caledonia
Junior Member
Posts: 10
Jeanneau Model: Sun Odyssey 36.2
Yacht Name: Caledonia, Flower of Scotland
Home Port: Amble, Northumberland but currently cruising the Med.
Country: UK
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Post by caledonia on Aug 28, 2006 18:03:21 GMT
I'm having problems with my fridge on my 1998 SO 36.2. It's a 12 volt Sidmer Equipments compresser with a Danfos electronic controller. As far as I am aware it's the original spec. When the fridge is switched on there is a high pitched whistle which lasts a couple of seconds and then the fan kicks in. The fan switches itself off after 38 seconds and then immediately starts up again with the same high pitched whistle. This cycle of switching on and off continues. The problem was intermitent but has recently become permanent. When the fridge was working cottectly, I could hear the sound of the compresser starting up. The compresser doesn't seem to be starting up now. I'm not sure if the fault lies with the compressor or the electronic control unit. Has anyone else had any similar problems and if so, any help would be appreciated.
The batteries are fully charged, there is no probem with sufficiency of cooling air being drawn in by the fan and there is also no accumulation of dust in the cooling matrix.
Glen
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Sonny
Junior Member
Posts: 24
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Post by Sonny on Aug 28, 2006 20:22:02 GMT
Could be that you are low on freon or whatever they used as a refrigerant. The compressor is not going on; maybe, because there isn't sufficient refrigerant in the system
Sonny
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philipsargent
New Member
Posts: 2
Jeanneau Model: Sun Odyssey 32
Yacht Name: Ellin
Home Port: Poros
Country: Greece
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Post by philipsargent on Feb 23, 2020 18:27:44 GMT
Can it really be the case that all Jeanneau boats have no air-inlet to the box holding the fridge compressor?
In my 2002 SO 32 the box (under the cooker) has a single vent into the cabin, but the compressor/radiator/fan unit just sits in the middle. There is no ducted air intake from the cool area next to the hull, and no duct from the fan uint to the external vent: the hot air just goes round and round.
I am making a baffle so that the airflow is unidirectional, and drilling some holes in the panel so that the cooler air can get in. Has anyone else done this?
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Post by zaphod on Feb 23, 2020 18:51:32 GMT
Can it really be the case that all Jeanneau boats have no air-inlet to the box holding the fridge compressor? In my 2002 SO 32 the box (under the cooker) has a single vent into the cabin, but the compressor/radiator/fan unit just sits in the middle. There is no ducted air intake from the cool area next to the hull, and no duct from the fan uint to the external vent: the hot air just goes round and round. I am making a baffle so that the airflow is unidirectional, and drilling some holes in the panel so that the cooler air can get in. Has anyone else done this? The condensing unit in my 39i is in a terrible location in terms of access so I have yet to delve into it. I have to empty the cupboard under the sink and remove an access panel in the back to get at it. Definitely something that is on my to-do list. In general terms, anything you can do to prevent the hot air coming off the condenser from recirculating back through the condenser again is a good thing. The hotter the condenser air is the higher the refrigerant discharge pressure is in the the system. The higher the discharge pressure the harder the compressor has to work and the more current it draws. It sounds like you have the right idea.
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Post by geitz on Feb 23, 2020 19:16:55 GMT
I'm having problems with my fridge on my 1998 SO 36.2. It's a 12 volt Sidmer Equipments compresser with a Danfos electronic controller. As far as I am aware it's the original spec. When the fridge is switched on there is a high pitched whistle which lasts a couple of seconds and then the fan kicks in. The fan switches itself off after 38 seconds and then immediately starts up again with the same high pitched whistle. This cycle of switching on and off continues. The problem was intermitent but has recently become permanent. When the fridge was working cottectly, I could hear the sound of the compresser starting up. The compresser doesn't seem to be starting up now. I'm not sure if the fault lies with the compressor or the electronic control unit. Has anyone else had any similar problems and if so, any help would be appreciated. The batteries are fully charged, there is no probem with sufficiency of cooling air being drawn in by the fan and there is also no accumulation of dust in the cooling matrix. Glen There's a lot of good information here:
If the whistling is coming from the fan, it might be faulty (bearings?) and drawing too much power; the controller shuts it down and waits to try again. You might try disconnecting the fan from the controller to see if the compressor starts.
Mike
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Post by sitara on Feb 23, 2020 20:35:48 GMT
In my 36i the fridge fan sucks air from the cabin through a vent at the base of the sink cupboard, through the cupboard and then into the condenser coils. This arrangement does allow the condenser to be vacuumed clean. I had always assumed the airflow was the other way till I checked and found the condenser partially blocked with lint and fluff.
