270 icebox conversion

[Jackdaw]

Just want to make sure you are still happy with your purchase. Also how hard does your Isotherm work to get your icebox to 42 degrees? Could you make it colder if you turned up the setting? I looked at the defender catalog and there is a model without the intelligent power management for less money but I am sold on the smarter model. All experience and wisdom greatly appreciated.

VERY happy.

The duty cycle is very low. Really hard to tell, because when on AC shore power the box goes down into the low 30s, and slowly warms to 40 on DC power over a day. You can make it colder as a setting, but then you turn off the smart controller feature. My unit on freezer mode will freeze my box down to 6 degrees.

 

[bawlmer]

Awesome. Thanks for your response. I am going to pull the trigger on this purchase.
@Sailfish03 - I will report on my progress. Hopefully that will help you to pull the trigger too!

 

[bawlmer]

I measured my icebox more carefully this time and determined the GE80-SX is on the hairy edge of my 2.8 cubic foot icebox capacity. I think I am going to get the 2010-SX. It has 4.4 cubic foot capacity and smart power management. It draws slightly more max amps (3.5 vs 2.5) but I think my batteries can handle it given the sailing I do.

 

[Hydro Therapy]

I’m considering picking up a conversion kit over the winter. Is it possible to use the bottom of the ice box as a freezer and the top half of the ice box as a refrigerator?

 

[bawlmer]

I did a lot of reading in the last week on this subject. You have to use it as fridge unless you get a particular type of evaporator coil. It looks the same as what you would find in a cheap residential fridge. The freezing happens inside that compartment. Everything outside is a fridge. You can use the 2010-SX as either but you must set it and have a very small well insulated space to use it as a freezer.

 

[Hydro Therapy]

Thanks, Steve

 

[bawlmer]

Conversion complete. It took a long afternoon which included a trip to West Marine and a nice lunch. I installed the evaporator, control, separate temp sensor and compressor. The box is getting cold. I did not dress any wires yet as I may have to visit the DIP switches again. The voltage where the unit senses a charging source may need to be changed.
I will be back next weekend to see how it is doing. All in all it was a pretty straightforward install.

 

[Meriachee]

Nicely done!