Converting from water cooled to air cooled refrigerator

[BjarneK]

We have a water cooled refrigerator on our boat. I am planning on converting to air cooled instead. The compressor is a Danfoss BD50F and it has quick connects to the tubes to the cooling plates in the refrigerator box.

The question is whether I can change the condenser from the water cooled version to an air cooled version without getting a new compressor?

I have attached a picture of the connections from the compressor. The lower one goes to the condenser unit.

[Bill O]

Frigoboat has an air cool add on to their keel cooled unit to use it either way. It looks straight forward.

If you don't have the quick connectors then check with Rparts (or another vendor) for a fan add on.

Cheers,
Bill O.

[Scott Berg]

You'll need to evacuate the system and solder in a new condenser in most cases, then test and charge. If you have a vacuum pump and are comfortable with these tasks it isn't a difficult job albeit a tedious one; MUCH easier if done at a workbench and not in situ...

[Typhoon]

Yes adding an air cooled condenser to a system that never had one can be a daunting task if you are not familiar with doing this kind of work. May be easer just to replace the system with an air cooled one.

Why do you want to go to air ? Did your keel cooler fail?

Regards John.

[SteveSadler]

I asked a pro the same question in reverse. He said it's possible but probably won't save me any money.I have one of each, and the air cooled one is too noisy to leave on at night. Gains 15 degrees, runs almost constantly when it's hot outside (and inside).

[BjarneK]

Thanks a lot for your replies so far. They have been very helpful.

Here are some of my reasons for not wanting water cooled refrigeration:

• We recently had a failure of the seacock at the cooling water outlet. It doesn't really help having all seacocks above the water line when you have a pump actively pumping sea water into the boat (the leak wasn't too bad, but who knows about next time that happens).
• The sea water strainer is also above the waterline. This means that every time we go sailing, air gets trapped there and I have to refill it with water.
• I don't think it really saves much power. I would think air cooling would work nicely on our aluminium hull. It is not insulated below the water line, so there should be good heat exchange between the air and the water.

I understand that some of you find the air cooled version noisy. Do you all have that experience? I would get something along these lines if I end up changing the compressor as well:

http://www.isotherm-parts.com/index....9568bb7361d919

[Oceanride007]

I have 2 bd35 units, either can be used for freezer. My system was unusual in that there is a dedicated tank used for cooling coils for both. One unit failed with PO, refrig mechanic cut out the old cooling put in a air heat exchanger with a fan, presumably cose it would be cheaper. Not commissioned properly in that it was overcharged and did not cool,refrig mechanic got me to leak off a little gas each day until the temperature gets down to thermostate setting, took 2 weeks. For a refrig mechanic to do that it would be very time consumming, (this being a capillary tube system).
2 issues: Yes the fan is a little noisier, but thats OK. The second however is the heat rising around the settee, when its already hot, I have to move, not all the time, but often enough. I'd go back to the cooling coil system, if I knew the coil was sound.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by BjarneK

Thanks a lot for your replies so far. They have been very helpful.

Here are some of my reasons for not wanting water cooled refrigeration:

• We recently had a failure of the seacock at the cooling water outlet. It doesn't really help having all seacocks above the water line when you have a pump actively pumping sea water into the boat (the leak wasn't too bad, but who knows about next time that happens).
• The sea water strainer is also above the waterline. This means that every time we go sailing, air gets trapped there and I have to refill it with water.
• I don't think it really saves much power. I would think air cooling would work nicely on our aluminium hull. It is not insulated below the water line, so there should be good heat exchange between the air and the water.

I understand that some of you find the air cooled version noisy. Do you all have that experience? I would get something along these lines if I end up changing the compressor as well:

http://www.isotherm-parts.com/index....9568bb7361d919

if you have an aluminium boat the easiest fix would be to use your fresh water tank for cooling water and keep you existing system and water pump etc, if it is integral to the hull for cooling/heat extraction for the fridge/freezer i have done this for years,and it even works with the boat on the hard in the boatyard,or as i dry out twice a day,at low tide,aslong as there is about 100 liters of water left in the tank this is sufficient for heat dissapation,even in the tropics.

[chouliha]

Have you thought about going to fresh water cooling? We did that about 12-13 years ago (full time cruisers) and never looked back. It stopped all the issues using salt water (zinc, plugged strainer, etc etc).

