This page
describes C34 owners' cockpit upgrade projects.
Please contribute yours!
Alternate Refrigeration
After reading Steve Michel's message board post concerning the
perfect refrigerator for under the nav station, I purchased
the Sears Kenmore Model 91245 compact 2.5 cubic foot refrigerator
for approximately $140. The message board posting said some
modifications to the box would be needed but it took me most of
the day to install it. This is an AC unit which I intend to
use mainly at the dock using shore power but will also use with
the inverter while away from the dock. I have not yet
accurately calculated the energy requirement for the inverted
power. I placed an additional AC outlet under the nav
station using an outdoor weather proof receptacle box mounted on
the aft wall under the nav station and taking power from the nav
station AC outlet. Wiring was run through the locker aft of
the nav station. The forward feet and rear motor mount need
to be removed as well as the decorative plastic top trim. A
new motor mount was fabricated from 1" x 1/4" aluminum
flat stock. To make room for the motor to be displaced
upward, the condensation tray was removed and the drip tube
plugged. Condensation may now collect in the box, but will
probably not be a problem as we will not be using the refrigerator
on a continuous basis. The holy and teak floor panel for this area
was removed and set aside to prevent potential scratches to that
surface. The support leg for the nav station must be
removed. Now the unit may be wedged in place. In
retrospect applying wax to the sides of the unit may have made the
insertion easier. After the unit is inserted as far as
possible, the decorative top may be cut down to the appropriate
size to cover the exposed section.
Larry Calfee
Top Priority, #375 |