[C38] Refrigeration

Wed Dec 30 11:17:04 EST 2009

Tom how did you make the conversion from AC to DC, do you have any idea
on what your amp draw is?

________________________________

From: listserve-bounces at catalina38.org
[mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] On Behalf Of Tom T.
Sent: Wednesday, December 30, 2009 4:25 AM
To: Catalina 38 Listserve
Subject: Re: [C38] Refrigeration

Hi Steve,

My refrigerator conversion is crude but extremely efficient.

I bought a new refrigerator at Sam's Club and gutted it putting the
evaporator on the ourboard side of my ice box and I put the compressor
in a small enclosure in my sail locker.  I ran the high side refrigerant
line around the perimeter of my bilge and it works wonderful!

You could make the salt water cooling line work like my condenser line
if you purchase a commercial unit but with my unit there is pump or
associated noise.  The only moving part is the compressor that is
mounted in a fiberglass enclosure in the sail locker which is hard to
hear, even from inside the sail locker.

Because of the extreme efficiency of my unit, the batteries last a long
time, even in the hot Florida environment.

I had actually already made my ice box conversion some years earlier
from a small dormitory refrigerator I had bought at a flea market but
the compressor failed. I tried to buy a new compressor but they wanted
something like $145.00 for a new compressor but it would have to be
ordered, not in stock. Sam's membership warehouse had a two door, large
dormitory type refrigerator new in the box for $110.  My boat is 500
miles from my house so it was a no brainer, the new complete
refrigerator it was.

The people on the dock thought I was insane when I opened the box and
took out the refrigerator, took out the compressor and evaporator and
threw the rest of the brand new refrigerator into the dumpster. 

I once talked to the people at the Largo Florida Catalina plant about
using the keel for a refrigeration and engine cooling heat exchanger but
they were not too interested.  I thought if they stubbed in connections
to cast in place cooling tubes in the keel it would make cooling of the
engine and refrigerator very efficient but it seems that the sailing
manufacturing community is very conservative about new ideas.

I've owned and worked on many marine refrigerator systems and my boat
using the 1" of water that is always in the bilge for a 1/4" copper tube
condenser is extremely inexpensive, efficient, quiet and space saving.
Using the bilge for a condenser is a no brainer.  I can even use my
refrigerator when the boat is on the hard if there is any residual water
at all in the bilge.  Try that with a sea water cooling system.

Tom Troncalli

	----- Original Message ----- 
	From: Steve Smolinske <mailto:SSmolinske at rainierrubber.com>  
	To: Catalina 38 Listserve <mailto:listserve at catalina38.org> 
	Sent: 12/30/2009 12:18:01 AM 
	Subject: [C38] Refrigeration

	I have searched through the last few years of posts and didnt
see any discussion on refrigeration systems so I have a few questions
for those of you with them.  I am considering the Isotherm 4201 or the
Virtrifrigo both use the danfoss BD35F compressor for a max of 8.8 cubic
feet ( Our boxes are 5.6),  Both have ASU holding plate options and both
use seawater for cooling the compressor.  I am thinking of teeing off
the engine raw water intake and draining through a tee in the galley
sink drain.   The nice thing about the virtifrigo is that it has a
holding plate that will fit nicely on the aft wall of the upper ice box
on the port side.  It is 11 X 2.5 x 8.  Any other size will interfere
with the main ice box area.. 

	Questions are :  

	1)  anyone have any recommendations or warnings on brands?
	2) I'm sure there is some math for figuring out the proper size
of holding plate for cubic volume, anyone?
	3) As an option what about making the cooling line a closed loop
and running the tube from the compressor pump through the bilge and back
to the compressor, that would be preferable to teeing off at through
hulls If the run is long enough to cool the water before heading back to
the pump.  

	Thanks

	Steve
	Peregrine #312
	Seattle

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