Grunert Passagemaker Refrigeration Problem

[bstreep]

We have a Grunert Passagemaker refrigeration system. This is a 110v system with 2 cold plates (one for the fridge, one for the freezer). The compressor sits in the engine compartment and has a heat exchanger to the water.

It has worked flawlessly for the 4 years we've had the boat. Until this weekend.

When our daughter arrived at the boat, the freezer was fine - still holding ice. The refrigerator was HOT. Actually - hot, not just not operating. She said the cold plate was hot to the touch - uncomfortably hot. She shut the system down, and then turned it on the next morning. It's worked fine since then.

So, my questions are: what happened?

And, what can we do to insure that it doesn't happen again?

We've had to throw everything out, including a couple of cases of beer, as they got very warm/hot - she says well over 100 degrees.

Grunert/Taylor Made has been no help at all. They gave us the name of a dealer 200 miles away. Thanks...

I've talked to a good friend who does installations in Kemah, and he thinks it's just the expansion valve that froze up, and that the "hot" she felt was from the boat sitting in 95 degree weather. The cold plate IS next to the hull.

Any thoughts?

[hogfighter]

If the freezer's cold, then the problem is local (i.e., not the compressor). I recently had the opposite problem....the fridge worked great, freezer not at all, although not hot. Turned out to be the thermostat....you can check yours by jumping the thermostat for a few minutes and seeing if the cold plate is, well, getting cold.

I spent 2 summers in south Texas, with the Navy teaching me how to fly jets. The cockpits would get so hot that you'd burn your hand on anything metal....so my guess is that it's summer in Texas that's overheating your beer.

Let us know what the result is, it's always interesting to hear the exact cause.

[bstreep]

Thanks for the ideas. As it now works, I'm not sure testing the thermostat will do much! I will post what results - if any - I find. Hard to fix something that's now working...

When were you in S Texas training? My cousin was here in 89-90. She's now CAG for Carrier Air Wing 3 - attached to the Truman.

[Sailor g]

We have this system also- so we are really interested in what you found. We have never had this issue- just tired of running the genset when at anchor (& we are out often) Hope you have no further problems.

[hogfighter]

Sailor G, if your freezer is nice and cold, but the fridge is not, try putting a wine cork in the drain hole (if there is one). I had to run my fridge all day until I did that nice little trick, and now my beer is ice cold all day long. The cold air would simply drain out of the hole and into the bilge.....

[atoll]

sounds like you have lost some gas or have moisture block if it is a capilliary system,find the leak,and or vacume and regas,untill both plates freeze,should only get hot at the very end of the supply line.

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by Sailor g

We have this system also- so we are really interested in what you found. We have never had this issue- just tired of running the genset when at anchor (& we are out often) Hope you have no further problems.

Your cold plate should stay cold for 24 hours, after 1 hour of running.

I will let folks know. Good thought on the drains - both of our boxes have drain holes that are open.

[Sailor g]

We have not had problems- I was just interested in his findings.

We also use 1" stoppers for the drains. Our cold plates stay cold for 24 -36 hrs (depending on ambient temperature) but we run the genset for it about 3x per day (when it kicks on based on our low setting) to keep everything really cold.