refrigerator

K

kevin ware

New member
The Tom Cat we bought came from the factory sans reefer, so I plan to install one.

Has anyone had experience installing a refrigerator on a Tom Cat? If so, what unit worked, did you use an ac/dc unit, and where did you put it?

Am not convinced the usual up right chest units installed on the port side of the aisle make the best use of the available space, and they are definitely not the most efficient.

So am considering a box unit in one of the floor wells. Anyone installed one of those? If so where?

Kevin Ware
kevinkari@aol.com
Mt. Vernon, WA
 
kevin ware-

Look in Thataway's Album starting HERE (4 photos) for starters. I think this is actually a freezer, but you can use whatever type of unit you want.

Brent has had nice installations on Cygnet (TC-24) and Discovery (TC-255) as well. HERE, HERE, and HERE.

There are plenty of other units and installations available. Lots of folks will chime in, I'm sure!

Good Luck with your project!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Kevin, I assume that you mean the front opening unit which comes from the factory under the foreword seat of the dinette as not being as efficient as the chest type. The one I used was by Norcold, and has the range to be used as a freezer or refrigerator.

I would never consider putting a refrigerator in the cockpit wells. These get water in them. You do not have access to the back of the unit, and there would be adequate cooling.

So the options are either as I did or several others did putting the chest type under the aft seat, or a front loading by Nova Kool, Norcold, or Isotherm (see the range of their units at: http://www.defender.com/refrigeration.html

Frigibar also makes units. Engle also makes a number of top opening chest type.

There are other options such as holding plates, remote operated compressors and evaporators/with freezer compartments. You can make one of these yourself--and be far more efficient that the usual front loaders, with more insulation and better seals.

It might be possible to build a top loader (custom--with evaporator or holding plates) under the foot area of the front seat. I don't think the cook would enjoy getting down on her hands and knees to get food out however. (this presumes you have a boat with the water tank on the Starboard side--Some time in 2006/07, the water tank was placed on the Port side.
 
Hi Kevin,

I just installed my refrigerator last week. I put in a Nova Kool R2600 AC/DC in the space under the port side seat, right where the factory installs them,

The R2600 fits perfectly height wise and leaves about a 1" space on either side. I cut teak strips from the door I removed to fill these in and it looks great. I have had Nova Kool fridges on my last 3 boats and in my opinion they are bulletproof. They use a Danfoss compressor which is very efficient. They draw about 5 amps at 12V running with a 50% duty cycle, so your load is about 2.5 AH. If you add extra insulation you can reduse the running time further.

I built a platform under the fridge to support the weight and some strips on the sides to screw the flange to.

Hope that helps

Fred
 
I've had a big WAECO fridge/freezer on a sliding track under the portside seat for about 4 years now. It runs off my inverter because when it died and went out for repair it came back with the 12v auto-sense not functional. I think there were some 12v voltage level issues that caused it to die, which is why I went with the 120v-only solution. I have it on a sliding track so that when I want to open the lid completely I can do so -- with the just the seat removed I can open the lid about halfway, sufficient for fishing out something for a meal. To use the sliding track, I remove the panel that faces the aisle.

Warren
 
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