening) or electrolysis/galvanic corrosion,


Yet, the company actually is replacing all your components at their cost and considering reimbursing for other costs?

And you just trashed them on the internet. Sheesh. I have a real problem with individuals coming on this forum with rants about products/companies that are more about the individual's issues than the company's.




Kudos to Frigoboat- i found their customer service exceptional. I was either missing (or had misplaced) a compressor board halfway through install, and they replaced it at no cost with no hassle.

[Cheechako]

Looks like stray current to me too. I've seen example of a new 1" SS shaft disappear in 3 months! I've always been in the "dont bond anything " camp.

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I've always been in the "dont bond anything " camp.

Another happy camper....

[konakoma]

Replacement Compressor and Evaporator Plate supplied by Veco NA re-installed 1/3/2014 and system working per specs, so far. Submitted additional costs to Veco and we'll see how their claim to "work with me" on these expenses works out, but so far. so good. May even get to the islands for a few months after all this done with. Spouse happier.

[konakoma]

Yeah, I'm sure

[mottseng]

Originally Posted by witzgall

We have all had products or installations that have not gone or worked as we wished. I think that this thread can serve as a good example on how NOT to voice ones issues publically. There are way too many variables in such an installation to thrash a company publically in this manner.

Chris

With all due respect I couldn't disagree more. There should not be any censoring of someone voicing ones issues publically even if it paints a certain company in a negative light. If the company is not at fault others will most certainly flush that out in future postings to a thread.

The beauty of a forum like this is that if someone has a negative experience with a certain company or product they can say so freely.

[CarlF]

Mottseng,

I think when you actually start cruising, you'll find "boats are different". No one would own a house that came with the steady stream of problems that we all routinely put up with on a cruising sailboat -- especially those of us who insist on shoreside niceties such as refrigeration and even toilets in the hostile environment created by loading, vibration, and salt water.

Most quickly learn to "work with" vendors, boat yards, and fellow cruisers to solve a steady stream of equipment failures - many of which are mysteries. Some vendors are great, most are average, some are "never again" . But flaming posts and threatening legal action when it's not clear what went wrong is foolish and uncivil.

If I was Veco, I'd feel that I'd already gone the extra mile replacing the equipment and ignore the bill for costs - especially given the flaming posts.

[mottseng]

Hello CarlF:

My point is this... you fortunately had a good experience and relayed that here for all to read. The OP had a negative experience and he has done the same. I believe that this forum provides the opportunity for free speech (within the guidelines of the forum rules). If you purchased a product for your boat I would want to hear all the positive and negative comments in relation to that purchase.

We all react differently to situations and the OP chose to react in his way whether right or wrong. The point is that he was able to freely tell us his experience and reaction.

Thanks