refrigerator question number 2

I went the cheap route. Domestic cheapo 120Vac bar fridge, about $150. Cheap 1000w inverter. When cruising, gennie is off and inverter powers the fridge. Drinks are kept in ice cooler to minimize opening the fridge door. Mostly food in fridge. 2 gp 31 batts keep fridge going all night on anchorage without going flat. This rig has worked for 5yrs and 10,000miles.

Only problem with this rig is on multiple days at an anchorage. It takes a few hours for gennie and charger to top up the batteries. I have to do that once or twice a day. Fix is to increase batt bank and charger amperage, but I'll accept this minimal hassle over adding weight and cost. When cruising between anchorages, main engine alt takes care of topping up batts.

Considering toting a domestic top loading freezer for drinks, and only put it on the boat for cruising. Top loading keeps cold inside with hatch open (sort of). Finding ice is a major PITA. Maybe better coolers are needed.

There are unpowered coolboxes here claimed to keep ice frozen for days. The cynic in me says that might only be if they are filled with ice, never opened, and kept in a freezer, but probably not.
For me, short of fitting massive batteries or running the genset a lot, the solution is not having the refrigeration on the batteries. Eutectics, propane/LPG, solar, combinations thereof, whole or part supply, sure to be other ways.

BruceK said:

There are unpowered coolboxes here claimed to keep ice frozen for days. The cynic in me says that might only be if they are filled with ice, never opened, and kept in a freezer, but probably not.
For me, short of fitting massive batteries or running the genset a lot, the solution is not having the refrigeration on the batteries. Eutectics, propane/LPG, solar, combinations thereof, whole or part supply, sure to be other ways.

Click to expand...

I have to say that my cheapo $100 Walmart or wherever my son's grandmother in law got a basic 120V small freezer with 1/2 saltwater jugs and 1/2 frozen foods...stays frozen for 18 hours in mild climates with no power what-so-ever. If I applied 4 hrs per day power (2 am, 2 pm) by any means...I think it would keep frozen food indefinitely. I think solar or wind could do that..if not when I exceed the 18 hrs or so...I run my 1000 Honda for a couple hrs to top everything off (batteries) and it keeps the freezer cold.

If I hadn't gotten the freezer for free...I would never had bought one...but I needed it during the summer for a spell, put it on the flybridge and just kept it. On this 3000 mile trip (1200 so far) from Jersey to Florida (while never quite "hot" yet...it has paid itself it's weight in gold as far as keeping extra groceries on board.

Drinking Scotch instead of beer. 50% reduction in energy loss due to opening the door. 50% reduction in the use of the head.

Those Yeti coolers are $$$$. They look well built. Anyone actually used one?

My uncle has a Frigid Rigid, it's a beast. It could stay cool for 3+ days. But the first day you'll have to add ice as you go to get it to "cool down", once "cooled down" is when it's efficient for days.

Richard,

Tossed the SubZeros overboard 2 years ago and installed Isotherm units. The power usage reduction was significant. Currently using less than half of the amp hours per day that I did with the SubZeros.