Boat with a dedicated 12v freezer

[bramley]

Hi All

 

I have just bought another boat... I now own two but the one i bought in the summer is to go. we just found our dream boat basicly and some investment but sod it i only live once. A lovely Tyler wilson 67ft josher with milburn install 

 

It has a dedicated 12V freezer and a standard 12v fridge. 

 

Does anybody have any experience we only really used the freezer for the odd thing, chips, few ice creams. Just wondered if its better to start again and get a FF 12V? 

 

cheers

Ross 

[WotEver]

Not really sure what you’re asking. You currently have a fridge and a freezer and you’re considering changing them for a fridge freezer? Why?

[bramley]

sorry it has a 12v fridge (no freezer) and a 12v freezer which i dont think we would use that much i.e a small compartment in a fridge freezer was fine in the summer

 

so any experience on power demand, are they quite efficient.  I did search but it seems not many have them  

[Alan de Enfield]

51 minutes ago, bramley said:

so any experience on power demand, are they quite efficient.  I did search but it seems not many have them  

It depends on the brand and model.

 

We have a small dedicated freezer keeps a weeks supply of frozen stuff, chips, burgers, ice cream, garlic bread, Pizza etc. 

You'll find that taking stuff out of its packaging takes up far less space. I eat a lot of Aldi Chicken Breast in batter, each box contains 4 pieces with more than 50% empty box. Break them down into 2's in a zip-loc bag and you get 10 in the space of 1 box.

 

Well worth the 30-40Ah per day.

 

If you are not moving than maybe it will be a problem but we cruise most every day so it is virtually 'run for free'.

[WotEver]

9 hours ago, bramley said:

sorry it has a 12v fridge (no freezer) and a 12v freezer which i dont think we would use that much i.e a small compartment in a fridge freezer was fine in the summer

 

so any experience on power demand, are they quite efficient.  I did search but it seems not many have them  

So are you asking if a fridge freezer would use less power than a separate fridge and freezer? Yes, probably, all other things being equal, as you only have one compressor. But it very much depends on the appliance; some are more efficient than others. 

[OldGoat]

As with so many things on boats "it all depends"....

Popular terminology doesn't help either - frinstance, peeps refer to the caompartment around the 'ice box' as a freezer. It isn't at best it's a conservator. OK - it will make ice and keep a bag of chips frozen, but that's it.

Since most folks want counter height units, you're not going to get any useful freezer space - and not terribly useful fridge capacity either....

As 'we' like to cruise and not shop, I have a 3/4 (?) height fridge with a separate freezer compartment. This holds a lot of ice and frozen w.h.y - bur it's a bit unsightly, thus I guess ins not popular amingst boaters.

Whether or not it consumes more power than separate I know not, the government rating system is completely useless for that sort of measurement (especially as there are no standards for 12/24v units).

 

Discuss?

 

[WotEver]

11 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

Discuss?

What’s w.h.y ?

[Alan de Enfield]

6 minutes ago, WotEver said:

What’s w.h.y ?

I know that one (I'm now a thoroughly modern man - ask @Tumshie)

 

What

Have

You

 

 

Edited January 14, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[WotEver]

9 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I know that one (I'm now a thoroughly modern man - ask @Tumshie)

 

What

Have

You

 

 

Ohhhh... like ‘peas’

[OldGoat]

29 minutes ago, WotEver said:

What’s w.h.y ?

I suppose a more modern rejoinder / addition would be -

"whatever" - but I find that somewhat dismissive

[WotEver]

10 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

I suppose a more modern rejoinder / addition would be -

"whatever" - but I find that somewhat dismissive

Or “peas etc”

 

[TheBiscuits]

45 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I'm now a thoroughly modern man

The very model of a modern Major General?

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

The very model of a modern Major General?

I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral.

[David Mack]

34 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral.

And all three in your freezer?

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, David Mack said:

And all three in your freezer?

2 out if three isn't bad

 

Vegetable = Chips

Animal = Ex-animal portioned and wrapped.

[CompairHolman]

Massive power drain running two units.

 

Change your lifestyle to suit a boat and don't expect to live like a house with unlimited mains power is our way of thinking.

 

We use a ( non powered ) cool box situated in the coldest part if the boat and shop once a week, the frozen stuff chills the non frozen stuff and gets us through the week, we eat the most perishable foods first , and our shopping list is designed around the foods we like but in order of perishability. If we needed to we could buy a bag of ice to put in there as well, were OK without it at this time of year though. 

 

Possibly building a larder with vacuum panel insulation would be a next step if I ever get the time to build one.  

 

 

 

 

[MtB]

12 minutes ago, CompairHolman said:

Massive power drain running two units.

 

Change your lifestyle to suit a boat and don't expect to live like a house with unlimited mains power is our way of thinking.

 

We use a ( non powered ) cool box situated in the coldest part if the boat and shop once a week, the frozen stuff chills the non frozen stuff and gets us through the week, we eat the most perishable foods first , and our shopping list is designed around the foods we like but in order of perishability. If we needed to we could buy a bag of ice to put in there as well, were OK without it at this time of year though. 

 

Possibly building a larder with vacuum panel insulation would be a next step if I ever get the time to build one.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or just get enough solar panels.

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

6 minutes ago, CompairHolman said:

Change your lifestyle to suit a boat and don't expect to live like a house with unlimited mains power is our way of thinking.

Agreed - a boat does not have the same unlimited mains power, but neither does boating need to be 'camping'

 

Our 'lifestyle' of cruising for most days means that out 1200AH battery bank keeps well charged from the 2x 70a alternators and the solar. 

We have and use when cruising both a fridge and a freezer & the microwave., + all the usual 12v (TV pumps, lights etc).

When in the Marina we also use the electric kettle, immersion heater, toaster, air-fryer (got rid of the deep-fat fryer) but these are stored-away when cruising.

[mrsmelly]

I have a mains freezer and a mains fridge. Easily run off 4 leisure batteries when off shore power. I used to have 12 volt units and the mains are better in dimensions and similar in running costs.