T&T: Refrigerator Replacements

[Arild Jensen]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tands
> On Mon, REHalp wrote
> > Need to replace a Norcold frig now 17 yrs old. Choices include - in
> > the  Norcold line - AC/DC, or AC/DC/Propane. Advice concerning
> > Propane refrigeration?
>
> Ray,
> My kneejerk reaction would be to avoid propane refrigeration.
> With electric, you can run from batteries, gen, or shore power.
> Ted G


REPLY
Don't even consider the three way fridges for aboat.
The 12V  function is for holding only and will not cool down a fridge filled
with fresh food.

The propane works but unless you have the vent protected the flame has a
habit of blowing out.

More importantly, the evaporative process that does the cooling requires the
unit to be perfectly level at all times.  If it sits on an angle, the
internal mixture tends to cake and eventually clog tiny orifices in the
evporation pipes. At that point it stops working.

A far better choice is a domestic apartment fridge plus a dedicated
inverter. The new apartment fridges are very efficient and the combined cost
of frideg plus dedicated inverter is still less than a "marine" unit.

Refrigeration is power hungry. Period.  It eats amps and flattens batteries
over time.  If your genset capacity is not up to the recharging consider
going with holding plates system that only need charging once every 24
hours.

Cheers
Arild