Refrigerators

[Vahevala]

The Admiral and I are getting ready to upgrade our galley and a new refrigerator is a must. Have been looking at the vitrifrigo c115iac 4.2 cu. ft. model as it will suit most of our needs. Do any of you have this or any of the other vitrifrigo models and what has been your experience with them? We checked with our local suppliers and West Marine of course and no one carries this particular brand.
As always, thanks in advance for your 2 cents worth!
- Vahevala


Sent from my iPad using Trawler

 

[psneeld]

Check with Hopkins Carter who is often here....they may be able to help.

If not Defender out of Connecticut does.

I still am having a hard time believing now that Norcold has both changed compressors and retooled several times since many of our older Norcold are dying that they haven't come to a high enough standard to match some other brands.

I will buy this summer, but still need to get hands on some different brands.

 

[dwhatty]

Yes, Defender has them.

Vitrifrigo Sea Classic C115iAC Refrigerator / Freezer

We put in a two drawer Vitrifrigo a couple of years ago to replace the old front opening Nevercold. Love the Vitrifigo. Found one on sale from another source that carries the Vitrifrigo line among other brands: https://great-water.com/products/marine-refrigeration/

The two drawer unit fit in the same space as the Nevercold with just a minor additional cut for height and has a bit more capacity.

 

[Codger2]

We put in a two drawer Vitrifrigo a couple of years ago to replace the old front opening Nevercold. Love the Vitrifigo. .

"Beautiful" installation, David! One would think you actually know what you're doing!

 

[dwhatty]

"Beautiful" installation, David! One would think you actually know what you're doing!

Hah! I'm sorta like the guy in CATCH 22 who sees everything twice, except I have to do everything twice, sometimes more often than that, to get it right.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

We upgraded from a Never Cold (original frig) to Isotherm and are very happy with the results

 

[psneeld]

We upgraded from a Never Cold (original frig) to Isotherm and are very happy with the results

Is that just that the Isotherm is nicer at all levels...or the you were so disgusted with an OLDER Norcold that now has been completely changed?

I think some of us that are now considering a new fridge want to hear apples to apples....not that someone bought a Toyota because their 1988 Ford or Chevy didn't cut it.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Is that just that the Isotherm is nicer at all levels...or the you were so disgusted with an OLDER Norcold that now has been completely changed?

I think some of us that are now considering a new fridge want to hear apples to apples....not that someone bought a Toyota because their 1988 Ford or Chevy didn't cut it.

We chose Isotherm because of the 1.5 amp or less draw on the batteries (Never Cold was 12amps) It is a little narrower, but taller and seems to have more room and is very quiet.

 

[psneeld]

We chose Isotherm because of the 1.5 amp or less draw on the batteries (Never Cold was 12amps) It is a little narrower, but taller and seems to have more room and is very quiet.

Both should be around 5 amps running with the Danfoss compressor and similarly quiet with the same compressor.

Dimensions can be important to some that have no flexibility for altering the opening...like me.

So I do want to be sure...but I keep hearing about older fridges versus their replacements and how great they are...well...that's what I expect.

 

[Poach]

It's always a little strange to me that people uniformly diss Norcold. I have one on my current boat that is now about 23 years old. It keeps food cold in the fridge part and the freezer compartment keeps things frozen--which I have always considered the objective. Had an 05 on my previous 05 boat--same thing. Nice thing about replacing like with like, you know it's going to fit.

 

[twistedtree]

When comparing power consumption, the number of amps draw really doesn't tell the story. The duty cycle is just as important, and unfortunately is often not available. If possible, look at the energy star sticker which will tell you how many khw it will typically consume in a year. I have found the stickers to be pretty much dead nuts on compared to actual use. Unfortunately the info is spotty when you get into mobile units, but it's still worth a try. You might be surpisd by the results.

 

[Irish Rambler]

I've had an Isotherm in the past and whilst it worked fine the clips holding the freezer door broke, the tiny plastic freezer door replacement was half the price of a new fridge.
I bought a Vitrifrigo 115 Larder fridge from Penguin Refrigeration with an automatic mains/battery changeover and it's proven to be a real cracker, more expensive than some but worth every cent.

 

[Baker]

Norcold blows donkey ballz!!!!! I bought one in 2013 and it is just like the old ones. Kinda sorta cold and runs all the time. And even if you are happy with the performance, the overall build quality sucks. Plastic crap. Anyway, if I were to do it all over again, I would just get a household unit and let the inverter run it.

 

[psneeld]

Norcold blows donkey ballz!!!!! I bought one in 2013 and it is just like the old ones. Kinda sorta cold and runs all the time. And even if you are happy with the performance, the overall build quality sucks. Plastic crap. Anyway, if I were to do it all over again, I would just get a household unit and let the inverter run it.

OK, OK I believe you ... but others are complaining about the cheapo latches and crap on the other contenders. If they all suck...I rather spend $300 to $400 less on an equally sucko fridge.

I would love if a decent apartment $300 fridge fit...but as much as I have rebuilt this boat...that and general power consumption....it just ain't happening.

Plus I forget.....did you confirm yous had the Danfoss compressor? Seems like they just changed last year or so.

 

[Mule]

I have 2 swing door and one lift lid Engle units. They can be either refrigerator or freezer. Normally use the swing doors as refrigerators the top load as a freezer. The lift lid is mounted on a roller cabinet drawer. 2.5 amps @ 12 volts each. No complaints. All carpentered in to match galley. My solar system powers them just fine. Units are around $700. Each. Around 2 cubic feet each. Using as live aboard for 2 people for 2 years.

