fridge users please help

Hi All;
I am new at referencing site info; but, in my Sea Angel pixs, [pg18, group 2 of 3, last pix], is the Norcold with some of the factory info.

I have had made the mistake of leaving the house battery[type 27] on when I left the marina a few weeks ago and the 2 90s had to be kept above 1150 to recharge it enough to keep the voltage control relays from chattering and meet the added loads. The starter batteries were not on. That is the only time I have had the refrig load/kill the house battery. The 2 90s are 16amp each, more than enough to handle all the toys and the refrig at this time.

I will not be without a refrig any more. Hauling ice to the boat, along with all the family stuff has simplified life, to say nothing of having a nice cold drink under my butt. :lol: . I have thought abt the change out to a larger [3] batteries, but the alternators dictate these as optimum, from what I have read.

Go for the frig.. You won't be sorry. Not enough temporary cold storeage can be done with an ice chest on the back deck, or elsewhere, when the rare occasion arrises..
 
I'm still in the experimental stage. No real hurry to swap out the ice box for a refrig yet. I did pull out the ice box to see what this creature is made of. Plastic and styrofoam. (not really styrofoam, molded foam beads. Come to learn styrofoam is a Dow Corning registered name) Doing some research, contacted the box's manufacturer - seems the little bugger has an R rating of 3.
I also discovered that IF I wanted to insert a refrig, it may be a problem because the shore power breaker panel is located behind my legs at the helm seat. The wiring protrudes into the space just behind the ice box which isn't that deep. A retrofit refrig might not slide into the area due to wires and protruding breaker stuff. If I get serious about a refrig, I will persue some options.
What I did do as an experiment is add a heat reflecting surface around the ice box. There is a product called Reflectix that is sold at Home Depot and other places. It is like bubblewrap with foil on both sides. Its purpose is to relflect heat away (or cold back). The key to its efficiency is to create an air space (hence the air bubbles of the bubble wrap). Hey - keep awake out there!!!!
To offer some additional heat reflecting, I lined the hull wall and the floor under the ice box with the Reflectix. I created some more air space by attaching the Reflectix about an inch away from the hull and off the bottom. (You can do this by rolling some of the Reflectix, taping with aluminum tape, and creating "studs" taped to the hull and the floor). The ice box styrofoam was covered in Reflectix and all seams sealed with reflective aluminum tape, the kind heating and air mechanics use. I slid back the ice box and will test the bugger to see if this process did any good. Cost=$14.95. Had the tape. Time=1 1/2 hours. I will report on results. I contacted the company that manufactures Reflectix and they said at minimum I probably added R-4. I did notice that a Glacier Bay website did not think much of the usefulness of the Reflectix, but the manufacturer, emphatically disagrees. Reflectix is used by shippers that ship perishables across country and must keep contents refrigerated. So I gave it a shot. The least it can do is nothing, the best it can do is allow the box to hold ice better.
The ice box top shelf does have a drain out so melting ice is not a problem.

My wife says I have too much time on my hands. I also just finised sewing privacy curtains for Swee Pea. Will install snaps tomorrow. But that is for another post.

Hope I didn't bore you all too much. Safe boating. Love this site!!!!!!!

John
Swee Pea
 
It has taken me a while to get off my behind and conduct a test on the Ice Box installed in my 22' Cruiser.

As I noted in my last post on this subject, I insulated the exterior of the ice box with Reflectix and the entire interior hull wall and under the ice box as well.

I bought two 8" blocks of ice. At the "ice house", it was explained to me that these blocks were NOT old time blocks. They were crushed ice pressed into blocks and were not as good as real ice blocks. I proceeded anyway. Swee Pea was parked on the blacktoped driveway, full sun most of the day.

On Wed 7/19 at 2:30 PM, outside temperature was 92 degrees as well as inside the icebox. I used a photographic thermometer to check temps. One hour later, ice box temp was 51 degrees and outside temp had risen to 96. Average outdoor temps for the next 3 1/2 days was 92 degrees in the day and about 70 + degrees at night. Average ice box temp was 51 degrees. By 5AM Sat 22nd, ice box temp was 50 degrees. With two half blocks of ice remaining in the ice box, temps averaged 44 degrees. Lowest recorded temp was 42 degrees. Cabin temps comparable to outside temps, since the boat was stationary. No AC or fans.

I know there are a lot of variables. Ice boxes should remain cooler longer if the ice were solid blocks to start with. Ice box remained empty through the entire test. If the ice box is filled with pre-chilled/cold food, the ice box should be more efficient. I opened the ice box 12 times to check temps.

My personal conclusion/application is to use the ice box for food stuffs to remain cold for cooking. It will not be used as an ice chest for drinks - I will use a cooler for that.

Two "crushed ice" blocks lasted about 3 1/2 days. I will use solid blocks in the future - filled 2 liter bottles frozen. Hopefully, they will last longer. And when there is melt down, I will have some water at my disposal.

I'm not yet ready to throw away the factory ice box. By investing about $15 bucks and a little time, I have a useable ice box that will last a long weekend without new ice. Throw in an extra bag or two, and it is usable a little longer. Granted, it is not a refrigerator. But I didn't spend $600 bucks on a refrigerator and in addition, and have to buy a generator.

Just trying to keep things simple. It works for me. It may not be everyone's "cup of tea", but I'm satisfied.

P.S. Ice Box plumbing worked flawlessly and drained to the outside.

John
Swee Pea
 
Hi Folks,

My youngest daughter married in to a boating family, and one day I was getting a tour of my daughter's father-in-law's boat.

He installed a Solar Panel for the purpose of supplying energy to his Fridge. it gives enough power to maintain the ice cubes and keep the food cold when the engine is not running.

It is a direction we ought to be looking because we sure have a lot of space to put solar pannels on our cabin top.

Fred
 
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