Ice Box upgrade help

[minigran]

I'm tired of buying 4 or 5 bags of ice for the icebox on my Allmand 31. I would like to add a refrigeration upgrade to the boats 7 cu ft ice box. I'm on a fixed income budget so I need to keep cost down as much as possible. I sail in the Carolinas but do plan on going to the Bahamas this fall. Any suggestion's are appreciated.

I'm a retired Mechanical Engineer so I plan on doing my own installation. I have installed automotive and home HVAC in the past.

[Richard Kollmann]

Two suggestions on icebox conversions watch Slide Show on my web site and also Click on Fans for information on Spillover two temperature zone refrigeration boxes.

Normally you will need to upgrade boats power grid when installing refrigeration. As a Retired mechanical engineer be aware of creative advertising when selecting refrigeration units. A seven cubic foot box will exceed the limits of a Danfoss BD50 compressor in tropical climates if you are looking for a true refrigerator unless you have alternative energy sources. Insulation needs to be at least R20 value. Do not forget heat in warm climates increases box throughput as much as 50%. One 12 oz six pack of liquid increases BD50 compressor running time around one hour. The calculations on slide show do include throughput for worst case tropical summer. For Bahamas in winter reduce total worst case energy requirement by 30% which is a 2% reduction for each degree cooler ambient conditions.