RussMT wrote:Generally, the bag of ice is still frozen after 2 days.
Hmmm .... you see it's things like this that makes me wonder why I'm bothering with a fridge
And the best way to conserve energy is to "keep the lid closed!".... or get-in-and-out as fast as you can!
Sometimes we like ice in our drinks. The ice doesn't melt (as it would without the fridge) into a sloppy mess.
Our ice is usually a ziplock back filled with ice from the fridge at home.
RussMT wrote:Generally, the bag of ice is still frozen after 2 days.
Hmmm .... you see it's things like this that makes me wonder why I'm bothering with a fridge
And the best way to conserve energy is to "keep the lid closed!".... or get-in-and-out as fast as you can!
Sometimes we like ice in our drinks. The ice doesn't melt (as it would without the fridge) into a sloppy mess.
Our ice is usually a ziplock back filled with ice from the fridge at home.
--Russ
The ice takes some of the load off the refrigeration system so it can stay cold with less run time, which in turn preserves battery power. If electric power isn't an issue (plenty of solar, for instance), then there's no benefit to adding ice unless, as Russ points out, you want ice. Or do as I do, and just use ice on a trip, with my thermoelectric used 'round the clock but only on shore power.
My cold plate system had a vertical ice tray, but I never used it.
Highlander wrote:makes a bucket of ice every 6 mins
J
So you can put your melted ice water back in and make more ice , as needed.
Yes u can if u want or No need too as any un used ice just melts back into the reservoir & starts makin more ice as needed u could also add some vodka to the water & then have some nice ice cubes with ur orange juice in the morn & ur spicy clamato juice in the aft
for water sterilization & medicinal purposes only of coarse
Has anyone used an inverter and a dorm fridge? or small chest freezer?
You will get the loses of the inverter, do you come out ahead.
wish there was a 500$ or less compressor solution. Right now I have a colemen cooler.. and it COOLS only , . doesn't get cold though. I think I might do some tests with water cooling the hotside of the plate, and more insulation, at the end of the day, seems a lot like pushing a rope. It has no on/off function , . so at night you either let it run ALL night, and it does run... or you turn it off, an dhope for the best. If I were to add a temp sensor that might help, but the TEC pads cool slowly , so really you need it to run a lot anyway.
keep looking for a used engel, . and can't find a cost effective one.. there is one on kijiji here, but 1000$!
kevinnem wrote:
wish there was a 500$ or less compressor solution.
Just before christmas one of our local Autostore (they seem to sell almost everything these days) had a 40 liter compressor fridge for $499, I tried to ring the Admiral to get agreement to spend the Boat$$$ but alas I couldn't get hold of her.
So yes they do come up every so often for under $500 and I have noted a few more companies entering the market so this should drive the prices down, just seems a bit ridiculous than a small fridge costs as much if not more than the one in your house.
kevinnem wrote:Has anyone used an inverter and a dorm fridge? or small chest freezer?
You will get the loses of the inverter, do you come out ahead........
People have gone that route and it possibly could work if you could leave it plugged in at the marina (if your boat stays in the water) and just day sail. They are terribly inefficient (lacking in insulation), every time you open the door you lose a lot of cold air, and as you mentioned the inverter is a further large waste of electricity. I think you would still end up with a lot in it and it would prove to be a waste. Google should find you threads on using one in a boat.
kevinnem wrote:.....wish there was a 500$ or less compressor solution...
EdgeStar 43 quart $459 in the states at a number of places...
well, I have a waeco cf35 kompressor since 2011. Youll get it here in EU normal online for around 500.--
So for this price I would never do some handwork solution. Works great for me, really. And even with my two 50w solar panels I run it without any problem. As I have only 1 battery the waeco runs just if the power is higher than 12.5V, says if the current comes from solar. Cannot remember it was not cold enough...
And since I run it over a GSM switch... I switch the coller on at home with an SMS, and when I arrive 1 hour later... ... beer alreay is COLD
kurz wrote:And since I run it over a GSM switch... I switch the coller on at home with an SMS, and when I arrive 1 hour later... ... beer alreay is COLD
u could also add some vodka to the water & then have some nice ice cubes with ur orange juice in the morn & ur spicy clamato juice in the aft 
