THE ICE BOX DRAIN IS CLOGGED. I WOULD LIKE TO ACCESS DRAIN FROM EXTERIOR OF BOX AND CAN'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO GET TO IT. FIRST I WANT TO ATTACH A LONGER HOSE AND THEN HAVE IT DRAIN INTO A CONTAINER TO KEEP DRAININGS FROM BILGE. I KNOW ITS NOT ACCESSIBLE FROM COCKPIT LOCKER. DO I HAVE TO REMOVE SET OF GALLY DRAWERS ? IF SO, WHERE TO BEGIN. HELP !
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Never could.
Sorry, no help I am afraid. Never found a way to get access on my H37C. But never tried very hard either. Many owners have intentionally plugged it and then use a sponge or pump it into the sink. This alleviates the bilge problem or need for a sump. When you consider how much water gets down the mast I figure a little ice melt is not worth the trouble to fix. I may know more once I finish a somewhat related project. I have cut and hinged the teak panel below the stove. Behind that is fiberglass. I need to cut that and install a hatch as I have been told there is lots of storage space there. Once under the stove will I be able to see the bottom of the refer? I hope so.
Sorry, no help I am afraid. Never found a way to get access on my H37C. But never tried very hard either. Many owners have intentionally plugged it and then use a sponge or pump it into the sink. This alleviates the bilge problem or need for a sump. When you consider how much water gets down the mast I figure a little ice melt is not worth the trouble to fix. I may know more once I finish a somewhat related project. I have cut and hinged the teak panel below the stove. Behind that is fiberglass. I need to cut that and install a hatch as I have been told there is lots of storage space there. Once under the stove will I be able to see the bottom of the refer? I hope so.
Start at the bottom drawer
My wife stood on her head (no pun) and was able to find the drain hole after removing the bottom drawer or two. It is located on the starboard side (face aft) of the cabinet side for the drawers, and drains down onto the fiberglass and on into the bilge. There was no tube, which we expected, visible. She found the place and very carefully reamed out the drain with a piece of coathanger, which cleaned it temporarily. Not a good situation. Sanders S/V Good News
My wife stood on her head (no pun) and was able to find the drain hole after removing the bottom drawer or two. It is located on the starboard side (face aft) of the cabinet side for the drawers, and drains down onto the fiberglass and on into the bilge. There was no tube, which we expected, visible. She found the place and very carefully reamed out the drain with a piece of coathanger, which cleaned it temporarily. Not a good situation. Sanders S/V Good News
No access under stove, Ed.
>I have cut and hinged the teak panel below >the stove. Behind that is fiberglass. I need >to cut that and install a hatch as I have been >told there is lots of storage space there. >Once under the stove will I be able to see the >bottom of the refer? I hope so. Sorry, Ed, but that will not get you under the fridge. There is a lot of room under the stove, though. You can see the area under the stove from under the sink. It'll take a light and mirror, though, or a very long, flexible neck! I made the mod that you are contemplating, and there is a fiberglass panel there, it is just the same one as horizontaly under the stove, where it turns down. There is about a 1/2" gap between the wood and fiberglass, which you may want to fill and finish with strips of wood.
>I have cut and hinged the teak panel below >the stove. Behind that is fiberglass. I need >to cut that and install a hatch as I have been >told there is lots of storage space there. >Once under the stove will I be able to see the >bottom of the refer? I hope so.
Sorry, Ed, but that will not get you under the fridge. There is a lot of room under the stove, though. You can see the area under the stove from under the sink. It'll take a light and mirror, though, or a very long, flexible neck! I made the mod that you are contemplating, and there is a fiberglass panel there, it is just the same one as horizontaly under the stove, where it turns down. There is about a 1/2" gap between the wood and fiberglass, which you may want to fill and finish with strips of wood.Check archives
The following was my reply to "Ice Box Drain" many months ago. Check archives. I took a look at my drain last night. Like the rest of you, it's a pain in my side, too. My 37C is a 1984 model. Maybe they are all the same, maybe not. But here is what I found. Ed, I found exactly what you found under the drawers, but with flashlite and mirrors I couldn't see a thing. The drain in my refrig is a piece of 3/8 copper tubbing flarred at the top end and is about 8 inches long. The reason I know is because the seal at the top is broken so I just pulled the tube out and measured it. Then I stuck a close hanger wire down the hole in an attempt to fish the wire out to where I could see it. No luck the wire was too stiff. I did determine this, though. In the area underneath the refrig, we are talking about three fibreglass walls; the refrig liner, the hull liner and the hull itself. Judging from what I could feel with my wire, there is foam insulation (about 8 inches thick where the drain goes down) between the refrig liner and the hull liner. The copper tubing serves as flow path to get the draining fluid from the refrig through the foam and through a hole in the hull liner and stops there. The space between the hull liner and the hull varies only about 1/2 to 3/4 inch, so it is unlikely that you will see the drain with any mirrors. I put the copper tubing back in place and ran a softer more fexible wire down the drain and was able to feed it all the way out through the drawer opening. I was hoping to pull a rubber or plastic tubing through and plumb it to my shower sump. But the sharp turn at the bottom and small space between the hull liner and hull would make it real difficult and probably just kink the tubing. That's where I left it, for now, while I fall back and regroup. My thought, now, is to pull the copper tubbing out and plug and seal the hole. Then with a long drill bit, drill a new drain hole at an angle that will place the exit somewhere where I can get at it to attach the flexible tubing to plumb to my shower sump. Hope this helps you all. "Gusty Getaway"
