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Subject: TWL: Small Freezers
From: Bob Austin (thataway4@XXX.XXX)
Date: Sun Sep 01 2002 - 21:31:19 EDT
The question of "small off the shelf "has been asked. The first solution
that comes to mind is the Norcold freezer/refrigerator chests. These have
been around for a long time. They will freeze water/brine solutions and
keep ice cream. However they have a fairly large power draw on 12 volts DC
because of the relitatively thin insulation. There is a new product by
Engel in the West Marine Catalogue, which appears to be similar.
From
http://www.warehouseappliance.com/freezers.htm There are a couple of
freezers that on run on LP or 12 volt or 110 volt. Since these are ammonia
systems relying on a heater element they will not be efficient on 12 volts.
However this type of freezer has been around a long time--Bernzamatic made
one for recreational use 30+ years ago. This is the same principle as the
Dometic or Norcold RV refers/freezers, which work fine on L P gas or 110
volts, even in high ambient temperatures. We have crossed the USA many
times with the new double door units and always had rock hard ice cream. A
Google search for "Propane Freezers" will reveal a number of other pure
propane units for remote area utilization. The usual precautions for
propane and ventilation should be followed. However a number of these units
are designed for outdoor use, so that they could be placed on an aft deck or
other well ventilated area where no chance of propane getting into the boat
would occur. If I lived on the high dessert I probably would choose one of
these units, since they are not dependant on electricity.
The problem with many of the inexpensive chest type freezers is that the
compressor is in the bottom of the unit--and heat rises, plus the insulation
is marginal. For a well designed freezer with a 12 volt DC or holding plate
system the insulation should be at least 4" and preferably 6" thick closed
cell foam. The new Vacuum insulation does drastically reduce the thickness,
but at a considerable price.
Any of these inexpensive freezers such as the Woods or Danby will run well
on a pure sine wave inverter.
Another option is an icemaker--these are available for both 12 and 110
volts--one does not have to make the ice, but can use these for a freezer.
What you use depends on how much room and power you have available. I know
of many boats which have gen sets or plug in every night and keep the chest
freezers on the aft deck, with a cover over the unit and only run the
freezer at night--the eutectic solutions keeping items cold during the day.
I feel that if you have significant frozen food and don't run a genset,
built in holding plate systems are not expensive and are a far better
choice, since you can put in adequate insulation--which is lacking in most
off of the shelf units.
My choice has been a Norcold chest 110/12 volt unit--I am on my second
one--the first one lasted over 10 years and succumbed to salt corrosion from
spray in an open boat. I have used this current unit for over 10 years,
taking it from van to boat to RV as a back up freezer or to bring frozen
foods across country--works great. It carried enough frozen food for the 10
day run from Clear Lake to Pensacola last year--and at the end everything
was still rock hard--all running off 12 volts, never plugging in to shore
power.
Regards,
Bob Austin
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