[C320-list] Fridge Usage

[Jeff Hare]

Colin, 

Here are our favorite tips we use for our sailing trips to make the fridge
more efficient.

1) Freeze 3 or 4 gallon sized plastic jugs of water at home before you leave
and put those at the bottom of the fridge under the shelves below the
freezer area.  They'll help keep the temp and cycling down.  When they melt,
you have fresh cold bottled drinking water.  

2) When motoring or on the dock during the day, turn the freezer to its
coldest setting.  When on battery, turn it back to its normal setting. 

3) The freezer compartment holds about 8 standard bottles of drinking water.
Our freezer will eventually freeze those.  When they're frozen, we move them
to the far side of the fridge and replace them with cold but unfrozen
bottled drinking water.  Cycling those around the fridge cuts down on
cycling a lot and keeps the food cooler.

4) Most importantly, cut a piece of Reflectix (Silver foil covered bubble
wrap insulation) the same size as the large rectangular opening of the
fridge.  If you cut it a half inch larger in width and length, it will stay
in place and not drop into the fridge.  This will keep the fridge much
cooler and cut way down on our fridge cycling.  Opening either side of the
fridge, you can just lift up the insulation get what you want and drop it
back into place. If you're concerned that the fridge insulation is not up to
par, use some of that Reflectix to line the inside walls.  With a moderately
full fridge, the food  will just hold it in place (or you could spray one
side of the foil bubble insulation with 3M Spray Mount (let it dry) and then
it'll just stick to the inside walls just like a big post-it note.  And will
just peel off for cleaning.

5) At Anchor/Dock/Mooring prop the Aft 2 lockers open just a bit to allow
the heat from the compressor to escape and increase  the efficiency and cut
down on cycling.  That compartment can get pretty hot from the compressor if
the heat is just trapped in there.

PS: I'll take some pictures next chance I get of how to fit the Reflectix to
the top edge of the fridge opening..  I couldn't be easier.

Good luck!
-Jeff


-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Colin Evans
Sent: Monday, December 05, 2011 3:54 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Fridge Usage

 

Thanks for the input.  I`ve had some good response BUT I still can`t work
out why the batteries are not lasting. They show the green light which
indicates that they are in good condition and charged.  I thought the fridge
was on for too long but other fridges seem to run the same time.  I think
I`ll try re-gassing and see if it cuts down on run time. By improving
efficiency.
Could it be the thermostat ?
How do I check the usage? 
*************************
Regards
Colin Evans
Watermark #774
Lake Macquarie, Australia

  

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Chris Descher
Sent: Tuesday, 6 December 2011 7:12 AM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Fridge Usage

It might need a charge.  I installed a new evaporator and compressor this
year, and it's never needed to be set beyond 1 (the warmest setting).  At
that level it frosts the evaporator and keeps the icebox at 45 degrees with
no problem.

Chris Descher
#500

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com]On Behalf Of Colin Evans
Sent: Monday, December 05, 2011 2:10 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Fridge Usage


No the freezer compartment does not freeze but the beer is cold and all food
is fresh enough.
Could it need re-gassing

*************************
Regards
Colin Evans
Watermark #774
Lake Macquarie, Australia


-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Ted Barto
Sent: Tuesday, 6 December 2011 1:51 AM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Fridge Usage

The cycling seems about what mine does except mine is set to 6 or 7, we've
gone for days without draining a battery however.  Is it getting cold enough

to form ice on the freezer unit ?
Ted
2002 #880 NancyB

-----Original Message-----
From: Donald Lawson
Sent: Sunday, December 04, 2011 8:05 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Fridge Usage

Colin
I have no idea but I sure want to follow this thread as I expect I will be
in the same spot shortly.
Don #1005
On Dec 4, 2011, at 5:40 PM, Colin Evans wrote:

>
>
> Our fridge cycles on for four or five minute then off for about 
> fifteen minutes, does this seem correct.  I have the thermostat set on 
> 2 and we run out of enough power to run the fridge in less than 24 
> hours, which doesn`t seem right as we have recently put a start 
> battery on , so now the house power is 300 amps.  The batteries are 
> less than two years old so I don`t think they are at fault, and are 
> alway fully charged when we leave the marina.
>
> Any suggestions.
>
> *************************
> Regards
> Colin Evans
> Watermark #774
> Lake Macquarie, Australia