PDQ 32 Refrigerator

[Old PDQ Message Board]

PDQ 32 Refrigerator

Posted by Dennis Gill on November 29, 2000 at 07:16:00:

I am on my 3rd refrigerator on my PDQ 32. the salt water keeps eroding away the
cold plates by corrosion. doe snayone have any good ideas on how to repair this
once and for all with a permanent fix? I would really appreciate it if you have
any good ideas.

Dennis Gill
PDQ 32 #2 Owner

Follow Ups:

Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator Roger Wood 08:23:39 12/03/00 (0)
Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator David, Top Cat 08:39:49 12/01/00 (0)
Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator Ron Crump 07:19:56 11/29/00 (1)
Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator Donovan Vezin 14:38:53 11/29/00 (0)
Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator Keith DeGreen 07:17:21 11/29/00 (6)
Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator Chris Nielsen 23:11:16 07/31/01 (0)
Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator Harvey Griggs 16:50:34 01/11/01 (0)
Re: PDQ Speed Log Jeff Morris 10:21:02 12/19/00 (0)
Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator Dan Czeh 22:37:21 12/01/00 (0)
re: Speed gauge and spinnaker Kevin Smith 07:31:21 11/29/00 (1)
Re: re: Speed gauge and spinnaker Roger Ford 10:59:21 11/29/00 (0)

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Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator

Posted by Roger Wood on December 03, 2000 at 08:23:00:
In Reply to: PDQ 32 Refrigerator posted by Dennis Gill on November 29, 2000 at
07:16:00:

I've dealt with Dometic Refridgerators both on my old Gemini and now on my PDQ
32. They can be a pain, but they work very well when the do. On my Gemini I
replaced the fridge once, and on my PDQ, I have replaced the cooling unit. You
can get one for about $350.00 and it goes in pretty easily. If anyone wants the
address, I can get it. Roger Wood

Follow Ups:

Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator

Posted by David, Top Cat on December 01, 2000 at 08:39:00:
In Reply to: PDQ 32 Refrigerator posted by Dennis Gill on November 29, 2000 at
07:16:00:

Dennis,
I had our PDQ-32 hull #9 almost 4 years before it was wrecked and managed to
keep the refridgerator going. I did tap out the rust over the burner every
few months. I think the main problem was poor ventilation. When I rebuilt
the boat after it was totaled in a hurricane (the story is told in our new
book referenced below) I enlarged the vent, and pulled air in through the
forward port locker past the refridgerator with a large fan. This both
reduces corrosion and removes heat

David, Top Cat
Tortuga Books
Wreck and Resurrection, ISBN 1-893561-03-8, $14.95, order from 1-800-345-6665
or on-line at http://www.tortugabooks.com

Follow Ups:

Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator

Posted by Ron Crump on November 29, 2000 at 07:19:00:
In Reply to: PDQ 32 Refrigerator posted by Dennis Gill on November 29, 2000 at
07:16:00:

Dennis,
I have PDQ 32, hull #1 and the orginal refrigirator still works fine. I have
owned the boat for the last 3 years and it was in Florida until 1997 and has
been in New England since

The one thing I think Jan Garry added that may have helped the situation was a
solar fan in the forward hull compartment that the refigirator vents into. I do
not know how much it helps but it does help

Good Luck,
Ron Crump

Follow Ups:

Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator Donovan Vezin 14:38:53 11/29/00 (0)

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Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator

Posted by Donovan Vezin on November 29, 2000 at 14:38:00:
In Reply to: Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator posted by Ron Crump on November 29, 2000 at
07:19:00:

Actually, the solar fan was factory installed. We had similar problems starting
on EOS (hull #6) and I did two things which seemed to correct the problem

(Later a third; as I found out that the hatches leaked - they were installed
without allowing for the deck camber)

First; I placed a short length of chain in the "drain board" over the gas escape
outlet in the out board hull to baffle water coming in while allowing any
propane to exit. Secondly, I installed a length of dryer hose over the inboard
vent with a drip loop (small hole punched in the dependant portion of the hose),
leading to an inline fan, thence to the drain board under the inlet vent of the
fridge. This served to keep seawater out of the area and allowed a positive
cooling effect on the fridge which significantly increased efficiency

Donovan Vezin

Follow Ups:

Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator

Posted by Keith DeGreen on November 29, 2000 at 07:17:00:
In Reply to: PDQ 32 Refrigerator posted by Dennis Gill on November 29, 2000 at
07:16:00:

Dennis,

I have PDQ 32 Hull #42. Boat was put in at San Diego July, 1999, so it is not
that old, and I only use it a couple days per month on average. Have never had
any difficulty with the fridge. You're not saying that salt water reaches the
cold plates in the unit are you? I assume you mean the salt in the air?

