Fridge

[craigmc67]

I would like to buy a small fridge for my boat and having never had one before I would like some advice or recommendations. We only spend a few days at a time onboard 

I have 12 volts supply with 240v shore power when it’s available but only have limited space 

[CambridgeCabby]

Pop into Brian Wards at Brundle and have a chat to them there , they will point you in the right direction , and don’t forget the forum 10% discount for members 

[annv]

Hi Craig you could consider a portable fridge they run off a cigarette socket.  we have one for the car dosn't have a freezer compartment but if you only sail for short periods !. this may suit you and be cheaper too and not need plumbing. John

[floydraser]

There's a big difference in price between domestic fridges and mobile ones. If you need the fridge for cruising then you'll need a 12v jobby. If it's just for shore power a small domestic one may do. There's also the absorbtion/compressor option to consider; on a small boat the noise from a compressor may be annoying.

I'm no expert so if any of that is wrong someone will be along in a minute to correct it, but I recommend doing a lot of research before spending your pennies.

[Smoggy]

Good compressor fridges are fairly quiet and the kindest on batteries (except gas but don't go there), thermo electric cool boxes hammer batteries and don't cool much at all and only for while running.

Portable compressor fridge may be the way to go as you be chilling down in the car on the way to the boat.

Older compressor fridges are nowhere as efficient on power as the modern ones, look for danfoss compressor in the specs as they are the best option. 

3 way fridges (gas/12v/240v) are OK on gas and shore power but battery killers on 12v.

[JanetAnne]

Check the BSS requirements before buying anything Craig. As a new install you are a bit controlled over what you can and can't fit. 

Try and find something with a fan cooled compressor, that brings the consumption down nicely. 

I have had one of these running on the houseboat for a couple of years now and just can't fault it, and it's fan cooled.

https://www.justkampers.com/camper-van-motorhome-and-camping-accessories/fridges-cookers-dining/fridges-cooling/jkf50-jkf50-12-volt-compressor-fridge-freezer-black.html

[eddybear]

Just remember you can no longer fit a 3 way fridges (gas/12v/240v) As a new install on a boat, this type is now only suitable for caravans etc, and won't pass a Broad safety certificate

[OldBerkshireBoy]

3 hours ago, CambridgeCabby said:

Pop into Brian Wards at Brundle and have a chat to them there , they will point you in the right direction , and don’t forget the forum 10% discount for members 

Nice people there but shame it no longer opens on a Saturday.

[RegalSafari]

I changed from a gas fridge around 3/4 years ago, but remember it would use around 1 gas cylinder every 2 weeks if your lucky. Now I cannot remember the last time I changed the cylinder so way less consumption. The fridge did get a colder but not that much difference. 

[ChrisB]

Waeco would be my choice. They are in my humble opinion the best for mobile applications.

[Vaughan]

1 minute ago, ChrisB said:

Waeco would be my choice. They are in y humble opinion the best for mobile applications.

Agreed and also think about the wattage.  The average boat fridge will be rated at about 60 watts, which means about 5 amps when starting.  On a medium thermostat setting this fridge will use (according to Electrolux) around 45 amp/hours in 24 hours.

This means your boat needs to able to supply the capacity of one domestic battery, on its own, just to run the fridge. Sorry, but it's true!

A larger fridge/freezer of around 120 litres, will be rated at 80 watts or more.

As for plug in 12 volt,  portable cold boxes, these should only be used on a boat when the engine is running, just as they are designed to be, in a car.  If not, you will soon regret it when the batteries are flat the next morning.

[craigmc67]

Thanks for all the comments I have had a measure up and a have useable space of 415w x 600d x 560t 

I have two 130 ah batteries one startup and one leisure and and the fridges I’m looking at are Running at 40w and some 270w per 24hrs it’s all a bit of a mystery to me 

 

[eddybear]

Just to say for a compressor fridge the best thing to have is a solar panel on the roof, that way you won't notice the draw on the battery, Happy sailing

[LondonRascal]

I spent an absolute fortune (over £500.00) on a small Waeco Fridge (CR50). Now don't get me wrong, it is super efficient, quiet and gets lovely and cold - but my god you'd think it was made out of gold for that sort of money but that is the sort of going rate seemingly the smaller the fridge the more money they would cost.

You could try these 12v fridges manufactured by Boo for use in camper-vans, and do cost a little less than the Waeco versions and sold by Planar (who do great marine heaters and with whom I used to buy mine). The fridges come with a 3 year warranty - far better than the 12 month one Waeco offer.

Don't whatever you do go down the route of a thermoelectric 'cool box' style one. While they can keep things very cool, they are always on and very inefficient and will draw a lot of power.  You could use an Inverter, then buy a small domestic 240v fridge for a fraction of the cost of a 12v one. Ideal with a larger battery bank, ability to charge that bank quickly and a solar panel able to top it up too always helps - we have this set-up on Broad Ambition which works well, but it certainly would not be for everyone or those tight on space. Also there are efficiency losses from the inverter doing it this way, but it does save initial outlay and when the fridge packs up a few years later is cheap to replace.

[Smoggy]

With a danfoss compressor fridge you can also get a modified controller which uses a different thermostat and changes the behaviour depending on voltage available,  I have it and it works well but took total fridge cost to nearly £700! In use you crank it up full and when the volts are up at charging level (shore power or engine running) it drops the contents down to 1 degree so not quite frozen and uses the contents as cold storage,  when volts drop it will let it get to 7 degrees and run compressor at lower speeds to conserve power.

[eddybear]

11 hours ago, LondonRascal said:

I spent an absolute fortune (over £500.00) on a small Waeco Fridge (CR50). Now don't get me wrong, it is super efficient, quiet and gets lovely and cold - but my god you'd think it was made out of gold for that sort of money but that is the sort of going rate seemingly the smaller the fridge the more money they would cost.

You could try these 12v fridges manufactured by Boo for use in camper-vans, and do cost a little less than the Waeco versions and sold by Planar (who do great marine heaters and with whom I used to buy mine). The fridges come with a 3 year warranty - far better than the 12 month one Waeco offer.

Don't whatever you do go down the route of a thermoelectric 'cool box' style one. While they can keep things very cool, they are always on and very inefficient and will draw a lot of power.  You could use an Inverter, then buy a small domestic 240v fridge for a fraction of the cost of a 12v one. Ideal with a larger battery bank, ability to charge that bank quickly and a solar panel able to top it up too always helps - we have this set-up on Broad Ambition which works well, but it certainly would not be for everyone or those tight on space. Also there are efficiency losses from the inverter doing it this way, but it does save initial outlay and when the fridge packs up a few years later is cheap to replace.

Wish I'd known about those cheaper caravan fridges, I paid just short of £700 for mine, I guess we live and learn.

[craigmc67]

8 hours ago, Smoggy said:

With a danfoss compressor fridge you can also get a modified controller which uses a different thermostat and changes the behaviour depending on voltage available,  I have it and it works well but took total fridge cost to nearly £700! In use you crank it up full and when the volts are up at charging level (shore power or engine running) it drops the contents down to 1 degree so not quite frozen and uses the contents as cold storage,  when volts drop it will let it get to 7 degrees and run compressor at lower speeds to conserve power.

Thanks smoggy that’s interesting do you have anymore information on the modifications required and is it easy to fit yourself and did you buy it from the same place you bought the fridge?

 

[Smoggy]

I think it was Jackson leisure I got my fridge from and if bought together it came ready fitted.