Phoenix_V
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Posts posted by Phoenix_V
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This is very tempting 12 volt converted fridges from about £350. https://belluna.eu/kategorie/kuhlschranke/
A German company but not too bad for delivery to me in Belgium.
But they do appear to have an agent in the UK. https://imegastores.co.uk/new-12v-24v-compressor-fridge-98-litre-match-dometic-waeco-cre-crx-campervan or https://www.gumtree.com/p/fridges-freezers/92-liter-compressor-refrigerator-12v-24v-volt-motorhome-caravan-boat-solar/1387344225
They use a Sikelan compressor which is a knock off copy of the Danfoss which probably expains the cheap price.
I think I am probably going to go down the 230 v route now but this is tempting and may be of interest to some.
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be interesting to know why it failed, cookers unlike many boat, things are often repairable.
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when our ha3 seized (lack of use not overheating though) it could not be moved on the handstart even with compressors off, but the starter motor free'd it instantly
1 hour ago, Karen Lea Rainey said:Mike, I think you've hit the nail on head, again. Everything I've done now leads me to overheating, possibly stopping through having to at the last minute.
Following morning it's to late.
Just hope now that it's not to bad a seize and can be repaired reasonably cheaply. Thanks for your input.
don't forget to find out why it overheated in the first place!
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On 09/08/2021 at 11:53, Loddon said:
The usb is an external unit that plugs into an RJ45 socket in the combi that I think is alongside the one used for the remote control.
https://www.victronenergy.com/accessories/interface-mk3-usb
Worth its weight in gold if you wish to reconfigure the Combi, for example I have to switch power saving off every time I want to use tge washing machine makes it simple to do.
OK thanks when I am back on the boat I will check the exact model number and make enquiries
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14 minutes ago, Loddon said:
Have you got the external USB interface if not you won't see the ecomode as it's not switchable via the dipswitches. The Victron I had on the barge ten years ago had it.
Doesn't seem to be any usb connection, just the remote control port but will have a proper look when allowed back to the boat!
manual says 6 watts standby it is probably at least 12 maybe 14 years old! Victron 12/1600/70 multiplus
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1 hour ago, Loddon said:
I havent bothered, the standby power of the Victron is only 2-3 watts I doubt you will find an inverter that consumes less than that.
You do need to have the pc/phone interface gizzmo to set it up.
Mine is older it doesn't appear to have the eco mode, I was thinking of one of those that only turn on when they detect a load just for the fridge, but the victron will certanly be OK for now
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On 07/08/2021 at 14:21, Seajays said:
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I first replaced the complete thermostat unit but unfortunately it made no difference. I was finally given the name of “Inlander Low Voltage Refridgeration” in Birmingham and am taking it into them on Monday. The engineer believes he can sort it. Any other replacement fridge wouldn’t fit the hole and I really don’t want to have to reconfigure the galley so my fingers are crossed !!
Do let us know what they say.
I looked at the Inlander websites, they repair any make of fridge (but you have to take it to them) they also sell modified mains fridges with a wide choice of base model (and they tell you which base model unlike Shoreline)
However I have had enough of this and am replacing with a 230v fridge. Small a++/E standard fridges are hard to find and they are probably built in China too but at least if and when one fails they are cheap and easy to replace. I shall be buying one in Belgium but in the UK Inventor fridges seem popular with the mobile home market (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inventor-Internal-dormitories-Capability-Eco-Friendly/dp/B01E02P3PK/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Inventor+fridge&qid=1628493196&s=appliances&sr=1-4)
Research on the internet shows that larder fridges are much more economical to run than those with a proper frozen food section so the a+ status may not be so important in that case but I am told we must have a proper frozen food section unfortunately. A halfway house is those that have a small icebox which barely goes down to 0 degrees (compare the consumption of the Inventor 93l and 98l to get a handle on this)
I have a Victron inverter which will run it but will be looking at getting a separate inverter to run the fridge, does anyone have any recommendations?
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On 03/08/2021 at 12:49, Phoenix_V said:
Well I found a fridge engineer. Not easy most run a mile when you say 12 volts. He confirmed lack of gas and refilled (£80). That brass valve may or may not have been the culprit but he couldn't find any obvious leak. So I will report back in 12 months if it is still going, or not if it fails sooner!
In any event my experience and that of others, it appears, is that these converted fridges often don't last more than 5/6 years (and the ususal mode of failure is lack of gas) So if it does go again I think it will be time to go over to 230 volt (and inverter)!
Despite suspecting the filler point and the engineer checking and retightening this the fridge failed again after a few days, the leak is clearly in a hidden part. I suspect that most of these cheap fridges come from China perhaps there is built in obsolesence. Does anyone want a BD35 12v compressor and control box apparently still working?
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2 minutes ago, EnglishRose said:
As we are only using the boat for leisure is there a way of turning it off when not in use. Seems pointless to have inverter/fridge etc in use if we don't need it.
There is an on off switch on the inverter!
The point is that the fridge motor only runs about 30-50% of the time and the rest of the time the inverter is idling and wasting current. If you are not using the inverter for anything else it should be possible to disconnect the fridge thermostat from the motor and wire it to a relay to switch it (and the motor) on and off as required (if your electician is good at that sort of thing!)
Ideally the inverter should be psw (pure sine wave) if it is msw (modified sine wave - a cheaper option) may use more current and potentially shorten the life of the motor.
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3 minutes ago, EnglishRose said:
Thanks everyone we will look at 240v. We are limited on space as our boat is only 26.5ft so it does need to be the same size so any specific recommendations would be helpful but I'll look at the efficiency and power consumption.
