Where do I point knob - Adler Barbour

[roostermt]

Hi guys,

Just got to boat 2 days now. Turned fridge on just one click. There are not any numbers on the knob so not sure where to point it. I just moved it off the click.

It froze water bottles on the spill over side. Can someone tell me where I should be putting the knob or any other hint on this.

The Fridge does seem to run a long time.

I did search the archives and not seeing anything.

Thanks.

fridgeknob.jpg (40.11 KiB) Viewed 6372 times

[Amnesia]

Verify that the coil of "wire" shown in your picture is attached to that plate screwed to the top of the chill box.

That "wire" is the thermometer, that provides feedback to the control unit on how long the refer should run.

If yours is connected, it certainly isn't connected the way mine is (which is visibly connected by being held down by that plate to the top of the chill box) ...if it's not connected the Adler Barbour unit will run an awful lot longer than if it is connected.

Mike Emery
Amnesia #169

[dedgell]

Congratulations on your "new" C350. Our boat is hull #442, so the boats are virtually twins. Catalina made a few changes over the years, and it seems like some of the equipment is different in the early years vs. the later years (like Selden masts on newer boats etc.).

We've owned our boat since new, so this year is our 10th season. Knock on wood but we have not had any major problems with the boat. THe most extensive maintenance was the replacement of the damper plate between engine and transmission over the last winter. There is an extensive thread on this forum. At same time I replaced the bellows of the shaft seal as I learned that it should be done very 6 years.

Back to your question. Our refrig "knob" usually does best midway through the travel, but we adjust it depending on the ambient temperature and how quickly it is freezing the water bottles and beer in the bottom of the fridge. I monitor the temp with an inexpensive indoor-outdoor thermometer with the "outdoor" part dangling in the bottom of the fridge. The Adler barber unit is a blunt instrument, but ours is working right now so I've put off any plans to upgrade.

Good luck with your boat, and your trip.

David Edgell
S/v Blue Wing
C350 #442

[roostermt]

Thanks for the help.

The Coil seems to be attached properly. It is secure at the white plate on at freezer. It just seems to never stop running.

I'll try pointing the knob down and see if anything changes. It seems to freeze the bottles right off.. the off stop.

Looks like more Diag is needed. Added to the list.

Been on the New to us boat for 3 days and yet have even gotten to the engine compartment. Boat was in very good condition just working through the systems so we can stay on it.

We have now found we have more time than originally planned so hanging on the boat until H season is over than off to the Bahamas...

Now to just get the re-installed, fire up the engine and sail this baby.

[Amnesia]

If the wire is connected to the cold box I guess that's fine, it's clearly connected differently than mine is which is connected under the white metal plate visible at the top of the cool box in your picture.

The direction of the knob pointing is really not standard...it's just a rheostat...one way (counter clockwise) is less cool... one way (clockwise) is more cool...Ours wouldn't get cool enough so I took the rheostat apart and adjusted it so it would get colder...then re installed it...if its too cold for you just turn it counter clockwise.

This was a point of discussion about 10 years ago, when some people were more concerned about condensation, than about cooling...some people including the very knowledgeable tech rep at the time, felt it was better to have a hot freezer that didn't cause condensation on the counter top, than to have the freezer actually maintain a frozen environment.

To each his own...again, it's just a rheostat...adjust it to whatever setting your good with. And I'm not sure what the problem is with freezing water bottles??? Are they freezing in the freezer or in the refer??? There's a separate rheostat for the cross over fan to the refer...if your freezing things in the freezer...isn't that the point?...If your freezing things in the refer, turn the separate setting in the refer down, that will shut off the cross over fan.

I've upgrade the house battery bank to 6 180Amp hour 6 volt batteries, that provide a total of 720 AH...so I can run the freezer/refer full on cold, and other appliances TV, Microwave, etc... on the hook, and only have to recharge once a day.

[KenKrawford]

here's a separate rheostat for the cross over fan to the refer...if your freezing things in the freezer...isn't that the point?...If your freezing things in the refer, turn the separate setting in the refer down, that will shut off the cross over fan.

Mike, you (and I) have a Mark I setup with the spillover fan. Rooster has a Mark II and the spillover fan has been eliminated.

[roostermt]

Thanks again guys.

All makes sense... I do have a Spillover no Fan.

I did get it to stop running. Counterclockwise right up against the Off stop. Confirmed by Amp Meter. Stayed off about 3 minutes and back on. Looks like it is working. Probably need to think about insulation.