If I may change the subject: I have three questions for fellow PDQ 32 owners:[/i]

1. The water heater: Mine works great once lit, but what a chore turning it on!
I must remove the outer casing, and hold a flame right on that little nipple,
whatever it is, while clicking the ingnitor about a hundred times before the
thing turns red, and holds a flame. I have this exact same problem whether or
not the propane tank is completely full (line pressure is apparently not the
issue). Have also found that turning on the propane stove first for some reason
helps. But all this seems an extremely time consuming and somewhat hazardous was
to light the darned thing. Any ideas, anybody??

2. The speed meter that sticks out as a through-hull fitting at the bottom of
the forward starboard locker: Mine is constantly barnacled over because I hate
crawling into that small space through that very small hatch and trading it out
with the plug after each use. The net result is that I just ignore the "speed"
on the tridata reporter and rely on my "SOG" reading on my Raytheon Radar. But I
would rather the thing work, so here is the question: Does anyone have any
clever ideas for getting in and out of that darned locker, or perhaps a clever
way to trade out the units without climbing in (my only solution is to order my
teenagers to do it, but that only works when they are aboard!)

3. A-Symmetrical Spinnaker: I have a strong suspicion that I am not rigging mine
properly. Currently I jerry-rig the tack (Would this be the clew? I get the
terms reversed/confused with the forward sails.) to that sturdy center bow
stanchion, and run the clew (tack?) to block and tackle at the port or starboard
bow, depending on wind, with the sheets then running outside the lifelines to
the rear-most winch on each side. Usually the whole thing is a miserable failure
in the light air off San Diego. Any ideas? Does anybody have a diagram perhaps?

Thanks for whatever input you can share, and good luck, Dennis, with your
fridge.

Keith DeGreen
PDQ 32 Hull 42
"Laura Lynn"

Follow Ups:

Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator Chris Nielsen 23:11:16 07/31/01 (0)
Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator Harvey Griggs 16:50:34 01/11/01 (0)
Re: PDQ Speed Log Jeff Morris 10:21:02 12/19/00 (0)
Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator Dan Czeh 22:37:21 12/01/00 (0)
re: Speed gauge and spinnaker Kevin Smith 07:31:21 11/29/00 (1)
Re: re: Speed gauge and spinnaker Roger Ford 10:59:21 11/29/00 (0)

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Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator

Posted by Chris Nielsen on July 31, 2001 at 23:11:00:
In Reply to: Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator posted by Keith DeGreen on November 29,
2000 at 07:17:00:

Found you on the site and was hoping you would call me collect at 310-729-5295

I'm in L.A.and considering a PDQ32. Please call. Chris

Follow Ups:

Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator

Posted by Harvey Griggs on January 11, 2001 at 16:50:00:
In Reply to: Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator posted by Keith DeGreen on November 29,
2000 at 07:17:00:

This is a reply to Kieth DeGreen:[/i]

Hello Kieth,
Don't worry about your refrigerator, the problems discussed relate to the
propane refrigerator installed in the early 32's. Your's is electric

On the subject of the propane water heater, one solution is to leave the pilot
light on, the other is to loosen the little nut at the propane feed to get the
line filled with propane, then leave it for a minute to clear (for safety) and
light. It worked for me

Regards, Harvey Griggs

Follow Ups:

Re: PDQ Speed Log

Posted by Jeff Morris on December 19, 2000 at 10:21:00:
In Reply to: Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator posted by Keith DeGreen on November 29,
2000 at 07:17:00:

One off my major pet peeves on our 36 is the location of the speed log (under
the stbd closet) and a seacock for a salt water tap(under the port closet). My
solution for the speed log was to buy another transducer and mount it next under
the floorboard where it can be easily cleaned. the slight inaccuracy is a small
price to pay for a log that works all the time.

Follow Ups:

Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator

Posted by Dan Czeh on December 01, 2000 at 22:37:00:
In Reply to: Re: PDQ 32 Refrigerator posted by Keith DeGreen on November 29,
2000 at 07:17:00:

Hi Keith,
I don't know if you got all the answers you were looking for, but for what it's
worth, I had a lot
of problems with my propane water heater too. It would only light occasionally
and usually
would stubbornly refuse to light up after getting myself all soaped up in the
shower and ready to
rinse off

It always seemed to start when I would crawl into the deck locker and take the
cover off. I could
never trace the problem. Finally one day (after a couple years of trouble
shooting) it stopped
working and refused to light long enough so I could trace the problem to an
intermittent circuit
breaker in the bottom of the heater. The circuit breaker is a rocker type that
wasn't making
contact all the time. When I rattled the cover on the unit by taking off the
cover, or bumping it
the circuit breaker would close again and the furnace would light. I have since
tossed the circuit
breaker and replaced it with an automotive spade type fuse found in auto parts
stores. The
furnace hasn't failed since

Dan Czeh
36063