The following was my reply to "Ice Box Drain" many months ago. Check archives. I took a look at my drain last night. Like the rest of you, it's a pain in my side, too. My 37C is a 1984 model. Maybe they are all the same, maybe not. But here is what I found. Ed, I found exactly what you found under the drawers, but with flashlite and mirrors I couldn't see a thing. The drain in my refrig is a piece of 3/8 copper tubbing flarred at the top end and is about 8 inches long. The reason I know is because the seal at the top is broken so I just pulled the tube out and measured it. Then I stuck a close hanger wire down the hole in an attempt to fish the wire out to where I could see it. No luck the wire was too stiff. I did determine this, though. In the area underneath the refrig, we are talking about three fibreglass walls; the refrig liner, the hull liner and the hull itself. Judging from what I could feel with my wire, there is foam insulation (about 8 inches thick where the drain goes down) between the refrig liner and the hull liner. The copper tubing serves as flow path to get the draining fluid from the refrig through the foam and through a hole in the hull liner and stops there. The space between the hull liner and the hull varies only about 1/2 to 3/4 inch, so it is unlikely that you will see the drain with any mirrors. I put the copper tubing back in place and ran a softer more fexible wire down the drain and was able to feed it all the way out through the drawer opening. I was hoping to pull a rubber or plastic tubing through and plumb it to my shower sump. But the sharp turn at the bottom and small space between the hull liner and hull would make it real difficult and probably just kink the tubing. That's where I left it, for now, while I fall back and regroup. My thought, now, is to pull the copper tubbing out and plug and seal the hole. Then with a long drill bit, drill a new drain hole at an angle that will place the exit somewhere where I can get at it to attach the flexible tubing to plumb to my shower sump. Hope this helps you all. "Gusty Getaway"
Gene, when you re-did your refer...
I remember you had said that the insulation was not too bad in some areas. I have a terrible time keeping my box cold in the summer and I am planning on building a new box similar to what you had done. In retrospect would you rebuild the box using the existing insulation? Or tear everything out and start fresh which is what I presume you had done when you modified yours. The box configuration is not very useable as is and I was planning to close off the box aft of the bulkhead to the cockpit and remove the drawers and extend it toward the center line of the boat. If the insulation isn't too bad I just need to extend the box over and move the coldplate and re-do the top to have better insulating qualities. Or I can remove it all and start from scratch. Thanks, Tom Hadoulias S/V Lite Chop
I remember you had said that the insulation was not too bad in some areas. I have a terrible time keeping my box cold in the summer and I am planning on building a new box similar to what you had done. In retrospect would you rebuild the box using the existing insulation? Or tear everything out and start fresh which is what I presume you had done when you modified yours. The box configuration is not very useable as is and I was planning to close off the box aft of the bulkhead to the cockpit and remove the drawers and extend it toward the center line of the boat. If the insulation isn't too bad I just need to extend the box over and move the coldplate and re-do the top to have better insulating qualities. Or I can remove it all and start from scratch. Thanks, Tom Hadoulias S/V Lite Chop
tom & gene
I am also planning a refit to the icebox...from what i can see the simplest thing to do is just rip the whole thing out thru the starboard seat and start from scratch. I have done this before on other boats that i have found to have crappy iceboxes. the Alberg 30 i refitted with a new box made up of 4-6" of insulation and a fiberglassed in place liner held the same ice and BEER for 2 weeks in july in florida and never was a problem...gene if you are listening how hard is it to rip out the old box????just a sawsall and go to it???? it is on my list of things to do before i go to cuba next year....Hell you are not allowed to buy anything in cuba and what will i do without cold BEER if i should run out????
I am also planning a refit to the icebox...from what i can see the simplest thing to do is just rip the whole thing out thru the starboard seat and start from scratch. I have done this before on other boats that i have found to have crappy iceboxes. the Alberg 30 i refitted with a new box made up of 4-6" of insulation and a fiberglassed in place liner held the same ice and BEER for 2 weeks in july in florida and never was a problem...gene if you are listening how hard is it to rip out the old box????just a sawsall and go to it???? it is on my list of things to do before i go to cuba next year....Hell you are not allowed to buy anything in cuba and what will i do without cold BEER if i should run out????
Hey Chet.
Also on my project list. But while you are waiting for Gene you can check his comments at the Related Link below. I think Gene started over from the inside. Don't you think it is possible to just "foam" it? You would have to insulate the exposed sides and top in the starboard locker. And insulate and seal the lid. Keep us posted.
Also on my project list. But while you are waiting for Gene you can check his comments at the Related Link below. I think Gene started over from the inside. Don't you think it is possible to just "foam" it? You would have to insulate the exposed sides and top in the starboard locker. And insulate and seal the lid. Keep us posted.
