Thinking of turning fridge off for winter .....

[HappyBunny]

Had a little furtle through the forum, and no doubt there is a thread somewhere ..... but

 

Shorter days, less solar, more lights on, not cruising as far etc etc .... so I'm thinking of turning my rather gutsy old 12v fridge off for the winter .... only really use it for milk, cheese and veg. Thinking about some sort of external, rodent proof cool storage, ideally free/recycled/cheap .... does anyone else switch off and if so, what do you use?

[Ex- Member]

Makes sense, we have a back up plan should power supply be an issue. here was a very recent tthread on this a couple of weeks ago.

[the grinch]

most of the old boatmen kept their stuff under the back counter as its naturally cool there

[matty40s]

First three winters I just used a plastic picnic cold box in the front cratch.

Last winter I cheated and took a mooring for a bit so I could do some work on the exhaust and engine and had leccy.

[Ex- Member]

Thread here, lots of input

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=50963&st=0&p=950776&fromsearch=1entry950776

[GSer]

When i used gas heating ( alde) the gas locker was colder than the fridge, drinks kept there were colder than even the bilges.

 

.

[PaulJ]

Ive always used a cheapo plastic cool box on front deck wintertime.Bit annoying first thing in morning when its been really cold and turns into a freezer though.

[Ange]

We find the kitchen cupboards are cold enough to keep stuff cool - our plates are certainly refrigerated during the winter! We have to remember to put them on top of the stove while we're cooking otherwise our food turns cold before we've had a chance to start eating it.

[Ally]

we've turned ours off now, and the solar panels now keep the batteries around 14, so it is a huge energy saver. We eat slightly differently, but what cold stuff we do keep is in plastic lidded boxes in the engine bay (mid engine) when not running, otherwise in the gas locker.

A good clean out of the fridge and it's now a good storage place for jars and the like.

Edited October 18, 2012 by Ally

[Gibbo]

Plastic cool box designed for picnics. Dirt cheap.

[Black Ibis]

I use an "African" fridge - a couple of terracotta plant pots one inside the other with sand between and a terracotta lid. In hot countries they wet the sand and rely on evaporation but its too cold here so I just use it dry in case of freezing. The thermally massive pots stay cool even if it warms up a bit during the day.

 

using the baseplate is probably better though - I just don't have any good access to it.

[HappyBunny]

thanks for the replies and link to other thread .... which was useful .....

I particularly like the "african fridge" idea and am going to try that ....

I also have a friend who is going to give me a large old wet bag and will try that submerged when moored up

[Ally]

...and build in a 'cellar box' into your floor, they work a treat to keep things cool all year round.

...drat, forgotton how I put pics on here via facebook...when I get some time, I'll post a pic for you of our cellar boxes....work now!

 

 

 

Ah ha, think I've remembered....lets see if this photo works........

 

yes it did! There you go, one cellar box, I'll see if I can find a pic of it 'open'

 

Here's another we did, showing it in use:

 

Edited October 19, 2012 by Ally

[Grace and Favour]

We use a lift up panel in the floor like Ally

 

(Just the right temperature for some beers, white wine, & white spirits (eg gin/vodka) too!)

 

[Naughty Cal]

Turning the fridge off!!

 

Warm bud!!

 

No thanks

 

Fridge on full 24/7 for us. NC is no place for warm Bud or Chicken

[oarfish]

We use lift up flloor panels as well. Didn't run the fridge all summer either.

[Bones]

I keep milk, cheese, veg and beer under the front deck which is cool enough and anything else I just use the fridges in shops... i.e. just buy when I want to use it....

[Ally]

Turning the fridge off!!

 

Warm bud!!

 

No thanks

 

Fridge on full 24/7 for us. NC is no place for warm Bud or Chicken

But then you don't live aboard away from a hook up seven days a week.

[Naughty Cal]

But then you don't live aboard away from a hook up seven days a week.

 

We live onboard for four nights a week and are away from hook up for three of those.

 

Even if we lived onboard full time we would still use the fridge 24/7.

[KevMc]

Had a little furtle through the forum, and no doubt there is a thread somewhere ..... but

 

Shorter days, less solar, more lights on, not cruising as far etc etc .... so I'm thinking of turning my rather gutsy old 12v fridge off for the winter .... only really use it for milk, cheese and veg. Thinking about some sort of external, rodent proof cool storage, ideally free/recycled/cheap .... does anyone else switch off and if so, what do you use?

Don't forget to leave it slightly open - otherwise you might find a nasty fungal growth when you open it in spring

[Ally]

We live onboard for four nights a week and are away from hook up for three of those.

 

Even if we lived onboard full time we would still use the fridge 24/7.

likewise if on hookup, but not out...you'd be forever charging!

[PaddingtonBear]

Any Bud, no thanks

[JerryP]

Fridge's might have to go back on ,according to the weather forecast we're in for an Indian summer next week ?.

[matty40s]

Fridge's might have to go back on ,according to the weather forecast we're in for an Indian summer next week ?.

Only the first half of the week, from Thursday onwards the 1963 blizzards set in according to the Express.

[Doug Scullery]

One of our kitchen cupboards in insulated (2 vertical sides, door and top, the back is obviously insulated anyway) with a hole cut in the floor just the right size to fit an old enameled breadbin which sits directly on the baseplate. Basically the breadbin is our "fridge" for milk/cheese/meat/beer and up against the side of the cupboard we have one of those wire veg racks. Works fantastically in all but the hottest weather, when the beer can be a bit warm and fresh milk is a no no. I'm surprised it's not more common, Phoebe already had it when we bought her but 2 friends have copied the design now (one was fitting his kitchen from scratch, the other modified one of his existing cupboards) who are equally happy with the results.