Insulation material for fridge box

[SV Someday Came]

The ice box on the Willard needs attention. What is the recommended material to use to line the inside of the box with? My plan is to stop at Lowes or Home Depot on the way to the marina tomorrow and get some insulating material.

I am not doing a total rebuild of the box. I just want it to be better than what is there now.

Thanks

Michael

[nonam]

You are going to line the INSIDE of the box????Unless you want to lose a lot of volume all I can think of is some kind of reflective material.I had good results lining the OUTSIDE with the dense black sheet foam that they instal in buildings.It comes in 8 by 4 sheets of various thickness.

[Gashmore]

Your choices at the big box stores is limited to Blue Styrofoam or foil covered polyisocyanurate. Both come in 5/8" thickness sheets.

The Blueboard is extruded so it doesn't absorb water and about R5/inch but it will get pretty beat up inside a box. Two layers will give about R6.25. As a temporary solution it might last one season inside. For a more permanent installation check the paneling isle for PVC shower liner (NOT the Masonite backed type) and use it to build a new box liner.

Polyiso is about R7 but it is hygroscopic. You would need to seal the edges and any holes in the foil cover with metalized duct tape. Two layers will give about R8.75 plus a little radiant heat protection. I would not recommend it be installed inside the box without a new waterproof liner.

The only real solution is to rebuild the box.

[CSY Man]

I got some Home Depot stuff to line the inside of my boxes. Forgot the R-factor, but it was 3/4" thick. Used thin fiberglass sheets to cover it. Turned out good, but lots of work measuring and cutting to fit the odd angles.

[fcsob]

What about something like this?TempShield Radiant Foil, Radiant Barrier & Reflective Insulation

[SV Someday Came]

I am not going to rip out the counter top to rebuild a 30 year old box. Just not going to happen. I will gladly give up real estate on the inside to increase efficiency. There are always multiple "real" solutions.

And this is good information here -- I have a start! That tempshield stuff looks amazing.

Thanks

[Gashmore]

That aluminized bubble material is great for radiant heat loads. I am using it in my cabintop to cut down on heat from the sun but the primary load on a refrigerator box in the galley is conductive where it is of little help. In fact, the metal foil in contact with the cold contents of the box might even speed the heat along.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by MV

I am not going to rip out the counter top to rebuild a 30 year old box. Just not going to happen. I will gladly give up real estate on the inside to increase efficiency. There are always multiple "real" solutions.

And this is good information here -- I have a start! That tempshield stuff looks amazing.

Thanks

Plus, you get *double* efficiency or more by putting your insulation inside! Best move possible if you don't need the full size of the current icebox.

I did exactly as CSYman did on my last boat. Used some kind of extruded poly foam from Lowes/Home Depot, then carefully wrapped it in watertight poly sheeting, sealing it off. This keeps the sub-par insulation from being able to absorb water.

I placed the poly foam (wrapped air-tight in poly sheeting) in place... then...

Next, I got that PVC shower liner stuff, and put it on top of the poly foam/sheet insulation panels. I glued all this in place, used some caulking and some spray foam insulation to seal off the corners, and PRESTO!

I had a new refrigerator that was vastly more efficient than the old (which couldn't even keep things cold when I started). I also added a freezer at the same time, using the same techniques.

The original fridge box had the volume of a coffin, I think. Waaaay too big.

[SV Someday Came]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

I placed the poly foam (wrapped air-tight in poly sheeting) in place... then...

Next, I got that PVC shower liner stuff, and put it on top of the poly foam/sheet insulation panels. I glued all this in place, used some caulking and some spray foam insulation to seal off the corners, and PRESTO!
.

did you put the PVC shower liner in place so to prevent your new sides from being dinged up as Gashmore above noted?

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by MV

did you put the PVC shower liner in place so to prevent your new sides from being dinged up as Gashmore above noted?

Yes, that is one purpose, if you have sharp items in the refrigerator.

The other, more important purpose is to have a nice, uniform surface you can easily clean. Cleaning insulation or even insulation wrapped in poly sheets is next to impossible.

With the PVC (now I remember it is called FRP, not PVC) paneling inside, you can just take stuff out and wipe it down as you would a land refrigerator.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by MV

did you put the PVC shower liner in place so to prevent your new sides from being dinged up as Gashmore above noted?

Yes, that is one purpose, if you have sharp items in the refrigerator.

The other, more important purpose is to have a nice, uniform surface you can easily clean. Cleaning insulation or even insulation wrapped in poly sheets is next to impossible.

With the PVC (now I remember it is called FRP, not PVC) paneling inside, you can just take stuff out and wipe it down as you would a land refrigerator.


**Think spilling a jar of maraschino cherries or something...