Transporting a fridge compressor as hold luggage

mgraveling

mgraveling

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We want to turn our Westerly 'cool box' into a fridge using a small compressor and evaporator plate (Isotherm or similar) - a common modification. Our boat, however, is in Turkey and we are exploring the possibility of taking the compressor as hold luggage as it's not particularly heavy. We transported a 21kg Lofrans windlass as hold luggage last year without problems but wondered if anyone has done the same with a compressor or is this a restricted item as it's a pressurised unit?

All advice welcomed.

Thanks

Mike
'Restless of Southampton'
 
mgraveling said:
We want to turn our Westerly 'cool box' into a fridge using a small compressor and evaporator plate (Isotherm or similar) - a common modification. Our boat, however, is in Turkey and we are exploring the possibility of taking the compressor as hold luggage as it's not particularly heavy. We transported a 21kg Lofrans windlass as hold luggage last year without problems but wondered if anyone has done the same with a compressor or is this a restricted item as it's a pressurised unit?

All advice welcomed.

Thanks

Mike
'Restless of Southampton'
Click to expand...

What about ordering from Compass24 and get them to deliver it. It certainly has worked well for us in Spain and France.
 
mgraveling said:
We want to turn our Westerly 'cool box' into a fridge using a small compressor and evaporator plate (Isotherm or similar) - a common modification. Our boat, however, is in Turkey and we are exploring the possibility of taking the compressor as hold luggage as it's not particularly heavy. We transported a 21kg Lofrans windlass as hold luggage last year without problems but wondered if anyone has done the same with a compressor or is this a restricted item as it's a pressurised unit?

All advice welcomed.

Thanks

Mike
'Restless of Southampton'
Click to expand...

What model of Westerly? You may be wasting your time as the cool boxes had so little insulation it will use a huge amount of battery amps to cool, if it cools at all. I have an Oceanlord - I had to start again, and am glad I did.
 
compreeor/plate in coolbox

When wished to transport a Waeco unit by air to Greece in 2007 we were assured by the retailer that there was no problem with taking it has hold baggage, other than ensuring that it was very carefully packed to avoid damage in transit; they even provided a statement from the manufacturer explaining/confirming that it wasn't in any way a hazardous cargo and allowed to be carried under the regulations etc. just in case we were pulled-up over it at the airport. However, as our unit was ultimately taken out by a friend in his car, we never actually had to test the strength/usefulness of said document.

On a less positive note, I would agree with Chris_Robb; sticking a chiller plate into a 'standard' cool box of a north european boat is a wasted effort, you'll never keep up with the current draw. our fridge works well, but is probably only 1/2 the volume of the rated value for the plate/compressor and has 6" of dense foam insulation below and 4-6" around the sides; your Westerly coolbox is likely to have only 2-3" of insulation :(
 
I doubt you'll get it through as carry on baggage but that would be largely down to the whim of the particular jobsworth on the security desk at the time. No good reason not to mind, as long as it is empty of refrigerant and can be shown to be so, but logic doesn't work with those people. Pointless asking the airline, they won't have a clue what a fridge compressor is.

Hazardous goods regulations are clearly published on every airline's website, it is so so easy to look them up...
The refigerant itself is the problem. If the box it was shipped in has a HAZMAT or HAZCHEM label (rectanglular and orange) check with the airline and be ready to quote the details on the label. If the compressor is empty you'll be OK, if not, you simply cannot carry it by air as it is dangerous to the plane and all the people on it.
 
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took a generator to Corfu as hold luggage with Tui

Their "Terms of carriage" covered it. Apparently I needed to declare it as new and unused, contain it in a gas tight box (for the genny it also needed to be filled with an inert gas - not appropriate in your case I would expect) and ring their Cus. Svcs to confirm the above. No probs at check-in and all went without drama. I've also carried a petrol tank from Key West which again had to be declared "unused"

Suggest you read your carrier's terms and make personal contact. Can't see a problem; after all modern refridgerants aren't much of a danger except of course they could be categorised as "compressed gases"

Chas
 
Thanks for the advice

Our boat is a Westerly Vulcan and the coolbox has little insulation at the moment. The plan was to pack the outside with insulating material to as greater depth as the space would allow (3 or 4 inches) before fitting the evaporating plate. Our standard Electrolux fridge uses almost 8 amp hr which is impossible to keep up with off the batteries alone - even with 200 watts of solar panels!

Having equipment delivered to Turkey is fraught with problems and expense hence our investigation of taking the compressor as hold luggage.

An alternative is to arrange delivery to Greece ( Kos or Rhodes ) which is more straightforward and collect from there - which we may have to do.

I'm surprised by the responses pointing out the inefficiency of the cool box mod as it seems to be pretty standard practice.

Thanks for all of the comments. I may need to contact Easyjet!

