Icebox to fridge conversion. Easy way.

[Skipper]

Have been contemplating this for years. How to convert icebox to fridge.
Burning up $100 a year in ice, and that's at $1 for 7 lb bag in our marina. Icebox coincidentally uses about 7 lb a day in average temps in the high 70's low 80's. Or 2 bags a weekend. Holds about 45 lb of ice for long trips, including space for food. It would hold more but then I'd have solid ice to the top. 45 lb lasts about 6 days, not draining melt water. I've seen this as acceptable cold retention.
The problem beyond cost is that on trips longer than 6 days, I have to find more ice. Not to mention having to drain and mop the ice box every weekend.
So I looked at conversion options for a long time. It's a big icebox at 4cf, so need appropriate system.
Power is an issue. I have 100 watt panel. I've reduced power elsewhere IE LEDs, but don't want the fridge killing the batts.
Conversion also tricky. Have to modify a cabinet for the cooling unit and with ducting for the fan. Also punch holes in the icebox, route hoses, electrical, set up new breaker, etc. Nightmare.
And new conversion unit is $1,000. Plus installation cost even DIY.

I looked at portables but always nearly as expensive, bad config, wrong dimensions, etc.

Then I found the Isotherm TB18.
At 18 liters (19 quarts) it's large enough to stow a good quantity of well packed food. Mostly because there's no ice!
Or for a long trip, pack the icebox and 6 days later transfer remaining food to fridge.
It certainly is more than adequate for weekends, for creamer, milk, juice, some food, and maybe beer. Or Perrier.
It has a danfoss compressor, internal light, digital temp setting, etc. with the controls on the front where they should be. -another box I had been looking at in this size had them on the rear.
The TB 18 is rated at 12 amp hours per day, but I swear I found a real world test by someone who showed half that. At only .7cf, it doesn't need a lot.
You can set max cooling speed on shorepower or Econ mode on (example) solar.
Also can be used as a freezer.
And it weighs less than 10 lbs. so can use it in the car, camping, etc.
also fits and hides in the quarter berth with easy access.
The beauty is that I don't have to install anything.
And it cost $335 delivered to my door.

 

[Jackdaw]

Thats a sweet unit, if not technically a conversion.

I saw that when I was doing my conversion, and gave it a lot of thought. In the end I went for the (4-hour) conversion because:

1) At 19l it was well less then 1/2 of BlueJ's Icebox, which I thought was about the minimum size for a weekend, if you like cold drinks.

2) I bristled at the thought of leaving a perfect good icebox (weight and space) not being taken advantage of.

3) I like loading up a box with 'whatever', and always having that cold. You need space for that.

4) Its not ISEC

But I can see if it work for you it would be pretty sweet.

 

[Skipper]

Thats a sweet unit, if not technically a conversion.

I saw that when I was doing my conversion, and gave it a lot of thought. In the end I went for the (4-hour) conversion because:

1) At 19l it was well less then 1/2 of BlueJ's Icebox, which I thought was about the minimum size for a weekend, if you like cold drinks.

2) I bristled at the thought of leaving a perfect good icebox (weight and space) not being taken advantage of.

3) I like loading up a box with 'whatever', and always having that cold. You need space for that.

4) Its not ISEC

But I can see if it work for you it would be pretty sweet.

It is ISEC. Or at least an energy control system very similar.

I agree with your paragraph 2. Really twisted my nose to put something on the boat that is already there.
However, in the end the unit fits in a specific unused space, which was a dimensional requirement that only the TB 18 accommodates, when also considering other features i.e. Control panel on front.

It's just the wife and I on the weekends. So it has enough space.
It's only me on long trips, so I can manage as described previously.

It would have taken me longer than 4 hours to install a conversion. More like 4 days. A complicated, small-space cabinetry access issue plus I stop and frown a lot.
It would have worked. But giant installation hassle when requirement is to look original, not easy on a boat not originally intended to have refrigeration.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Skipper, I think I'm with you. I've been frustrated by the difficulty of installations lately. Maybe it's just me. I've been wondering if there is better use for the icebox. Currently, we don't have any storage space for dry foods like bread, cereal, etc. I can see how the Isotherm can more easily serve our needs. Mopping up the ice melt indirectly led to Sue's broken foot a few weeks ago that has caused a lot of angst lately. I always seem to have a lot of ice left in the box when we leave the boat, and it irritates me that I buy most of it just to be wasted. Buy too little ice, it turns to water way too fast, buy more and most of it is wasted and there is little space for food.
At twice the price and the uncertainty of installation, I would dread getting involved. Plus, it's just more money thrown into a hole on a boat that doesn't gain from the investment. At least the isotherm stays with me!

 

[Skipper]

Skipper, I think I'm with you. I've been frustrated by the difficulty of installations lately. Maybe it's just me. I've been wondering if there is better use for the icebox. Currently, we don't have any storage space for dry foods like bread, cereal, etc. I can see how the Isotherm can more easily serve our needs. Mopping up the ice melt indirectly led to Sue's broken foot a few weeks ago that has caused a lot of angst lately. I always seem to have a lot of ice left in the box when we leave the boat, and it irritates me that I buy most of it just to be wasted. Buy too little ice, it turns to water way too fast, buy more and most of it is wasted and there is little space for food.
At twice the price and the uncertainty of installation, I would dread getting involved. Plus, it's just more money thrown into a hole on a boat that doesn't gain from the investment. At least the isotherm stays with me!

Yassir.
The reality is that the portable increases your food storage space, by enabling using the ice box for dry food.
For me a full conversation was just more expense and hassle than it was worth. The TB 18 was not.
Edit: especially when I saw it on sale for $299 no tax, plus $35 shipping.

