Fridges

[mikeyboy1966]

Hi all,

I’ve  got a deposit down on a boat,subject to survey etc,

it has a 3 way fridge fitted,

the boat was not cruised much ,used more as a floating caravan on mains hookup.

question 1 operation on gas,bad idea or ok?

question 2 am I correct in assuming that the absorption fridges are a bit power hungry?

im fairly sure it’s been fitted ok as the previous owner before is the senior engineer at the marina where the boat is currently berthed.

should I budget on replacing the unit with a compressor type as I prefer to not use hookups once away from the marina,preferring to be totally self sufficient.

I’ll probably have lots of questions once I start getting to know the boat.

[mikeyboy1966]

I didn’t start lifting the floors on my viewing as the carpets etc were fitted,so don’t know how the fridge has been installed,

I decided I’d wait until the survey was done and have a real good look then.

I took some photos,

you can see some vents on the port side,but the fridge is mounted further aft,prob under the first window.

is there a marine version of the Electrolux with ducted exhaust?

[BrundallNavy]

It should have a hull vent behind it for ventilation, personally I would junk it and go for a modern 12v one much more efficient and less power hungry for the batteries. JPC advertised some recently for very good prices they are forum sponsors so should be a link on the home page somewhere.  
 

Edit to say a 65ltr should be the same size. 

[mikeyboy1966]

Hmm ,I’m tempted to upgrade ,

I’ll  take a really good look on the installation side of things when the survey is done,

if necessary I’ll bump new fridge to the top of the job list.

[Smoggy]

Absorbtion fridges are ok on gas or 240 if you are plugged in, I wouldn't even try on 12v unless the engines running as very power hungry.

The danfoss compressor fridges are very good on power, worth paying extra for the add on contoller that cools lower when running and less when the volts drop, they reduce the battery load a lot and you can spend longer in one place if you want.

[floydraser]

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong but: if the fridge has been there for a long time it would have been inspected as part of the boat safety cert. And as you seem certain it's been done properly anyway, I would say try it first and see what other teething troubles may appear, probably more urgent.

You mention vents: I think compressor fridges just need a good flow of cool air around the rear (don't we all? ). 

I think the boat safety scheme doesn't allow the fitting of new gas fridges? So a replacement would have to be 240v or 12v. As I said, someone higher up the food chain will correct me if I'm wide of the mark..

[Vaughan]

If it were me, I would keep that fridge and be thankful!

I would run it on gas all the time, and have no battery problems.  Stay on a mooring for several days, no problem!

On hire boats we never connected the electrics, as we couldn't rely on the hirers to do the change-over to gas when the engine is not running.  On 12volts it uses far too much power but if you have a shore connection, they run very well on 240v.

Floydraser is correct - you cannot install a new gas fridge unless it is a room sealed unit and these are very expensive. Indeed I have heard Electrolux no longer make them.  But you can have an existing gas fridge and do repairs to it, such as a new jet or a new burner unit.  They do need servicing every spring, to inspect the jet and clean out the flue with a special wire brush.  The jet must be in good order, so that the pilot burns with a proper blue flame.

Your boat looks like a privately built Broom, so I think you can be sure it was installed to the proper standards!  Have it serviced by a Gas Safe fitter.  You cannot do it yourself.

Don't bin it yet, until you have used it for a season.  You may find out what a bonus it is!

[Vaughan]

Just thinking it through a little further -

A new electric fridge will mean you need 3 domestic batteries, as one fridge will use the capacity of one battery.  3 domestics will need a 90 amp alternator, to give enough charge in a day's running.  The cable run from the battery to the fridge will need to be strong enough to avoid volt drop in the line.  If your batteries are at 12.5 volts, but there is a drop of one volt in the circuit, then the fridge won't run.  Or it may run for a few seconds and cut out, then start again.  Volt drop is the most common cause of fridge failure, but it is not the fault of the fridge!

So fitting a new electric fridge may be more expensive than you thought.

[Vaughan]

By the way, if the fridge is on all the time 24/7, as in a hire boat, it will get through a 13kg bottle of gas in 2 or 3 weeks, depending on the thermostat setting.

[tjg1677]

One other alternative is to install a triple A rated domestic fridge, powered from an inverter, the inverter size would depend on the fridge start up load. Site inverter near batteries, run standard 240v 3 core flex to fridge, job done and usually for a lot less than a 12v compressor fridge. It does work as I have done it a couple of times.

Trev.

