Keel cooler question

Caladh

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I am about to embark on a new fridge setup. I am being offered by the well known people in Havant a keel cooler with anodes or one without anodes. I'm informed that as long as my boat has a hull anode (it has) then the KC without anodes (small 5 pence looking jobies) will be ok. What to people think ? I am wondering why then did they then start to produce a KC with anodes fitted integrally ........
 

Chris_Robb

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I am about to embark on a new fridge setup. I am being offered by the well known people in Havant a keel cooler with anodes or one without anodes. I'm informed that as long as my boat has a hull anode (it has) then the KC without anodes (small 5 pence looking jobies) will be ok. What to people think ? I am wondering why then did they then start to produce a KC with anodes fitted integrally ........

I have their KC with anodes. They needed replacing after the first year. Thanks for reminding me, I need to take another set with me to Greece!

Mine is mounted close to the main hull anode, so I suspect I could get away without an anode.

You might consider keeping the fan as a cooling option in addition as it is inconvenient to say the least not to have a fridge for the few days you are on land.
 

Twister_Ken

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Maybe different. I ordered my fridge to be water-cooled on the new boat. When checking her over, there was no sign of a keel plate. Asked questions and apparently it's done by using the galley sink drain skin fitting to soak heat out. Might be another option for you with a new installation?

PS - Isotherm, but their website is pathetic and I can't find a detailed description of how it works.
 

Chris_Robb

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I am about to embark on a new fridge setup. I am being offered by the well known people in Havant a keel cooler with anodes or one without anodes. I'm informed that as long as my boat has a hull anode (it has) then the KC without anodes (small 5 pence looking jobies) will be ok. What to people think ? I am wondering why then did they then start to produce a KC with anodes fitted integrally ........

I went into Penguin today and got 2 new keel cooler anodes - £4 each. I asked them about running a keel cooler out of the water, and they said it would work, but ultimately will overheat the lubrication oil in the system, so not wise. They now have an alternative unit which is switchable from keel cooler to fan. So worth getting this unit - I wish I had.

As for the anodes - its an expensive unit and needs protecting. You could bond the main hull anode to it if very close - but frankly simpler to just replace anodes each year. So thats just another set to remember about!
 

misterg

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We have a 'keel cooler' without any anodes & no other anodes on the boat except the one on the propshaft.

About 15 years old now, and no signs of problems. (That's the kiss of death, then....:( )

Remembering to turn it on/off when the boat dries out is a minor pain.

Andy
 

affinite

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Im also a thread lurker

Im interested in how you plan to get the new setup out to Greece? I wanted to change to water cooled (keel plate or "down the sink" type) but transport complications and commissioning the unit in Greece have thus far put me off.
 

Caladh

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Thanks for the replies. I've concluded that getting the KC with anodes is the right way to go IF said co. can obtain article from Italy before I depart for Greece to fit it !

In the meantime I'm hopefully taking KC out in two weeks on the plane in hold luggage and then in April will be driving out with new compressor and new anchor windlass and will fit out there. Chris can you pse email with your dongle setup when you've ascertained what's best.
 

Chris_Robb

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Thanks for the replies. I've concluded that getting the KC with anodes is the right way to go IF said co. can obtain article from Italy before I depart for Greece to fit it !

In the meantime I'm hopefully taking KC out in two weeks on the plane in hold luggage and then in April will be driving out with new compressor and new anchor windlass and will fit out there. Chris can you pse email with your dongle setup when you've ascertained what's best.

Sending PM
 

owen-cox

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I have a question after 15 years working in marine refrigeration. Why would you want to fit a keel cooler when a pumped water system is much cheaper and uses such a minute amount more current. The real difference is negligible in the full time running especially as it brings fresh cool water in and exhausts it from a different area therefore reducing the current draw of the compressor. I would avoid cutting a hole in the bottom of my boat and fitting an item that is prone to damage and/or corrosion if possible. For uk use an air cooled unit is perfectly sufficient and much easier and safer to fit. You will not notice the difference in current draw between an air cooled and keel cooled unit in the uk anyway.
 