All we did is Tee into one of our two water tank supply lines (45gal) and also return to that tank. Its the second tank we go to when we run the first one dry. Rarely is it an issue as once we get to 1/2 tank we almost always start the watermaker or top up. Both our tanks are below the floorboars and lay up against the hull so maintain seawater temp at all times

The other nice thing is we can run the freezer/fridge while hauled out.

Know this doesn't answer your question but just a thought.

Regards

Chuck
Jacaranda
Mo'orea, French Polynesia

[Pelagic]

Great suggestion Chuck and the main reasons I installed Oziefridge units

[SV_Neverland]

Originally Posted by chouliha

Have you thought about going to fresh water cooling? We did that about 12-13 years ago (full time cruisers) and never looked back. It stopped all the issues using salt water (zinc, plugged strainer, etc etc).

All we did is Tee into one of our two water tank supply lines (45gal) and also return to that tank. Its the second tank we go to when we run the first one dry. Rarely is it an issue as once we get to 1/2 tank we almost always start the watermaker or top up. Both our tanks are below the floorboars and lay up against the hull so maintain seawater temp at all times

The other nice thing is we can run the freezer/fridge while hauled out.

Know this doesn't answer your question but just a thought.

Regards

Chuck


Jacaranda
Mo'orea, French Polynesia

Hi Chuck, sorry if this post is a little out dated, but I was wondering how cold your freezer stays with the fresh water cooling system? I have the same thing but mine tends to go off every 10 minutes?

Thanks
Andrew

[OzeLouie]

Originally Posted by SV_Neverland

Hi Chuck, sorry if this post is a little out dated, but I was wondering how cold your freezer stays with the fresh water cooling system? I have the same thing but mine tends to go off every 10 minutes?

Thanks
Andrew

Not sure what you mean Andrew, can you explain some more about your 'goes off' problem? Maybe we can help.

We manufacture both air cooled only and air / water cooled condensing units and the air / water systems are far more popular with cruisers who know that water cooling is far superior to air only, specially in the tropics and /or when unit is located where air movement is limited or heated. (eg: engine room) But we always advocate fresh water cooling to avoid the drama!

Cheers OzeLouie

[SV_Neverland]

Originally Posted by chouliha

Have you thought about going to fresh water cooling? We did that about 12-13 years ago (full time cruisers) and never looked back. It stopped all the issues using salt water (zinc, plugged strainer, etc etc).

All we did is Tee into one of our two water tank supply lines (45gal) and also return to that tank. Its the second tank we go to when we run the first one dry. Rarely is it an issue as once we get to 1/2 tank we almost always start the watermaker or top up. Both our tanks are below the floorboars and lay up against the hull so maintain seawater temp at all times

The other nice thing is we can run the freezer/fridge while hauled out.

Know this doesn't answer your question but just a thought.

Regards

Chuck
Jacaranda
Mo'orea, French Polynesia

Originally Posted by OzeLouie

Not sure what you mean Andrew, can you explain some more about your 'goes off' problem? Maybe we can help.

We manufacture both air cooled only and air / water cooled condensing units and the air / water systems are far more popular with cruisers who know that water cooling is far superior to air only, specially in the tropics and /or when unit is located where air movement is limited or heated. (eg: engine room) But we always advocate fresh water cooling to avoid the drama!

Cheers OzeLouie

Sorry, I should have said "my water pump turns on every 10 minutes or so" is this common? Or would that be more of an insulation issue? I have only recently purchased my yacht and I'm still a newbie haha

[OzeLouie]

Originally Posted by SV_Neverland

Sorry, I should have said "my water pump turns on every 10 minutes or so" is this common? Or would that be more of an insulation issue? I have only recently purchased my yacht and I'm still a newbie haha

Could be the way it was intended but maybe not!! Can you picture the system and post here along with any brand, model numbers etc and while I may not recognise what you have there are others here who will and can advise.

Cheers OzeLouie

[SV_Neverland]

Originally Posted by OzeLouie

Could be the way it was intended but maybe not!! Can you picture the system and post here along with any brand, model numbers etc and while I may not recognise what you have there are others here who will and can advise.

Cheers OzeLouie

I will have to do it when I get back to the computer. Can't seem to upload from my phone. Thanks for your input so far.


Cheers