Refrigerator - 3 bends in evaporator

[HarrisonM]

Hello:

I am looking at the "Isotherm Compact 2013 Refrigeration Kit - Model # 12731691". The Evaporator is 54 inches long. If I bend it into a "U" my freezer box is too small. My question is can I do 3 bends to it? This would mean it would be more like an "O" going all the way around my freezer box. I looked on Isotherms website, but no info on this... I emailed them, but they have not responded. I think I am okay to do this. I am just curious if any cruisers have already done this and how it worked.

[HarrisonM]

Been doing some more research and found diagram of the bend zones for the evaporator. Here is the manual:
https://www.indelwebastomarine.com/f...act-manual.pdf.

The bend zone I am after is on page 406 so you can do it. Curious if anyone has tried?

[scfoster]

Hope it worked out for you. I'm facing the same challenge. The Alder Barbour condenser unit that was in my 2001 Beneteau 361 was 42" long, they no longer make it.
The only unit I could find was the Isotherm 2013-SX which has a 54" evaporator. Called Isotherm and two different techs told me that it's okay to bend anywhere there are horizontal refrigerant channels, not cross hatch areas.
Problem is there is one cross hatch area that is large with only a small bendable area before the next one. Have been noodling how to make this work for a day or so, wanting to make sure it's workable on paper before bending.

[HarrisonM]

scfoster:

Please let me know how it turns out!!!!

I had 3 projects I was working on and the refrigerator was in last place due to I could put ice in in for now. I looked at CoolBlue, Isomtherm, and Frigoboat. My first pick was CoolBlue, but the plates were all to big to fit in my odd sized freezer box. Frigoboat was what I settled on mainly due to the size of the evaporator. Once I get a bit more cash this will be my next project. Let me know how it turns out....

[scfoster]

Originally Posted by HarrisonM

scfoster:

Please let me know how it turns out!!!!

I had 3 projects I was working on and the refrigerator was in last place due to I could put ice in in for now. I looked at CoolBlue, Isomtherm, and Frigoboat. My first pick was CoolBlue, but the plates were all to big to fit in my odd sized freezer box. Frigoboat was what I settled on mainly due to the size of the evaporator. Once I get a bit more cash this will be my next project. Let me know how it turns out....

The Beneteau has a top loading freezer box, 15"x18" and a fridge section next to it. The fridge is cooled by pulling air off the back side of the evaporator through a 2" hole with a small fan.

The freezer size is of course perfectly dimensioned so the Isotherm plate cannot be bent in any way to fit, without going outside the bend zones. Ended up having to improvise and bend slowly in a couple of areas I'm not supposed to. There was very slight kinking but hopefully not enough to affect the performance of the evaporator. We'll see if it works. Instead of a U shape, had to bend it around to form a sort of rectangle 13"x16". Cuts into the size of the freezer but it's pretty big anyway.

Have to get it installed, hopefully tomorrow.

[scfoster]

Put three gallon milk jugs of water in the freezer and they froze solid overnight. Put a container of iced tea in there and there was ice forming in a couple of hours. So it appears it works just fine. Have to monitor the energy consumption. There is only about 1.5 inches of insulation around the freezer. What I'm thinking is to cut some access ports and spray in foam insulation.
The fridge, pulling air from the freezer, works fine. Beer is nice and cold.

[HarrisonM]

Awesome job sir!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!