Caladh

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I have a question after 15 years working in marine refrigeration. Why would you want to fit a keel cooler when a pumped water system is much cheaper and uses such a minute amount more current. The real difference is negligible in the full time running especially as it brings fresh cool water in and exhausts it from a different area therefore reducing the current draw of the compressor. I would avoid cutting a hole in the bottom of my boat and fitting an item that is prone to damage and/or corrosion if possible. For uk use an air cooled unit is perfectly sufficient and much easier and safer to fit. You will not notice the difference in current draw between an air cooled and keel cooled unit in the uk anyway.

My yacht is in Greece hence the requirement for better refridgeration and KC. I am aware of the other water-colled options and feel this is the right way to go. I could p*ss about with what you recommend but after exhausting investigation have gone this way - it's a neater system. ASFAIC.
 

owen-cox

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My experience of refrigeration systems was in Mallorca I ran Palma Yachts S.L. and I had an air cooled unit on my boat and still had no trouble and it only ran about 40% of the time. The important thing is to make sure there is nothing blocking the airflow in and out. You do tend to find that in war, areas the sea water top layer is relatively warm and can be very still so you can find a keelcooler warms up substantially unless the boat is moving so you get very little benefit from it over an air cooled system. the pumped system is definitely better and uses less current on average due to less running time.
 

Marsupial

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Sailing with cold drinks is all about amps

I have a question after 15 years working in marine refrigeration. Why would you want to fit a keel cooler when a pumped water system is much cheaper and uses such a minute amount more current. The real difference is negligible in the full time running especially as it brings fresh cool water in and exhausts it from a different area therefore reducing the current draw of the compressor. I would avoid cutting a hole in the bottom of my boat and fitting an item that is prone to damage and/or corrosion if possible. For uk use an air cooled unit is perfectly sufficient and much easier and safer to fit. You will not notice the difference in current draw between an air cooled and keel cooled unit in the uk anyway.

I have a keel cooler have used it extensively in the UK and Med, and in both locations my ammeter tells a different story, far less power is consumed with the keel cooler and no fan (the fridge system runs for less time and consumes less power cira 4A less). IF I need a super cold fridge I switch the fan on as well but without the fan last year with ambient around 50 deg C and water at 30 deg C we were still making ice for the G&T! Water @ 30 is still a better heat conductor than air @ 50! Not often mentioned is noise, the keel cooled system makes less of that as well.

ANODES: It was explained to me by the guys from Penguin Refrig that that the with anodes option was produced in response to a requirement from Oyster marine. Mine is the with anode type but its bonded to the macduff so I have never changed them and after 7 years there is no noticeable degradation.
 

Chris_Robb

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and I had an air cooled unit on my boat and still had no trouble and it only ran about 40% of the time. The important thing is to make sure there is nothing blocking the airflow in and out. You do tend to find that in war, areas the sea water top layer is relatively warm and can be very still so you can find a keelcooler warms up substantially unless the boat is moving so you get very little benefit from it over an air cooled system. the pumped system is definitely better and uses less current on average due to less running time.

40% - well no wonder people have flat batteries! Mine runs in the Greek summer for about 15 mins each hour - ie 25% of the time, if that. The keel cooler works extremely well, and I would never again put up with a boiling cabin caused by the heat of the air cooling.

The main key to an efficient fridge however is adequate insulation - 100mm allround.
 

Caladh

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I have a keel cooler have used it extensively in the UK and Med, and in both locations my ammeter tells a different story, far less power is consumed with the keel cooler and no fan (the fridge system runs for less time and consumes less power cira 4A less). IF I need a super cold fridge I switch the fan on as well but without the fan last year with ambient around 50 deg C and water at 30 deg C we were still making ice for the G&T! Water @ 30 is still a better heat conductor than air @ 50! Not often mentioned is noise, the keel cooled system makes less of that as well.

ANODES: It was explained to me by the guys from Penguin Refrig that that the with anodes option was produced in response to a requirement from Oyster marine. Mine is the with anode type but its bonded to the macduff so I have never changed them and after 7 years there is no noticeable degradation.

Thanks for that. Penguin told me they introduced the anodes due to a requirement from Hallberg Rassey !!
 
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