Diagnose Refrigerator

Nevermore has a refridgerator/icebox in the galley. It appears that it does not work. The compressor is mounted on a shelf, high in the starboard lazarette against the hull. The compressor is made by Adler Barbour (model number: unknown). Copper tubes run from the compressor to the icebox.

The "refridgerator" breaker at the nav station supplies DC power to the compressor. Power is getting to the compressor and it is making a very soft whirring sound. Ted would expect it to be louder. Also the current that it draws barely registers on the main amp meter. It's fused for 10A, but it seems to be drawing less than 0.2A.

A thermostat in the icebox turns the compressor on and off. The knob broke off the thermostat on April 12 2009. Ted will repair or replace it.

Matt suggests that we might want to replace the existing unit with a more efficient one, perhaps even a dual ac/dc unit. This vendor has some:

http://www.sailorsams.com/refrigerators.htm

For further reading, here is an article on marine refridgerators.