logo
Welcome Guest! To enable all features please Login or Register.

Notification

Icon
Error
Cooling Fan for Reefer Coils
Options View
Previous Topic Next Topic
dougrose
#1 Posted : Sunday, August 15, 2010 7:47:03 AM(UTC)
dougrose

Rank: Marinette Royal Aluminum Poster (300+) posts

Groups: Member, Administration, Admin
Joined: 12/7/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,332
Points: 1,746

Was thanked: 25 time(s) in 21 post(s)
Some time ago FastJeff recommended putting a fan behind the reefer to ventilate the space around the hot-side coils. This was such a good idea that I decided to do it and write it up, to see if I could get credit for the idea. My years with NASA were not wasted.

I chose a long-lived computer fan with fluid dynamic bearings running at 800 rpm, a very quiet combination. From Cyberguys.

The fan:



Of course I had to pull out the reefer. The trick is that there are plastic plugs in the front flange that hide the screws holding it in. Note the ac power and dc power are both on connectors behind the reefer:



Someone had already cut a hole between the frames probably for the ventilation. In order for the fan to work, I needed to plug the hole. With my shop 30 miles away, I had no holesaw so I cut it out freehand:



The plate and fan are screwed into place:



I wired the fan to the 12V feed to the reefer, which is switched. That way, the fan will work whenever the reefer dc power is on, ventilating the area even if the reefer is not actually cooling. The work is not neat, I will replace it with a harness some day. Don't forget an inline fuse, 1 A should work:








1975 32' Flybridge Sedan, twin Perkins 6-354 diesels, 1:1.53 velvetdrives, 16 X 19 props. Merritt Island, Florida
Back to top
Sponsor
Please Register : To weed out spammers, new members may not post until approved. An email is usually sent after approval. This forum is for Marinette Owners and other aluminum boat boaters who wish to share boating information. Aluminum Roamer owners are also welcome. (Do not post content you do not have the right to post and mass (robots) posters are unwelcome. We also have a marine electronics page and lots of Chrysler Engine info. State by what permission you copy content and give credit properly.) The site is now fixed with some more Chrysler information. We have space for pictures on the new location. Use shinkpic to autochange size http://www.onthegosoft.com/sp_download.htm

Great Sites - http://www.marinette.com Marinette Company

http://web.me.com/dougmrose/Doug_Roses_Website/Welcome.html

http://fastjeff.tripod.com/ Repair Tricks and Techniques for Marinettes

http://www.greatlakesmarinetteclub.com/

PLEASE post in the appropriate folder. Please, do not post your actual email address in publicly readable websites. The first rule is be a class act.
Back to top  
Docsnow
#2 Posted : Sunday, August 15, 2010 8:50:38 AM(UTC)
Docsnow

Rank: Marinette Royal Aluminum Poster (300+) posts

Groups: Admin, Administration
Joined: 12/4/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,871
Points: 4,247

Thanks: 2 times
Was thanked: 28 time(s) in 28 post(s)
Doug,

Would it be possible to hook up a 120v ac fan also seeing there’s seem to be room on your fan panel for it that way U’d be covering both the 12v & 120v & have to best of both worlds Think

Norm,

Big BigMs Live On Applause
http://www.picturetrail.com/gid23690601 Try it now there's music to listen to while U view the Big M's

http://www.PictureTrail..../index.php?clubID=20726 this one for the Pix club


 You'll have bad times, but they'll just wake you up to the good times you weren't paying attention to

Some people try to turn back their odometers.Not me, I want people to know "why" I look this way.I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved.
Back to top
fastjeff
#3 Posted : Sunday, August 15, 2010 12:39:04 PM(UTC)
fastjeff

Rank: Administration

Medals: aluminum star: For Marinette Owners Everywhere above the call of duty

Groups: Admin2, Admin2, Admin, Administration, Member
Joined: 12/5/2007(UTC)
Posts: 3,133
Points: 5,732

Was thanked: 34 time(s) in 30 post(s)
Another rocket scientist!

Jeff (former GE Rentry System and Thiokol engineer)
"...reality is not nearly as lovely as the world of Liberal Land. No wonder so many people want to go there." - Tom Sowell
Back to top
dougrose
#4 Posted : Sunday, August 15, 2010 11:39:30 PM(UTC)
dougrose

Rank: Marinette Royal Aluminum Poster (300+) posts

Groups: Member, Administration, Admin
Joined: 12/7/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,332
Points: 1,746

Was thanked: 25 time(s) in 21 post(s)
Norm,

I don't see any reason not to put in a 120VAC fan, but the little Scythe fan only draws 0.10A and so it puts almost no load on the battery. It is rated at 33.5CFM which is not a lot of airflow, there would be an advantage to having a husky fan in there to help.

But I'm not taking that *^^&%$&^&! reefer out again until I have some husky help to slide it out....

I bought two of the fans, and I plan to put the other over the head. I haven't figured out exactly how to do it, but I need a fan in there (!) and also a waterproof light so that I can shower after dark. I plan to hook them both to the light over the bathroom sink. Again, I am not going to worry about the 0.10A load, since I have a 65W solar panel helping out

By the way, I paid $20 each for the fans. I didn't mention that above because I didn't want to upset Jeff...

