bertram31.com

No, not that reefer. How many of you guys use your AC/DC refridgerators? Are they worth the space they take up? Upon close inspection of mine I have realized it is getting shorter. That meaning, the rust on the bottom is slowly flaking onto the floor and under what used to be the counter top. I looked at it and thought do I really need to spend the loot on something that can only freeze about 30 cubes and hold a case of beer, if that. A cooler can do the majority of that. Not to mention in a 28 it takes up a great deal of room. The damn thing still works though, having a hard time not re-installing it with the interior re-model. Oh yeah, and I am glad I decided to pull interior apart. Found a concealed 110 wire to an outlet that had burn marks in it. Bruce tells me it is not the space shuttle, but without replacing some wires on this thing it very well could have been a shuttle disaster.

AJ has no reefer, just a few ice chests on the motor boxes. I do have a little portable Igloo DC thermoelectic ice chest I use now and then to keep the boudin rouge cold & dry vs. on ice. Reefer in a 31 is a waste.

UV

I had the built in self draining ice box in my 31 Sportsfisherman for over 20 years. Never kept the icebox's interior in great shape and didn't know it was driving my wife nuts. I caught her having telephone conversations with my marina's buyer and found out she was going to "surprise" me by having a Norcold put in. Being a Sportsfisherman with no door or bulkhead to deal with, insertion of an ac/dc version was fairly easy. I find the best part is coming to cold drinks any time I stop by, no more skunked beer and not dragging sodas and beer back home after trips. On the down side, they're not cheap for the small size that they are. Walter

I also have a Norcold, always on, always have cold beer. Used to have an apartment sized fring when i didn't have a generator. seals leaked, so the freezer compartment was always a solid block of ice. Kept stuff cold all day offshore, even in August.

mines a norcold. Maybe i will hit whats left of the bottom with phoz and paint. I will get the final decision form the wife.
Without it there would be enough room for a La Z boy chair

I replaced the dead frig in my B28 w/ a $100 unit from Home Depot. Near perfect fit, works and looks great. I put blue ice packs in the freezer to help keep beverages cold all day. If we stay over night (rare) I just pay for shore power. If we're fishing or taking a large crew I stock up the cooler.

I guess it depends on how you plan to use the boat most of the time and what benefit you realize from the extra space.

(BTW, the last thing my B28 needs is the weight of a LA-Z-BOY on the port side.)

I removed the fridge to install an air conditioner behind it. The fridge never made it back in the boat and I haven't missed it. There's always a cooler or two on board anyway so I don't see the fridge making its way back on board.

Run the fridge till it dies then do not get another.

While I am a Norcold dealer, I find it hard to justify their prices knowing how the unit is made.

Fix the rust and make the box last as long as possible. The weak point is the evap plate, never try and chip the ice off with anything.

When it dies, replace with a 110 unit and use an invertor when out running.

Or like UV, ice chests work just fine. The new extreme cooler I have keeps ice for 4 days in hot weather.

Kevin:

When my AC/DC Norcold died I replaced it with a 115 VAC 4.2 cu ft fridge......it keeps beer cold all day when out fishing,beaching or cruising even though unpowered,and saves the coolers for fish or whatever.....for the price of a 115 VAC fridge versus the 'usable' space otherwise unless you are completely 're-styling' your interior I find having a fridge on board at the dock with cold beer one of life's greatest pleasures......and I don't even have a wife.....

1398

Well, the old AC/DC Norcold in our '83 B28 still is running strong. It's ugly as sin, and I was thinking about replacing it about six years ago. I then had to pull the thing from under the cabinet to get to the water heater for some unrelated work (long story), ran out of money, and just put the old Norcold back in. We have a lot of reserve house battery power (two Rolls 6v's), and even on the hook the fridge will be OK for 3-4 days, with stereo, electronics, head (Lectrasan), and lights being used. While out, we try not to open the fridge more than necessary, keeping essentials in the cooler. In the slip on AC, I agree the fridge is useful to avoid skunk beer and we generally keep sodas, mixers, condiments, etc. in the darn thing. I'll keep it until it quits. They don't make the new Norcolds like the old ones.

I yanked the Ice Chest out of mine 12 years ago leaving the Original Ice Chest door. Then...

Went to Sears and for about 100bucks bought a little fridge that fit right inside the opening, a few brackets to hold the thing in place and I was done. What was really cool (pun intended), leaving the original Ice Box door in place, I use it to secure the litle fridge door closed and boat Interior looks original.

I am a dealer for the Norcool as well and could have gotten a good deal on one... but I had sooo many other projects going at the time I could not spend the cash on that, figured when it crapped out in a year or so I would put in a Norcool... twelve years and still chill'en the beverages.

With a full fridge it keeps everthing cool when away from dock, if trolling or making a long run I'll toss on the inverter to give a good chill.

I've often thought about installing an inverter to run the fridge during daytrips so as to be totally cool......the fridge is 115 VAC and draws 1.25 amps according to its specs.......anyone have suggestions as to what type/brand of inverter and size would be suitable?

I figure an 800 watt inverter would more than suffice just to run the fridge, but have no experience with all the inverter science out there.......


1398

The biggest problem for induction start motors and compressors on ac's and reefers is the start current which can be much higher than run which is what a manufacturer gives you.

Measure the current when you start the unit and times by the voltage and that will give you watts which is what inverters are measured in.

120vac fridge which uses 10 amp start current is a 1200 watt inverter. Some inverters will have a surge for starting current but you need to check the maufacturers specs for what % the surge will provide.

Anything less and frig won't start.

Check these guys out. I've got a 2500 watt unit.
http://www.invertersrus.com/

They also have a FAQ section.

Cheap inverters put out a square wave and will not run some types of electronic equiptment and the voltage can fluctuate. Compressors can run slow, reduce cooling and over current.

What you want is a good sine wave unit.
Sine wave is what comes out of shore AC power.

Top is sine, smooth wave. One wave cycle =60, as in 60 hertz(frequency)



Make sure you use the correct size wire from the battery to the inverter.

A 1k watt inverter can draw up to 84 amps DC.

Bruce:

Thanks for the info.

1398

In our B28 we have a Norcold, couldn't be with out it. It's set up to hold a 30 pak. of Coor's + a 12 pak. of Coors right next to it on the bottom shelf. The shelf above still has room for lunch meat and cheese + extras and space in the door.

I've tried different beers but can't fit the same configuration. Coors uses a different size can than most.

I couldn't imagine no cold beer when I get to the boat!!

Cool. Heard a lot of good ideas here. Most interesting being the exact number of beers fitting in the reefer. I can drink whatever I want when I am at the house, and then for efficiancy reasons I can drink coors light on the boat. Maybe instead of asking the wife what she wants I can just suggest that she finish the project...if she needs help she can ask!

i took my norcold out and making a 3 drawer stoarge for tackle and what not...

phil