My Hunter 31 has a built-in Adler Barbour fridge that works just fine. It's 12v, which makes me wonder how it's supposed to be used. Surely the power drain is too high to use it without being plugged in at a slip. Can it be used under battery power without draining them dead?
Refrigerator power?
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jaschrumpf
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you're 12 volt refrigeration system won't kill your batteries unless you want it to, they are very very low horsepower can't even measure it in horsepower so it's measured in amps or Watt hours. The refrigeration effect is very small which is why they're usually applied to very small boxes.
Basically, All 12/24 volt refrigeration systems are a modern miracle which came along inearly or mid 80s!
Just for fun I ran my new unit on a single battery for 2 days and the battery was still able to start the engine of the boat,
Most 12/24 volt refrigeration only draws less than five amps (you figure out your amp hours because everybody's boat is different).
Nobody does it of course unless they're full-time on their boat but, once the box is cold, it tends to stay cold with less energy then it takes to run the system from a "hot" start.
Basically, All 12/24 volt refrigeration systems are a modern miracle which came along inearly or mid 80s!
Just for fun I ran my new unit on a single battery for 2 days and the battery was still able to start the engine of the boat,
Most 12/24 volt refrigeration only draws less than five amps (you figure out your amp hours because everybody's boat is different).
Nobody does it of course unless they're full-time on their boat but, once the box is cold, it tends to stay cold with less energy then it takes to run the system from a "hot" start.
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BP, the OP is still way ahead of mechanical refrigeration!
The op said he thinks it can't run without being plugged into shore power and no matter how many of us tell him 12 volt refrigeration is very efficient (even with bad insulation) he's still not going to believe it, apparently nobody really believes it because, the same question keeps coming up over and over and over again, I know I didn't believe it in the beginning till I researched how efficient these little systems really are, they're nothing short of incredible.
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There was a thread I think on cruisers forum, some guy decided he was going to put engine driven refrigeration into his boat. He did the whole build thread, with the pictures and everything, field piped brazed joints, fabricated and welded mounts for the compressor onto the engine, making drive belt changes, holding plate taking up half the box and another holding plate for the freezer box, yes it was a dual evaporator system. it was kind of fun to watch "ancient" IE typical technology refrigeration techniques being applied.. I think he also used R12 refrigerant.
If you have ever been in a supermarket all the various types of cases refrigerators freezers open coolers all operate on a refrigerant circuit that is powered by one or two large condensing units. Over the years systems have evolved into "point of use" which is what these little systems are for your boats. Rather than have one big system of piping and wiring throughout the boat to one or two boxes you have a very small condensing unit of very low capacity somewhere around 300 or 600 BTU.
I miss the old days but not enough to do it again copper was cheap once upon a time...
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If you have ever been in a supermarket all the various types of cases refrigerators freezers open coolers all operate on a refrigerant circuit that is powered by one or two large condensing units. Over the years systems have evolved into "point of use" which is what these little systems are for your boats. Rather than have one big system of piping and wiring throughout the boat to one or two boxes you have a very small condensing unit of very low capacity somewhere around 300 or 600 BTU.
I miss the old days but not enough to do it again copper was cheap once upon a time...
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Thing is, it doesn't have to be overly complicated either
Don't know what the icebox looks like on your boat but I would suggest you make the lid airtight as possible with soft weather stripping & at least 2" insulation, put a cork in the drain and make a 2-in foam board to fit in the bottom of the box snugly as possible, you can leave it loose and clean/replace it as it gets wet dirty.
Most losses are at the bottom of the box and air intrusion from the lid.
When you go to shore power it should automatically switch to 120 it's just a relay and i transformer inside the control box of the unit. Not fancy.
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Where is the condensing unit located? You could change the fan or add a fan to the front of it or set up a flexible duct create a convection currents so the warm air in the engine compartment can get out by gravity I used to just leave the lazarette lid open on my boat
Condensing units are almost always in the engine compartment!
Just saying, you could/should be thankful, what is the alternative for zero amps? pounds and pounds of ice!
On my post number 39 are simple ways to improve the efficiency of the box without ripping everything apart.
Almost everyone ignores the lid!
Condensing units are almost always in the engine compartment!
Just saying, you could/should be thankful, what is the alternative for zero amps? pounds and pounds of ice!
On my post number 39 are simple ways to improve the efficiency of the box without ripping everything apart.
Almost everyone ignores the lid!
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No condenser fan? That would explain 7 amps, that's also why when they start up the amperage is higher, am as the box gets colder the amperage draw will go down because the gas which is called "saturated" gas becomes less saturated
I do hope you didn't leave it running without the fan!
I do hope you didn't leave it running without the fan!
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That is definitely a pretty old system probably was built without a fan! Get the largest shaded Pole 12 volt motor you can find with a fan and if you can mount it so it pulls through the coil and blows across the compressor that would be good newer ones have a black heavy cardboard tabbed around the condenser coil, by adding the fan you'll probably cut the amperage in half! That coil of what looks like wire is actually called capillary tubing it feeds the evaporator, if you look close you'll see it goes inside the suction line which is common practice in domestic refrigeration units.
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They can have both some people forgotten to turn it off when the boat was out of the water so by having the fan they protect the compressor. Frigoboat Compressors, Keel Coolers and Pumps : Great-Water, Marine Refrigeration
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No you don't "need" a fan.
If The fan is used it actually increases the efficiency if the keel or drain cooler is in the water, if the boat is on the hard, it at least will allow the system to work when it's out of the water.
If The fan is used it actually increases the efficiency if the keel or drain cooler is in the water, if the boat is on the hard, it at least will allow the system to work when it's out of the water.
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How old are they? I would just select a Keel Cooler equal or slightly larger than the capacity of your unit, evacuate, repipe the discharge and suction lines to the Keel cooler evacuate charge with nitrogen check for leaks evacuate weigh in charge, which probably won't be too much different than the original charge, turn it on and send you on your way freezing your ice cream 6 hours later give or take
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