I've take some pics of the inverter but I ant see make and solar but I can't see any details. I've also also emailed Steve Williams the guy who did the BSS earlier in the year to establish if he can remember exactly what the problem was.
just speculating but possibly it wasn't fitted with a fuse? Easy enough to check the no load consumption of that inverter but is the capacity marked anywhere?
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1 minute ago, Bargebuilder said:
Even better than the most efficient fridge and a huge amount cheaper, is to buy a freezer and feed in the sensor of a cheap eBay 12v thermostat to allow operation at 4-6 centigrade rather than its intended -18c. The thermostat operates a relay, the relay turns on the dedicated 800w PSW inverter which instantly starts up the freezer compressor; simple, cheap and very very kind to your batteries.
Indeed but then you wont have a freezer compartment and all those useful shelves, salad boxes and bottle racks that fridges have, may suit some though.
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10 hours ago, EnglishRose said:
We are thinking it is likely cheaper to get a 'normal' fridge like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0796TQ517/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ACW3IF4KTVO3F&psc=1 but we really want to understand the pros and cons to each.
I have just had my 12v fridge repaired, it only lasted 5 years as did the one before so if (when?) it fails again it will be skipped and I will be going the 240 volt route.
For the fridge it is important to look at the efficiency A++ under the old system or E on the new system. Also the total energy consumption (which will be much higher if there is a chiller compartment so consider carefully if you need that feature.) Small efficient fridges are few and far between, that one you found is one of the few, it is quite small, if you have the space you may want to go larger. The same seller has larger efficient ones.
Then for the inverter you would need one which is large enough to cope with the fridge start up current (which is larger than the running current) 1000 watt pure sine wave (with peak of at least 1500) is normally suggested, the current the inverter takes when the fridge is not running is important too. Some inverters have an eco mode where they turn off almost completely until they sense a load but these have been reported as difficult to set up.
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A friend of ours did have his engine nicked many years ago. It was "only" a BMC too. Mind you he did moor in Birmingham and hadn't been near the boat for months.
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48 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:
I think you're right when you say they're hard to find - how's about you share your own good fortune and give the guy a chance of more business by sharing his details the rest of us (and those still to come looking)?
Sure,but he is in Bishops Stortford so only likely to be of help on Lea and Stort, Appliance Breakdown Service 01279 501539, 07768596151
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13 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:
My converted LEC, labelled Batts is 26 years old and working well, never been repaired. I have probably HeXeD it now.
Perhaps that is why Batts are no longer in business, no repeat sales when the fridge expires after 5/6 years?
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Well I found a fridge engineer. Not easy most run a mile when you say 12 volts. He confirmed lack of gas and refilled (£80). That brass valve may or may not have been the culprit but he couldn't find any obvious leak. So I will report back in 12 months if it is still going, or not if it fails sooner!
In any event my experience and that of others, it appears, is that these converted fridges often don't last more than 5/6 years (and the ususal mode of failure is lack of gas) So if it does go again I think it will be time to go over to 230 volt (and inverter)!
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Do we think the EA were put on earth to make crt look good?
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41 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:
Or, even simpler 4-hydraulic legs (one on each 'corner') the same as many larger camper-vans have for levelling up.
They'd only need to 2 or 3 feet long, built into the hull, arrive, press a button, jack-legs go down, job done and no further demand on the electrics.
If long enough could also be used to lift the boat out of the water for blacking - win win !
Known as spud legs not unknown on barges though really meant for river mooring, not canal where they damage the bed of the canal, though given the amount of rubbish on the bottom of the canal in London I doubt that would be an issue. We watched a barge moor up with them in a side arm in Lille about a metre away from the towpath as he was worried about the local thieves, did'nt seem to have any problems even with the wash of passing commerials in the main channel, here is a description of fitting them to a barge (note 2 only required)
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3 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:
I think that it has been worked on once already, hence the fill valve fitted. Not the best idea, crimp and brazed is better, it may be the leak point.
well yes that was my suspicion, its a Shoreline so I assume put there when they connected the 12v compressor to replace the mains one
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17 hours ago, BEngo said:
The normal method of gassing a fridge involves crimping, folding and brazing or silver soldering the filler pipe once the gas is in. No gaskets involved.
I suspect the problem is in the Danfoss mechanical unit, if only because the evaporator and condenser pipework etc. are not disturbed in the conversion. Not all of these Danfoss units originate from the European factory.
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isn't the brass thing in the photo the filler point and my suspected weak link?
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7 minutes ago, Seajays said:
Thankyou all, Im fast coming to the conclusion that a replacement fridge is the only positive way forward
but which one that is the question
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We had a Shoreline Fridge about 2009 around 5 years later it stopped cooling I took it to Shoreline who said there was a leak somewhere in the hidden pipework (modern fridges don't have that radiator thing on the back but it is all buried in the side somewhere) as the pipework is hidden the leak is untraceable. The leak was unfortuantely one of those things that happen for no obvious reason. Wherupon they sold me a new fridge.
Now another 5 or 6 years has passed and the second fridge has expired with the same symtoms.
I have had various fridges in houses over the years and all have lasted longer than 10 years. I am beginning to be a little suspicious that these converted fridges have some inbuilt issues that cause them to start leaking after a just few years particularly after they have not been used for several months as was the case in both instances here. Perhaps a gasket in the filler point?
So if anyone know a fridge engineer near Hertfordshire I will spend a little money investigating before going off to buy a 230 volt fridge and inverter!
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Is this classic head gasket gone.
in Boat Building & Maintenance
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There are a lot of Mechanic Jack videos on face book fascinating to watch though a lot of comments about his "shortcuts"