Refigeration Amp Hour usage survey

[chala]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

and to be honest I don't think my BD80 can even consume 9 amps

If the 80 on your's BD80 stand for 80VA, then at 12V dc, the current is 80 / 12 = 6.66A.

[a64pilot]

I don't know what the 80 stands for, but that is awfully close to the amperage it draws at 13.2 VDC
I have wondered that a little, sort of figured it was some kind of arbitrary number to denote relative size, but it of course could be a real number too?


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[skipgundlach]

"
Originally Posted by a64pilot
and to be honest I don't think my BD80 can even consume 9 amps"


I wish it were so.

Mine is the last one on the right:

[Mike OReilly]

Just wanted to follow up with a general thanks for all the good advice. Even though this wasn't my thread, I really appreciate the help given. I've now got a reefer that is cycling properly, and is running around 70-80 amp-hrs/day. Still higher than I'd like, but a big improvement over our previous ~180.

So thanks all .

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Just wanted to follow up with a general thanks for all the good advice. Even though this wasn't my thread, I really appreciate the help given. I've now got a reefer that is cycling properly, and is running around 70-80 amp-hrs/day. Still higher than I'd like, but a big improvement over our previous ~180.

So thanks all .

Maybe I missed it but what was the cure? Thermostat or the controller?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Maybe I missed it but what was the cure? Thermostat or the controller?

I'm going with cleaning the condenser coils?


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[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Maybe I missed it but what was the cure? Thermostat or the controller?

Sorry Skip, it was a combination of thermostat that seemed to have detached itself, combined with a serious attempt to clean off the 22-year-old condenser, plus some rewiring of a few poor connections. She's now making ice and cycling reasonably well. Last night we burned about 50 amp-hrs over a ~12 hr period, so we're still high, but manageable.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I'm going with cleaning the condenser coils?

Ha! That's hilarious. I just got back to Skip's question, and yes, you're mostly right.

[SailRedemption]

Sounds like it's slowly going down if it was in the 70s and now it's in the 50s. Might just be catching up then leveling out soon

See more @ redemptiverepair.com

[Epicurean]

I noticed one message here , Robert Sailor, where he mentions aerogel insulation. The aerogel I'm familiar with would have tremendous insulation properties, and he did say that he used few AH. But I've never seen it for sale. Does anyone have information on where you can buy this and any experience using it? I looked at Aerogel.com but they didn't really say where it would be available retail. Also, theirs is about 10#/cu ft which seems quite heavy for a true aerogel.

We're dreaming of buying a cat. We looked at the Bali 4.0, among others, and it had two refrigerators and a freezer, and standard home models I was told. I can't understand how those could be powered except by frequent running of generators. Salesmen don't seem to have the answer except "all our customers are happy." If I have to run a generator everyday for refrigeration I won't be happy.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Ha! That's hilarious. I just got back to Skip's question, and yes, you're mostly right.

It is just a part of normal aging process, as is of course dirty connectors, you would be surprised at how much power just a dirty connection can waste, I have found silicone grease to work really well for that. You can find it in auto parts stores called light bulb grease. Dirty condensers are real hard on compressors though, temps and pressures go up, and wear.
It's just possible another fan may help, they are about $10 on Amazon and some only use about .25 amp. You can't over cool a condenser.
I paid $7 for this one. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Unfortunately our insulation also loses its properties as well, just that is no easy fix, I'm just going to add insulation to the inside of my box, replacing it is the right answer, but way too much work for me.


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[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

It is just a part of normal aging process, as is of course dirty connectors, you would be surprised at how much power just a dirty connection can waste, I have found silicone grease to work really well for that. You can find it in auto parts stores called light bulb grease. Dirty condensers are real hard on compressors though, temps and pressures go up, and wear.
It's just possible another fan may help, they are about $10 on Amazon and some only use about .25 amp. You can't over cool a condenser.
I paid $7 for this one. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Unfortunately our insulation also loses its properties as well, just that is no easy fix, I'm just going to add insulation to the inside of my box, replacing it is the right answer, but way too much work for me.

I'll check out the grease idea A64. Thanks. I can see I have to do a better job cleaning in there. I haven't looked at the whole set up since we bought the boat 6 years ago. I may rewire the whole thing too. A lot of the wiring looks dubious to me (now that I've got my head into the tiny cabinet).

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Sorry Skip, it was a combination of thermostat that seemed to have detached itself, combined with a serious attempt to clean off the 22-year-old condenser, plus some rewiring of a few poor connections. She's now making ice and cycling reasonably well. Last night we burned about 50 amp-hrs over a ~12 hr period, so we're still high, but manageable.

Nice. That's a major improvement.

I assume original box. Any idea how much or what kind of insulation?

[DavefromNZ]

Ok, I got a bit carried away with my fridge project on the Lagoon 450. Basically the freezer and outside fridge are set up to fail. By this I mean no circulation around the cooling vanes, and I mean NO circulation. The fan on the outside fridge faces a wall and sucks NO air!! The fan on the freezer recirculates the same hot air - very easy fix by boring holes down from the TV area and cut the hole bigger to the outside wall. So I have bored a few extra holes and fitted 8mm 'ThermalWrap' - aerogel product but less messy. Yes expensive and I don't know if worth is, so I will report back and show more picture of where to bore holes 😁



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[DavefromNZ]

PS L450 owners have a look at your outside (beer/wine) fridge door on your yacht. The airflow comes in though the bottom of the door to cool and then....... Well there is a small outlet at the back. Here is a picture of a machined change I had made to to top of my door to let some of the heat out. Am I missing something LAGOON? Why don't you make the door this way?



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