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Old 23-09-2009, 23:54   #16
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Refrigeration.

Dear Chris, thank you for your replay and information. From the beginning I decided to use an evaporator plate.
For the cooling of the system there are the air cooled system and the water cooled. If I use the water cooling, I prefer to stay away from and forced water circulation because of the extra water pomp. An keel cooling system looks great , but there are again different systems. Do you have any information about them please.
Then, by building your own box, there is the problem of the moister barrier, what do you know about it.
Regards. Willy
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Old 24-09-2009, 06:26   #17
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Have an Isotem 13 years old works great. I think the weakspots on fridges are insulation I know many with newer boats are disappointed. Boxes leak the chilly air./ Harry
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Old 24-09-2009, 06:55   #18
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I can understand you concern about the pump. I went this way because I needed to install the compressor in Jubilee's Lazarette, where it gets hot. The pump on these units has a voltage reducer that allows it to run on 1/2 voltage, so it draws less power.

I agree that a condenser unit is the way to go most of the time. I may end up regretting the seawater system, but our hope is that in very hot conditions, it will shine.

Concerning the SP units, I would think they would be great, as long as you are not anchoring/berthing in very calm conditions. I would like to know from Isotherm that even in these conditions, the unit would be cooled sufficiently.

Chris
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Old 27-09-2009, 21:35   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mbu745 View Post
Hello CptJohn1, I'm busy to build myself a fridge box with vacuum panels. We're most of the time in tropics where water- and air temperatures are high. I gone use an evaporator plate and a Danfoss 35 compressor. Now I have a problem, what type of cooling system is the most economical. For most systems there are pro- and contra. Do you have more information on those items. Can you please keep me informet what you find out. Regards. Willy
Thanks for the reply. I'm still looking and haven't installed a new system yet.
The Isotherm SP does sound great though.
John.
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Old 27-09-2009, 22:09   #20
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Originally Posted by Auspicious View Post
I have Isotherm SP for a refrigerator and separate freezer. I'm in Annapolis and very happy with the cooling and energy consumption.


Can you tell me the exact model, size of your ice box and whether you have a BD35 or a BD 50 compressor.

Thanks,
John
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Old 11-04-2010, 15:10   #21
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For those of you who installed your own units....

I just got an Isotherm Cruise 130. It came with a rather unwieldy 3 sided mounting flange. Putting things together, it looks as if the flange is supposed to be screwed to the fridge, and then into the cabinet.

My fridge lacks any holes that might mate up with the flange. It has a wide (3" or so) metal band that is in exactly right location for mounting the flange. Am I right in assuming that I am expected to drill the appropriate holes?

I am somewhat hesitant to take a drill to my nice, new, very expensive fridge....
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Old 13-04-2010, 06:05   #22
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OK, for posterity, here's what Isotherm had to say:

Quote:
The flange is lined up with the face of the door so they are both flush. Tapping a small hole with a drill or punch will get your metal screws started. 3/8" screws are perfect.
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Old 13-04-2010, 06:14   #23
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We have an Isotherm SP ("self-pumping") fridge (front-loading), and a separate top-loading Isotherm SP freezer.

We haven't been in the tropics but they seem to be good. The "self-pumping" thing is very clever -- the condensor coils are mounted inside a special sea cock, which is connected to deck drains. The natural movement of the boat is supposed to pump the water up and down over the coils. That means -- no salt water pump, no extra through-hulls, nothing to clog. Besides that, the system can be run dry -- will work (with reduced efficiency) when the boat is on the hard.

Seems like a good system to me. A bit of a variation on the keel cooler; probably more efficient due to the condensor coils themselves being immersed in sea water. And without the extra holes in the hull required by keel coolers (or for that matter, by regular sea-water cooled fridges).

I especially appreciate the fact that the system requires no additional holes in the hull, besides what you already have for your deck drains.
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Old 13-04-2010, 06:52   #24
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Hi, I put is the waeco (isotherm) unit from west marine, all by myself, absolutely terrific, I am in Thailand, cabin temp around 37 to 31C minimum, freezes water if turned up to 7. I run it at 1 most times and keeps the ice box at around 7 to 10 C. Draws about 6 amps when its on. Just wapped the evaporater into one of the smaller ice boxes (100Litre) in the stoopway to the aft cabin, drilled a few holes, all pipes charged with gas and ready to go.

