Adding refrigeration to Hunter 310

[karellen]

Hello,

In the process of a mild refit to a new-to-us Hunter 310. The admiral has insisted on adding refrigeration, so I've purchased the conversion kit and intend to install the compressor in the factory location under the starboard settee.

I'm wondering about running the refrigerant lines. In the Hunter 310 manual, it looks like the lines run behind the stove. I'm wondering how much clearance there is by the hull -- if I can snake the lines behind everything or if I'll have to run it on the inside of the cabinet and behind the stove where it would be visible. If anyone has pictures of the installation on a 310 or similar (320,326?) it would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Unwrittentimeline]

I have a hunter 326 and the lines are run from the cabinet under the sink along the starboard hull. They do pass behind the stove to the the Seafrost 12V BD cold plate. The only time you can see the lines is if you look under the stove or you remove the stove. Otherwise you'd never know they were there. I'm not currently near the boat and don't have any photos.
Hope this helps.

Dave

 

[Reg M]

What year is your H31? If your configuration is the same as my 1984 H31 and you have room in the bulkhead between the starboard laz (the deep one where the fuel tank is) then that is the best place to put it. Over the years I have installed several 12 volt evaporator plate type units as well as a holding plate one. The thing is, if you install the compressor in the main cabin it will be generating a considerable amount of heat. If you cut a hole in the bulkhead the same size as the fins on the compressor where the cooling air is sucked in and mount the compressor right up against that hole, then the compressor will suck cooling air from the cabin and exhaust the hot air into the laz. You will also need to buy a few of those teak hole trims for finger holes and bore the appropriate size holes for them in the under sink door. If you do them in a pattern they will look fine.This allows air in to the compressor. I assume you are using the boat in the SF Bay area so you don't have to be concerned about tropical heat so air cooled will do you just fine. In the event you decide to go water cooled you won't have to cut the hole, just mount the compressor in the laz but in this event I would highly recommend using your water tank as cooling water, just tap a suction and a return into the side of the tank. This will not affect your drinking water and it eliminates the problem with those tiny barnacles which will foul your pump within 6 months (ask me how I know) I cruised for 7 years on a CSY 44 and changed my 12 volt water cooled system so that it was cooled from one of my water tanks so I was able to have refrigeration even for an extended stay on the hard in Trinidad. These installations are not difficult to do, just take your time and be careful not to kink the lines. If you go with an evaporator plate rather than a cold plate, you can have a freezer and refrigerator. Either get one of those evaporator plates which is already formed into a box or do like I did and just buy the longest evaporator plate you can get (5 feet I think) and bend it into a square or rectangle, whatever shape you want, pop rivit the ends together and screw four tabs at the bottom opening then cut a piece of 1/4 inch aluminum plate to drop in on the tabs to form the bottom of your freezer. I think mine was a bit less than 15 inches square, allowing an inch overlap. Anything you put inside the evaporator will freeze in a few hours. You can get verticle ice trays which will easily provide you with ice cubes. The rest of your icebox becomes a refrigerator. Don't forget to make a plug for the drain or you will lose a lot of cold air down the drain. Good luck. Reg