Ice Box vs Fridge

onecoolair · May 10, 2013

Piratenorm said:
G'day all. Has anyone gone for a dedicated refrigerator in place of an ice box conversion? I have a small wife, hates the ice box and what she has to do to gain access to the contents in my 30 foot Mk 1. I have a space large enough for a 3.6 cf fridge/freezer where the old stove/oven used to be, that I don't use and have removed.
I know all about how the cold spills out when you open it whereas the icebox doesn't allow that, but you have the lid off the icebox as you root around inside looking for the thing you want which is invariably on the bottom of everything that you've removed and stacked around the galley wasting cold anyway.
The new Norcold or Isotherm are very energy efficient as well and are much simpler to install.
What I'm looking at are the advantages of convenience vs efficiency.
Thanks

A small front loading fridge is ok for dockside on shore power . But I prefer the more practical standard heavily insulated top loading set up . Get her a step stool and a 10 second timer.
When I had my last girl friend I had to defrost my Adler Barbour cold Machine every two weeks or less. Had to make her walk the plank when her looney tune switch got switched to on. Now I only have to defrost freezer only about every two months or so. Same problem with shower sump screen plugging up every few days.

Jeff · May 10, 2013

What about some means of organizing the ice box with shelves or lift out baskets to make it easier for her to get things out. Perhaps even stackable baskets putting the things she needs closer to the surface.

onecoolair · May 10, 2013

Jeff said:
What about some means of organizing the ice box with shelves or lift out baskets to make it easier for her to get things out. Perhaps even stackable baskets putting the things she needs closer to the surface.

I have the baskets too. Works great for me highly organized. I know were everything is, no need to root around. In my case It was some one else that could not grasp the simple common sense involved.

Lost Parent · May 10, 2013

I have a 1982 and took out the oven and installed a two.five cubic foot norcold with s three burner stove on top perfect fit

jrowan · May 10, 2013

Piratenorm said:
G'day all. Has anyone gone for a dedicated refrigerator in place of an ice box conversion? I have a small wife, hates the ice box and what she has to do to gain access to the contents in my 30 foot Mk 1. I have a space large enough for a 3.6 cf fridge/freezer where the old stove/oven used to be, that I don't use and have removed.
I know all about how the cold spills out when you open it whereas the icebox doesn't allow that, but you have the lid off the icebox as you root around inside looking for the thing you want which is invariably on the bottom of everything that you've removed and stacked around the galley wasting cold anyway.
The new Norcold or Isotherm are very energy efficient as well and are much simpler to install.
What I'm looking at are the advantages of convenience vs efficiency.
Thanks

We have a front loading fridge in place of the alcohol stove too. Its easy to install a smaller propane fired burner on top of it, when you actually want to cook something below. The alcohol stove cooks unevenly anyway, is stinky, produces tons of water vapor, & I don't know anyone who has successfully cooked anything in the tiny oven. But we use the fridge ALL THE TIME.
Honestly, most of us only sail in the spring through the fall. Most of us need refrigeration a lot more then a bad stove. Its also a lot cheaper to buy a small fridge & place it at the oven opening, then convert the poorly insulated icebox to run a cold plate setup. If you have 1k plus the get a cold plate 12 volt setup. If you're like the rest of us & on a budget, buy a cheap fridge for 2 hundred & enjoy the convenience of a fridge. Ps. The fridge will stay cool for about half a day without shore power. For longer trips, the old standby block of ice in the box does keep cold longer. We also use a stern grill for cooking on the hook, that also keeps the heat, grease & propane smell out of the cabin on those hot summer nights. Cheers.

Lost Parent · May 18, 2013

Piratenorm said:
Can you send me a picture of the arrangement, fridge and stove? This is what I'm actually thinking of doing. Thanks.

Sorry for the delay was out of town

jrowan · May 20, 2013

Lost Parent said:
Sorry for the delay was out of town

That stove looks like an excellent, tight fit. Bet it doesn't move around at all wedged in like that. Was it from your R.V. dealer source?

Lost Parent · May 20, 2013

Stove fit exactly where oven came out of fridge is a little narrower but we slide pan screen etc down the one side and it is deapeer than the hole but comes out to the front of the stove

Lost Parent · May 20, 2013

Stove was a takeout from a new trailer most rv dealers have them kicking around

Ice Box vs Fridge

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