Refrigeration

dave · **Posted:** 04 Jan 2007 21:40

If you have an older boat make sure the icebox is well insulated.It will sweat when it gets humid.The cabin sole will suffer.Easier done before refrig is installed.Hi.

Chuck · **Joined:** 14 Jan 2007 13:14 **Posts:** 2

I added an engine driven Sea Frost system to my 1979 Tartan 37 about six years ago. (CF Horton co, Barrington, NH 800-435-6708) It has been great. A lot of work to to install though. If your boat is of the same vintage, I would suggest filling the major voids in the insulation as part of the project.

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

When I had the cabinet out that is above the stove, there was a huge void nest to the hull, which would heat up tremendously during the summer and reduce the effectiveness of the icebox. I filled this void up with the spray foam insulation. This seems to help.
If I do this refer project, I'll add approx 1" of rigid insulation to the inside of the box and face it with fiberglass panels.

jammin · **Joined:** 30 Oct 2006 15:40 **Posts:** 63

We added Adler Barbour refrigeration in 2002. I mounted the unit on the starboard lazerette shelf beside the autopilot acuator and covered it with a milk crate for protection. The lines are run high and behind the stove.

I installed the larger version of the system and it was a challenge to fit it into the ice chest. It has plenty of clearance, but with the lines attached and fed through a hole in the back of the box, it doesn't have much room to maneuver into the proper location. The freezer part is mounted horizontal, high and outboard. this leaves a shelf under the freezer that will keep food frozen for a long time. (If it is already frozen.) Of course the ice trays provided are intended for vertical mounting, but the plastic trays are cheap.

We use about 45-50 amp-hours per day. I have a 450 amp-hour house bank, charged by a 100 amp Balmar alternator and have no problems.

We have no regrets and would never go back to ice without a fight.

Hope this helps,

Jammin'

dmhager · **Joined:** 12 May 2007 15:32 **Posts:** 5

Hi All - can anyone suggest how to add insulation without taking apart the cabinetry around the ice box? I have refrigeration, but the box seems to have difficulty holding the cold in (or heat out). Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Dennis

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

Dennis, I'm thinking of adding extra insulation as well, now that I'm commiting to refrigeration. I was thinking of adding 3/4" rigid insulation, probably the blue board that you buy at Home Depot, and laminating it to a finished fiberglas sheeting then cutting it to fit, epoxy filleting the corners and painting to finish. The insulation would have to be glued somehow to the existing liner, but once in place and epoxied, it should stay put......Anyone else add insulation? I know the vacuum panels have high R-values, but they are sooooo expensive Shocked

Jay · **Joined:** 22 Oct 2006 19:25 **Posts:** 61

Dennis, most of the cold air seems to be lost through the lids, which have no insulation. To remedy this problem, I purchased two large 3M thinsulate outdoor faucett socks at about $15.00 each at Lowes, some velcro, and some tape. After taking the seam out of the socks, I combined them to form a single thinsulate pad, which with a slight bit of trimming fit underneath both lids against the edge of the icebox. Velcro holds the pad to the icebox's edge. To access the icebox you simply lift the lid and pull back the pad. The only difficult part in making the pad was to tape the edges and then sew the tape and velco on to the pad edges as the tape and velcro adhesive doesn't stick well to the nylon pad cover. I now have no condensation on the lids, and the refrigerator uses considerably less electricity. Jay, 1979 T37, #254, 'Fabiana'

Doug R · **Joined:** 30 Dec 2006 18:37 **Posts:** 66

I need a refrigeration education. My Adler Barber refrigeration is original (1977) and has been reliable, but recently the compressor runs but the unit doesn't get cold at all. I've seen references in this thread to replacing a controller. How would I diagnose whether this is causing my problem?

Thanks

Doug
Katy T37 #22

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

Doug, with a unit that is that old, you could have a loss of refrigerant. If you had a box that became less and less cold over a period of time, that would be a good place to start.

Sam · **Joined:** 31 Oct 2006 19:43 **Posts:** 37

Doug, I have visited the site below several times over a few years time. I think it reflects the opinions of someone that has worked extensively in marine refrigeration and is not too impressed with fads or gimmicks. He does have a forum and it appears that it is active. I don't know if you have a danfoss compressor but if you do, the "controller" for that compressor is not a thermostat as the word controller would imply, but in the case of a danfoss compressor, it is an electronic energizer that allows the compressor to operate without brushes on the internal motor. So if the compressor is running but not making cold, it is not likley to be the "controller". As was suggested in the other reply, lack of refregerant (freon) is most likely the problem, where the refregerant has gone to and why, after 30 years, needs to be answered. Small systems like you have usually operate with a very specific charge of refrigerant, measured in ounces of weight, from the factory. I would guess 6 to 10 oz. of charge would be the range for your length of pipe and evaporator, but the exact amount would have been worked out at the Alder Barbour factory and loaded there 30 years ago, if an oz. or two leaked out the system may tolerate that but at some point any further loss of refregerant will be a tipping point and cooling ceases even though the compressor is running. There is not enough refrigerant to circulate. Your system being 30 years old most certainly has Freon R12 which was a standard for decades, but was outlawed for environmental reasons. Modern R134a refrigerant will not mix with any older freon and uses a different compressor lubricating oil with completely different chemistry than the R12 oil in your system. There are "replacement" refrigerants that mimic R12 but usually they are "charged" after all the R12 is removed, I do not believe it is acceptable to just add a top off.

Sam

www.kollmann-marine.com

Tartan37.com

Refrigeration

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