Refrigeration

**Kim Schoedel** · 02-09-2006, 10:57 AM

Time to convert the big ice box! Our 1984 35-3 is already originally pre-wired. Looks like I have a couple of choices that make sense. The Nova Cool comes with a small Evaporator/freezer box that may fit in the ice box, the overflow cool thus refers the whole ice box. Other choice is the Frigaboat unit that has a flat evaporator that I can leave flat or have the supplier bend it to an L or U shape.

In hopes that someone out there in Ericson land has been there-done that.

I presume, part of this upgrade will be to replace the old 20 amp charger with a new smarter charger so we can leave stuff in the frig when hooked up to shore power. Any thoughts? Thanks,

**Guy Stevens** · 02-09-2006, 01:06 PM

SeaFreeze in Bellingham Washington, makes a great off the shelf unit, customized to you box sepcification for less than either of the options that you have listed.

Call them and have them custom bend it to fit your box, get it, wire it up, and connect the evaporator plate, and be done with it.

I have installed a number of thier units in a number of boats, and always have been pleased, as have the customers.

Guy
:-)

**chaco** · 02-09-2006, 02:10 PM

Installed the Norcold SCQT for the Ice Box Conversion on the
E35-II. The Ice Box is close to 6CF and this rig works great
here in SoCal without any insulation mods. The install was super
easy and I located the Compressor in the Starboard Cockpit Locker.
Bought it used, installed the Evaporator and Compressor and had
a Refrigeration Tech charge er up. Freezes water on the bottom
on the lowest setting. Might even freeze your favorite beverage
on the medium setting. Runs quiet and never complains

The cool thing is that it comes with its own tranformer/controls
and runs a 12V Compressor on 12V/120 automatically. Even shuts
off when 12V drops low....so you don't lose your batteries :eek:
Draws 3-5A @ 12V. With a 50% duty cycle thats 60AH/Day max.
Most Pirates freeze water jugs prior to trips to help with the
refrigeration load on the batteries.
As you look at other models you will find that all the controls and
power conversion options are expensive OPTIONS on most conversion
kits. I have found that this installation has improved my attitude
about projects and not having to haul ice and beverages around
all the time

Happy Cold Beverages

/) /)

**Loren Beach** · 02-09-2006, 03:33 PM

For info on refrigeration installs on other Ericsons and Olsons, use the Search function, upper right on this page.
I put in some info on our Frigoboat installation at one of the many threads that will come up with a search on Frigoboat, just as a for-instance.
Here is the thread URL --
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexc...&referrerid=28

We still like ours a lot and have had no problems with it. If you need some better photos of the installation, let me know...
I found this one of the compressor, looking in under the galley module. The compressor is mounted on two bent alum. brackets. The wood plug sitting there is actually tethered to the thruhull, just out of the picture on lower right (where that blue sink drain hose is going. If it looks crowded, that's because it is.

And here is a photo of the area just to the lower right of the compressor, showing the galley sink thru-hull, with the Keelcooler almost out of sight behind it, and the edge of the compressor in view on the left. Above both of these is the shelf where the pans are stored and just above that is the double sink. I could, of course, do this install much faster on another Olson, but only for a very good friend!

Loren
Olson 34 Fresh Air