How well does the Ice Box work (w/o cold plate)

[KandD]

I've been using our Ice box for storage(on '85 H40), as I haven't wanted to deal with buying ice for it. I finally gave it a good cleaning last week (or month, I don't have much of a concept for time anymore) and I'm trying to cook more on the boat. The norcold lets me keep my left over chinese food, but keeping food for a week isn't all that possible, it's full of beer. I'm a liveaboard and want to eventually turn it into a deep-freezer, but for now I have tuition to pay.

Any advise on how to set it up would be great. I have access to an ice machine :dance:, and it drains nicely into the bilge... so I don't see why it wouldn't be useable.

 

[Rick Sylvester]

Well, the insulation sucks

so I wouldn't count on it for a deep freeze, but it can work. I've had a cheapy 12 volt air cooled Grunnert running ours for 10 live-aboard years.

Also, be prepared for a real science experiment in your bilge if ANY organic particles drain in there.

Here's some pics of what I did.

 

[Benny]

The problem is insulation. Those coolers had poor insulation and if you intend to build up yours into a deep freezer you will need to seriously upgrade the insulation and lid seals. Measure the capacity in cubic feet of your cooler so you may properly size the necessary refrigeration system. If you have access to shorepower it would seem to me the least costly option would be to remove the 120V innards of a comparively sized home freezer.

 

[Rick Sylvester]

Hey K and D,

I'll tell you what I'm very likely going to do.

Our plan is to retire in the next 5 years and cruise part of each year on our '85 h40. As we visit friends who are out doing it now we have determined that we need to deep freeze meats for when we can get cheap cuts in various countries. I could say it's for all the fish I'm going to catch but everyone who knows me would assure you that I was lying.

Since easy access is not an issue I'm going to build out a section underneath the settee and install a cold plate/ engine-driven system that's separate from the Grunnert that only has to keep the ice box at 40 or so.

I have every intention of cruising comfortably and I know the freezer/box/drink cooler and the diesel/batteries to run them will make that a little more possible. I mean, I expect that filet mignon and cold beer after getting my ass kicked on the latest crossing

 

[billt1]

My old H40 had an ac compressor, copper coil and fridge plate

from a small AC fridge installed by the PO that converted the ice box to a fridge. Worked great at the dock.

Later I installed a Freedom Inverter/charger and we started using norcord and the fridge/icebox at anchor. worked great - 3 D cells would last a good 1-2 days before charging.

I agree with Rick and the others here - the insulation is lacking - I'm sure if I had augmented it better it would cut down the run time.

 

[John T1594]

The drain tube gets rid of melt water but a lot of heavy cold air also goes down the tube and into your bilge. This shortens the life of your ice blocks/cubes by sucking warm air from above into the icebox. The easiest fix is to place a rubber cork in the drain and then periodically sponge up the melt water. Alternately, you could put a bend in the drain tube to make a trap but beware of stuff that could easily plug the trap.

 

[zds]

I use my icebox as an icebox and have been satisfied with the results in all but the hottest of summer days. On a mild day (highs in the 70s) it works as well as any large cooler (rubbermaid, etc.). I use a combination of bags of ice and cooler bricks to get it cold. I think I got lucky though, and mine was better insulated during construction than most.

I solved my drain problem by plumbing a manual bilge pump under the galley sink to pull from the icebox drain and discharge out the sink thru-hull. This also does a good job of preventing cold air from running out.

I'd really like to put in refrigeration, but don't want to spend the money or add the moving parts. Plus, ice is cheap.

 

[KandD]

Also, be prepared for a real science experiment in your bilge if ANY organic particles drain in there.

Yeah, Our water heater was leaking for a while and drained into the bilge... which combined with food from messy-eating kitties. On top of that, the bilge pump wasn't working and so over the course of a few weeks, it filled... it festered... it sucks.

It has left a waxy residue that I've only been able to chip away at by using near-boiling water and letting it sit. then scrubbing it with goof-off... even with that, it doesn't work all that well.

I'm thinking of renting a pressure washer....