Buying a New 3 way Fridge/Freezer

[Jacobyte]

Wanting to have installed a new 3 way fridge/freezer into my cruiser and run it off gas, need some help/advice on the best options out there at reasonable prices, will be having installed professionally.

 

Many Thanks

 

Mike.

[Chewbacka]

Have you found one that complies with the regulations running one gas suitable for boats??

[Jacobyte]

Have you found one that complies with the regulations running one gas suitable for boats??

No, we just started looking and hoped maybe get some info on here on what to look at.

[WotEver]

I don't believe there are any.

[DandV]

3 way fridges are a total compromise. If you have only access to gas they are the only way to go. They use a tremendous about of heat to give a little refrigeration. On a boat both the excess heat and combusted gas must be exhausted. Both considerable problems. If using electric

then the same considerable amount of heat is still required. Huge demand on batteries. Even worse if passed through an inverter to mains voltage with conversion inefficiencies.

Don't go there.

Don

[alan_fincher]

They use a tremendous about of heat to give a little refrigeration.

 

Here we go again!

 

This simply isn't true.

 

The flame is not massively bigger than a pilot light on an instantaneous water heater.

 

They consume typically only about 250 grams of gas per day, so will run for something like 42 days on a 13Kg cylinder, if it were serving nothing else.

 

They can easily chill to standard fridge temperatures, even on the hottest days, and can have a freezer compartment that genuinely keeps things frozen. (We do have to watch it doesn't get too cold sometimes though!).

 

What is true is that you would never sensibly run them on electric (12V or 240V) unless either actually boating and charging, or connected to a land line. However when on a mooring and 240V connected they will do a perfectly good job, despite the inefficiency versus a compressor fridge. If you are on a mooring like us where fees include electric use, there is no incremental cost running on 240V, and you are not using gas.

 

Oh, and they are completely silent, so don't buzz away and keep you awake at night.

 

It would take a lot to make us go electric.

[NB Alnwick]

Here we go again!

 

This simply isn't true.

 

The flame is not massively bigger than a pilot light on an instantaneous water heater.

 

They consume typically only about 250 grams of gas per day, so will run for something like 42 days on a 13Kg cylinder, if it were serving nothing else.

 

They can easily chill to standard fridge temperatures, even on the hottest days, and can have a freezer compartment that genuinely keeps things frozen. (We do have to watch it doesn't get too cold sometimes though!).

 

What is true is that you would never sensibly run them on electric (12V or 240V) unless either actually boating and charging, or connected to a land line. However when on a mooring and 240V connected they will do a perfectly good job, despite the inefficiency versus a compressor fridge. If you are on a mooring like us where fees include electric use, there is no incremental cost running on 240V, and you are not using gas.

Oh, and they are completely silent, so don't buzz away and keep you awake at night.

It would take a lot to make us go electric.

We entirely agree with Alan and we have used our three way fridge throughout the 12 years that we have been living aboard. Our's uses very little gas and the only time we use electricity is when the main engine is running or when connected to a 'free' mains supply.

 

We have had problems - mainly because on the one occasion when the burner failed we had to remove it from the boat because we could not find a Gas Safe certified refrigeration engineer who was licensed to work on boats - the one that we found (now retired) was willing to repair the fridge if it was stood on dry land. Another issue is that the manufacturer no longer supplies the 'room sealed' kit with new appliances and does not guarantee the products for marine use. Fortunately, the necessary parts are still available from spare parts suppliers so it is still possible to install a new three way fridge on a narrow boat.

[Stewart Kirby]

I don't believe there are any.

Well there is this one at Midland Chandlers :-

http://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/product/n90.aspx

 

it says it uses almost half the gas that Alan's fridge uses.

Edited January 28, 2017 by Stewart Kirby

[NB Alnwick]

Well there is this one at Midland Chandlers :-

http://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/product/n90.aspx

 

it says it uses almost half the gas that Alan's fridge uses.

 

I am clearly behind the times - when I contacted Dometic a few years ago they said that they no longer supply three way fridges for marine use because the "boat safety community didn't approve of them" - this appears to have changed but I am not sure how you might provide the floor level ventilation that the installation instructions call for. Last time I heard of someone drilling holes in the floor of their boat, it sank!

 

The latest models are certainly very efficient - also we have found that using the fridge all the time all the year round - usually packed quite tightly with a range of foodstuffs, ours is also very much more economical than the figures that Alan has quoted.

[alan_fincher]

Yes, I was only quoting manufacturer's stated condition figures, and that is probably worst case. In practice we are normally able to run at quite low settings, and I suspect do considerably better. However as we use gas for water heating, all cooking, and refrigeration I have no way of measuring how our use is split.

 

I was more trying to counteract the suggestion it is wastefully expensive. The people who claim electrical fridges re better often spend hours engine or generator running to the charge batteries, and could often halve their electricity requirements if they didn't have an electric fridge.

[mross]

Food Standards Agency recommends refrigerators to be kept at 5 deg C and freezers at -18 deg C. The Dometic can only cool to 7 deg C and -12 deg c. So only keep food in it for the minimum time.

[mross]

There are some gas fridges on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/gas-camping-fridge

 

and one on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dometic-CombiCool-RF60-Fridge-Specifications/dp/B007HLYAWE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1485614081&sr=8-4&keywords=gas+fridge

 

What size are you looking for, 60 litres?

