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12v fridge conversion company

Rhys Williams

By Rhys Williams
in Boat Equipment

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Rhys Williams Gongoozler

Rhys Williams

Posted
Posted

hi all,

i recently was told by an engineer at a marina that there is a company that converts normal fridges to 12v for boaters. does anyone know the name of a company that does this? i tried calling the marina but they won't let me talk to him because he is not a salesman lol. ridiculous but its a long drive to ask one question. any help would be appreciated

many thanks

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  • 1 year later...
vintagescubaman Collaborator

vintagescubaman

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Now that's interesting, I have an old LEC 12 vilt fridge that although works isn't as cold as it used to be (presumeably needs re gassing). I have been thinking about getting a better quality 230 volt fridge and having it converted, as I thinking would be more thermally efficient and use less power, could I use the compressor and control unit from my existing fridge and fit it to a new one?

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pearley Veteran

pearley

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My understanding is that if it needs regassing, it has a leak and will not last unless that is corrected. There is no moving seal/gland

Daniel

Correct, the compressor is a hermetically sealed unit unlike a car which has shaft seals which can leak. Just to be pedantic the correct expression is recharged, not degassed, as the refrigerant is not always in its gaseous state. Edited by pearley
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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

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Correct, the compressor is a hermetically sealed unit unlike a car which has shaft seals which can leak. Just to be pedantic the correct expression is recharged, not degassed, as the refrigerant is not always in its gaseous state.

Careful being pedantic, he said regassed not degassed.

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pearley Veteran

pearley

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An older unit may not be compatible with the newer mandatory refrigerants so using old parts may not be possible. One of our fridge experts will be along to give chapter and verse.

I can only really talk about cars but we converted many older R12 (Freon) vehicles to use the then more ozone friendly refrigerant HFC134A. Some worked well and some were crap. There were a number of so called drop-in replacement refrigerants but all the air con compressor manufacturers advised not to use them.

 

There is a new refrigerant for vehicles called HFO-1234yf which is approved in the US but some manufacturers, most particularly Mercedes, are resisting its usage as they consider it unsafe.

 

CO2 is the refrigerant that is already in use in fridges and may become the refrigerant of choice in cars but brings its own problems. It needs a considerably higher pressure to be efficient and higher pressures brings in more chance of leaks.

 

Just over 10 years ago BOC seriously considered promoting the use of Butane or Propane in cars as a refrigerant. It was said in the case of an accident or leakage into the passenger compartment the worse that could happen if there was an explosion would be the windows blown out and some singed eyebrows!

Edited by pearley
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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

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I suspect the mechanics of fitting it are surprisingly simple.

 

The hard (and expensive) bit is buying the machine required to evacuate the old refrigerant before cutting the pipes and to re-charge it with the correct weight of new refrigerant. Along with knowing just how much new refrigerant to add.

 

 

MtB

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Neil Smith Experienced

Neil Smith

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Just bought a new fridge freezer of ebay for £75 as it was to tall to go under their stairs, I can get a 12v danfoss comp with controller £175 delivered or an equivalent for £ 160. a fridge engineer wants £70 to fit it all in and recharge so all in max £ 320. a big saving on inlander or shoreline.

 

Neil

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pearley Veteran

pearley

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As its a new fridge I think its safe to discharge in the air, if its got a valve fitted for refilling.

 

Neil

No it's not if you are a professional! Look up fGas regulations. But, don't apply to DIY. That's why Halfords can sell DIY top up kits for car air con.
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