Separate Fridge and Freezer - Thoughts ?

[s/v Jedi]

Ahem... drawers are only open at the top, just like top opening boxes... you can't put them at same level as front opening boxes.

ciao!
Nick.

[SabreKai]

According to the drawings, that Engel drop in unit has 2.2 inches of insulation at the bottom, and 1.57 on each side. The top doesn't look to have any at all, it looks to be laminated from some material. This causes me to wonder about their performance specs. Has anyone seen a review of this unit? However, looking at the straight forward slab sided design, I see no reason why you couldn't glue on some extra 2 inch thick sheets around it or make a box of foam for it to fit into.

Sabre

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by SabreKai

However, looking at the straight forward slab sided design, I see no reason why you couldn't glue on some extra 2 inch thick sheets around it or make a box of foam for it to fit into.

Yes, but that is 80% of the work for building a complete box, which saves a lot of $$$ in the process and will be more efficient.

None of that kind of units is designed to operate in the tropics but they are great in colder climates.

ciao!
Nick.

[SV Demeter]

Yeah I cant comment on this drop in model and its performance specs but I have a friend who uses a self contained model on his westsail. He lives in the BVI and runs the whole boat on 120 watts of solar. IIRC he said his fridge takes about 35-40 AH per day. He doesnt really have any other electrical other than a few LED lights. I think the self contained models have vacuum panels maybe?

[Jeffreydwahl]

Has anyone installed the Engel MB40V-DH ?? I am wondering about customer satisfaction. I am in the market.

[Cookiesa]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Ahem... drawers are only open at the top, just like top opening boxes... you can't put them at same level as front opening boxes.

ciao!
Nick.

Close but no banana, as you slide the draw out the insulation around the box doesn't come out, the draw now "drops" the cold off of it. Note the seals around the draw, thats to keep the cool air circulating around inside from also dropping out. Guess what happens when you open the draw....

However if power consumption isn't as much of a consideration the convienience factor is a huge plus

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Jeffreydwahl.

[mbianka]

Originally Posted by SV Demeter

I need to rebuild my icebox as it is woefully under insulated and I had this plan to build a freezer that connected to the ice box via a spill over door and thus cool the two compartments with one compressor and evaporator. Now I am considering simply rebuilding the ice box and properly insulating it then using a U or L shaped evaporator and compressor and simply having a fridge, no freezer.

I was thinking further that I could purchase one of the smaller 13-15 quart Engel stand alone units like Engel MD14F Fridge/Freezer and use it as a freezer when I wanted. My thoughts on this route is that when cruising we often stay at anchor in places for several days if not weeks on end and these places often have access to fresh food so there is really no need to run a freezer all the time. Its really just when on passage or in areas with little access to provisions that the desire (not need) for a freezer comes into play. Also I doubt I could build a more efficient freezer than one of these engels. Im thinking if the tables are accurate one of these engels would pull 40-50 amps per day when in freezer mode, maybe more if in Deep Freeze mode.

Im hopeful that I can build a well insulated fridge in the 5-6 cubic foot range and cool it with an air or keel/air cooled Danfoss BD 50 or maybe 80 compressor using a U or L shaped thin plate evaporator in the tropics and get my amp hours below 60 in a 24 hour period for the fridge. I would like to get to 45-50 but Im not sure in the tropics with the wife, me, and 2 kids on board.

Thoughts?

I've used an Engel MT 25 on board for over ten years. First as a refrigerator now pretty much as a full time freezer:
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: IS THIS A COOL WORLD OR WHAT!
I freeze bottles of water and what foods I need to keep frozen in it. I use a standard cooler for perishables. In the mornings and evenings I swap two bottles of frozen water between the cooler and the Engel. I also defrost what ever frozen foods I'll use in the cooler too. If I leave the boat for an extended period of time I turn the Engel down to refrigeration mode and transfer the perishables from the cooler into the Engel until I get back. This system works well for me.