Mike

'Restless of Southampton'

Currently at Yat Marine - Marmaris
 
Ive been pondering the same question

I've been considering doing this myself. In my case I want to convert my air cooled fridge to water cooled by changing the compressor unit but Ive been put off because I thought that new compressors came preloaded with gas and for that reason would not be acceptable to the airline ??

Incidently, a word of warning !
Last year in my wisdom I decided to improve the insulation by drilling some inconspicuous holes in the external woodwork surrounding the fridge and then injecting builders foam to fill any air gaps between the existing insulation and the wooden casing. All seemed to go well for a few minutes until the foam really started to react and expand properly. Once it filled the voids, an almighty chorus of cracking and popping sounds started and for a few moments I had visions of the fridge bursting and the whole cabin filling up with orange goo!

My wifes gentle words of encouragement and support were along the same lines as Michael Cane's "You're only supposed to blow the *loody doors off" !

Thankfully the earthquake subsided after a few minutes with no damage done and insulation (slightly) improved. - be warned
 
Any fridge compressor that has the coolant gas loaded into it will be classified as dangerous air cargo. This is not because of the toxic nature of the coolant but because it is effectively a compressed gas: if this escaped during flight, it could compromise the integrity of the aircraft hold, which is maintained at the same pressure as the passenger cabin.
So, to take the thing on as hold baggage, it would need to be drained of gas and you'd need to have it refilled once it was fitted. This may make it cheaper to have it shipped out to you by the supplier rather than trying to take it with you.
 
I tried to have a fridge and freezer sent to me by road transport to Sain. No way they wouldnt even transport it by truck!! Due to compressed gases!! How they deliver them I dont know?? Anyway, compressed gas on an aircraft is a no-no, they woint even transport diving cylinders, empty, with the valve open!
 
ccscott49 said:
Anyway, compressed gas on an aircraft is a no-no, they woint even transport diving cylinders, empty, with the valve open!
Click to expand...

Not always! I took a small (empty) dive cylinder out last year on Aegean. I was paged in the departure lounge and asked to open my suitcase on the tarmac to prove that it was OK but they did carry it.
 
Dive cylinders: most airlines will accept them as hold baggage if they're empty and the valve is open. You need to declare them at the checking desk, as otherwise they'll probably call you to demonstrate that the valve is open before flying...... The usual practice is to send you to the 'bulky luggage' desk once checked in, where you bags are x-rayed before being sent down for loading. It's at that point that they'll ask you to show that the valve is cracked and the cylinder empty. The airlines that fly to popular dive destinations know all about this and will often ask people obviously carrying dive gear if they have any cylinders in their luggage. Its a bit of fun and games I've had from both sides of the checkin counter......:cool:
 
Danfoss compressors are not preloaded, it's just an inert lump. I know someone who took a preloaded unit on a flight and got away with it. Nowadays, if you are caught, you will be driving and sailing, because you get put on a "No Fly " list. Just take a danfoss compressor. I got arrested in Dubai for transporting dry cell batteries. Once they knew they were completely safe, they sent me and my batteries on our way.
 
Westerly fridge

mgraveling said:
We want to turn our Westerly 'cool box' into a fridge using a small compressor and evaporator plate (Isotherm or similar) - a common modification. Our boat, however, is in Turkey and we are exploring the possibility of taking the compressor as hold luggage as it's not particularly heavy. We transported a 21kg Lofrans windlass as hold luggage last year without problems but wondered if anyone has done the same with a compressor or is this a restricted item as it's a pressurised unit?

All advice welcomed.

Thanks

Mike
'Restless of Southampton'
Click to expand...

My Westerly coolbox (Corsair) came with approx 50mm of insulation and no fridge. I added 50mm of Celotext to the inside of the fridge, followed this with thin marine ply, glassed over this lot in and then flowcoated the whole fridge interior. Not very pretty but it works extremely well in the Med in summer. No real problem with battery drain and we leave it on 24 hours a day.
 
You'll only have a problem getting it to destination if you tell someone what it is or try to carry it in hand luggage.

Any gasses escaping will pass through the outflow valves before reaching the passenger cabin and a small compressed cylinder containing an inert gas can't possibly compromise an aircraft hold. In any case, the cabin/holds don't climb much above 7000 ft and as far as I'm aware, fridges are designed to function in mountain resorts.

Carrying a fridge on a plane will not get you put onto a "No Fly" list unless it ticks!
 
shanwick said:
You'll only have a problem getting it to destination if you tell someone what it is or try to carry it in hand luggage.

Any gasses escaping will pass through the outflow valves before reaching the passenger cabin and a small compressed cylinder containing an inert gas can't possibly compromise an aircraft hold. In any case, the cabin/holds don't climb much above 7000 ft and as far as I'm aware, fridges are designed to function in mountain resorts.

Carrying a fridge on a plane will not get you put onto a "No Fly" list unless it ticks!
Click to expand...

Obviously you do more sailing than flying

1st year of new security measures, the UK airports landfilled 3000tonnes of cosmetics and water bottles
 
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