Freezer Frosting Up Too Fast

[a64pilot]

The reason why excess frost can’t be refrigerant level is with it properly operating the evaporator is below freezing, it will accumulate frost based on the amount of humidity in the air and the amount of air flow over the evaporator. No matter the refrigerant level so long as the freezer is working, even poorly means the evaporator is well below freezing and will accumulate ice.


Now an airconditioner evaporator May ice up with low refrigerant because the evaporator is below freezing, and it shouldn’t be, it’s that simple, but a freezer’s evaporator has to be below freezing when the compressor is running or it can’t cool the freezer.

A frost free freezer of course has a defrost timer and a heating element, every so often the compressor is stopped, the evaporator is heated, the frost melts, drips into a pan and is drained away and the compressor restarted.


Some refrigerators can also have a timer that stops the compressor for long enough so that the evaporator warms up enough to melt the ice, but a freezer can’t operate that way as the cabinet temp has to remain significantly below freezing.
So if you have a spill over or a freezer, don’t buy one of the devices that have a defrost timer.

[LarryS1]

My refrigerator and freezer share the same compressor. There is a hole in the common wall between them with a fan controlled by a thermostat to regulate the temperature in the refrigerator. I had the same problem you described regarding having to defrost the freezer. I was about to change the freezer seal (it looked fine) when someone told me to check the seal on the refrigerator by closing the door with a dollar bill in various places. Sure enough I could easily slide the dollar bill out in several places. I replaced the refrigerator seal and have had no frost problems since. Hope that helps.

[Simi 60]

We run a 560 litre Samsung fridge on board.

It had a shocking freeze up and go warm issue which, when I googled it was world wide and the fix was pull apart shelves and plastic and heatgun offending ice, reassemble.

Our fix is every second night turn it off.
Everything stays cold/frozen but the bit that iced up obviously loses its buildup and its now been 3 years trouble free.

Not a solution as such but it works for us.

[bobty]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I have, and continue to, consider a refrigerant loss. The thing that kind of talks me out of it s that problem really got worst a year ago and if there was a leak I would think it would have all leaked by now.

On yesterdays defrosting i took all screws out of the walls and lids and resealed them. Some did seem to need it, but they don't seem to be enough to cause the problem. Will find out in a few days.

I had an identical problem with fridge -freezer combination and only solved it when an Aussie marine refrigeration maker was contacted. They sent me their 'Problem resolution data' for this.
You have confirmed seals are good, your problem is that the system is LOW on refrigerant. This causes the cold plate to be extremely cold in parts attracting abnormal and rapid ice deposits. Top up the gas and the problem goes away.
I also fitted a 'heat transfer duct' and now only defrost after mant weeks. The duct is a shallow stainless steel cover located on the freezer side wall over the two fridge air ducts. This prevents fridge air mixing with freezer air while being cooled.

[fivecapes]

Is it possible to temporarily Glad wrap/tape the lid/body interface to eliminate air leaks from the equation?

[Richard Kollmann]

Originally Posted by fivecapes

Is it possible to temporarily Glad wrap/tape the lid/body interface to eliminate air leaks from the equation?

Placing a small rug on counter top covering lid is the common solution used by many boaters to reduce air infiltration on freezers. This will reduce interior frost and lid condensation but will not solve his system's poor performance. This poor performance will require more refrigerant mass flow from the under capacity four amp drawing compressor.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Richard Kollmann

Placing a small rug on counter top covering lid is the common solution used by many boaters to reduce air infiltration on freezers. This will reduce interior frost and lid condensation but will not solve his system's poor performance. This poor performance will require more refrigerant mass flow from the under capacity four amp drawing compressor.

Its been 2 days since last defrost. The air temp in top of freezer is 12 degrees and the spill over fan when it cycles on drops the frig side from 36 to 35 in less than 30 seconds.

So it is hard to call that system performance is “poor”.

I am continuing to track it and not jump to conclusions too fast.

[Richard Kollmann]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Its been 2 days since last defrost. The air temp in top of freezer is 12 degrees and the spill over fan when it cycles on drops the frig side from 36 to 35 in less than 30 seconds.

