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| Original galley refrigeration configuration |
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| Access opened from the front and the top |
In 2010 we replaced our refrigeration system. The original
system was an Alder-Barbour compressor driven by a 5HP DC motor and the drain
on the batteries was significant and after 11 years of our ownership it was
time for a new system.
After some investigation we determined the insulation
surrounding the box was very wet and required replacement so if we were going
to redo the box the it would be a good time to change the hatch configuration
to a top entry with Glacier Bay vacuum panels and magnetic seals, and at the
time Glacier Bay was still in the marine refrigeration business. The insulation
was removed to the hull and replaced with 6 inches of commercial closed pore urethane foam
with a high R rating, fitted and glued to create both a freezer and
refrigerator box separated by two inches of foam and then sealed with ¼ inch
stiff fiberglass panels (the panels and foam were available in a local Home
Depot). The seams were sealed and the interiors painted.
We installed two Danfoss 12VDC compressors in the aft
stateroom locker behind the mirror on a shelf above the shaft seal. We selected
water cooling and have a freezer T stat for one and a refrigerator T stat for
the other, each driving an appropriately sized holding plate. The hottest
external temps we have experience have been in Panama and even then the freezer
compressor alone could hold its own with two inch separation allowing enough
cooling to keep the refrig. at about 35-40 degrees F.
We are now in Chile and I find I can run the freezer
compressor without the water cooling just using a small computer fan on the
compressor. We run 540 watts of solar assisted by a wind generator and
typically don’t have to run the engine for refrigeration. I have measured the
amp hours per day and in Panama we were using approximately 100Ah and in Chile
about 55Ah.
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| Original holding plates were against the outside toward the hull |
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| Old boxes were cut out and removed |
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| Old insulation was wet and soggy |
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| Old framework and bracing was removed as well as the old drain. |
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| Everything was removed to the hull |
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| New foam was added and glued in place, shaved to match contour of hull |
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| New fiberglass panels to form box were built in place and glued in |
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| Fit check of new hatches and inserts |
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| A shelf of starboard was glued inside refrig. |
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| LED lights were also added inside |
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| New holding plates are away from the hull to the centerline of the boat |
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| Hinges similar to piano hinges were used for hatches |
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| New cabinet with Corian like counter top and only the top hatch access. Fiddles were added later |
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