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Old 19-05-2011, 09:28   #1
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What's Wrong With My New Fridge ?

Looking to see if anyone can confirm my information...

I have recently installed a new Adler barbour supercold machine with a vt152 vertical evaporator. Everything looked great, but after turning the brand new unit on, it wouldn't frost or get cold.

I checked everything a few times and everything looked right and according to the instructions.

So figuring I'd better bring the experts in I asked the yard to send their tech in to check it out. He tested the thermostat, it was fine. 134a charge was fine. Voltage was fine. No errors on the led on the back of the unit. He turned it on and said the high pressure was getting higher as it should but the low pressure side was not dropping. He said there was something wrong with the compressor and it needs to be swapped out.

Does it sound reasonable and I just got a dud compressor unit? I'm trying to get things set up with dometic/Adler Barbour, but they seem unable after a week to figure out who they have on long island ny that can check it out.

If this is indeed the problem, I'm inclined to push defender to take the unit back and deal with the return with the manufacturer. I can then have the tech swap the two units out and recharge in time for my trip in a little over a week.

Any advise / thoughts?

Thanks

Matt
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Old 19-05-2011, 09:44   #2
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Re: Whats wrong with my new fridge?

Maybe one of the low-side connectors did not open properly during installation.
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Old 19-05-2011, 09:47   #3
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Hmm so basically see if I can't move it another quarter turn or something? I had torqued the wrench with a good deal of force...

I thought the gas would leak out if the connection wasn't complete...
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Old 19-05-2011, 09:51   #4
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You might have something blocking the line doesn't take much. A small speck of dirt or something
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Old 19-05-2011, 09:56   #5
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Re: Whats wrong with my new fridge?

...or the connector is cross threaded or bunged up some other way...

My connectors can be removed and replaced without losing refrigerant, but I recall A-B said theirs could not .... but they look outwardly the same ... but I don't really know .... You can leak quite a surprising amount of gas without materially affecting the operation.
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Old 19-05-2011, 12:37   #6
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I finally got a hold of the A/B tech who has been very helpful... He said they never have had those symptoms in a bad unit (with the high pressure going up but the low side not dropping. ) He thinks the problem is that it's overcharged. As the low side isn't dropping but the high side pressure is going up I wonder if the combination of

1 using the "tropical" unit in 50-60 degree weather
2. A charge on the high side out of the factory

Conspired to stop the low pressure side from changing state and lowering pressure enough?

The tech guy from the yard is going to go through it on the phone with the A/B tech on Monday so we should have more info soon.....
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Old 19-05-2011, 13:07   #7
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Re: Whats wrong with my new fridge?

Since the unit is brand new, I think dealing with AB is the way to go. However, the best frig guy around is Richard Kollmann. Try his website. He will answer very quickly. www.kollmann-marine.com
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Old 31-05-2011, 17:07   #8
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Thanks everyone for the advice! I wanted to wrap up the thread and write down what happened. Indeed the compressor was malfunctioning, they sent a new unit right away which was great. I'll check everything out on Friday, but looks like im in good shape. one note: having the right equipment on hand means you can work with the tech on the phone. Cost me some $$$ to have the yard do that, but my confidence in fridge tech is pretty minimal. Thanks again!

You always question yourself first (for good reason) on these self install units, but sometimes you do get a dud I guess!
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Old 31-05-2011, 17:56   #9
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Re: What's Wrong With My New Fridge ?

kismet -

good to hear that adler barbour service people were cooperative. i installed an a-b like yours five years ago. wouldn't start. called a-b. they solved the problem over the phone (bad control unit) and fed ex'd me a new control unit the next day. end of problem. been running five years now.....
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