Refrigeration

[Sta-Sea-Dawn]

I have lost the contact info for Grunert....but the company said the unit I had was very expensive to repair, more than replacing and now they admit, it was not a good system to begin with.......probably could not find parts to repair....I have no idea what might have been wrong with it.  It just did not work.....90 amp motor just got hot...like it was locked up some how

[Sta-Sea-Dawn]

I have lost the contact info for Grunert....but the company said the unit I had was very expensive to repair, more than replacing and now they admit, it was not a good system to begin with.......probably could not find parts to repair....I have no idea what might have been wrong with it.  It just did not work.....90 amp motor just got hot...like it was locked up some how

Okay...I officially have a dilemma....I have removed the old Grunert system but trying to keep the cold plates.  I have two in the cave.  I have been told that they can be flushed with a clean out kit to remove all of the old coolant.  I just do not know what to replace the Grunert with that will cool the big box....Ideas, please.

[Sta-Sea-Dawn]

We never installed the water cooled option on our super cold machine and find that in "warm climates" our unit runs anywhere from 60% to 80% of the time!  So a little quick math and you can see the AH just sucked out of the battery bank at 80AH/Day on the low end up to 106AH on the high end.   So if you have a 400AH bank, (and you only really have 200AH available to use to not drain below 50%) you will be using HALF of your battery capacity PER DAY just to run your Fridge.


Rich, I am fixin to buy the Adler Barber CU-100 or the CU-200....How important is the water adapt kit for the Cu-200... if I plan on being in the Panama area alot.....The price differnce to start is 750.00 for the Cu-200 and water kit above the CU100.
I am looking at 1200.00 for the CU100....200.00 more for the Cu-200 and 500.00 more for the water kit......thoughts?
It will be either me or me and a mate (wishing)...lol....I lived abaord for 12 years on Pearson 30 with out frig...so...

[S/V Laelia]

I'm a little late weighing in on this topic but for what it is worth...

I lived aboard for two years without refrigeration in Annapolis, San Diego and the last six months in the tropics. I can't say that I missed it. Now I am living on Laelia which has refrigeration that doesn't work. I have been debating whether or not to fix it. The more I read this thread, the more I'm inclined not to fix it. I've been crawling through the cockpit lockers doing some wiring and I am astounded at the number of pipes and wires and control boxes that are needed. No wonder it breaks!

I'm probably going to rip it all out. I want cruising to be as simple as possible. Do I hear any offers for my Frigoboat components?

[POG]

Good comment, Ralph.  I read these postings with a wry little smile on my lips.  I suppose if your sailing is limited to day or weekend outings and you have a problem getting your wife exited about boat-life, refrigeration would be helpful.

More and more life on board trends towards a duplicate of what is enjoyed in a nice home on land, complete with telephone, computer and air conditioning.  In the end the boat is loaded up with masses of systems that depend on electricity.  My belief is that when long distance cruising refrigeration, like many of the other conveniences, will end up owning you instead of the other way around.

A nice windfall comes to mind.  We were at the dock in Papeete, Tahiti, in 1971, when the New Zealand boat next door started a free give away of thawing steaks, venison, pork loins, lamb chops etc as their freezer had broken down.

Then again - I wasn't born in America and didn't grow up with icebergs in my drinks.  I am still asking the stewardess on my flights for one ice cube only.

Carl

Reading the above in the light of day it may come across a bit smug and smart-alecky.  If so I apologize.  But - really - I am amazed that others find it worth the expense, trouble, time, worry, occupied space in the boat, diesel fuel, diesel wear and tear, noise and stink to run refrigeration when a couple of blocks and bags of ice will last for days - especially if you can add some dry ice to it.

Carl again    

[RayNWanda]

 Most ports that have commercial fishing boats have ice houses. You can buy 100 lb. blocks or they will chip it and blow it in. The offshore shrimp boats that do not have refrigeration buy tons of ice at a time and have the ice house blow it into their holds through a flexible spout. The dock may look questionable and smell like fish, but the ice equipment is usually squeaky clean. At most docks, it gets washed down several times a day. The fishermen demand it- they pack their groceries in the same ice. You can go alongside the dock and literally fill'er up with the spout at very reasonable cost.