Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
I have a standard set up with domestic battery bank & a starter battery seperated with a cyrix battery combiner. Shore power triple stage charger plus charging from standard volvo engine alternator.
When I bought the boat I made the mistake of not having a fridge & the option of fitting one is now long since dead.
I have decided to fit a 12 volt cool box. It does not have a 240 volt option
I have wired it to the fridge wiring loom that was installed by the boat builder but never used. It is controlled from a switch on the switch panel
I have fitted a cigar socket & the cool box is fed from this socket.
The cool box has an on off switch. The cigar socket can be disconnected.The cool box will stay cool for 6-8 hours if the lid is not opened so will serve my purpose.
My problem is, that if I sail with the cool box turned on, I will flatten the domestic bank quickly, unless running the engine.
if in port & I leave the boat plugged to shore power with the cool box on & go out for the day & someone disconnects my power lead, or there is a power cut( quite possible) I will come back to a flat battery.
I want to be able to turn the box off without having to remember & leave maximum amps for the usual sailing electronics. I want it to turn on automatically when voltage exceeds 13 V ie when engine running or shore power charger on.
is there something that i can put into the line just before the cigar socket that senses the voltage & will disconnect/reconnect it at 13 V?
If there is something I do not want one that lets the batteries go down to 50% or less leaving batteries discharged first. I do not/will not have other means of charging, ie solar cells etc.
How do forumites manage fridges on their boats please?
I might add that i am not particularly competent with an understanding of electrics.
Thanks
When I bought the boat I made the mistake of not having a fridge & the option of fitting one is now long since dead.
I have decided to fit a 12 volt cool box. It does not have a 240 volt option
I have wired it to the fridge wiring loom that was installed by the boat builder but never used. It is controlled from a switch on the switch panel
I have fitted a cigar socket & the cool box is fed from this socket.
The cool box has an on off switch. The cigar socket can be disconnected.The cool box will stay cool for 6-8 hours if the lid is not opened so will serve my purpose.
My problem is, that if I sail with the cool box turned on, I will flatten the domestic bank quickly, unless running the engine.
if in port & I leave the boat plugged to shore power with the cool box on & go out for the day & someone disconnects my power lead, or there is a power cut( quite possible) I will come back to a flat battery.
I want to be able to turn the box off without having to remember & leave maximum amps for the usual sailing electronics. I want it to turn on automatically when voltage exceeds 13 V ie when engine running or shore power charger on.
is there something that i can put into the line just before the cigar socket that senses the voltage & will disconnect/reconnect it at 13 V?
If there is something I do not want one that lets the batteries go down to 50% or less leaving batteries discharged first. I do not/will not have other means of charging, ie solar cells etc.
How do forumites manage fridges on their boats please?
I might add that i am not particularly competent with an understanding of electrics.
Thanks
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