Insulation

[rourkeh]

We are getting ready to redo our refrigeration box and are looking for the best cost to R value insulation available. The best is probably the GlacierBay panels but the cost is very high. Anyone know of a less expensive alternative. RParts is gone. We need an R value of at least 20 and have a ton of room to work with. Any ideas?

[daddle]

As for foam, it's polystyrene "Blue Board" panels. The R-value may not be quite as high as other formulations like cyanoacrylates or polyurethanes, but after a few months at sea those will be wet and the polystyrene will be dry - with it's original R-value.

From Glacier Bay WWW:

"This product is often called "blueboard" due to its light blue color. In spite of its relatively modest "R" value (4.92 per inch), Styrofoam SM is our overwhelming recommendation for foam ice box insulation in marine applications. Unlike its expanded cousin (above)and virtually all other foam insulation, Styrofoam "Square Edge" is completely impervious to moisture."

[wingover]

Look at Ployiso boards (double foil). If you have lots of room I would not bother with VIP panels. I am a technautics dealer and have done many installations.

My own fridge (Freezer spill over system) is a 9 Qubic/Ft with 6" polyiso. In the PNW summer the compressor will run maybe once every 10 hours for 10-20 minutes.

[Mark Johnson]

We built our own 2 cu ft box. (took 2 people all summer)...
We used "Vacu-panel" Vacuum panels. (Each custom made) The 1" thick panels = 5" of foam. By adding a layer of foam on each side, it = 7" of insilation! By using the vacuum panels, the outside of the box's dimensions were kept within what we had to work with. With the box being small, super insulated, super sealed, 100% vapor proof inside & out, and foil covered on the outside... It only uses 25 or 30 AH / day. (IF we don't make ice)

Money spent on conservation of energy goes much further than money spent on energy production.
M