Refridgeration

[parado]

My fridgeoboat finally packed it in, R-12 refridgerant, so need a new system. Any feedback on Novacool icebox conversion unit LT 201 with the dual plate option? These use a Secop compressor, and I don't know how rugged these are. Currently they are on sale, and are a local manufacturer in my area.
fridge box size is about 3 sq ft, this unit is apparently capable of a 9 cu ft fridge at 3" insulation, mine is currently 2", and more insulation is not going to happen any time soon, it would require tearing up my galley. Thanks for any feedback.

[Rex Delay]

From my experience, Novakool last about 25 years. Not bad for 1 boat dollar. I prefer the unit with the box chiller (cannot remember the number) as the box serves as a freezer. Current draw is reasonable. Love them.

[Mike OReilly]

I’ll be able to tell you in about a month. I bought one with the ice box plate. Will be ripping out the old one (~20 year old something…) and installing this one.

It was one of the recommended names by some of the experts. Not necessarily the top option, but it seemed to make the list. And the price is good.

[parado]

I'm planing on a spill over freezer/fridge set up. I looked at the freezer boxes, it takes up room I don't need all the time just for freezing. I have a built in shelf already to conform to the curve of the hull, and this would make a larger freezer section if I need it, seems the best use for the size and shape of my box.

[Mike OReilly]

We finally got the new Nova Kool LT201 with the wrap-around freezer box (RT4). We were replacing a similar model, so the install was not too difficult. Hardest part was removing the old unit (compressor and cooling plate), and then prepping the boxes for reinstall.

Am very pleased with the new unit so far. We now have a freezer inside the wrap-around box, a very cold fridge outside, and then a respectable spill-over fridge.

Best of all, power consumption is about 1/3rd of my previous unit. Instead of the constant 7.5-8 amp draw I’m now down to less than 3 amps. I’ve not actually figured out how often it’s cycling (mainly b/c I can’t hear it anymore — it’s A LOT quieter).

We’ve been off shore power for four days now, some cloudy, some sunny. My 400 watts of solar is easily keeping up with the draw. We tend to be down about 30 Ah by morning, which is easily recovered before noon.

[Richard Kollmann]

Originally Posted by parado

My fridgeoboat finally packed it in, R-12 refridgerant, so need a new system. Any feedback on Novacool icebox conversion unit LT 201 with the dual plate option? These use a Secop compressor, and I don't know how rugged these are. Currently they are on sale, and are a local manufacturer in my area.
fridge box size is about 3 sq ft, this unit is apparently capable of a 9 cu ft fridge at 3" insulation, mine is currently 2", and more insulation is not going to happen any time soon, it would require tearing up my galley. Thanks for any feedback.

The Nova Kool LT 201 is the top of the ice box conversion units line for your size box. No frills, no gadgets, only dependable reliability year after year.

[CassidyNZ]

These are nice units. I have very similar for my fridge but haven’t seen one with dual evaporators where I live. I’m about to install a second complete unit for a freezer. Takes up a whole lot more space using a second condenser unit.

Are the two condenser plates individually controlled or are they simply sized appropriately for the required cooling regime?

[john61ct]

Looks to me like there's only one condenser, just that it wraps around all four sides.

Clever optimization of surface area, exposure to both sides

https://i.imgur.com/uGDt5ov.png

[Richard Kollmann]

The two plates are in series including pre-charged with refrigerant as an assembly. The two plates are connected by a short copper refrigerant tube so they can be mounted opposing each other on opposite walls no more than 12 inches apart or on two walls 90 degrees from each other.

The chamber or Bin evaporator uses the same twin plates with end and bottom closer brackets.

[john61ct]

Interesting, lots of flexibility there.

How about something like this? Spillover section at the bottom
https://i.imgur.com/S3NgQI0.png

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Looks to me like there's only one condenser, just that it wraps around all four sides.

Clever optimization of surface area, exposure to both sides

https://i.imgur.com/uGDt5ov.png

That’s our baby. Works great so far.

[john61ct]

any other tech docs out there besides

http://www.novakool.com/support/docu...ec2013_000.pdf

?

[CassidyNZ]

Originally Posted by Richard Kollmann

The two plates are in series including pre-charged with refrigerant as an assembly. The two plates are connected by a short copper refrigerant tube so they can be mounted opposing each other on opposite walls no more than 12 inches apart or on two walls 90 degrees from each other.

The chamber or Bin evaporator uses the same twin plates with end and bottom closer brackets.

The spec sheet I have says you can have three evaporators, two joined together and a third that can be mounted 18” away. That would be great for my setup where the fridge and freezer are directly alongside one another. Two joined plates in the freezer, remote plate in the fridge. But then again, perhaps the two spaces will exceed the efficiency of the unit. 396 cu.ft. OR 198 cu.ft is not very big, my fridge freezer combined size may be twice that volume.

But I already have quite newish unit in my fridge so no worries. I’ll just install another new unit for the freezer.

[Richard Kollmann]

Questions for Nova Kool, Is the third plate induction heat transfer only without a refrigerant coil inside? If third plate has a refrigerant evaporator coil inside how and where is it connected to the other two plates plates?

[Navicula]

I installed this system this year.....the wire size is very important....depending how far the compressor is away from the panel determins the wire size...dont underscize...it will affect the performance.......nice unit...took it to the Bahamas for the winter and I had Ice.....its a pretty large freezer I have....ohh it was easy to install