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juno.com!spindrift
Date: Tue Oct 15 1996 - 11:19:08 EDT
On Mon, 14 Oct 1996 16:27:50 -0700 John Bierrie <bierrie-ix.netcom.com>
writes:
>I've got a few questions and then I'll move on to some other subjects.
G!
>
>What would be considered an "ideal" size for a refrigerator on a boat?
Actually bigger is not necessarily better. The consideration is what is
the longest period of time you expect to be away. Then divide the box
into freezer and refer accordingly.
>
>I suspect I can already guess the answer to this one, but top loading
>vers front loading?
>
Top loading has the advantage of being able to open underway when
healing, while the worst situation is a front loading opening to port or
starboard. After being on port tack for several days, it was a real pain
to have to deal with the front opening refer on a Tayana 55' that we
delivered up the west coast. The combo front opening/top loading refer on our Norseman 535 seems to be a reasonable option, as a large box will
have difficulty if one is only able to access via one opening.
If space and $$$ is not a consideration then having separate refer and freezer is a great way to go. Engine drive is by far and away the most
efficient system to keep things cold, however unless you are moving
every day, this requires a lot of engine time, so a secondary system is
advisable. We have a combo 110 vac along with the engine drive, however
this requires either being connected to shore power or significant
generator run time. The real decisions is how are you going to use the
system? For a live aboard who is connect to the shore power umbilical,
then 110 vac or 12 vdc would be the system of choice. If you are
cruising, then it is advisable to determine your power consumption and
available amperage to decide upon what system to use.
Insulation is the primary determination of the ability of your system to
stay cold, so more is better. Five or six inches if you have the space.
Closed cell foam, a good moisture barrier, and a high "R" factor for the
insulation are all positives to have, while open cell foam, no barrier,
being next to the engine room or oven, are all negatives.
>Refrigeration unit of choice?
>
I prefer 12 vdc for living on the hook, 110 vac for at the dock, and
engine driven when under power. Figure out how you are going to use the
system and go from there. The other day, there was a claim for a system
that operated only 16% of the time. This would rank very well for a
continuous system, while the average engine drive system would probably run anywhere from 8% to 100% of the time depending upon how long you were running the engine. IF underway and under power, we found we ran the
system about 2 hours or 8.3% of any 24 hour day, however when at anchor,
we ran the system 100% of the time the engine was on. The amount and
quality of your insulation is going to be the primary factor when
considering your power requirements. Generally cold beer or ice for
your drinks will consume the greatest amount of power on the average boat, with nothing else even close. Good Luck.
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