Doug


1975 32' Flybridge Sedan, twin Perkins 6-354 diesels, 1:1.53 velvetdrives, 16 X 19 props. Merritt Island, Florida
Back to top
Docsnow
#5 Posted : Monday, August 16, 2010 12:00:44 AM(UTC)
Docsnow

Rank: Marinette Royal Aluminum Poster (300+) posts

Groups: Admin, Administration
Joined: 12/4/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,871
Points: 4,247

Thanks: 2 times
Was thanked: 28 time(s) in 28 post(s)
Doug,

The reason I mentioned the 120v fan is while U where in port with the fridge running off shore
power it wouldn’t matter how many reasonable amps the fan drew would it. That way it would
keep the fridge coils running cool all the time. Or do U run it on 12v constantly?Think
Don’t blame U on not wanting to pull that booger out unnecessarily I did it once & hopefully
don’t have to do it again Not talking
BTW Jeff, doesn't just as long as it's not his $$$ that are being spent Shame on you Whistle

Norm,

Big BigMs Live On Applause
http://www.picturetrail.com/gid23690601 Try it now there's music to listen to while U view the Big M's

http://www.PictureTrail..../index.php?clubID=20726 this one for the Pix club


 You'll have bad times, but they'll just wake you up to the good times you weren't paying attention to

Some people try to turn back their odometers.Not me, I want people to know "why" I look this way.I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved.
Back to top
GB49
#6 Posted : Monday, August 16, 2010 1:09:34 AM(UTC)
GB49

Rank: Marinette Royal Aluminum Poster (300+) posts

Groups: Member
Joined: 12/4/2007(UTC)
Posts: 685
Points: 1,824

Thanks: 5 times
Was thanked: 14 time(s) in 12 post(s)
Nice modification. Something else to add to the list.

Is there another vent to let the hot air flow out? Maybe make a hole at the top of the wall?

Also wondering if you could power the fan with the refer circuit. When the 12VDC was running the compressor the fan would also run.
Or get a fan that is thermistor controlled so it will only kick on at certain temp.

Could also run the fan off the 120V side of the refer with a little transformer to convert to DC.

Just some ideas.

-Karl
1986, 32' Sedan, twin 360ci, 275hp Chrysler's w/ K&N flame arrestors
Back to top
fastjeff
#7 Posted : Monday, August 16, 2010 2:14:54 AM(UTC)
fastjeff

Rank: Administration

Medals: aluminum star: For Marinette Owners Everywhere above the call of duty

Groups: Admin2, Admin2, Admin, Administration, Member
Joined: 12/5/2007(UTC)
Posts: 3,133
Points: 5,732

Was thanked: 34 time(s) in 30 post(s)
Got MY fan--an AC fan that is designed to sit over a register--from The Home Depot for LESS than $20!

Take that!

Jeff

PS: Wish I went with a DC fan. Much smater set up.
"...reality is not nearly as lovely as the world of Liberal Land. No wonder so many people want to go there." - Tom Sowell
Back to top
jralbert
#8 Posted : Monday, August 16, 2010 4:24:17 AM(UTC)
Rank: Administration

Groups: Admin, Administration
Joined: 12/4/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,117
Points: 665

Was thanked: 12 time(s) in 12 post(s)
Fan is a terrific idea.
WHen I replaced fridge, there was extra room at top of opening that I covered with a grill so rising hot air could escape. Also cut a hole on the left side, the wall shared with the head and covered that with a grill, too. That might be a good place to install a fan..pushing air into the head that would exhaust thru the existing grill in the head door or when the door is open.
Joel Albert, Potomac MD
"Charlie B" - 1988 32' FBS
Twin 318's/FWC/16x15 nibral props
docked Deale, MD
Back to top
dougrose
#9 Posted : Tuesday, August 17, 2010 12:16:27 AM(UTC)
dougrose

Rank: Marinette Royal Aluminum Poster (300+) posts

Groups: Member, Administration, Admin
Joined: 12/7/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,332
Points: 1,746

Was thanked: 25 time(s) in 21 post(s)
Karl,

On my boat, the back of the fridge also opens aft to the area under galley counter, but there is no good way for air to get out of there, except by leakage here and there. A good project would be to add a grille somewhere - I don't have room above the reefer - to let the air out. Good point.

I tried to go inside the reefer to find the switched power - it is not easy to find and I didn't want to open the sealed box with the electrical in it - it was supposed to be a fast project.

The fan uses so little power that it could be run by a wall wart, any one with 12v out would be fine. But the reason to use a fan with 0.1A draw was so it wouldn't matter if it ran all the time the reefer is on, and wouldn't bother the house battery at all, which can run it for, let's see, about 1500 hours, even if the sun never shines. Thermistor control would likely work, but the fan is rated for 150000 hours, longer than I am likely to last, so it doesn't seem necessary.

Jeff: got this fan for less than $20 also. 19.99 to be exact. So there.

Doug



1975 32' Flybridge Sedan, twin Perkins 6-354 diesels, 1:1.53 velvetdrives, 16 X 19 props. Merritt Island, Florida
Back to top
fastjeff
#10 Posted : Tuesday, August 17, 2010 3:16:14 AM(UTC)
fastjeff

Rank: Administration

Medals: aluminum star: For Marinette Owners Everywhere above the call of duty

Groups: Admin2, Admin2, Admin, Administration, Member
Joined: 12/5/2007(UTC)
Posts: 3,133
Points: 5,732

Was thanked: 34 time(s) in 30 post(s)
..."Jeff: got this fan for less than $20 also. 19.99 to be exact. So there"

Ah, but I included the sales tax!

In thte (confusing) photo below, UP is about 45 degrees clockwise. On my boat, there was an opening to the bilge area with a metal screen over it. I simply (hah!) screwed the fan to the wall over that opening. The coolest air in the boat has to be in the bilge, right?

Jeff
fastjeff attached the following image(s):
fastjeff attached the following image(s): Ref Fan.JPG
"...reality is not nearly as lovely as the world of Liberal Land. No wonder so many people want to go there." - Tom Sowell
Back to top
 |  Edit by user
Users browsing this topic
guest
Forum Jump  
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.

Powered by YAF 1.9.5.5 | YAF © 2003-2011, Yet Another Forum.NET
This page was generated in 0.151 seconds.