Frigoboat or Waeco?

Frigoboat is more boat and less caravan. If you're in warm climates (med) the Frigoboat will be more effective.
 
Carmel2 said:
New fridge time, which would you go for?
Click to expand...

Are you starting from scratch literally? Or just guts replacement?

I have Frigo stuff with the keel cooler option. Very good, because you dont get heat inside the boat from the fan. However, I would opt for a system whereby you can use a conventional cooling for when the boat is out of the water.

How good is the insulation? Is there any chance to increase the amount - even just on one side. You should aim for 4 inches but 3 is working fine for us.
 
You might also want to look at the Vitrifrigo range, they manufacture three fridge sizes with an external cooling system which can be placed at a cool spot in your galley, not quite as good as a keel cooler but better than the all in one. It also gives you a bigger inside fridge volume.
 
multihullsailor6 said:
You might also want to look at the Vitrifrigo range, they manufacture three fridge sizes with an external cooling system which can be placed at a cool spot in your galley, not quite as good as a keel cooler but better than the all in one. It also gives you a bigger inside fridge volume.
Click to expand...

This fridge
1. Is front opening
2. has 1 inch of insulation
 
We have an 80 litre waeco fridge and 60 litre fridge used as a freezer. Have used this combination for around ten years in the tropical north of Australia and would recommend. Will make ice cubes on the very bottom but not so good for ice cream.
 
Chris_Robb said:
Are you starting from scratch literally? Or just guts replacement?

I have Frigo stuff with the keel cooler option. Very good, because you dont get heat inside the boat from the fan. However, I would opt for a system whereby you can use a conventional cooling for when the boat is out of the water.

How good is the insulation? Is there any chance to increase the amount - even just on one side. You should aim for 4 inches but 3 is working fine for us.
Click to expand...

Just guts replacement, good insulation, the old frigboat is worn out and tired.
 
Carmel2 said:
Just guts replacement, good insulation, the old frigboat is worn out and tired.
Click to expand...

The frigoboat installation with the keel cooler was very easy. Holesaw required for hole in hull, (seal edges of course!) Plug in the rest by following the colour codes - can't go wrong!

Worth making sure that the size of the wiring to the fridge, if it runs any distance, is reasonable.

Also, whilst installing the unit, it might be worth putting in a remote digital thermometer, whilst you have access. I wish I had done.
 
Waeco has a few compressor units that can use both 12/24v or 220V which can be very useful for a shore connection.

I agree tho that having the fan blow hot air inside the boat is a major disadvantage of these units.
 
I installed both a frigoboat fridge and freezer with keel coolers 3 years ago and am very pleased with both. I have even used the fridge with the boat beached between tides with no problem.

The only problem with my fridge is that the case is all stainless steel construction and thus is not as efficient as it could be and in the hot humid summer attracts a lot of condensation. I have now fitted a plastic inner to the stainless door and the condensation does seem less.

One think I wish to do is to fit a second "fridge" thermostat to my freezer so to allow for a higher (fridge) temperature to allow more flexibility in usage.
 
Thermostat

I have bought one of these digital thermometers for my new Freezer - under construction. It will need a relay to switch the Compressor as it is only spec'd at 5A.
Compare with the Frigo offer!
 
Chalker said:
I have bought one of these digital thermometers for my new Freezer - under construction. It will need a relay to switch the Compressor as it is only spec'd at 5A.
Compare with the Frigo offer!
Click to expand...

I was not meaning a digital themostat, but just a straight forward digital read out to a sensor inside the fridge.

However - a combined digiotal readout plus thermostat jobbie would be much better than the limited dial on the frigo stat.
 
Installed Frigoboat (new guts only) last spring. Excellent advice from Penguin Engineering and the fridge is transformed. We can now make ice and we draw 40% less amps. Win-win.
 
frig

We have lived in 3 boats and have had 4 fridges/freezers.
Frigoboat failed because the couplings were not man enough.
We have found the best is to get a custom made top-loading cabinet, and have the cooling units made up by a good engineer.
Two slow-running compressors (one frig and one freezer) belt-driven from the generator and cooled by sea-water via pipes welded to the sides of the keel.
Brick s**thouses last longer and give less trouble. When we were rolled over in the gulf stream, the gear went on working.
 
El Frigorifico

I'm very happy with my Waeco. It's reliable and uses very little power (about 20 ah per 24 hrs).

WindyOut
 
Carmel2 said:
Well, we went FB and it makes a right racket:mad: Is this normal? The fan sounds like it's about to take off.
Click to expand...

Why have you got a fan, thought you were going for the keel cooler.....

Our compressor is in the sail locker, so we can just hear it from the aft heads which adjoins the locker. But it is not noisy as such - just a hum.
 
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