"Jeff" wrote in message
...


DSK wrote:
Jeff wrote:

Again, this may be true, but it might not be appropriate for all
systems. Adding a thru-hull and more components probably isn't worth a
few Amp-hours savings.


It's more than that... water cooling may save a lot o' bucks by using a
smaller unit. And it's more desirable in the tropics, where the ambient
air temp is higher. As air temp gets above the 80s, trying to air cool a
refrig'n condenser gets to be a losing proposition.

So you chose air cooled. How come?

One of the little ironies is that in cold water, the air in the bilge may
be much cooler than on deck or in the engine room. I never bothered to
measure, but I wonder if that's also true in the tropics.

As for savings - the cost difference between the BD50 and BD35 is pretty
small - certainly much less than a through hull, pump, and condenser.
However, once you get larger its clear that water cooling has advantages.

BTW, my father-in-law, an HVAC engineer and inventor, rigged up his home
A/C to heat the swimming pool water with the waste heat. It worked great
for a number of years, but now that he's 84 and his war injuries have
caught up to him, he has trouble maintaining it. With the extra plumbing,
its possible to loose the pool water, and then be without both pool and
A/C.


Another alternative is the keel cooler. At least two companies now are
making thru-hulls chambered & fitted for refrigeration keel cooling, so
you don't have to drill any more holes in your hull.

Some may be interested in my current project, 98% complete at this point:
installing a freezer built into our dinette seat. After a LOT of research
and spreadsheeting all the numbers, I decided on a Waeco (Adler-Barbour)
CU-84 (based on the Danfoss BD-35) air cooled refrigeration unit, with an
exhaust to the outside. The box is insulated on 5 sides with R-28 vacuum
panels. I am currently finishing the lids, a relatively demanding bit of
fiberglassing that I don't recommend.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...89712634CcPfiT
(next 7 pics)

I like this setup. As I've mentioned before, using one compressor for
both fridge and freezer can be a problem. The BD35 gives a lot of bang
for the buck.



Fresh Breezes- Doug King


I've gotten great service out of my spillover system. Cold plates in the
freezer only.
Thermostacally controlled vent into the fridge side. Large boxes. Probably 3
cuft
in the freezer and 12 cuft in the fridge.

Doug
s/v Callista