Ice box water into the sink
A different approach is to use the water. Take the drain hose and attach to Perko / Whale pump type faucet. The chilled water cools your box until you need to pump out into the sink. Fresh water that does not come out of your water tank.
A different approach is to use the water. Take the drain hose and attach to Perko / Whale pump type faucet. The chilled water cools your box until you need to pump out into the sink. Fresh water that does not come out of your water tank.
Ian
I like your idea of using the fresh water for other things, but I can't see where it helps to cool the box. If anything, the water will help to warm the box unless it is lower in temperture than your ice, which of course is impossible. The first rule of refrigeration is: Hot goes to less hot. Simply put, heat such as water in the box always goes to cold as in your ice, etc. Assuming your water is above 32F i.e. 33F and your ice is 32F the water will help to melt the ice. Am I right??? Ron/KA5HZV
I like your idea of using the fresh water for other things, but I can't see where it helps to cool the box. If anything, the water will help to warm the box unless it is lower in temperture than your ice, which of course is impossible. The first rule of refrigeration is: Hot goes to less hot. Simply put, heat such as water in the box always goes to cold as in your ice, etc. Assuming your water is above 32F i.e. 33F and your ice is 32F the water will help to melt the ice. Am I right??? Ron/KA5HZV
start over
Wow! I don't check in for a couple days and everyone is asking me questions. I tore out everything to do with the ice box, the drawers and up to the back side of the stove. As I recall, there was about 3 or so inches on the sides, not necessarily the same everywhere, and much more on the bottom. There is none on the top, just the plywood counter top. My biggest concern was that it was shapped so badly and in such an awkward place that it wasn't very usable. The other thing is, the area where the drawers are was about 75% waste. Once I gutted it, I made a mock up in my garage of the shape I had available out of strips of plywood. Then I figured out what size and shape (keeping all sides square) I could fit with 6" of insulation on the sides and bottom, and 4" on the top. I also paid close attention to making sure it would fit through the companionway opening. I then glassed up a box that shape, suspended it where it would reside, and insulated completely around it. The box fits where the drawers used to be, sitting 6" from the engine compartment side, and 6" back from the front. I have a large storage area under the counter next to the hull that is probably 10 or more times larger than the volume of the drawers I lost, plus the ice box is about twice as big as the original. The access is just above where the drawers used to be. Since the box is much larger than the opening in the top, I have an area that I was able to hang a sliding basket on, and it slides out into the access opening in the top, or back under out of the way. We store lemons, limes, cheese, and other smaller things there and can easily find them. The lowest part of the box serves and a freezer (using an adlar barber super cold machine) and can freese probably a cubic foot. I can freeze about 10 to 15 pounds of meat and 12 trays of ice. I can make about 4 trays a day, circulating them. Oh, someone asked about how to get rid of the old one. I used my small hand grinder and a regular thin grinding wheel. Add your shop vac, holding the hose right where the dust is being thrown from the wheel, and its not too bad a job. A saws all would probably work, but you dont have a lot of control of what the other end is hitting or cutting. You can see exactly what you're cutting with the wheel. Good luck, it's not a fun job. The results are great, though.
Wow! I don't check in for a couple days and everyone is asking me questions. I tore out everything to do with the ice box, the drawers and up to the back side of the stove. As I recall, there was about 3 or so inches on the sides, not necessarily the same everywhere, and much more on the bottom. There is none on the top, just the plywood counter top. My biggest concern was that it was shapped so badly and in such an awkward place that it wasn't very usable. The other thing is, the area where the drawers are was about 75% waste. Once I gutted it, I made a mock up in my garage of the shape I had available out of strips of plywood. Then I figured out what size and shape (keeping all sides square) I could fit with 6" of insulation on the sides and bottom, and 4" on the top. I also paid close attention to making sure it would fit through the companionway opening. I then glassed up a box that shape, suspended it where it would reside, and insulated completely around it. The box fits where the drawers used to be, sitting 6" from the engine compartment side, and 6" back from the front. I have a large storage area under the counter next to the hull that is probably 10 or more times larger than the volume of the drawers I lost, plus the ice box is about twice as big as the original. The access is just above where the drawers used to be. Since the box is much larger than the opening in the top, I have an area that I was able to hang a sliding basket on, and it slides out into the access opening in the top, or back under out of the way. We store lemons, limes, cheese, and other smaller things there and can easily find them. The lowest part of the box serves and a freezer (using an adlar barber super cold machine) and can freese probably a cubic foot. I can freeze about 10 to 15 pounds of meat and 12 trays of ice. I can make about 4 trays a day, circulating them. Oh, someone asked about how to get rid of the old one. I used my small hand grinder and a regular thin grinding wheel. Add your shop vac, holding the hose right where the dust is being thrown from the wheel, and its not too bad a job. A saws all would probably work, but you dont have a lot of control of what the other end is hitting or cutting. You can see exactly what you're cutting with the wheel. Good luck, it's not a fun job. The results are great, though.
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