What makes a 12v fridge twice the price?

[MoominPapa]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

On many yachts, the working part of the fridge (compressor etc) is remote to the insulated cabinet.

They are oft retro-fitted using an 'old cupboard' which is insulated and the 'gubbins' put in the bilge or another cupboard etc.

 

Just a couple of examples after a quick google :

 

https://www.marinesuperstore.com/refrigeration/cooling-kits/isotherm-ge80-fridge-kit?

 

https://www.marinesuperstore.com/refrigeration/cooling-kits

 

https://penguinfrigo.co.uk/2017/03/special-offer-air-cooled-fridge-kits/

 

Sprayfoam a 'tin box' (or use an old fridge cabinet) and Robert's your Mothers Brother - you have a 12v fridge for almost 50% of the price of a 'store bought' fridge

 

Maybe NB builders could learn from the yachties ?

These are normally (sea) water cooled. On canals they'd suffer from mud and debris in the heat exhanger and the fact that the temperature of canal water in summer is normally much higher than sea water in summer. I guess you could rig up a skin tank arrangement to address the first point.

 

MP.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, MoominPapa said:

These are normally (sea) water cooled. On canals they'd suffer from mud and debris in the heat exhanger and the fact that the temperature of canal water in summer is normally much higher than sea water in summer. I guess you could rig up a skin tank arrangement to address the first point.

 

MP.

The one we have on the Cat has no 'water connections' it is simply 'air-cooled' as per a normal fridge.

[MoominPapa]

8 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The one we have on the Cat has no 'water connections' it is simply 'air-cooled' as per a normal fridge.

Everyday is a school day! The one I watched being fitted had very clever self-sealing connectors in the refrigerant circuit. It came pre-charged, and the installer just plugged the connections together. No need for a vacuum system or charging after fitting. It did occur to me that they'd work well on a NB. Very economical on power too, I suspect mainly because the cooled compartment tends to be built with a large thickness of insulation and. crucially, with access through the top like a chest freezer, so the cold air doesn't fall out every time the fridge is accessed.

 

MP.