Possible fridge/freezer to suite a boat

[Ex- Member]

My sister has just bought a new small property and needs a fridge freezer, so we've been searching on the net.

 

Came across this one which might be useful for boaters. we have a superb Bosch fridge (with no freezer option) which is very energy efficient @ 117kwh this under counter fridge freezer is just 170kwh. for best of both worlds, only a smallish freezer but perfect for the essentials, and the smaller fridge compartment should suffice for 2 persons at least.

 

 

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/household-appliances/refrigeration/fridges/essentials-cuc50w12-undercounter-fridge-freezer-white-12265412-pdt.html?gclid=COzOzdOIzrsCFYbHtAod2QkAoQ&srcid=198&cmpid=ppc~gg~~~Exact&mctag=gg_goog_7904&s_kwcid=AL!3391!3!30417900804!!!g!64556522604!&ef_id=UqBdvwAAAMYDDGbP:20131226141033:s

[bastion]

Looks the same as the Shoreline model I have but 12volt version. Is a good size freezer.

[smileypete]

Looks good, more freezer space than the normal fridge, though I'd also consider this:

 

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/household-appliances/refrigeration/fridges/beko-ur584apw-undercounter-fridge-white-12498821-pdt.html

 

Bit wider and deeper, and freezer bit is a lot smaller, but far more fridge space, quieter, and very likely better spares availability.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[Guest]

Genuine question -

 

Why would a 240V mains fridge be considered suitable for a boat?. Unless you were permanently on shore power they would be a PITA surely?

 

OK 12V stuff is normally more expensive, is that the main reason why any would go for 240V?, and if you need to buy a big array of solar panels to run it why not just pay more for a fridge better suited to boating.

 

What am I missing?

[ditchcrawler]

IMO a mains fridge uses very little more power than a 12 volt version. If you want 240 volts for other uses then you need an inverter anyway. Good inverters like Mastervolt and Victron are quite efficient in converting the power and use little while on standby, some can also be set up to go to sleep when not required, so while the fridge is not running there is no 240 volts and very little battery drain. mains fridges are about £400 cheaper.

[Ex- Member]

IMO a mains fridge uses very little more power than a 12 volt version. If you want 240 volts for other uses then you need an inverter anyway. Good inverters like Mastervolt and Victron are quite efficient in converting the power and use little while on standby, some can also be set up to go to sleep when not required, so while the fridge is not running there is no 240 volts and very little battery drain. mains fridges are about £400 cheaper.

 

Agreed, our mains fridge is just 117kwh per year, even Gibbo agreed there's little in it. The other bonus is you're not stuck with a 12v fridge with the usual boring design which you;ve paid over 3 times the price than a quality 240 fridge. We have a Bosch fridge, the clever design means accessing it is very easy as it brings the food to you rather than having to bend down fumbling for it, much easier to clean also.

 

http://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/Bosch_Logixx_Easy_Access_Undercounter_Fridge_KTR18P20GB/version.asp

 

Some might want to live on 12v but why suffer such a limitation when 240v energy can be obtained so easily and cheaply, solar panels are cheap and in our case with 740w available, we over produce energy anyway for 8 months of the year, so might even indulge in an air conditioner to utilise the excess and cool the boat on which would be hot summer days.

 

We of course have all the other benefits of having a 3kw Inverter like all the other 240 equipment we can use, even a washing machine. Even through the winter, we had very minimal engine running to maintain supply, I think just 51 hours total now from 01 Nov and small generator running for 2 hours a day, The cost on average is abut £2.00 per day to maintain a 240 volt supply through winter as well. Bearing in mind it's free the other 8 months of the year, that's pretty cheap leccy for a boat off grid. Of course we have a 12v system always available should the 240 system fail in any way, so lights tv and lap tops will all work on 12v also.

 

I wouldn't choose to subsist on 12v in a house, so why would we when living on a boat. Bit of a no brainer really IOO

[Guest]

Clearly something to think about if ours ever goes belly up then.

 

Thanks.

[ditchcrawler]

Clearly something to think about if ours ever goes belly up then.

 

Thanks.

Martin I did run some not very scientific tests on ours. I would like to see similar on the 12 volt ones to give a real comparison. A long time ago I think waterways World ran two fridges side by side but both 12 volt and mains have moved on since then.

[sueb]

Gas fridges are lovely on a boat. No electric probs at all

[ditchcrawler]

Gas fridges are lovely on a boat. No electric probs at all

I dont have gas