Freezer to Fridge Conversion

[ballystick 72]

I would like to know if anyone has converted a freezer to a fridge when there is another freezer in the same system? Currently I have a dual freezer unit that have brine tanks I think and they have an engine driven compressor etc.

 

Also, has anyone installed an electrically powered cooling element to keep the contents cold without having to start the engine every 6 - 12 hours?

[Black Panther 1,584]

Talk to IT. This is very much what he has.

[Fish 0]

Also, has anyone installed an electrically powered cooling element to keep the contents cold without having to start the engine every 6 - 12 hours?

The kitset fridges are a doddle to install. 12V Danfoss compressor, fridge cooling plate, choose your size, they can be gentle bent around corners to fit into your existing box. Gas leads (pipe work) have fancy fittings that keep them charged and you just "push lock" the connectors onto the compressor etc. The hardest thing is cutting ducting holes into your existing ice box. 

There is some techo aspects of where to mount the compressor, with good air flow for efficient heat transfer etc, but on the whole a very achievable DIY project.

[Island Time 1,235]

Yes and yes. There are two common ways to have two cabinets, one fridge and one freezer. The first is side by side cabinets, where the freezer is cooled by the compressor, and the cold can spill over into the fridge.

The second is when the two cabinets are not side by side and they both have eutectic tanks. In this case, you can use a pressure regulator to balance how much cold goes to each cabinet.

Finally an electric conversion of the existing eutectic tanks is not a good path forward, as the tanks are designed for the large mechanical compressor attached to them, and the refrigerant flow that can pass. Electric systems are usually less than 1/8th of the power of the mechanical compressors, and require eutectic tanks with much smaller diameter refrigerant tubing to work efficiently.

You can do what I have in my own system, and add additional eutectic tanks to the cabinets for an electric system. This also gives redundancy, as it's two completely different systems.

I'm the NZ agent for Ozefridge, and I do a few complete changes to electric systems, and some hybrids as above.

Happy to talk about whats best for your use and your boats systems. 0221539176

[Myjane 40]

We have a very good freezer, in fact to good , so she found a chunk of polystyrene layed over the frozen stuff leaves the top half for the fridge area. Works well ,but if you have a enough room you can fit a door on the side of the freezer box leaving a thin layer of the freezer wall between to to the cooling and that works. But finding a fridge door. ,or having one made is an issue

[ballystick 72]

Thanks IT, I have 2 separate freezers (port and starboard) one of which has a smallish fridge attached using the cold from the freezer attached from one, the system uses an engine compressor. I would like to have one freezer that freezes and the other to stay as a fridge without freezing everything if the compressor is left on too long. I tend to end up freezing stuff like bottled beer accidentally which is not ideal, when in port or at anchor I would like to have an operational fridge or freezer by inserting a cooling plate into the space rather than using the eutectic system as I have seen in a boating magazine (NZ) so the engine doesn't have to be started and is run by the solar panel or shore power.

Not asking for much aye?

Myjane, I have used the insulated separator which works quite well but I still manage to freeze stuff.

[Island Time 1,235]

The compressor can easily be controlled with an electronic controller (old but well installed systems used a pressure switch) that set min and max temps. Running a compressor too long, and getting vacuums on the LP side, eventually leads to seal failure. Controllers are cheap, and just go into the compressor on/off wire - plus the sensor in the fridge/freezer. As a bonus, they give a display of current temps.