Refrigeration, Engel users, and others.....

[The Edge]

Refrigeration is not a neccessity for me.  I am a minimalist.  I use a cooler that runs off AC/DC for when I'm motoring or at a slip.  I prefer to be on the hook when I am away from home port, so I use nothing - including NO ICE.

 

[CapnK]

Sarah -

I had one of those coolers, and gave it away. Doh! It would be nice to have, dockside in the summer. Away from shorepower, I am so minimalist that it draws too much power.

Since August or Sept, I have been "cool" free, experimenting with the concept to see how it fits what I want. It does. It helps that part of this has been during the cooler months, the cheese doesn't go moldy so fast. Other than cheese and beer, nothing I have aboard needs cooling.

One good thing about uncooled beer is that the domestic American "beers" (as a former home brewer, I use that title loosely) gain more beer flavor when not so cold. That's about all I can say good about American beer, except that it is cheaper than what I prefer.

Come warm weather, I'll have to add "bread" to that list, I think. This summer I did use just an icebox, but even dockside that gets tedious (thus my regret at giving away the AC/DC cooler).

It's been nice having one less "thing" to "worry" about. And it makes you *really* appreciate cold beer.

One of my surprise discoveries was that there is a *noticeable* difference in the quality of different cheeses (yes, I love cheese (and beer and brats), I was born in Wisconsin, deal with it ). For instance, Land O' Lakes brand keeps *much* longer and with less noticeable breakdown than the gorcery-store brand of cheese. I imagine that this is due to the use of extenders/volumizers in the cheaper cheese.

I have read that hard cheeses keep better. To date I have simply been using what I can get easily at the grocery store, nothing fancy.

One food product that I have come to love since "losing my cool" is the pump-spray Smart Balance butter stuff. Good flavor, small bottle lasts a long time, and it goes great in recipes as well as right on top of popcorn.

[s/v Faith]

My mayo, never refrigerated, is over a month old now. Maybe 6 weeks or so.

 You, Sir, are a wild man. 

 


I can not find any refrigeration units that come anywhere near fitting into my energy budget.  I used to hike, and never carried a cooler in the woods, but my first mate is still attached to shore based tate for something cool.

So  '5day cooler' for times when ice is available will 'do' just hate to store that thing when it is not needed.

[Frank]

If any one is interested...'good old boat' magazine this month has a GREAT article on preserving meats in jars for extended 'non-refridgerated' cruises.Very in depth explanation for doing it at home and good pics to boot. Well worth the price of the magazine.

[Frank]

  Oh Ya....S V Faith...there is a great article on a Triton owner who took the guts out of a garage sale $20 mini fridge and rebuilt his ice box with it. I'll look for the article and post it if I can still find it.      found it   http://biomaterials.bme.northwestern.edu/triton411/fridge.html

[Jack Tar]

No refer for us on Triska either.  Most places here in the Puget Sound are within a few days of each other and most have ice. I find a good cooler keeps everything cool enough for several days. It always lasts untill we reach the next port with ice. I do use a space blanket on top of everything to hold the cool in.  In addition unless your in a small bay or shallow area the waters here are very cold. 42 to 43Deg average all year long. Bag the perishables and put them overboard. 

[s/v Faith]

THanks Frank.  I appreciate it but when I talk about my 'energy budget' I mean my daily current use expressed as Amp Hours (ah).

  I have a friend who did this same conversion on his Islander 32 (the dorm fridge to boat refer) and it works great.  I just can't justify the power use for the utility of just keeping stuff cold.  I really like the ice box mod you have done to your boat, now that is well planned out quality work!

  I do make one big concession to being at the dock in the form of a 'carry-on' ac unit that I use on the hottest of nights.  I hate having anything onboard that I can't imagine taking with me across the pond.  I nearly bought a small microwave once to use at the dock, but it does not fit my vision so I passed (I know many on larger boats use them, and are happy with the performance).

  The ac stays at the dock, and I prefer to sleep on the hook where I can use the windscoop to get a little breeze.  More quiet and draws less current too!

[s/v Faith]

Here is an idea that I came across while looking for some information for someone with an S2 in my marina.

  It is a spin off of the modified dorm refrigerator idea, but
without all that muss and bother of cutting up the old fridge.

  Lot's of room for frosty beverege!



(Yes, that is a full size refer box on the starboard side)

[Zen]

 
yeah , that is another way of doing it....

[Frank]

Very organized...sea going type of cock pit. Can ya actually sit there??? Least ya wouldn't have to get up or reach far to grab a cold one

[Pixie Dust]

I tried the thermo electic cooler and it ran my house battery down way too fast.  I purchased an Engel refrigerator/freezer unit about 4 months ago.  I got the 45 and ordered it from Compact Appliances thru EBay.  I find that any setting over 1 causes the food to freeze.  This is great because 1 is very low power draw.  You can pack a lot in it.  I was going to be anchored out on a trip for 7 days,  I froze meat at home, vacuum sealed and wrapped in bubble wrap.  Placed it in the bottom and it really lasted.  It has a brain, whatever the power source avail. it uses, electric or DC.  I know on small boats, space is an issue.  I have a couch with a back that lifted up to make a bunk.  I removed the back of the couch and sat it on the end by bulkhead, strapped it and so far so good.  If disconnected from the power source, it stays cold for several hours.  Lugging bags of ice can really be a pain, so this is pretty "cool " for me.      