So it is hard to call that system performance is “poor”.

I am continuing to track it and not jump to conclusions too fast.

I was reporting based on the only time you stated performance was in post 53 and that was very poor performance for a BD50 compressor. Low amperage at the time could be attributed to low on refrigerant or compressor speed setting too slow.

If you are now satisfied with your systems performance and compressor running time, I am also satisfied.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Richard Kollmann

If you are now satisfied with your systems performance and compressor running time, I am also satisfied.

I am only satisfied by the system keeping things cold and only needing to defrost in what i consider a reasonable time.I will get around to measuring amps with a handheld and in measuring the resistance of thermostat. But right now i only want to change 1 thing at a time and then see what happens.

[sailorboy1]

Frost problem seems ok now. So it appear it was those screws in thelid letting in moisture.

Freezer is keeping the top air temp about 12 degrees and the frig side is fine.

System is using 5 amps and near as i can didnt cycle off during the night based on amp-hour usage. This with the freezer thermostat set at about 6 out of the 8 scale. So this makes mw wonder if the system could use just a little r134. But i also question it might be a case of leave well enough alone.

[Coolerking]

I'm too lazy after fixing this refrigeration stuff all day to see if I've already covered this.
Please...everyone, go buy a temp data recorder..google it,they are about 25 bucks.
Use it to determine EXACTLY what the unit is doing during it's cycle, this data is best considered when the unit is left to cycle normally overnight without being opened.
That way you get an EXACT number regarding the total run time best case and can compare it to total typical runtime in everyday use, you know, like you and your pals are laying waste to a box of suds...
I'm positive some of you underestimate your effect on the system, and I think you will be surprised at what you find.
If the heat going into it is greater than what's being removed....
Seal the holes, every last one.
I worked on a Cabo sportfisher today, we built the cockpit freezer on this and every other Cabo ever built., I was in the engine room doing other things, for 4 hours.
The unit ran once, for about 8 minutes, trust me, I was timing it.
35F all day long.
Just saying.

[Richard Kollmann]

Originally Posted by Coolerking

I'm too lazy after fixing this refrigeration stuff all day to see if I've already covered this.
Please...everyone, go buy a temp data recorder..google it,they are about 25 bucks.
Use it to determine EXACTLY what the unit is doing during it's cycle, this data is best considered when the unit is left to cycle normally overnight without being opened.
That way you get an EXACT number regarding the total run time best case and can compare it to total typical runtime in everyday use, you know, like you and your pals are laying waste to a box of suds...
I'm positive some of you underestimate your effect on the system, and I think you will be surprised at what you find.
If the heat going into it is greater than what's being removed....
Seal the holes, every last one.
I worked on a Cabo sportfisher today, we built the cockpit freezer on this and every other Cabo ever built., I was in the engine room doing other things, for 4 hours.
The unit ran once, for about 8 minutes, trust me, I was timing it.
35F all day long.
Just saying.

Can you provide us with the source of the $25 data logger you mention?

[Coolerking]

Originally Posted by Richard Kollmann

Can you provide us with the source of the $25 data logger you mention?

Look it up, it all out there.
Hell you can get one that will enable you to get all the remote real time data you need via the internet for 150 bucks.
They have been in use in the high latitudes for sometime now.

[Richard Kollmann]

Originally Posted by Coolerking

Look it up, it all out there.
Hell you can get one that will enable you to get all the remote real time data you need via the internet for 150 bucks.
They have been in use in the high latitudes for sometime now.

I have sent out my logger to boaters to do two week tests on their refrigeration for twenty years and provided computer analysis later with no charge for the service. The $150 unit cost is more than I want to spend for more data loggers.

The results from some of the more than 100 logger tests you will find the results in my 12/24 volt boat refrigeration book if you have one, as they are out of print now.

[sailorboy1]

I have a “logger”, it is called a battery monitor. When going to bed i log the -AH. When i get back up i check it, subtract what it was, divide by the hours since. It is math, but not rocket science.

Not hard to compare the average used about what what the BM says the system is using right now.

Math suggests that last night it may have cycled and “only” ran 94% of the time.