Can someone reccomend a competent marine reftigeration service in tampa area?

[sailingcamelot]

I saw the same ad fro Harbour Freight. Checked it out. Same setup as what I have now....no adapters. A friend told me to go to Advance Auto Parts and get a conversion kit (R12 to R134a) for $15. It has 5-6 different adapters. Looks like that should solve my problem. Won't know until next weekend when I go down to the boat again. I realize this project would have been much easier if I just called a boat refrigeration guy like Peterson Marine or Cool Breeze but I am learning a lot about my system and how to repair it myself. That is something I needed to learn any way. When we are cruising in a couple of years, I will have to know this stuff.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by sailingcamelot

I saw the same ad fro Harbour Freight. Checked it out. Same setup as what I have now....no adapters. A friend told me to go to Advance Auto Parts and get a conversion kit (R12 to R134a) for $15. It has 5-6 different adapters. Looks like that should solve my problem. Won't know until next weekend when I go down to the boat again.

If your luck runs like mine you will get to the boat and have every adapter on the planet except the one you need.

Originally Posted by sailingcamelot

I realize this project would have been much easier if I just called a boat refrigeration guy like Peterson Marine or Cool Breeze but I am learning a lot about my system and how to repair it myself. That is something I needed to learn any way. When we are cruising in a couple of years, I will have to know this stuff.

I feel the same way about most things on the boat. When I first went cruising almost 40 years ago I barely knew a starter from an alternator. Nothing like necessity to make an expert out of you. I truly experienced the saying that cruising is doing boat repair and maintenance in exotic places. Of course not all you do all the time but it is certainly a part of it and a part that presented a challenged that I enjoyed.

So did the setup at Harbor Freight look decent? For that price I wonder if it is worth buying the set (and the adapters) to have for just in case.

So, where was the leak? Somewhere the copper tube rubbed against a bulkhead or similar or next to a fitting?

[Steve Bean]

So, tell us more. Was it easy to find the leak? Did you keep looking for other leaks after finding it? If it needed brazing it wasn't just a fitting that needed tightening. Fatigue crack? Chafed against something? Any way to prevent recurrence?

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by NSboatman

I just had a great experience with Wolfgang and Steve at cool breeze marine ac and refrigeration, up in Tarpon Springs. they say they service Tampa area. look em up and give em a call: COOL BREEZE MARINE A/C & REF.

They may well be great guys to deal with, and I don't doubt that they are experts at what they do, but their website really sucks.

[sailingcamelot]

The leak was at a previously soldered joint in the copper line. Did not show signs of chafing.....just shoddy work. The adapters that I bought look right but I keep the boat 30 miles from where I live so will have to wait until Friday to check them out.

[sailingcamelot]

UPDATE--It has been 36 hours since I charged the system and so far, so good. 35 degrees in the fridge. Total cost=less than $50 and I learned a great deal.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by sailingcamelot

UPDATE--It has been 36 hours since I charged the system and so far, so good. 35 degrees in the fridge. Total cost=less than $50 and I learned a great deal.

Congratulations. So when (not if) mine eventually breaks will you come help me fix it?

[sailingcamelot]

4 days and it still works! Beginners Luck for sure. Not plugged in to shore power and have not started engines. Batteries showing 78% charge. Solar panels are the way to go!

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by sailingcamelot

4 days and it still works! Beginners Luck for sure. Not plugged in to shore power and have not started engines. Batteries showing 78% charge. Solar panels are the way to go!

So have you checked how many amp hours/day it's using?