Re: Refrigerator replacement
I looked into drawers when i redid my galley and the prices were just ridiculous... even other brands than sub zero. What is wrong with your sub zeros? They are worth repairing.
We have a Summit two drawer fridge in the skylounge of he 84 Lazzara i run, all stainless steel, very nice unit.
Re: Refrigerator replacement
If its the original and lasted 30 years it replace with a new one and relax for another 30 years. Why mess with success.
Or you can get a cheaper alternative and replace it every few years.
Re: Refrigerator replacement
Scott, if only that was true, 30 years ago Sub Zeros would last 30 years, but in my experience the newer ones are no where near as well built and unfortunately that seems to be true of a lot of brands today. John
Re: Refrigerator replacement
Are you sure it's time? I had a replacement picked out 15 years ago, JUST IN CASE and still haven't made the swap. For what it's worth, mine is still running just fine after 50 (FIFTY) years.
Re: Refrigerator replacement
I have to agree. The evaporator on my Sub Zero started leaking at 5 years. The only other SZ owner I know had the same problem. Evaporators in modern refrigeration and residential HVAC are really crappy compared to a few decades ago. We have both had 100% evap coil failures across two brand of residential air conditioners built after 2004. I care for 4 residential units before 2000 amd none of them has failed.
Repair vs replace depends on your access to labor, parts and expertise. That and we always have to deal with what fits in the hole. New won't gauarantee no headaches and SZ charged my buddy $800 in labor to put in his "free" warrantee replacement evap coil. I keep mine going myself and now its 16 years old but its had control board and evaporator failures.
George
Re: Refrigerator replacement
Boat i ran for 8 years had 3 (2003) , current one has 1 (2009). Over these 10 years we ve replaced 2 evaporators, 1 start relay and 3 control boards. Not the most reliable things
Re: Refrigerator replacement
I was the SC distributor for S-Z until the 90's. While they made and make a quality product, they are essentially assemblers when it comes to the operational components of their stuff. They manufacture the sheet metal, so to speak, and source the refrigeration systems, electrical/electronic, etc. They are also a relatively small portion of the refrigeration industry, so their ability to spec components is limited. And, they don't always have the resources to fully plan for every likely environment in which their product is placed.
I recall very well the problems we had with Sub-Zeros on Hilton Head in the 80's. The boxes would sweat around the door gaskets in the hot, high humidity, climate leaving puddles of water on the floor. Being from WI, S-Z was oblivious to the problem. Being a monopoly in the built-in business at that time, they were arrogant. We were told there wasn't a problem with the units; it was the customers' fault. Essentially, anyone who could afford a Sub-Zero on Hilton Head should be able to afford to run the air conditioning. I kid you not. They couldn't understand someone wanting to open up and enjoy the sea breeze.
By the 1990's, all S-Z units came with mullion heat (like every other brand) to eliminate sweating around the door gaskets.
My two S-Z drawer units onboard are 14 or 15 years old. One gets a little freon booster every year or so.
Re: Refrigerator replacement
One of our members installed Summit refrigerators, and I think they were reliable and fit well. Not cheap, though.
Re: Refrigerator replacement
As a thought to Mr Clarksons response.
Im sure many design decisions are also based on the governments need to impede. They set standards for efficiency that require the components to be less than sturdy in order to be "efficient".
No one can get the old solid long term reliable components to do things they were not designed for. No one can get the new lighter weight components to outlast the good old heavy duty stuff.
Its progress.
:(