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Hi all,
We have a 1983 C Plan layout ketch (galley to starboard, two full heads, only one companionway). Our ice box, like yours, is large at about 15 cubic feet.
We have 350 watts of good solar and a 450ah FLA battery house bank. I’m curious which refrigeration systems you all are running and if you did anything to reduce the size and increase the insulation of the ice box.
I reached out to Technautics and Sea Frost for system recommendations. Technautics got right back to me, but mentioned that the ice box is really large and would either require multiple cold plates, or size reduction.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Ryan
Juniper
1983 424 Ketch C plan
New York -
If you do a forum search here, you can find all kinds of information on the subject. I have engine-driven refrigeration, installed when the boat was built in 1979. It works for me but I wouldn’t recommend it due to cost, complexity, and reliability issues. I assume you are planning a 12v system.
Briefly, Pearson didn’t put enough insulation in the ice-box. If you want to convert to refrigeration, you’ll have to improve the insulation. The 12V systems out there have tiny compressors. My engine-driven system has about a 3hp compressor, large enough to overcome the poor insulation properties of the ice-box. 12V systems have fractional HP compressors, approx 2/10 hp while running. You’ll never get and keep the box cold if you don’t insulate the thing.
If you improve insulation, you’ll still have a very big box to cool. You’ll need to get rid of that heat. A water-cooled system may be needed. Such systems are expensive.
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Hey Ryan. I have a standard ketch (port-side galley) but I was facing the same problem as you. I have been extremely happy with my solution to go 12v fridge with shortening the ice-box. I tried for too long to make the engine driven cold plate work. It finally killed me. Well, it made me kill it.
Since the ice box is entirely too deep to even climb into, I put 13″ of block foam in the bottom and sealed in a new plywood/fg bottom with 5200 and extended the drain to the bilge. I took the cabinet drawers out and stuffed pink insulation into any space between the cabinet and the box sides. I put new rubber seals on the ice-box top. I then cut a 1/2 inch thick rubber pad to cover the cabinet top when I’m not using it. I think it was an exercise/yoga pad. It works great, cleans easily, and looks good, and keeps the unit from losing its cool topside. I bought a Vitrifrigo 12v unit (don’t remember the model) but it is an air cooled unit that fits behind the stove/oven and is quiet, and does not produce any noticeable heat. I never think about it being there. It has a freezer box that mounts in the ice box that keeps frozen food and makes ice cubes (the old fashioned way). The freezer box is not large, (12x12x6) but is fine for the way I use it. Might be small for a family living on the hook for extended periods, though. There are choices of models, but the bigger ones draw more amps. It draws 4 amps when on, and runs about half time, depending on ambient temp. Something like on 20, off 20, and varies. In 9 years since I put it in, it has had NO problems, and has not given me battery deletion issues. One of my best conversion decisions. I have a 400 ahr house bank. You should have no problem with the solar power.
I might have pictures of the conversion and more detail. If you need, I can go search.
Hope this helps.
Charlie
sv/OneEighty
#54 -
Charlie
I tossed the ice-box lid and replaced it many years ago. The original lid was hinged in the middle. To remove it, I had to clear off some counter space to place it. I made a one-piece lid that is well insulated and hinged. A gas spring lift supports it when you open the box. Pictures were on the 424 web site but appear to be missing. Like you, I put gaskets around the lip. This was an easy fix.
It’s a challenge to reach anything at the bottom of the box. I like your idea of glassing in a new bottom. There’s a raised piece along the bottom that traps water. At a minimum, I might glass that in.
1 user thanked author for this post.
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In the Photos section of this site are pictures of my modifications to the refer.
I split it half and made one side a freezer. It has two cold plates. The refrigerator side uses cold air as a spillover from the freezer.
I put a door in the lower half of the refrigerator to reach the stuff on the bottom.
I use a SeaFrost 12 volt system.
Very efficient.
I spent 3 years in the Caribbean with having ice all the time and plenty of frozen food.
Look for unabated refrigerator mods.1 user thanked author for this post.
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