 

[SFS]

... Mopping up the ice melt indirectly led to Sue's broken foot a few weeks ago that has caused a lot of angst lately. I always seem to have a lot of ice left in the box when we leave the boat, and it irritates me that I buy most of it just to be wasted. Buy too little ice, it turns to water way too fast, buy more and most of it is wasted and there is little space for food.

Don't want to derail the thread, but we freeze 6 half-gallon containers of potable water and put them in the ice box. No payment for ice, no drips so no cleanup, and (later in the cruise) an extra 3 gallons of water on board, often cold, for drinking. Seems to last about 7 days. The "Simply Orange" OJ containers work really well in our ice box; their square sides mate well with each other and the walls of the box.

 

[Skipper]

Don't want to derail the thread, but we freeze 6 half-gallon containers of potable water and put them in the ice box. No payment for ice, no drips so no cleanup, and (later in the cruise) an extra 3 gallons of water on board, often cold, for drinking. Seems to last about 7 days. We have a specific shaped container that seems to work really well in our ice box.

We tried that. We used 17 oz water bottles. But they got in the way in our home freezer -top of fridge- and were a hassle to transport to the boat. And didn't perform as well as cube ice. Also had to remember them - not a guaranteed task
And still ended up with the long trip limitations.

 

[SFS]

Yeah, that's too small a mass to retain much cold. I think one of the reasons ours work so well is that it's a tight fit when they are in place - essentially, ice is bordered by ice, so it works like one big block, 10 inches tall and 15 inches by 15 inches square.

I can see that the transportation would be a problem, though our 6 (it may be 8 now that I think about it) travel in a cooler, and serve as the ice for the last provisions at the store on the way to the boat. As for remembering, well, it's a checklist item for us.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

We tried that. We used 17 oz water bottles. But they got in the way in our home freezer -top of fridge- and were a hassle to transport to the boat. And didn't perform as well as cube ice. Also had to remember them - not a guaranteed task
And still ended up with the long trip limitations.

I agree, our freezers are usually stuffed, too. Plus, transportation is a big hassle and you need to transport a cooler anyway. So what do you do, transport a cooler for the ice blocks and another cooler for the food and drinks? Wouldn't work for us. On a day like today when I'm leaving for the boat after work, the ice would be melting in the car all day.

 

[Skipper]

Yeah, that's too small a mass to retain much cold. I think one of the reasons ours work so well is that it's a tight fit when they are in place - essentially, ice is bordered by ice, so it works like one big block, 10 inches tall and 15 inches by 15 inches square.

I can see that the transportation would be a problem, though our 6 (it may be 8 now that I think about it) travel in a cooler, and serve as the ice for the last provisions at the store on the way to the boat. As for remembering, well, it's a checklist item for us.

A checklist? That's too organized for me.

You must have a big freezer at home.

 

[Gene Neill]

Don't want to derail the thread, but we freeze 6 half-gallon containers of potable water and put them in the ice box. No payment for ice, no drips so no cleanup, and (later in the cruise) an extra 3 gallons of water on board, often cold, for drinking. Seems to last about 7 days. The "Simply Orange" OJ containers work really well in our ice box; their square sides mate well with each other and the walls of the box.

That is our method as well, on the C22. We pack a Yeti with frozen jugs, and transfer one or two each day to the "fridge" cooler, which stays cold about seven days. We use rectangular "Juicy Juice" jugs, because their dimensions match the interior of the Yeti perfectly. I never can quite get the juice taste out of them ... but that's not necessarily a bad thing. And we do have a big freezer at the house.

That said, I will soon be converting the icebox on the Albin Vega, using an Isotherm unit. Sounds like a little slice of heaven to me!

 

[CloudDiver]

If anyone is still using ice cubes, but don't want the hassle of lugging block ice, I've had good luck with these;
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ACCBQG2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These bags ship dry and have a powder that forms a gel when mixed with water, then you seal the bag with an iron. There is a larger size than the link I posted, just click on the 'Cooler Shock' at the top to see other size products.
These have kept a Marine Grade Igloo (not as good as a Yeti, but cheaper) cool for 4 full days in desert heat. On the 5th day my last two beers were still cold and the mayo could still go on sandwiches without being questionable.

 

[jeepbluetj]

Had the P.O. not installed refrigeration(He installed it poorly tho, so it sucks down the amps), I'd likely go for a solution like Skipper is using. Cheap, simple, easy. Little small for some, would be fine for me. And even with the fridge, that doesn't mean he can't use the icebox as a cooler too.

We usually keep beverages in a cooler - Fridge is for 'food' and is always dry(ish). Cooler for beer/fizzy wine/etc. We'll often have frozen water bottles in the fridge to reduce the current draw. Or maybe some block ice at the bottom. I shut the fridge down overnight - wait till the solar panel kicks on in the AM to start it back up. So some thermal mass in there is a good thing.

For a lower transition point (like what CloudDriver points out): add salt to the water. That lowers the temp of the latent heat of fusion, therefore storing a bit more 'cold'. (the cold is colder) But since salt water is useless to me on the boat, I just use the half-gallon jugs so I have backup freshwater.

 

[David in Sandusky]

We are sticking to ice in the icebox, and freezing meat, milk, and O. J. Ice is easily available in all Lake Erie ports, and we need to pump out and replenish water in 5 days anyway. (Most cruises are just the Admiral and me.)

 

[agprice22]

We use a Coleman Powerchill electric cooler with the solid state Thermoelectric cooling. We cool it the day before. We load it with the food already cold. I would NOT recommend it for time away from the dock. It uses a lot of power. However, it works great and is huge! I also keep a small, soft cooler with beer, water, and ice in the cockpit, so we can get to it easily while sailing.