One thing I would strongly recommend is putting in a fan forced evaporater unit, the passive ones are hopeless in the tropics, also put a 5" computer fan in the cabinet under the sink where the unit is installed, comes on when the unit starts.

One of the best thngs in the boat!!
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Old 11-11-2017, 04:44   #25
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Re: Isotherm Refrigerators when on the dry

Hi. I've got an isotherm 3200 ASU seawater cooled fridge installed on my sailboat . Works great BTW.
There's a copper spiral embedded in the seacock ( also drains the kitchen sink) which seems to be exchanging heat with the seawater.

the boat is now on the dry in Portugal where night temps ( November) are 14C and cooling. Day temps around 20C .

I'm wondering if operating the fridge while the boat is out of the water is a bad idea even at night when the air is generally cooler than the seawater the boat was in during summer in turkey and Greece ( around the low 20'sC).

Thank you ...
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Old 11-11-2017, 06:29   #26
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Re: Isotherm Refrigerators

Waw Yoya,
today I receive your letter, big delay he'?
Now I'm in Greece and stay on the boat during winter months.
Last year you were in Portugal, where are you now please?
Regards.
Willy
s/v Freeebird
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Old 11-11-2017, 06:36   #27
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Re: Isotherm Refrigerators when on the dry

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yoya View Post
Hi. I've got an isotherm 3200 ASU seawater cooled fridge installed on my sailboat . Works great BTW.
There's a copper spiral embedded in the seacock ( also drains the kitchen sink) which seems to be exchanging heat with the seawater.

the boat is now on the dry in Portugal where night temps ( November) are 14C and cooling. Day temps around 20C .

I'm wondering if operating the fridge while the boat is out of the water is a bad idea even at night when the air is generally cooler than the seawater the boat was in during summer in turkey and Greece ( around the low 20'sC).

Thank you ...
I doubt you will get enough heat exchange to be efficient, out of the water. I don’t know the implications for the equipment or if it would do any harm.
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Old 11-11-2017, 10:33   #28
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Re: Isotherm Refrigerators

I emailed the manufacturer. Hope they'll have an answer as to what to do with their seawater cooled fridge when on the dry. Thanks
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Old 11-11-2017, 13:53   #29
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Re: Isotherm Refrigerators

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Originally Posted by Yoya View Post
I emailed the manufacturer. Hope they'll have an answer as to what to do with their seawater cooled fridge when on the dry. Thanks
Interesting question as Danfoss does not recommend any type water cooling of their BD compressors. The only enemy of The Danfoss BD compressor seems to be heat caused by lack of cooling. Prolonged compressor overheat of more than 125 degrees (52 C) do to inadequate condenser heat disposal and lack of missing fan air over compressor will result in loss of system reliability.
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Old 11-11-2017, 15:11   #30
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Re: Isotherm Refrigerators

Wow I'm shocked at the replies here... Maybe I got the one POS, but I highly doubt it.. Pretty sure the latest offerings from ISOTherm are CRAP.

I put a brand new Isotherm fridge (standup, stainless model) on our boat 24 months ago. Although it cools very well and draws very little amps, the overall quality is terrible. Like really really terrible.. So bad, that if I worked for the company I would be embarrassed we released a product so bad. Here are my issues..
1. Within 2 months the "Stainless front" had begun to corrode. It wasn't Stainless at all, but some strange painted, plastic covered thin metal sheet. Pretty sure its just a "Walmart" fridge that they put a 12V cooling system on.
2. That didn't matter since, 4 months into owning it, the double sided tape that was supposed to hold the front on failed and the entire sheet metal was laying on the floor one morning. (its actually held by thin strips on the edges but relies on the double sided tape to hold the SUPER thin metal in the middle. Once that failed the meltal flexed and fell out of the retaining edges).
3. 7 months in the latch cracked up the center. No worries, I just used glass and epoxy to fix it up (super ugly now with no front and a glassed latch). Remember its less than 1 year old.
4. 16 months in the latch mechanism broke internally. There was no way to open the fridge except with a flat head screw driver poking into the small slit and pushing down the latch.

After this experience.. I absolutely VOWED I would NEVER own another Isotherm product as long as I lived. Its very clear the company has changed and profits are their only driver.

However.. That is just my experience and opinion. It appears I'm in the minority.
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