DC vs. DC/AC Fridge Replacement?

[Chris & Dale]

Well, I just went down for my weekly check on Steel Hers and found water on the carpet in front of the fridge. Open and it's totally defrosted, yet the breaker's on and also the light at the thermostat. Without pulling it out, I'm going to assume it's essentially a dead soldier (or cost prohibitive to repair) after 14 years of service. Turned off the breaker, came back up the hill to the house and surprisingly, found very little recent discussion/advice on this topic.

So here we go, another adventure in boat ownership! WooHoo!

I am wide open on advice and counsel on if we should stick w/a Norcold DC (which again, lasted 14 years) or -
1. Go DC/AC?
2. A different brand?

Like all of us w/a 28TE (ours is 1999), we are limited to the existing cutout.

Albeit brief, I did give a moment of thought to pulling the little gas stove out and opening the area up to put a larger (taller) fridge in. Has anyone done that?

As always, pictures are worth a 1,000+ words, particularly on projects.

Thanks

[Carl]

Here is a little chatter on the subject.





viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5863&p=39052&hilit=fridge#p39052

[Carl]

And another. Do a search on fridge install, there are others with some good info to help you through the learning curve of what fits and what doesn't.





viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5403&p=32029&hilit= ... all#p32029

[Nancy]

Chris, one of the threads Carl points to describes our 2012 fridge replacement.

There are varying opinions about whether AC/DC is more efficient than straight DC and less wear on the batteries. We chose to go with DC only when replacing the fridge two years ago. Our rationale ran like this:

• Our boat is kept on a dock with full-time shore power and a very smart charger (Promariner Pronautic 1220P), so we chose not to be concerned about undue load on the batteries.
• DC only seemed to have worked for the first 16 years.
• Wiring for 12/2 was more of a project than we wanted to get into.

I specifically looked for a fridge with a little more space than the original Norcold.

[Chris & Dale]

Nancy,
So what fridge did you go with in the end, where did you get it (I know you shopped it for best price), assuming you stayed same size so you didn't have to modify the existing hole, and how's it performed the last 2 years? Thanks

[Serenity]

I agree with Carl. I purchased a 740BB and it wouldn't fit the opening. The depth of the fridge was greater than the existing unit.
I wound up using a NovaCool ac/dc unit. On my Albin, I had a duplex receptacle in the back of the opening which the fridge plugged into, Therefore, I had no wiring

DSCN0019.JPG

[joreyn]

Had the same thing happen to my Norcold three years ago. Repairing would have cost nearly as much as a new unit, so I did a lot of research. I think there are two important issues. 1. Will the new unit fit the existing cutout? 2. what is the current draw of the replacement unit. Other issues include, can you get the new unit through the door, and how noisy/quiet is it?

In my case, I found a Dometic refer with built in freezer that is a direct replacement for the Norcold. Problem 1 solved! The Dometic has a Danfoss compressor which is extremely quiet and draws a lot less than the other compressors out there. Like 25% of the current of the other compressors. Given the very low amp requirement, I was very happy to go with DC only. The same refer is also marketed under the Tundra brand, and maybe some others.

I have a very large battery bank, and no generator. Also have a very good inverter/Smart Charger. So i'm basically a 12 volt boat. Use AC for a couple of small appliances, and that's it.

Incidentally, two years ago, I also bought an ARB box fridge/freezer. It is AC/DC, but I usually only use the DC side. It also has a Danfoss compressor.

So, my suggestion is find a Danfoss equipped Refer that has the correct dimensions for your cutout.

[Nancy]

Nancy,
So what fridge did you go with in the end, where did you get it (I know you shopped it for best price), assuming you stayed same size so you didn't have to modify the existing hole, and how's it performed the last 2 years? Thanks

Chris,

Here's the thread about our installation: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5403&p=32029&hilit= ... all#p32029.

We got an Isotherm Cruise CR49. The best price I found was from Defender, and the price is presently $75 less than it was 18 months ago.

Here's the finished project:

galley-2-051213-1200.jpg

We did have to cut the fiberglass at the top of the opening as the unit had to sit about 2" higher than the previous one. We braced it at the bottom with a block of wood. It's been working just fine and requires less defrosting than other refrigerators on previous boats. It also has a fairly low current draw at about 2.6 amps.

Our criteria included more capacity and minimal cupboard modification.

We considered a Novakool R1600, which would have fit easier, but the capacity was less. There were possibilities from Dometic (would have required more cutting) and Norcold (DE0740), but neither had more capacity than the Isotherm, and the price from Defender was tough to beat.

Happy shopping! I can't think of a nicer Christmas present.

[Chris & Dale]

We followed your lead on this one....ordered the Isotherm Cruise 49 today from Great Water.com for a total of $703, including the shipping. Probably won't get out until next week. Any additional pictures you have "in-progress" would be appreciated, but I get the general idea of raising it.

I'll document and photo and post. Thanks again!

[Nancy]

We followed your lead on this one....ordered the Isotherm Cruise 49 today from Great Water.com for a total of $703, including the shipping. Probably won't get out until next week. Any additional pictures you have "in-progress" would be appreciated, but I get the general idea of raising it.

I'll document and photo and post. Thanks again!

Well, compared to your Awlgrip job, this is just a stocking stuffer! lol!

Sorry to say I don't have any photos of the work in progress. There really wasn't much to it. And it was the perfect opportunity to install a new faucet at the galley sink and clean 16 years of grime in the cabinet.

[Chris & Dale]

Well what the heck, I've got time on my hands and nothing else to do while I wait for the fridge....might as well change out the sink as well! Got a thread on that project?

[Nancy]

Well what the heck, I've got time on my hands and nothing else to do while I wait for the fridge....might as well change out the sink as well! Got a thread on that project?

Ha, no, I didn't change the sink, just the pitted faucet. With enough scrubbing, I decided the sink was OK. Besides, that looked like a *real* project what with disconnecting the drain hose and removing the cupboard. But! I do know what sink will fit, and here it is: http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse. ... ,7710.html

[Chris & Dale]

Nancy,
It does seem pretty straight forward about raising the fridge up to clear to curvature of the hull. Looks like you used a simple 2x4" to raise it after cutting the top opening. Short of taking out the adjacent cabinet, it's near impossible to see clearances in the rear once you start pushing it in. So here's my question: Where your water lines secured against the hull like mine are in this picture? Did raising the fridge clear them or did you have to reroute them?

Fridge Opening (old).jpg

Otherwise, it appears well within my capability, but then again.....it is a boat! I'll post project pics.

[Nancy]

Chris,

I don't remember if our water lines are fastened down and - horrors! - I don't have a photo of the compartment. But they weren't in the way and didn't have to be re-routed. We might have more slack than you do, though. I'm guessing your fridge will clear where the hoses are fastened, and I hope there's enough play in the lines to right and upward so that they can be gently pushed back an inch or two if necessary.

[Chris & Dale]

Thanks. There's a little slack. I'll let you know.