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Post by panoramix on Feb 24, 2020 9:55:28 GMT
Can it really be the case that all Jeanneau boats have no air-inlet to the box holding the fridge compressor? In my 2002 SO 32 the box (under the cooker) has a single vent into the cabin, but the compressor/radiator/fan unit just sits in the middle. There is no ducted air intake from the cool area next to the hull, and no duct from the fan uint to the external vent: the hot air just goes round and round. I am making a baffle so that the airflow is unidirectional, and drilling some holes in the panel so that the cooler air can get in. Has anyone else done this? In my 2003 SO37 the compressor sits under the cooker too. It draws cool air from the (watercooled) bilge and vents the hot air in the saloon. The compressor area is not airtight. There is a gap at the very rear end (need a flashlight to see it) where air from the bilge can be drwan in.
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Post by rene460 on Feb 26, 2020 6:47:13 GMT
I have been thinking of the air flow issue for some time, along the lines others have mentioned, but have not yet decided which way to go. Basically I need to spend more time on the boat, and this last year has not been conducive for a raft of reasons. The time I get on the boat tends to be taken productively, sailing or at least motor cruising, and all those normal maintenance tasks that keep us all busy.
The condenser unit is under the cupboard under the stove as others have mentioned. The air flow is definitely from the back of the unit (nearest the hull) towards the cupboard door which is fitted with a grill. The grill has a minimal array of cut out, and the outwards flow through the grill into the cabin is insipid to say the least. As Zaphod says, this is far from ideal.
There are gaps in the furniture which allow air in flow from the aft cabin through the foot well opening. Also from the salon berth area but that area also contains the hot water tank, so is heated by the heat loss from the hws. Certainly air. In the compartment is cooled by contact with the hull which in turn is cooled by the water on the outside, however, I feel that the conductivity of the hull is poor, so not an efficient cooling path.
As has been mentioned, there is no ducting to ensure that the air flow from the condenser exits through the grill, so the recirculating path is also open. My feeling is that the recirculating path probably explains most of the flow through the condenser. Definitely not the best situation.
This thread will probably prompt me at last to do something, but looking at my cal lender, don’t hold your breath.
I think the obvious simple thing to do is make up a square duct to fit on the outlet face of the condenser, between the condenser and the cupboard door. This needs a foam seal on the door end of the duct (which will be about 80 mm long) to ensure that the air definitely exits through the grill. Then the inlet will probably come mostly through the footwell opening in the back cabin.
I am tossing up whether to help the flow along a bit with a 12 V computer fan in the duct. There is a terminal accessible there which has 12 V only when the fridge is on, so a small fan is easily powered only when it is needed. I guess to do it properly I have to install my data logger and try and determine if the duct and/or fan will actually make a measurable difference. It is possible that fitting a fan to the door, 75 mm means it should fit inside the door, would be enough. It would ensure air changes in the compartment which is the main requirement to carry away the heat. It probably would not matter if the air flow was inwards or outwards, so long as it enforces air changes in the compartment around the condenser.
That is my thinking at the moment. It won’t happen any time soon, but I will report back when I have something to report. I hope someone will beat me to it.
Rene460
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Post by zaphod on Feb 27, 2020 5:07:25 GMT
The simpler solution is to create a shroud between the inlet side of the condenser coil and the opening it draws air through. As long as the warm air coming off the condenser cannot wrap around and pass through the condenser again you will be well ahead of the game.
A good indication of how well your condenser is working is to check the temperature of the copper return bends on the side of the condenser coil. You should expect the top return bends to be hot because they contain hot discharge gas. The bends will get progressively cooler as you move down, because the refrigerant is cooling and condensing into liquid. If the bends at the bottom of the condenser are still hot then the condenser is not working very well. They should be slightly warm at most.
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philipsargent
New Member
Posts: 2
Jeanneau Model: Sun Odyssey 32
Yacht Name: Ellin
Home Port: Poros
Country: Greece
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Post by philipsargent on Mar 5, 2020 17:13:21 GMT
Can it really be the case that all Jeanneau boats have no air-inlet to the box holding the fridge compressor? In my 2002 SO 32 the box (under the cooker) has a single vent into the cabin, but the compressor/radiator/fan unit just sits in the middle. There is no ducted air intake from the cool area next to the hull, and no duct from the fan uint to the external vent: the hot air just goes round and round. I am making a baffle so that the airflow is unidirectional, and drilling some holes in the panel so that the cooler air can get in. Has anyone else done this? The condensing unit in my 39i is in a terrible location in terms of access so I have yet to delve into it. I have to empty the cupboard under the sink and remove an access panel in the back to get at it. Definitely something that is on my to-do list. In general terms, anything you can do to prevent the hot air coming off the condenser from recirculating back through the condenser again is a good thing. The hotter the condenser air is the higher the refrigerant discharge pressure is in the the system. The higher the discharge pressure the harder the compressor has to work and the more current it draws. It sounds like you have the right idea.
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