Making a new Fridge

[Chris_Robb]

I have to replace the toploading fridge on my Westery Oceanlord as the insulation is only 1 inch thick, so no good for the Med.

Questions. If I make a new liner out of a cardboard former, is there anyone who makes these things?

What do I use for insulation - I understand spray on stuff is not a good insulator.

Any ideas on how I should approach this?

 

[PCUK]

Polystyrene used to be the accepted insulation. I don't know whether there is anything better available now.
Just make it as thick as possible. Available in 8X4 sheets from builders merchants in various thicknesses.

 

[jeanne]

There are bound to be plastic fabricators in you area, making this sort of thing in polypropolylene sheet by means of hot air welding. If not , then I imagine TekTanks will do it. But I would prefer to find a local place where I could talk over the options with the guy that is going to make it.
I made my own fridge this way, as I had access to a hot air welding pistol, and a local supplier of sheet and helpful advice, which was Champion Plastics of Portishead. The sheet came in a range of thicknesses and colours, and it is easy to make strong rectangular shapes.
I used sheet insulation for all flat surfaces, but two part liquid, which foams when mixed, in curved areas. This liquid has not been a complete success, as over the years the foam has shrunk and although it is still a good insulator, the large flat outer surfaces, 9mm thick,have been pulled into concave shapes. If you can keep the shape square, then I think sheet foam is best.
I got carried away with polyprop as a building material, and made other things as well, which is how I found out that one of its drawbacks is that the welding degrades after a few years in the sun. I don´t think the fridge is suffering yet, after about 6 years in a hot climate.
By the way, haven´t you heard that the Med is full?

 

[Talbot]

Tec Tanks will hapily make a new liner for you. IIRC they do this for http://www.penguinfrigo.co.uk/ who can also provide the correct type of insulation material (and everything else you need for a new fridge)
I had a new fuel tank made by them and it was so accurate that I could not measure any difference.

 

[dansar]

Hi

There was a guy who replaced his fridge etc on his Oceanlord which was in a PBO in 2005/06 (sorry I can't be more specific). Ask the "powers that be" and they may find it for you.

By the way is your Oceanlord one of the new Chinese ones????

Westery Oceanlord /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Dansar

PS Nice yachts

 

[LadyInBed]

I finished making mine this year. I used 5 of the high density wall insulation sheets bought from the local builders merchant

 

[bedouin]

You can use spray foam - but not the stuff you pick up from B&Q (which is pretty useless).

If you do a search on the internet you will find some spray foams specifically designed for building insulation - As far as I know they are always supplied as a two-part product with a clever applicator to ensure that they are applied in the correct ratio.

Other than that you can buy sheet insulation from Builders merchants - Celotex is a good brand to look for. Try to go for PIR or PUR foam rather than polystyrene as they have significantly better insulation properties. IIRC PIR is the best, PUR next and polystyrene third.

The proper spray foam is PU and will give you the best result because it will guarantee that there are no gaps.

I have also seen rigid panels that are about 1" PUR foam surfacee on both sides with some plastic. Those would be good for fabricating the fridge itself

 

[MrCramp]

If you go to a commercial cold room manufacturer you will be able to buy some offcuts of the insulation material (NOT Polystyrene) and some of the correct sort of foam. Search cold rooms and /or coldstore manufacturers association to find one local to you.

 

[Chris_Robb]

[ QUOTE ]
By the way is your Oceanlord one of the new Chinese ones????


[/ QUOTE ]

eeerr, no. Didn't know they werer making them in China

 

[Chris_Robb]

Thanks - all usefull info

 

[dansar]

Hi Chris

[ QUOTE ]
By the way is your Oceanlord one of the new Chinese ones????

Westery Oceanlord

[/ QUOTE ]

It made me laugh as you had left the "l" off Westerly and when you say it to yourself it sounds chinese--well it did to me.

Hope the fridge works out for you

David

 

[Billjratt]

Fitting to an existing position limits possibilities, especially if you're adding thicker insulation that you can't add already (by stealing space from something else). Lots of boats on the med circuit have more than one fridge, have you considered using the existing one as a coolbox for beer and putting another more efficient box somewhere else? Going back to the top-loader, I made mine from loft insulation sheet about 4" thick. Due to the shape of the bilge I used a plastic basin and wastebin (B&Q a couple of quid) side by side as deep and shallow boxes, with the plate half-way across each at the top.
The plastics were distorted to fit using a paintstripper gun, and a lid was made using the loft insulation cut to shape and then lightly glassed with scrim. I use a waeco compressor housed under the floor where it's cool, and the circulation created by the fan sweetens that area. My soup-dragon gets cold tonic, I get peace, all for minimal outlay.

 

[tobble]

you could make a GRP insert without too much hassle? then chuck a load of this in the void? (2 pack polyurethane that others have mentioned)
http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/CFS_Catalogue__2_Part_Polyurethane_Foam_Liquid_61.html

 

[Chris_Robb]

Dansar
[ QUOTE ]
There was a guy who replaced his fridge etc on his Oceanlord which was in a PBO in 2005/06 (sorry I can't be more specific). Ask the "powers that be" and they may find it for you.



[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for that lead - I got hold of the arcticle - absolutley identical problems - so a great help

Thanks!

Chris

 

[snowleopard]

I made mine from two layers of foam sandwich with the void between filled with REP foam (made by mixing 2 liquids). The panels used to make the structure were laminated on a melamine board so gave a good finish to the inside. It was only necessary to use GRP tape or a fillet of epoxy paste to seal the joints.

Freezer: 4" sides, 6" bottom
Fridge: 2" sides, 4" bottom

Mine are adjacent with a thermostatic flap valve to let cold air flow from freezer to fridge so the share an element.