[Vaughan]

3 minutes ago, tjg1677 said:

Site inverter near batteries, run standard 240v 3 core flex to fridge, job done

You would still have to think about earthing the 240v circuit, as you would not be plugged into shore power.

[annv]

Hi Mike As Vaughan said keep the gas fridge, they work far better than electric ones, stay colder use hardly any gas and a really cold freezer compartment, the only down side is they are smaller than new modern electric fridges, the 12volt connection is for traveling only with engine running, forget that, i have run gas fridges while moving/driving both boats and motor homes no issues at all. You need to be more concerned with checking that the shower dosn't empty into the bilges and then use the bilge pump to empty the bilge as many Broomes did use this method. John

[BrundallNavy]

If it’s only run on 240v does the gas side even work. As said 12v is a no No and the one we had fitted used a lot of gas. A modem 12v on we replaced it with would make ice cubes was just switch on and forget not having to worry if the flame went out over night. We ran it from two 90amp domestic batteries with a 60 amp alternator and a small solar panel without suffering power issues for 3 years.  

[annv]

One other thing a triple fridge uses a heat sink hence high electric power used new electric fridges use a compressor to cooldown, a compressor uses far less electric then a heat sink plate, but can be noisy hence gas is cheaper then electric and makes no noise. John

[mikeyboy1966]

4 hours ago, annv said:

Hi Mike As Vaughan said keep the gas fridge, they work far better than electric ones, stay colder use hardly any gas and a really cold freezer compartment, the only down side is they are smaller than new modern electric fridges, the 12volt connection is for traveling only with engine running, forget that, i have run gas fridges while moving/driving both boats and motor homes no issues at all. You need to be more concerned with checking that the shower dosn't empty into the bilges and then use the bilge pump to empty the bilge as many Broomes did use this method. John

I believe the shower does just go into the bilge ,

why do I need to be concerned 

[mikeyboy1966]

So the gas fridge may not be such a bad thing,

is there a risk of CO build up?

[Vaughan]

2 hours ago, mikeyboy1966 said:

is there a risk of CO build up?

No, because :

1/. The exhaust flue is piped out over the side.

2/. If the jet is in good condition it will not burn with a white flame, so will not give off CO

The flue at the back of the fridge has to get hot, to create the heat exchange and circulation that make it work. So if the flame is not burning well, the flue does not get hot enough.  This is why they must be serviced in the spring.

[mikeyboy1966]

1 hour ago, Vaughan said:

No, because :

1/. The exhaust flue is piped out over the side.

2/. If the jet is in good condition it will not burn with a white flame, so will not give off CO

The flue at the back of the fridge has to get hot, to create the heat exchange and circulation that make it work. So if the flame is not burning well, the flue does not get hot enough.  This is why they must be serviced in the spring.

So  the installation is key to safe operation on gas,if there is no flue it needs to come out ?

survey is a week next Monday,I’ll start a list

[MargeandParge]

We replaced ours with a 12 volt compressor type and found the 12 volt supply to the old 3 way fridge was quite a heavy cable as I suppose it would be if they are very power hungry on 12 volts. We have enjoyed this new fridge for 9 years. 

Kindest regards Marge and Parge 

[tjg1677]

18 hours ago, Vaughan said:

You would still have to think about earthing the 240v circuit, as you would not be plugged into shore power.

Point well made Vaughan. I used to make a thin copper brush that earthed to the prop shaft.

[Vaughan]

11 hours ago, mikeyboy1966 said:

I believe the shower does just go into the bilge ,

why do I need to be concerned 

You'll soon find out when you smell it!

[mikeyboy1966]

2 hours ago, Vaughan said:

You'll soon find out when you smell it!

Ahh,righto!

[Smoggy]

I'd plumb the shower outlet to a shower sump with pump and float switch inside, make it accessible as there's usually a filter gauze in them.

[mikeyboy1966]

2 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

I'd plumb the shower outlet to a shower sump with pump and float switch inside, make it accessible as there's usually a filter gauze in them.

I’ll add to the list of upgrades,

might not be as straightforward as that tho,

I think a catch tray under the shower will need to be fabricated,all doable.

[addicted]

We had a three way fridge for 11 years on our Fairline Mirage and never had a problem. I loved it, we used to run it on mains when plugged in, on 12v only when cruising and gas otherwise. Best fridge we have had.  During the chilly  times end and  beginning of season it used to take the chill off the saloon  when on gas.  It had electric ignition, which made it  very easy to use. We bought it in 1995 and to the  best of my knowledge it's still going strong. If BSS rules permitted it I'd have another one tomorrow.

 

Carole