Spaceloft fridge box build

[Steveschr]

Hi all,
Pacific Seacraft Orion, 27' sailboat. Original top load ice box with a Frigoboat keel cooler and d35 compressor. Looking to upgrade the insulation on the ice box for better efficiency and I don't have the stomach to tear off the counter top to build a complete box.

I've read through quite a few threads on reinsulating and done some research and I'm thinking to go the Aerogel route. Probably Cryogel, not sure yet, but something in that family. In one of the threads a poster suggested laying the Aerogel, adding a barrier layer then glassing directly on top of that. This method sounds good to me as there are a lot of angles and curves in the box. Cutting panels to fit and doing it through the fridge door seems too challenging. Making a false bottom and blocking out the shape of the box to something more regular would make the box too small.

Has anyone tried this method? How'd it go? Anyone who has worked with this material think this is viable? If building a fiberglass she'll on top of the Aerogel what supports the shell and keeps it from flexing and crushing the Aerogel or cracking the shell?

Thanks
Steve

[Typhoon]

Hi Steve , I have built many a box in my days using just about every method and insulation including aerogell . When you say squaring up the box would make it to small , how small are you talking ? Can you post a couple of photos so I can get an idea and possibly make a few constructive suggestions .
Regards John

[senormechanico]

The temperature ranges of Cryogel, Aerogel and Pyrogel all overlap to a good degree.
For a freezer, either Cryogel or Aerogel would work fine.
Cryogel has a fairly heavy aluminum layer on one side.

[Steveschr]

John,.
Here's some awful pictures of the box. I did a drawing with approximate dimensions. I noted the depth of the box from the top of the counter top as noted. The entire bottom of the box is curved as well as the portion in the top of the drawing as this is where it fits against the hull. The dimensions are taken at about mud height in the box where there's a step which widens about another 3/4 inch or so except where it widens very steeply at the top of the drawing where it rises to the hull.

I'm glad you asked for this, I hadn't actually measured before. It's slightly less overwhelming now. But only slightly lol. Any help appreciated!

Steve

[tomfl]

I did something similar to my boat. Put about six inches of insulation on the bottom of the box, cut a sheet of starboard to fit over it, wedged the starboard in and glassed the starboard in. If the truth be known I paid a very skilled fiberglass guy to do the glassing and the fine finishing of the starboard and wedging it in. Worked like a charm. He did bevel the starboard so it was smaller at the bottom than the top so it fit solidly in the bottom. Have to say he was magic with the glassing and it was as smooth as a baby's bottom.

The only issue I see is how to deal with the uneven bottom, but I would probably just put insulation in the lower part and rest the starboard bottom on the ledge.

[Typhoon]

Aerogell is expensive stuff , I mostly use it for doors to keep them thin yet still achieve great r values . They cost me approximately 100$ Canadian a door to do. I'm not sure what kind of cruising you do with your boat and how much space you need . But Looking at your box what I would do is fill in the over hangs with blue board or polyiso to the edge of the opening , this would give you varying but exceptable r values in a smaller space . The smaller space requires less btu to keep cool This will also make the new liner much easier to install if it is a straight down board from the opening lip. As for the bottom I would just fill in the lowest point with layers of insulation to make it slightly flat not worrying to much about the r value by the rise of the hull. Again this is a small box with less load . Another advantage to insulating to the lip of the door is the under counter overhang will be well insulated.

Hope this helps with a few ideas , if you go to my website there is a video showing how to do the door wth aerogell, don't for get the lid/door

Regards john