 

[menzies]

Stick in a domestic GE and decent size inverter.

 

[petdoc4u]

We have a Vitrofrigo DP2600 that came with our boat. Cant find build date so not sure how old it is. The fan which blows air thru the coil (radiator?) started to fail. Vitrofrigo has a replacement available but access to change the fan is non existant without near total dissassembly. Sourced a computer fan (indistinguishable from the VF fan) and attached it to the coil housing. It now sucks (rather than blows) air and works fine. VF does not make available any decorative door panels so you have to make your own. More dissasembly. Thats my experience with VF, ie. positive.

 

[dwhatty]

Stick in a domestic GE and decent size inverter.

It would cost us at least a couple of hundred thousand $$$ to install one of those monsters as we'd have to buy a significantly larger boat to accommodate it.

Dear, how would you like that beautiful, big, new boat fridge you've always said you wanted to make your galley life easier?

 

[psneeld]

It would cost us at least a couple of hundred thousand $$$ to install one of those monsters as we'd have to buy a significantly larger boat to accommodate it.

Dear, how would you like that beautiful, big, new boat fridge you've always said you wanted to make your galley life easier?

 

[Codger2]

As I posted some time ago, we have a Norcold upright that works fine. (I don't know the model number) It's problem is that the freezer door sags a little on its hinges, causing a not so great seal when the door is closed. That in turn allows moist air to enter the freezer causing frost to form. I have to defrost the damn thing about every month! The problem is that "we love the looks of the Norcold." We love the door latches better than a Vitrifrigo and the Norcold actually freezes things and shuts off. Trying to get parts for the Norcold (10 years old) is like pulling teeth! My wife wants to get a Vitrifrigo but I think the money would be better spent on more electronics! What say you TF?

 

[dwhatty]

My wife wants to get a Vitrifrigo but I think the money would be better spent on more electronics! What say you TF?

Marital politics. Won't go there. Very dangerous ground. (Except, perhaps, to very subtly,suggest that.....Renee has to put up with you so she deserves something is return and you already got a new boat and some cool electronic upgrades and her immediate minor desires might be in your best long term interest). Just saying.

 

[Codger2]

Renee has to put up with you so she deserves something is return and you already got a new boat and some cool electronic upgrades and her immediate minor desires might be in your best long term interest).

OK...point taken but you don't have to yell!

 

[dwhatty]

OK...point taken but you don't have to yell!

Mea culpa amigo.

 

[High Wire]

We have a Tundra T-80 that no one supports anymore. It has a Danfoss compressor. It keeps frozen stuff frozen and refer stuff at 35-38F but the compressor runs 60-80% of the time @5 amps DC. The seals are still tight. I turn off the power at the breaker about 9PM and back on at 7AM otherwise it would just run all night. Refer temps still stay less than 45F. Anything we REALLY want to keep cold go in the Frigid Rigid chest. That holds ice for days without power.
Way back all we had was an Igloo 77 qt chest and a couple blocks of ice. No power use and it only needed ice every 3 days. We used the Nevercold for dry storage.

 

[Aquabelle]

We like our Vitrifrigo 2600. The auto ac/dc change-over unit failed after about 5yrs & I was told this is common. Very expensive to replace so we didn't, just run off DC now. Even so, if we could get a domestic AC fridge that would fit the space, we would. Auto-defrost not available on boat fridges (AFAIK); domestic fridges have superior insulation, much cheaper and 25% cycle times vs 50% on boat fridges. (We have a decent inverter of course to make this possible.)

 

[Jeffrey S]

Our Tundra T-80 failed last summer and we replaced it with the comperable 8 cu ft Vitrifrigo. It has worked really well - we're quite happy with it.

We bought ours from Defender. Their price was the best and they got it to the yard we were at in 2-3 days from calling them. Incredible service.

 

[psneeld]

Our Tundra T-80 failed last summer and we replaced it with the comperable 8 cu ft Vitrifrigo. It has worked really well - we're quite happy with it.

We bought ours from Defender. Their price was the best and they got it to the yard we were at in 2-3 days from calling them. Incredible service.

If not too personal, mind posting the shipping cost , ballpark good enough, and where to....

Might go the same route and have it shipped to the Cape May area.

Also...was it stock or drop shipped freight?

Thank you.

 

[Jeffrey S]

If not too personal, mind posting the shipping cost , ballpark good enough, and where to....

Might go the same route and have it shipped to the Cape May area.

Also...was it stock or drop shipped freight?

Thank you.

I asked Karen - we don't remember the shipping cost. It was reasonable. It was to Chesapeake, VA. I don't really know if it came from Defender or was drop shipped. I know Defender has a lot of stock on things like this. We just called and they provided all the prices and time estimates. It just all worked much easier than I imagined it would.

 

[Baker]

Stick in a domestic GE and decent size inverter.

That is how I would roll!!!!! Looks great and I bet it works great. Not to mention frost free!!! And cheaper!!! Anybody want to buy a 3yo Norcold???...

 

[psneeld]

That is how I would roll!!!!! Looks great and I bet it works great. Not to mention frost free!!! And cheaper!!! Anybody want to buy a 3yo Norcold???...

Deliver?