Thursday 26 February to Monday 9 March 2015

 

Dave and Chris, the carpenters from Custom Fit came out to the boat over several days to cut access panels in the cabinet around the fridge.  The fridge box is just a glassfibre moulding which is fitted in below the galley work surface and access is via a lid on the top (normal side opening doors let out too much cold air which has to be replaced by more cooling and therefore more battery drain and charging).  Custom Fit were already very busy with other larger jobs and we were being fitted in around them.  This meant that our job was extended over two weeks as they did an hour here and an hour there.  This was a bit frustrating and whilst they were fairly good at keeping us informed it was difficult to leave the boat to shop and so on for fear they might want to turn up and do some more.

 

 

This picture is looking to the side after two of the access panels have been cut away.  The yellow/brown bits are the glassfibre fridge sides.  This is after Lin and I had dug out all the old foam using knives, chisels and a stainless steel hook made up by Custom Fit to let is get to those areas difficult to access - especially at the back (not shown here).  All the foam we cut out had been dry on the outside but wet with condensation where it lay against the fridge:-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking forward at a third cut out:-

 

 

 

 

 

A few days later after sheets of closed cell refrigeration foam panels had been fixed to the sides of the fridge box.  There is insulation underneath now which we haven’t had before:-

 

 

 

 

 

Again looking forward with foam panels fitted:-

 

 

 

 

 

Panels back in place with mahogany trim edges to hide the cuts.  The panels are removable in case we need access again:-

 

 

 

 

 

Again looking forward at the third panel.  Part of the side panel (bottom vertical in the centre of the picture) doesn’t quite lock in properly.  This has subsequently been resolved:-

 

 

 

 

We have been able to achieve the same cooling effect with a reduced fridge compressor setting which reduces the current draw.  Also the fridge now runs less than 50% of the time when it used to be well over 60% which again saves juice.  I suspect we will still get condensation over time but I hope we will still win overall.