Good Vendor Report / Sea Frost

[Maine Sail]

Hi Guys,

Well the 11 year old cold plate on my Sea Frost engine driven refrigeration unit gave up the ghost and leaked all its fluid out. We are leaving for vacation soon and need refrigeration.

I removed the holding plate and and the compressor and delivered both to Sea Frost in NH. Cleve, the owner, cleaned it, re-sealed it, clear coated it, re-filled it and pressure tested it.

When I went to pick the holding plate up I asked what I owed him? Nothing was the response!!! Cleve also leak tested my compressor and gave it the ok for many, many more hours of use. He also cleaned up the compressor and gave me a set of new o-rings to put it back together with.

Remember this unit was 11 years old, I was not the original owner, though he is a friend of mine, and it had leaked due to some aluminum oxidation at the seam which is sealed with silicone.

That is top notch SERVICE!! Sea Frost is now also offering a very, very nicely built 12v refrigeration system too that I got a chance to see being built while I was there..

Great company!!

Sea Frost (LINK)

 

[RichH]

I'll ditto on the products and service from Cleve at SeaFrost.

I have their 12vdc unit - simply OUTSTANDING. Ordered with custom plates that were 3/4" too large to fit ... "no problem, I'll send new ones out in a day or two, send the old ones back when you get the chance ..." . I can recommend them ... highly.

 

[Bad Obsession]

Interesting. I know that they are one of the main manufactures for marine refrigeration. After reading this I would probably consider installing one of their units if I was putting refrigeration in my boat but I am not sure if I want to do this or not.

When you have an engine driven holding plate system, what do you do at the dock while you are away to keep the refrigerator cold? Does it also work when plugged into AC power?

 

[Bob J.]

When you have an engine driven holding plate system, what do you do at the dock while you are away to keep the refrigerator cold? Does it also work when plugged into AC power?

Most folks that have an engine driven system aren't tied up to a dock. They're either cruising or their boats hang out on a mooring, the refer is spooled up on arrival.
If you need the refer to be cold 24/7, their 12 volt model would work when connected to shore power providing your battery charger is working

Bob

 

[Ron20324]

Interesting. After reading this I would probably consider installing one of their units if I was putting refrigeration in my boat but I am not sure if I want to do this or not.

My slip neighbor, JIMM, has a C30 with a nice unit that gets down to freezing. Maybe he and some other C30 owners can advise you?

 

[Maine Sail]

It's two systems

When you have an engine driven holding plate system, what do you do at the dock while you are away to keep the refrigerator cold? Does it also work when plugged into AC power?

I actually have two separate Sea Frost systems that share one holding plate. One system, the Shore Assist System, is line voltage for dock side use and has its own compressor, t-stat and refrigerant loops and the other one is run off the engine and has the same.

The engine driven system is expensive but the system really works well. 45 minutes of engine run time a day is all that is necessary and that is at or near idle. At cruise RPM I can chill the plate in about 25 minutes and it remains cold for nearly a day.

When cruising you'll need to run the engine for charging anyway so the Sea Frost system just tags along to the engine run time. It uses about 2hp off the engine to turn the compressor.

Sea Frost Shore Assist System (LINK)

 

[Rick D]

Another Vote for SeaFrost

I replaced my AB slim coldplate R12 system with a SeaFrost slim coldplate 12 volt system based on my refrig guy's recomendation on service and support. http://www.seafrost.com/bd.htm I was partial to AB but since their acquisition, the support has gone in the toilet and there was no reason for me to buy from someone who won't respond... which I told them. Anyhow, this is a great system, plug and play with easy install components. It has been working well for two years now and I expect it to continue. I will go with them for my freezer too when the time comes.

 

[Bob J.]

I actually have two separate Sea Frost systems that share one holding plate. One system, the Shore Assist System, is line voltage for dock side use and has its own compressor, t-stat and refrigerant loops and the other one is run off the engine and has the same.

That's pretty cool, I like that idea!

Bob

 

[Stu Jackson]

When cruising you'll need to run the engine for charging anyway so the Sea Frost system just tags along to the engine run time. It uses about 2hp off the engine to turn the compressor.

We have a friend who's now cruising his C34 and he reports his solar array makes a shorepower charger and engine running times completely unnecessary.

I like your idea, though.

 

[tsmwebb]

We have a friend who's now cruising his C34 and he reports his solar array makes a shorepower charger and engine running times completely unnecessary.

I like your idea, though.

Our solar array runs our 12 volt fridge and freezer (independent systems) on the dock and off. Many serious cruisers I know are moving from engine driven compressors to 12 volt (or at least thinking about it). Of course, that's for live-aboard long term cruising. For a week cruise where you are moving from anchorage to anchorage and likely to run the motor a bit anyway a holding plate is practical, simple and much less expensive than solar plus 12 volt...

--Tom.