My little piece of peace

[boat fan]

Really interested in the fridge.....

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&so...P1uFch_Scb4GXQ

http://www.myboatsgear.com/newsletter/200915f.asp

[Spiv]

After much pondering I have decided to go, once again with 4 strokes outboards.
The benefits (at present) far outweight the electric motors.

I know of one guy that has spent close to AU100,000 for a Glacier Bay electric system for his 50' cat and he is having tons of electric and electronic trouble.

It is true what has been said above that you can find petrol in most remote places, natives all use outboards and scooters, all I need to do is be prepared to carry the fuel aboard as petrol pumpe on the jetty are nearly impossible to find. To do that I will build a dinghy that is a sort of big tank and will carry (slowly) a couple of hundred liters of fuel and will have its own built electric transfer pump. I borrowed a similar setup from a fisherman in Dampier and it worked perfectly.

Other advantages I see are:

1. you can have the prop above the minikeels, so you can reverse off the beach or a reef without hitting thr prop.
2. pull them up when underway, no drag
3. no electrolisis as they are mostly out of the water.
4. reliability: gone are the days of non starting outboards.
5. Yamahas makes excellent high trust XL in 9.9, 25 and 60HP. (don't touch anything else)
6. Hi trust reversing with the above engines.
7. Very little noise ( I had to look at the rev counter to know if they were idling or off)

Once electric technology improves, I will remove and sell the power head and replace the gearbox with a suitable electric motor, so I will keep the power trim/tilt and steering ability + have my electric propulsion.

Lastly, I know I said that before, but on a 39' I would put twin 25HP.
A sailing boat only "needs" engines when she really needs them, when you are going into a harbour against strong winds or through a pass against the wind and tide.
Differently from diesels, outboards are much more economical to run at 1/2 to 3/4 trottle than at full speed and you have the reserve trust for when you "need" it.

[Fanie]

Hi Stefano,

Any remote chance of some pictures of your boat ?

I'm also very ineterested to see how your sails is going to turn out.

[masalai]

Stefano, - - - post Fanies request here if you like...

boat fan, - - - Fridges are from "Hardley Normal" and standard domestic freezers but 5 star rated efficiency - around Au$450 each and with an external controller on one to make it operate at "refrigeration" temperatures...and at 170+ litres each, BANG for BUCK cannot be beaten... Marinised ones that size would need 4 x "waeco's" at AU$1200 PLUS each ????? - no contest...

So here is the root of my conundrum, I have justified an electric galley on the basis that I will have the battery capacity to meet the needs of the Torqeedo's - - and electric outboards because I need the battery capacity for my comfortable live aboard and independent lifestyle - - - If the rest of the world goes mad and prices for finite commodities like oils go through the roof, - - (for more reasons than just "peak oil" and "economic systems collapse"), - - I will still have mobility and all my comforts... Therefore I will sit on the metaphorical fence and be able to go either way until very close to launch date in April 2010.... It is almost 50:50 at the moment... Several things will influence me and they are all a mix of "up-front-cost", "weight reduction", "delivered performance" & "resource independence" related...

The Yamaha 25 hi torque are the outboard option at present... but even a pair of 15hp hi torque 4 strokes would be quite adequate...

[Fanie]

Sorry Mas, I didn'y mean here... but thanks.

[masalai]

But I DID

Mas,
>>>standard domestic freezers but 5 star rated efficiency<<<
make sure they have a proper ventilation! Optimal is a duct directly outside. You otherwise heat up the room and the compressors run 24/7.

Regards
Richard

[sabahcat]

Have you had a look at these guys?

http://www.solazone.com.au/fridges.htm

They are in your area


I looked at household 240 volt refrigeration but kept getting told by the "experts" that the lack of insulation would let me down horribly

[boat fan]

Originally Posted by apex1

Mas,
>>>standard domestic freezers but 5 star rated efficiency<<<
make sure they have a proper ventilation! Optimal is a duct directly outside. You otherwise heat up the room and the compressors run 24/7.

Regards
Richard

Could be difficult , fan driven venting ?

Originally Posted by boat fan

Could be difficult , fan driven venting ?

No, just sufficient airflow behind the fridge! And optimal directly outside. Thermal flow is enough!

Richard

Originally Posted by sabahcat

I looked at household 240 volt refrigeration but kept getting told by the "experts" that the lack of insulation would let me down horribly

Of course a selfmade box with a modular system can be the better choice, but the doors are a problem. It is pretty difficult to make them yourself, and when you buy them you could as well buy a whole fridge (for less).

Richard

[Spiv]

Originally Posted by apex1

No, just sufficient airflow behind the fridge! And optimal directly outside. Thermal flow is enough!

Of course a selfmade box with a modular system can be the better choice, but the doors are a problem. It is pretty difficult to make them yourself, and when you buy them you could as well buy a whole fridge (for less).
Richard

I had two 240v 125lt house fridges run by inverter and 1 250lt 12v ice box run by 12v Danfoss type unit.
Due to the poor efficcency of the inverter + the poor insulation + the heating of the fridge recess, the 240v fridges were VERY inefficient and drain my battery banks quickly, even with 480W solar panels at work.
The ice box had 100mm insulation throughout and a thermostat with 7 settings, anithing over 5 started to freeze, so I kept it mostly at 4.
It used only 80W when running and it would only run intermittently as it needed.

I looked at converting the 240 to 12V and was asked about $600 ea, but the insulation on those fridges is really ****.
Richard is right, making the door for an upright fridge is the difficult part.
Converting 240v fridges to 12v without improving on the insulation would also prove to be energy hungry.

[boat fan]

I looked at converting the 240 to 12V and was asked about $600 ea, but the insulation on those fridges is really ****.
Richard is right, making the door for an upright fridge is the difficult part.
Converting 240v fridges to 12v without improving on the insulation would also prove to be energy hungry.

__________________

Would it not be worth the inconvenience and trouble to make them top loading with extra thick insulation to save all that lost energy?

I know that top loaders would be hard to load to get access , and the ergonomics aren`t what we are used to ,less convenient to use , but it seems to me that you would not spill all that cold air to the floor every time you opened it , at least ?

[masalai]

I am content with the efficiency of these as one will be a converted freezer and at a price of AU$450 is almost at the "disposable" level when compared to the prices for "Marine" ones.... If worst comes to worst, keep the door, individual drawers and build one into the space (still have the same internal volume and 100mm plus for insulated fixed walls), as there is adequate ventilation... They are on the bridge deck....

I am aware of two others who are using modified domestic FREEZERS as refrigerators on boats with no adverse drain on batteries.... I am NOT using a domestic FRIDGE, but a freezer with a 5 out of 5 star rating (most energy efficient) and it uses sliding drawers (not nickers or long-johns)... and adding an electric gizmo between the external power point and the power-plug from/for the freezer to reconfigure and control its operation for even better efficiency as a fridge... Nothing new and it worked OK for me whilst I was on a sheep station where the afternoon temperature in the shade often got to around 55 degrees Celsius (131 Fahrenheit)

Thanks all for sharing your concern and experiences.... If they fail, I will advise of same and you are all welcome to chime in and remind me, - - with - - "I told you so" hehehe

[sabahcat]

Originally Posted by apex1

Of course a selfmade box with a modular system can be the better choice, but the doors are a problem. It is pretty difficult to make them yourself, and when you buy them you could as well buy a whole fridge (for less).

Richard

I had wondered what putting 100mm of blue foam on the outer would do and then glue a nice face to the foam.

[Boston]

any sheet metal shop can make you any size door case you want
add your own insulation and magnetic seal and you have a fridge door