Freezer / Refrigerator Question . . .

[osirissail]

Propane or any "flame" type refrigeration is not what you want on a boat that can roll gunwale to gunwale and pitch like a hobby horse - RV's don't do that -except maybe on the Ohio Turnpike. An open flame in those circumstances will eight escape containment or extinguish. Then you end up with a boat fire at worst or no refrigeration at best.

[lorenzo b]

I use two 7.2 cu ft chest freezers, one as a freezer and the other as a refrigerator. The freezer is plugged in to an inverter about 8 hrs a day, the refer about 2 hrs a day with a large clorox bottle of frozen water to help stabilize the temp at about 40 F. I run my gen set 3 hrs a day to charge my four 8D house bank. The chest freezers came from Sam's Club for $200.
I figure the system costs me $3 a day to operate and $400 to buy.
To get 14 cu ft of storage in a 12 V system with an efficient cold plate would cost me at least $6000 and still cost me $2 a day to run.
It would take me ten years to break even.
I probably won't be alive in ten years with my charm.

[janice142]

Abaco... I took a picture and it's in my cell phone; I just don't know how to get it out of the phone and into the computer. From there, I'm good. If you'd like to PM your phone number I could send it to you but really, there's not much to see. Essentially, this is what I did:

#1) ran an AC line to the galley with the initial outlet a GFCI quite close to the reefer box. It's not inside the locker and I do use it ocassionally (for the crock pot for instance)
The thinking was that if it tripped, I'd want easy access to pop it back on.

#2) just inside the locker next to the fridge I've got an on/off switch that powers a second outlet box deep in the back of the locker.
That is so I can easily shut down the unit at night without effecting my initial outlet box that is still available for other uses. This also keeps one heavy duty three-strand covered wire for the entire AC side of the galley.

#3) At the back of the locker is the secondary outlet box and that one has the reefer and fan plugged into it.

That's what I did... seems to be working. Would I love one of those lovely Norcold units that retail for $700? You betcha. But this $70 Walmart unit serves the purpose and it's good enough. Good luck and happy cruising.

[Yachts66]

Lorenzo, did you add any extra insulation to either box? How large is your inverter?

Thanks,

Thomas