Edited January 28, 2017 by mross

[system 4-50]

There are also 2 way fridges available that are 240V and LPG for what its worth.

[ditchcrawler]

The OP said on their cruiser, if this is petrol it throws up other problems I believe.

[blackrose]

 

Here we go again!

 

This simply isn't true.

 

The flame is not massively bigger than a pilot light on an instantaneous water heater.

 

They consume typically only about 250 grams of gas per day, so will run for something like 42 days on a 13Kg cylinder, if it were serving nothing else.

 

They can easily chill to standard fridge temperatures, even on the hottest days, and can have a freezer compartment that genuinely keeps things frozen. (We do have to watch it doesn't get too cold sometimes though!).

 

What is true is that you would never sensibly run them on electric (12V or 240V) unless either actually boating and charging, or connected to a land line. However when on a mooring and 240V connected they will do a perfectly good job, despite the inefficiency versus a compressor fridge. If you are on a mooring like us where fees include electric use, there is no incremental cost running on 240V, and you are not using gas.

 

Oh, and they are completely silent, so don't buzz away and keep you awake at night.

 

It would take a lot to make us go electric.

 

+1

 

I either use my Dometic 5310 from shore power or gas and it's a great little fridge. I wouldn't normally bother using it on 12v at all.

[Alan de Enfield]

 

The OP said on their cruiser, if this is petrol it throws up other problems I believe.

 

Indeed - my understanding is that non-room sealed LPG fridges are not allowed on petrol engine boat that are subject to the BSS.

 

They are of course perfectly safe on petrol engined Sea-going boats, but the additional hazards of the canals make them unsafe.

 

 

Non-compliant LPG fridges on petrol engine boats

Non room-sealed dual (electric/LPG) fuelled refrigerators installed in boats with petrol propulsion engines may not be provided with any LPG supply pipework unless the burner, combustion air and exhaust arrangements comply with the BSS requirements.

 

In the event that a non-compliant LPG dual-fuel refrigerator is retained by the owner for use solely with electric or as storage, examinations may only be completed when any fridge LPG supply pipework and/or hose is removed at least to the branch 'T' joint with the supply line. The T-joint should ideally be replaced with an in-line or elbow joint or the pipe replaced with a continuous length. The use of a stop-end to a short length of supported spur pipe is acceptable.

Edited January 28, 2017 by Alan de Enfield

[cuthound]

I am not sure how you might provide the floor level ventilation that the installation instructions call for. Last time I heard of someone drilling holes in the floor of their boat, it sank!

You could mount it on a low plinth, which was either vented to the bilge or the cabin space.

[NB Alnwick]

Our three way fridge is room sealed using the original equipment supplied by Dometic. If you are looking to buy something second-hand, parts are still available from Leisureshop Direct. I have no contact with this firm other than as a satisfied customer.

[David Mack]

 

I am clearly behind the times - when I contacted Dometic a few years ago they said that they no longer supply three way fridges for marine use because the "boat safety community didn't approve of them" - this appears to have changed

Nope. The installation instructions state it is designed for installation in caravans or motorhomes. Later they state that combustion air must not be drawn from living space and exhaust fumes must not directly enter living space.

[WotEver]

Well there is this one at Midland Chandlers :-

http://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/product/n90.aspx

As it isn't approved for marine use would a professional install it?

[NB Alnwick]

As it isn't approved for marine use would a professional install it?

 

It might be worth asking Midland Chandlers . . . .

[Ray T]

Graham, lovely to see you posting again.

[cereal tiller]

 

Here we go again!

 

This simply isn't true.

 

The flame is not massively bigger than a pilot light on an instantaneous water heater.

 

They consume typically only about 250 grams of gas per day, so will run for something like 42 days on a 13Kg cylinder, if it were serving nothing else.

 

They can easily chill to standard fridge temperatures, even on the hottest days, and can have a freezer compartment that genuinely keeps things frozen. (We do have to watch it doesn't get too cold sometimes though!).

 

What is true is that you would never sensibly run them on electric (12V or 240V) unless either actually boating and charging, or connected to a land line. However when on a mooring and 240V connected they will do a perfectly good job, despite the inefficiency versus a compressor fridge. If you are on a mooring like us where fees include electric use, there is no incremental cost running on 240V, and you are not using gas.

 

Oh, and they are completely silent, so don't buzz away and keep you awake at night.

 

It would take a lot to make us go electric.

Used Gas Fridges on all the Thames Hire fleets during the 60's 70,s and eighties.

 

Cannot recall any disasters or incidents with any of them

 

Still have one on current Boat

 

The original reason they were described as unsuitable for Boats was their need to be kept fairly level

 

They are better off without an external Vent so that they are unaffected by Draughts,a simple Heat shield does the Job

 

CT

[mross]

It's approved for 'automotive' use. Please could you quote anywhere that says you can't install it on a boat if it is room sealed? does it actually fall foul of the BSS or RCD?. I'm genuinely curious, not being snarky

Edited January 28, 2017 by mross

[Chewbacka]

It's approved for 'automotive' use. Please could you quote anywhere that says you can't install it on a boat if it is room sealed? does it actually fall foul of the BSS or RCD?. I'm genuinely curious, not being snarky

My understanding is if the manufacturer does not state as being suitable for boats, or even 'worse' if they say 'not suitable for boats' then a 'Gas safe' engineer may then feel they can not install it.