Danfoss condenser water cooled mod kit

[Hoghead]

I recall reading in the Danfoss manual that there is a kit to modify the Danfoss regeneration compressor from air to water cooling. I am not on the boat now and would appreciate some guidance on how this can be done and what is required.

I have 2 separate 12V holding plate systems - one for fridge and one for freezer. I am in the tropics and the compressors run a lot and never achieve a cold enough temperature in the freezer compartment. Ambient temperature is in the low 30's C and I suspect hotter in the compressor compartment

This years mod is to install 2 extraction fans in the compressor compartment under the sink, and seal the intake against the louvered doors so that the compressors are not recycling the same air. This will help, but after all that cooling air is +/- 32C and there cannot be a lot of heat transfer.
I am also installing new seals on the top opening fridge doors.

I suspect that the box insulation could be better and this will have to wait until I gut the box and fabricate a new SS liner next year.

The boat is out of the water now and I am installing water cooled aircons so this is the time to think about water cooling the regeneration.

Is this a worthwhile mod as I do not see a lot of boats using water cooling?
Or just because air cooling is easy?

Surely it cannot be too difficult. What is involved in the air to water conversion as I do not see this mod kit on-line, and where to buy it?

[Richard Kollmann]

For a refrigeration unit to work properly condenser controlled heat disposal cooling is important in order to maintain super heat temperature and pressures within evaporator. If water is used as a condenser cooling medium there must be a way to regulate amount of heat disposed of. Too much condenser heat removed or too little will reduce system performance by changing super heat inside systems evaporator.

I know of no water cooled engineering options offered by Danfoss on these small BD compressors in any of their application instructions. If you’re cruising area plans are always going to be in seawater temperatures from 65 to 75 degrees F the refrigerant charge can be adjusted for best performance in that temperature range. System could somewhat be compensated for a larger seawater temperature range if a thermo expansion valve were used instead of a Capillary Tube refrigerant flow control device.

[phorvati]

ez-cold systems had it, and ironically without the gizmos Richard just mentioned. Just a cap-tube. I had a bad experience in that salt water corroded the heat exchanger killing the compressor...forcing me to drink warm rum in the bahamas and later on in DR as well. Ironically it happened in a country that would charge a hefty import tax on a new compressor, as well as only 1 month after warranty expired, something around 2 year. It might not be that all refrigeration heat exchangers are prone to it. In fact the owner assured me that he has never saw heat exchanger fail. However, there was no zincs as there are in FWC systems and even though this was nickle coppe, my experience tells me do not do it.