REFRIG

[chet pruszynski]

My 1979 cutter has a standard A/B refrig system but i am wondering what the fiberglass box is inside the stbd lazzeret above the icebox? was that and access to the icebox from the cockpit (for a cold beer)... PO has the refrig coils in there with sprayed in foam????? I am adding 1 1/2" additional insulation to the bottom of the box and sealing the drain as i guess there must be a leak as there is water on the galley floor. seems the top of the box has no insulation so i will add more there also. has anyone sprayed some of the can 3X expanding foam on the outside to increase insulation properties? I am also considering adding a small (1 1/2" x 1 1/2" muffin fan inside the icebox to circulate the air better, where do i connect it to (the thermostat i assume) i will be using a small radio shack fan for this. any help would be appreciated thanks chet p

 

[Gene Gruender]

thoughts

The place you ask about used to be an opening from the cockpit. The entire top of the box is just plywood.I wouldn't add the fan. I believe it would just cause the air to leak out any tiny hole or crack, resulting in a loss instead of a gain.Your cockpit floor water may be coming from the box, or it may be coming from the muffler, or any other source from that side of the engine compartment.

 

[chet pruszynski]

GENE

the fan i talk of is just a mini fan that i would hope move around some of the cold air inside the box. nothing that would cause any great air movement nor push air in or out of the box...You redid your entire icebox, how did the counter top come off or did you do it thru the lazzeret in the cockpit. the water only shows up when i run the refrig, no engine running or any other possible source of water. my guess is the condinsate that melts and runs down the drain either is leaking due to a bad hose,(sealed the drain today and added 1 1/2 insulation to the bottom of the box)or just sweating on the copper lines dripping down(hot and humid here in fl). we will see soon ....did you try to insulate the box from the outside ? I am thinking of spraying foam on all sides of the box. the area you mention, is that above the main box,seems to me that is where you mounted a mirowave and some electrical outlets. can i cut it out and reinsulate it lower with ridgid foam, what about adding insulation unside the top under the plywood and insulating the lift out top(it has none)....my gut feeling is to go at the thing with a sazall and cut the whole thing out and build a new one out of 4"-6" ridgid foam with a glass interior and let it be done. i have followed you pages and that is one of the reasons i now have a 37...like what you have done...moved to the mountians yet? chet