Ice Box Stinks! Help Please.

[jdratlif]

I need some help. I am still new to my boat and getting used to the aspects of staying on my boat. The problem I am having is when I use my ice box for a couple days it starts to smell really bad. Also, my first summer with the boat, last summer, I did not have a drain plug in the ice box and I ran through ice way too quickly. This summer I put in the drain plug and the ice is not melting as quickly BUT I am having a major problem with my food getting soaked from the ice water. I also think that the ice water is may be behind the bad smell that is coming from the ice box. I have cleaned the ice box with antibacterial cleaner and I could not find any rotting food in the ice box. So my questions are:

What could be causing the smell in my ice box?

Do you keep the drain plug in the ice box?

If you do keep the plug in the ice box, do you have a grate that can be placed over the ice to keep the food out of the water?

Any other tips on keeping cool food on the boat for extended periods would be helpful.

Thank you,

 

[RichBone]

I don't use the ice box for an ice box. I bring a cooler and use that. Bigger, more convenient, easier to clean and works better. I use the boat's ice box for storage of odds and ends.

 

[Sunbird22358]

If you can get access to the drain hose for the icebox see if you can replace the hose with a longer piece. If possible, run that hose so that is forms a small dip (like a sink trap in household plumbing), that will trap a small amount of melt water to "seal" the cold in, but will allow the excess water to still drain. As I say, I am offering that as theory, it is a common setup on larger boats, not sure if there is room to do it on the 25.

Yes, icebox water CAN and DOES produce odors. There will be various bits of food and detrious that has washed off what you place in the cooler, plus it is semi-stagnant water..... so, may produce odors. Maybe they make some kind of spill-proof baking soda holder? That would absorb most of the odors.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Not sure how much room there is to work with on your 25, but our 28 has the ice box drain connected to a hand pump that pumps into the sink. It avoids the problems you're seeing. As the ice melts, you can leave some water in the box to cool everything, then pump it before it gets too high.

 

[Fly_H23]

I only use frozen gallon size milk jugs to keep food cold. They last several days and then you can use the water to clean with or drink. Bags of ice simply melt too fast.

 

[Scott On Eagles Wings]

You could add just a dash of bleach and it will kill the odors.

I placed a piece of sponge loosely in the drain hole. It still lets water through and keeps some of the cold in.