Before you chop holes or install a manifold, I would ask you to consider something.
I understand the
concept that water is colder than air in order to cool the condensate, but use of sea water pumped into a
cooling coil has two disadvantages -
Crustaceans like the small apertures and frequently block them
the pump will consume amps.
There are two alternatives to this:
add a pipe coil outside the
boat and pass fresh water through it (as a heat exchanger) - frequently done on italian
boats. However, whilst solving the crustacean problem, it is quite vulnerable, and will still require a
water pump.
The other alternative is more expensive to fit, but will halve your
power consumption. You fit a "Keel Cooler" - this is a
bronze block that goes through the hull. It is interfaced to the existing
compressor and fridge condensate circuit, and thus the condensate is pumped through the
bronze block by the compressor. This acts as a heat sink and is as effective as the seawater
cooling when not blocked!
Further details of a fridge fit using this system are in the September 2008 edition of Practical
Boat Owner (page 58)