Reefer at dock

[jsampson818]

Hi, I just purchased a 1990 C34 and am new to the reefer world. Question is if I want to leave my reefer on when I am not at the boat, do I simply hook up the shore power, plug in my battery charger, turn the battery switch on and turn on the reefer? Also, how many amps will the alder draw if I want to leave it on while sailing (i currently have 2 batteries in parallel for the bank and one additional for starting). Last question (on this topic anyway), since there is a drain at the bottom I am assuming I can use the reefer as an ice box, any issues with that?

Thanks for the help.

Greg

[Stu Jackson]

Welcome aboard, Greg.

The Adler Barbour refrigerator draws 5 amps when running and it runs half the time once it gets cold, so figure 60 ah a day out of your house bank.

You are correct in how to run it when you leave the boat.

The drain at the bottom is indeed a means to remove water if you use the box with ice.  The bottom of the drain is slightly above the bottom of the box, so you'll have to reach (climb?) into the box to clean it all out.  The foot pump was originally designd to empty the box of water.  Those with fridges often found other uses for the foot pump.

[Ken Juul]

Welcome Greg,

Yes, Battery on, Shore power, Battery Charger, Refrig on, is all that is needed.  There have been many discussions about merits/dangers of leaving the shore power plugged in.  Rather than repeating, if you are unaware of them,  use the search button at the top of the page, "shorepower" should be a good search term.

I don't have an A-B.  I'm sure someone will answer with the current draw answer.  But a 2 battery house bank, in good condition, should be enough to power it at least 24 hours.  

Yes, you can use ice in the bottom.  The original install had a foot pump behind the lower door in the galley to pump it out through the sink drain.  It may or may not still be there.  Rather than use ice, I freeze a gallon jug of water at home.  Put it in the cooler to keep the food cool on the trip to the boat then put it in the bottom of the "ice box" for the weekend.  Helps keep the icebox cold, reducing the work of the refrigerator.

[jsampson818]

Great, thanks guys. Appreciate the help (I am sure it won't be the last question I will have!)

Greg

[Jon Schneider]

There's one thing to consider: running the fridge off shore-power-charged batteries means that your batteries are constantly slightly discharging and re-charging.  That causes a lot of sulfating action which will hasten your batteries' death.  That said, a lot of people do it.  I was one of them.  I converted to new 6v golf cart batteries this year and really want to preserve them, so I'm following John Nixon's (another C34-er) and running a new AC circuit to an AC/DC transformer, which will power the Cold Machine while I'm away, and that way I'll be able to leave the batteries off during the week, but arrive to freezing vodka and chilled vermouth at the boat on Friday nights.  I'll be able to die happy and be buried with fully-charged, long-lasting golf cart batteries ;)  See http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4338.0.html message #33 for the story. 

[waterdog]

I'll be able to die happy and be buried with fully-charged, long-lasting golf cart batteries ;)  

There are a lot of ways to die happy with fully charged batteries with plates and electrolytes in near new condition.   The trick is to die as the last drop of vodka leaves your glass and your batteries lie in sulfated ruin having just expelled thier last electron.  Then you know that you've squeezed all of the potential you can out of life...

[Jon Schneider]

The trick is to die as the last drop of vodka leaves your glass and your batteries lie in sulfated ruin having just expelled thier last electron.  Then you know that you've squeezed all of the potential you can out of life...

Touché.  Though I was trying to leave my wife something to play around with for her next husband ;) 

[waterdog]

The next husband?  You want to leave a bunch of intermittent electrical connections under the floorboards that he'll never be able to find or fix.  Your wife will have nothing but fond memories of you and your electrical prowess...

[Jon Schneider]

The next husband?  You want to leave a bunch of intermittent electrical connections under the floorboards that he'll never be able to find or fix.  Your wife will have nothing but fond memories of you and your electrical prowess...

Done and done.

[waterdog]

Of course the bastard will probably sell Atlantic Rose and buy some brand new forty foot palace with a diesel genset.   She'll still have fond memories, though sometimes she'll forget your name...