Refrigeration, what & where?

T37Chef · **Posted:** 20 Jun 2011 12:38

I am looking to replace the engine driven cold plate system in our boat, it’s not the right system for us, and it’s old and pieced together like a puzzle.

We mostly do weekends and a couple for weeks in the summer if that helps determine what we should get.
I am looking at a 12V unit, installing a larger battery bank, and possibly a solar panel on the davit. Many people speak highly of the Adler Barbour $$$? A few have mentioned Nor Cold, which is considerably less I think?

So what do you have and why?
Are you happy with it?
Where did you put the condensing unit?

BTW, does anyone know the cubic feet of the ice box? I have never measured it.

Comments and suggestions welcome!

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

I have an ancient Adler Barbour unit that has been in the boat for the 20 years I have had the boat. It has worked very well and still does. In the old days, before they improved them I had to replace the control unit every few years, but since they switched to a more modern design, no problems. I have used mine much as you plan to, except I spent a couple years cruising in Central America where it worked just fine (folks warned me I needed to do all manner of insulating the box and getting a cold plate unit, but that turned out to be unnecessary) with no modifications to the box (except to put stoppers in the drain holes to stop the cold from going to the bilge). I have 440 ah of batteries and never had a problem despite standard 90 temps outside. I would think that any of the little units would be OK too as they almost all use the Danfoss compressors. My compressor is mounted high in the coaming in the lazarette. I will say I left the lazarette door cracked in really hot weather so that the compressor could get some cooler air as it gets hot in there. I am much in favor of simple and cheap.

Celtic Lady · **Joined:** 05 Apr 2011 17:27 **Posts:** 66

Actually I am in the process of replacing my cold plate/compressor also, so I am interested in what others have to say on this. The compressor that was on my boat looked like new when I bought her. A marine refrigeration specialist was in our marina doing a job so I asked him to look at my compressor - fan worked but did not get cold. He took it away and said I needed a new one, gave me a large price, and never gave me back the original. I still am peeved about that as it really looked brand new. 6 weeks and 3 requests later he dropped of my compressor... an old dusty, dirty unit that obviously had been on a shelf for a couple of years, but I had neglected to jot down the serial number, so had no way to file a complaint. However I decided not to have that company sell me a new one and that's where I am now.

However, regarding the location of the compressor, mine was installed on a little shelf in the cockpit sail locker, forward and up high so it does not interfere with taking fenders, lines and other equipment in and out. It seems to be a good location with good ventilation.

Mark

steves · **Joined:** 01 Nov 2006 10:53 **Posts:** 35

I have a Norcold unit with a cold plate. The compressor is small enough to fit under the sink up against the panel between the engine and the galley area. We normally fill the lower area of the box with ice and only run the compressor at the dock on shore power or when we are running the engine. When we are not going to need long refrig time we fill the bottom of the box with styrefoam blocks enclosed in silver bubble insulation to take up the dead space. Works in Texas at 100 degrees.

Solare · **Posted:** 22 Jun 2011 17:20

Shawn,

We have an Adler Barbour unit as well, the compressor is forward and high in the cockpit locker as well. The unit works great, in fact if I turn it all the way up I can keep the entire icebox below 32.

Let me know if you want to come down to check out the installation and get you a sailing fix! Cheers

Ventured · **Joined:** 12 Oct 2010 23:30 **Posts:** 12

I was just going to post almost the same question, but I had a couple additional details I'm looking for from people.

Where did you mount the plate in the ice box, and are you doing a freezer spillover system? I'm thinking of making the bottom rectangle a freezer, and the top portion a fridge, or mounting a small freezer box evaporator on the shelf and letting the cold air from it spill down for the rest of the area to be a fridge.

What did you do to upgrade insulation on the box?

I did the measuring and calculating, and the bottom rectangle is 2.4 square feet, and the top one is 4.6 square feet.

Also, how did you run the lines from the lazerette to ice box?

I'm primarily considering a Sea Frost system, but also have the Fridgeboat Capri line as a possibility. Has anyone had experience with either of these air cooled systems in a tropical enviorment?

Thanks!

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

I have no experience with anything but my very old and reliable Adler Barbour system (20+ years and two of those cruising in the tropics) with nothing added for insulation except a small refrigerator gasket around the hatches on the box and plugging the drain holes with stoppers--these two mods made a big difference in the ability to keep the cold in heat out. A caution about your proposed location: Cold goes down in the box and heat rises, so I would recommend putting the freezer higher. Otherwise I think you will not cool the top of your box where the most heat is likely to enter from opening and rise from cooling of contents. My box has enough insulation with the mods I mentioned so that I it is running a bit more than half the time on a warm day. If it is hot out and I have run the engine, I sometimes crack the lazarette when we go ashore so that the compressor can work in a cooler environment, but I have had no trouble accidentally freezing everything in the box when I accidentally bumped the thermostat up---even in the tropics. Also, it helps to keep the fridge full of cold stuff. Cool the stuff we put in before it gets there. We put drinks in the bottom and drinking water jugs so that there is not a lot of empty space. Maybe some of this accounts for the results we have had.

Ardea · **Joined:** 19 Mar 2007 16:40 **Posts:** 195

With our old Alder Barbour system we don't have any trouble keeping frozen things frozen if we put them in the deepest part of the box. We have found a setting that does not freeze stuff at the level of the upper shelf (like lettuce). The evaperator is located on the aft side of the upper level and will keep ice cream frozen. As Ray points out the whole thing works better with ice box full of aready cold stuff. With the compressor located in the engine room (that's the way it came and I've never changed it) the systems uses 50 to 60 amp/hrs/day. I did put 2 inches of foam insulation on the ice box doors which made a difference in power usage.

T37Chef · **Posted:** 14 Oct 2011 18:22

One of the major criteria in selecting a refrigeration system for our boat is power usage, nonetheless I think the time has come to increase the small battery bank we have.

I have, or had, pretty much determined I wanted to purchase the 12V Frigoboat keel cooled unit using a "bin" shaped evaporator. But it's pricey, about $2000 plus another $100 for a speed controller, $137 for their digital thermostat, plus I was also considering the keel & air cooled option for another $200 or about $2300 - $2500 total. Ouch! Crying or Very sad

My Jen Air Stainless Side by Side for the house didn’t cost that much! Frustrating

A friend recommended I look at the Norcold system; its air cooled, runs AC or DC automatically, and cost $600 from defender http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... 4&id=10854 Very Happy

It uses an "L" shaped evaporator plate. I could section off part of the box as a freezer and get a spill over fan?

We primarily sail on weekends with a week or two trip in the summer. I'm now thinking the Frigoboat may just be overkill and I'm not sure I can still justify the added cost. Adding another battery or two to the bank would provide enough power to keep it going for a long weekend, otherwise we would be plugged into shore power. Heck I could easily add a solar panel and controller and still come in for less $$ than the Frigoboat.

Thoughts?

Timshel · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2010 10:24 **Posts:** 191

http://www.kollmann-marine.com/
Hi, I am also planning a refit of my system, I dont know if you have used the link above,but it is very informative. I will steer clear of any water cooled system, granted it is efficient,it is also more complex, more power hungry [water pump] and when, eventually a water line corrodes through to the refrigerant, the whole system becomes a throw away ! I plan to use a Sea Frost system with the stainless freezer bin in a approx 3 cu ft refrigerator bin and lots of insulation. I want a small, efficient system that will easily be maintained by my two 135 Kyocera panels,check out
www.seafrost.com they seem to have a good reputation. Regards Bruce.

Tartan37.com

Refrigeration, what & where?

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