MacGregorSailors.com

my location seems to make this not a problem

well, it appears I am working with much colder water than you.....

235 gallons of 59 deg F water, allowing the ballast tank to raise 20 degrees in temp.... and the corresponding comfort level inside

transfer area of 35 sq ft of 1/4" fiberglass.. U value of .04 in contact with the bottom of the boat..... add in the heat from the motor at another 1500 btu's an hour.....tho the chiller is probably not running continuosly over three hours at a time with the cold plate....

3600 btu's an hour or so...... pretty close to the barber adler icemaker rating....

tho I probably would not try this in florida..... it is just about perfect for the northwest....

I have 26 M with a 60 HP ETEC . I have the new Nova Cool 12V Ice chest ! Large freezer small fridge ! Never draws 65 watts if located properly and set for just freezing , keeps ice and chills the fridge part perfectly!I leave with a lot of frozen goods in freezer and put chilled items in fridge department . Ice chests are better than the typical door type which spill all the cold out when opened! I have a 24 series start battery and 27 series house battery , the secret is the Blue Seas ACR (auto cut over relay)with compatable battery switch is KEY , charges all batteries when ever there is a charge source , isolates when there is no source! I never touch the switch , used only if start battery was to fail. Minium solar panel that can be useful is 65 watts , a split 120 watt is better!Marine electronics is my job for over 30 years , retire in couple years ! Next trip Mar de Cortes,,,,,, Be SafE!

Welcome to the Board. I only have 2 - 20W panals and that is not enough to keep up with the fridge. Very nice to have to keep meat and a few other things cold and makes Ice Cream last 1/2 day without freezing everything else.

I may get a 1000W gen for about the same price and can use it to run the A/C. In Fl it does get hot.

My cooler research:

1. I bought a 5 day cooler
Coleman 36 Quart Xtreme® Cooler
and have kept food on the boat all summer with excellent results. I replace a frozen 4 litre water jug every 3 to 5 days and the butter is always too hard.

2. If I was to buy an electric cooler for up here in Canada I would get this one

cause it has a included battery so it can work on its own for 4 hours before needing a recharge ...but up to now the 5 day cooler is perfectly sufficient:
Koolatron 12 Volt Portable Cargo Cooler / Warmer - P6500
http://koolatrononline.stores.yahoo.net ... ooler.html

3. For the Bahamas I'm thinking of getting one of these
Stirling Power Electric Cooler by Coleman
with solar panels cause it seems to be ultra efficient :
http://www.metaefficient.com/coolers/st ... leman.html

Been a lot of discussion in previous threads about the relative merits of thermo-electric coolers vs 12 volt refrigerators. Bottom line is that thermo-electrics are big power consumers, apt to drain a deep cycle battery in less than 24 hours. They run constantly, and perform poorly in warmer ambient temperatures. True refrigerators like the Engel and Waeco units, with their swing compressor design, are far more efficient. They achieve cooler temperatures and only draw periodicly. I believe thermo-electrics typically have a 4 to 5 amp constant draw, while the Engel and Waeco units will draw 1 to 2 amps, cycling perhaps only half the time. Higher initial investment cost for the frigs, but they are practical with the electrical systems on many Macs. Separate deep cycle house battery is key, and a solar panel is a big help.

The stirling cooler seems to consume 0.9ah, so figure 25 amps or so per day...and it not a thermo-electric...but a piston type compressor

This is the opinion of a guy who has been using one: sounds good.

I had a Coleman Stirling power cooler on my boat and I loved it!!!!!!!
I had one 75w solar panel and 2 house batteries that would barely hold a charge and that was enough to run the cooler on it's coldest refrigerator setting (it has 2 more "freezer" settings). Coleman claims it uses 4 amps but I think that is only when it is on its coldest setting and the unit is out in the sun. I think the way I used it, on the coldest non-freezing setting and inside the boat where its cooler, it used only about 1 or 2 amps.
The cheapest place by far to buy one is at Costco online. I paid $390 there when Coleman's website wanted nearly double that.
You would have to be mentally retarded to buy a "marine" refrigeration unit after seeing one of these beauties. This technology makes compressors, cold-plates, refrigerant etc obsolete. Why spend thousands on some overpriced "marine" piece of crap that you know won't last more than a year or 2 before needing expensive repairs when you can buy one of these, plug it in and you're done for less than $400!
Plus the Coleman unit has no wearing parts and no freon to leak out.
I "installed" mine by cutting a hole in the bulkhead between the sail locker and the old ice-box and sliding the Stirling cooler in. That way when I'm in the galley, I just lift the lid of the ice-box, then open the top of the Stirling cooler and there's my cold beer! The controls can be reached from the top, it's a bit awkward but it's not like you need to use them often.
Buy one and tell all your cruising friends too.
I sold my boat in August but will definitely have one on my next boat too!

My Waeco 27 can cost less than $ 500. If you take into the cost of solar panal's and it has low voltage battery cut off protection and you can get a stock thermal insulating blanket that will wrap around the unit. Draws less so you need less power to run it in the long run it is a better deal for those who are on the boat for weeks or months.

Just takes a little thinking out.

Some actual measurements on my Engel MT35

AMPS 2.5 always (from setting 1 to freeze) except for starting is 2.8 for about 10 seconds

For setting 1and a half at 85 degrees room temp. Inside temp. 33.3 degrees and about 3/4 full of nice cold drinks.

So the fridge ON TIME was 2 minutes 45 seconds OFF TIME 4minutes 45 sec.

The cycle is 7minute 30sec.

If my math is right we have ON for 22 minutes per hr. or 8.8 hours a day.

That's 22 Amp/hrs per day.

The WATTS works out to be 12.4volts times 2.5 amps = 31watts

At temp. setting past 2 stuff starts to freeze.
Standby amps = .042amps
Cycle time varies by temp. setting knob colder = more on time .

OK its time for a cold drink.

Bought this one for 50$ Canadian cause it has a battery and draws 3.1 amps.
http://home-solutions.hsn.com/rally-rec ... 75_xp.aspx

Q1
You must have gotten the last one. I see they are SOLD OUT now.

Coastie,
Got it at WalMart in the clearance bin by the automotive supplies.
Q1

I love my Engel 35. Fits right into the existing cooler insert. Here an excerpt from my web page:

Found out about this Engle 35 refrigerator from http://www.ahoycaptain.com... works off of DC and AC... I cutout some of the cooler insert to allow it to ventilate and added more fiberglass roving to help support the extra weight. It automatically detects if AC current is on uses it instead of DC. This will keep everything refrigerated.... and will make ice. Draws about .7 to 2.7 amps depending on where you set the knob.





The REALLY COOL THING (hehe) my wife Loves is the vinyl coated wire insert that comes with it (not shown in picture because we keep it in the kitchen), we just load the insert up in the kitchen and plop it inside the cooler.

I've accidently frozen a pepsi in there once. Never had it drain my house battery. I have no solar panels. Check out more on my boats web page.

Good luck.

Erik
Knot Shore
http://www.always-online.com/hardtlefam ... tshore.htm

Erik,
When the boat begins spending some serious time in Florida, the Bahamas and Cuba (which can't be soon enough for me) I'm sure I will get an Engel like yours. They are obviously one of the best solutions available. But for 50 bucks, plus my 5 day cooler I'm okay for the cool Canadian summers.
Q1

Eric, just checked your page, now I have to add yours to other Macs I've seen with all these mods and it's like looking on the forbidden fruit. I want to mod but I want to sail. I'll be on the couch (shrink) for sure if I don't quit looking at all the varied mods on this site.