[hearsejr]

hay that boat looks like it has a Bayliner Buccaneer rudder..

 I came up with an idea for mayo and ketchup, hot sauce, ect....just get those little packs like you find in the mc donalds, and burger king. everytime I go to a place that has a bunch of them in a bin, I grab a few extra. I figure I can get the stuff by the case from the supplier before I leave the docks. I figure it last longer then a single jar.

 Bill

[CapnK]

Connie - Did the company you ordered from have the best price you could find or something else which made you choose them to buy from? The Engel website shows their US base being down in Fl, I was wondering if they have "warehouse specials".

Bill - There is a website, maybe someone knows it or perhaps you can Google it, that sells  condiments and ingredients in those small packages. That said, most of the stuff doesn't need refrigeration, so it's cheaper to buy a bottle than it would be to buy packets. And, *that* said, it is even cheaper to get it free. lol I don't own a bottle of ketchup, McD's and Wendys etc always give you so many more than you need...

[geneWj]

 
Well,on First Born, I use an Ice Chest..For a sundowner I like my Single Malt with ICE..
On TPIII (32') We have a very good refrig. which uses power for 5 minutes per hr to make Ice in the Tropics(Sea of Cortez) Still like my Single Malt With ICE..
Using Solar Panels we were at anchor in trhe Sea of Cortez for 34 days, had refrig on, wifeys T.V. with antenna my computer and what ever else we needed..NEVER once TURNED ON ENGINE!!

[Pixie Dust]

K- I had been doing a lot of internet surfing, gathering info on units.  I went with Engel because of power consumption and lots of customer satisfaction.  This company had the best price through an ebay hit.  There was no extra charge for shipping or taxes either so the price was the price.   It was here in just a few days.   The warehouse is in FL.  Not sure if they have warehouse sales...maybe even a scratch and dent deal could be had.     Maybe contact them and check it out.   Let me know what you find out.  Good luck!  It comes recommended by me. 

[s/v Faith]

hay that boat looks like it has a Bayliner Buccaneer rudder..

  The boat is an 'S-2', and a good example of what can happen when a liveaboard forgets to get under way for too long.

________________________________________

  I am a 'packet grabber' too, but they run out fairly quickly. I also use regular bottles for trips though, most condaments don't need to be refrigerated anyway.... Most say 'refigerate for best flavor', if you read the lables on a couple different brands.

  Ketchup, Mustard, and even Mayo (for those who like to live dangerously) can be kept at room temp.  I use smaller bottles (especally mayo) and don't use anything but a clean knife to dip into them (or squeeze). 

  Has not killed me yet... 

[castawaysailor]

For my cruise, I am thinking of getting an Engel.  I have an average size icebox with about 2-3 inches of insulation-no way to add more without removing the whole galley and starting over-not happening!

How long does it take the Engel to freeze a 1/2 gal milk jug solid (water to ice); and how many amps does it take to do this freezing.  Maybe I can use the Engel to make the ice and then use this jug of ice to cool the NorSea icebox-the NorSea icebox is bigger than the Engel and would be more convenient to use.  I could make a series of ice jugs to replace the ice as it melts.

I can certainly do without ice and cold drinks; but I have approx. 300 amp hrs of battery with a good charging system and very little to use the amp hrs-just lights, caframo fans, laptop and a VHF radio.  So, maybe it would be good to have a cold drink once in a while, and some cold cheese, eggs, etc.

[AdriftAtSea]

I have an Engel M27 refrigerator/freezer unit.  The unit has a dial that goes from off to 5.  Anything greater than about 1.5 puts it into freezer mode as far as I am concerned...since water and iced tea freezes solid.  Earlier this year, I put a gallon of Poland Spring water into the unit, that was at room temperature, and about eight hours later it was a third frozen, when the unit was set to max freeze. This was operating on shore power, so I don't know what the draw on the batteries would have been like. 

Otherwise, I've run the unit for a couple of days on my boat, set to about 2 and not had much issue with battery life.  My house bank is two T105 golf cart batteries, with a total of  about 220 Amp hours. Mind you, I pre-cooled most of the contents, but the daily high temperature was about mid 80s.

I think you'd be pretty happy with the unit. 

[Captain Smollett]

Wow.

2.8 amps for 20 minutes out of the hour is 19.4 amp-hours per day.  It's interesting to me, from a philosophical perspective, how to many that's peanuts but to some that's a WHOPPING BIG amount of juice(*).  It's also interesting that a single 100W solar panel should be able to keep up that freezer with only a few of hours of good daylight per day.

Hmmmm.

(*) I think my "ideal" would be no batts and no electricity on board.

[sailor]

2.8 amps for 20 minutes out of the hour is 19.4 amp-hours per day.  It's interesting to me, from a philosophical perspective, how to many that's peanuts but to some that's a WHOPPING BIG amount of juice(*).

He, he, he,
My boat (same size as yours John) outfitted in "tricked-out cruising mode" can run this freezer for two weeks without charging (assuming 80% DOD and no other electricity usage). The only problem would be finding room for Engel.