Frigoboat Marine Refrigeration does away with the hassles of choosing and the complications of maintaining a marine refrigeration system. Most importantly Frigoboat marine refrigeration systems are quiet and dependable refrigeration systems that will keep your perishables fresh and your drinks cold. Listed below are the key advantages of the Frigoboat line of marine refrigeration.

12/24V D.C. Operation for Sail and Power Vessels

Versatile "MIX 'n MATCH" Design Allows the Most Efficient Choice of Compressor, Evaporators and Condensors
"KEEL COOLER" Eliminates Moving Parts and Raw Water Entering Boat

"KEEL COOLER" Saves up to 25% in Power Consumption
"KEEL COOLER" is Super Quiet - No Pumps! No Fans! No Noise!
Latest Generation Danfoss Compressors Consume up to 25% Less Energy
For Refrigerators up to 20 cu. ft.
For Freezers up to 10 cu. ft.
Two sizes of compressors (BD 35 & BD 50) for any application.
Because Frigoboat offers the most technologically advanced line of marine refrigeration on the market today, boaters can save up to 50% of power consumption! Frigoboat systems are competitively priced and generally cost less than the inefficient systems that they were designed to replace.

Evaporators; Vertical, Bin (B), Horizontal (H), or Flat Plate (F).

If you have a single box that you are converting into a refrigerated space, the Vertical Bin or Horizontal (with door) versions make the most sense, as the area inside the bins becomes a freezer where you can store some frozen goods & even make ice. The rest of the ice-box is kept at refrigerator temperatures under the control of the thermostat. Of the two, the Vertical Bin is the most popular in top opening boxes as it is easier to install & use, whereas the Horizontal version is standard in boxes with front opening doors only. The Vertical Bin is available in two sizes, and, if the larger size is preferred in a smallish box because of its larger freezer capacity, some of the surface area may have to be covered with an insulating material to ensure that goods stay frozen inside. The larger size (340B) is not available in a horizontal configuration with a door, so one will have to be fashioned to stop goods from falling out when mounted horizontally. Conversely, the smallest Horizontal evaporator (130H) is not available as a vertical model, but may be used as such without problems.

If you have a large box & require more of a freezer area than the largest Vertical or Horizontal models can offer, a “spill-over” system may be the answer. In this application, one area is partitioned off with a barrier, & a Flat evaporator installed that is controlled by a freezer thermostat. A hole is then cut into the barrier and a “Spill-over Fan & Thermostat” installed that will keep the rest of the box at refrigerator temperatures. A hole or gap over the barrier will provide a return path for the circulating air.

If you have a box or boxes that will be a dedicated refrigerator or freezer, a Flat evaporator may be bent to shape with a 11/2” min radius, & installed around the perimeter of a box. See the green spec sheet or the web site for allowable bending areas. You will need to choose between a refrigerator or freezer thermostat, & there is also a “Dual thermostat” that is a housing that contains both a refrigerator and a freezer thermostat & also a change-over switch to enable the user to choose the application.

Choosing Your Keel Cooler



There are 4 differant choices of keel coolers: Studs or Threads and Zincs or No Zincs.

The threaded version requires a very large wrench to tighten it against the hull and lots of wrench swinging room. It also requires a helper outside of the boat to hold the keel cooler while it is being tightened. This version is typically installed professionally.

The Studed version has two smaller bolts as the attachment mechanism. These, of course, require a much smaller wrench and can be installed by one person.

Whichever version is right for your application, the installation hole is the same size, 1 1/2".

The keel cooler is also available with or without sacrificial zincs, which is not necessary in normal applications, but may be required if the boat has a “floating ground” system. It is a requirement of any installation that the keel cooler be connected to the battery negative as a safety measure, & this normally will connect the keel cooler to the bonding system & also the shaft or hull zinc which will protect the keel cooler. In this case the zinc version is unnecessary.

Guide to Choosing

Condensing Units











Condensing units; Air cooled (AV, AH, Capri, Paris), Water cooled (W) or Keel cooled (K).

Air cooling is the least efficient cooling medium compared to water, but is cheaper to buy & easier to install. To achieved maximum efficiency, they need to have the coolest possible air forced by the fan across the condenser, & the heated air expelled away into a different area. Water is a far denser medium than air & typically stays at a lower temperature than the air inside the boat or locker. It is generally accepted that water cooling is 20% - 30% more efficient than air cooling, but it involves installing a pump, which adds approx. 1amp (at 12v) to the total current draw as well as adding the uncertainty of a clogged strainer or pump failure. Using a Keel Cooler is the logical step up from a pump-fed water cooled system, as now the condenser is outside the boat, & the only moving part of the system is the compressor. This makes for the quietest, most reliable, & most efficient system of all, although it requires that the boat be hauled to install the keel cooler. The keel cooler is also available with sacrificial zincs, which is not necessary in normal applications, but may be required if the boat has a “floating ground” system. It is a requirement of any installation that the keel cooler be connected to the battery negative as a safety measure, & this normally will connect the keel cooler to the bonding system & also the shaft or hull zinc which will protect the keel cooler.
Consumption Guide










Consumption guide for Frigoboat 12/24v keel cooler systems
This guide should be used for estimation purposes only. There are many variables involved that will effect consumption & heat-leak calculations, but if you follow the step-by-step process below it will approximate figures for estimation purposes.

Step one

Measure the box interior dimensions & calculate the volume in cubic feet.

Step two

Measure or estimate the thickness of the insulation.

Step three

Consult the tables below & find the approximate hourly heat-leak into the box for either a refrigerator or freezer. For a spill-over system, calculate the heat leak for both sides of the box & then add them together.


Example

12 cu ft refrigerator box with 3" insulation

Step 3 From tables, estimated heat leak is 51.2 watts/hour

Step 4 Estimated run time per hour = 51.2/132 = 0.38 hours/hour

Step 5 Estimated current draw = 0.38 x 4.5 = 1.74 amp-hours/hour

Step 6 Estimated daily consumption = 1.74 x 24 = 41.9 amp-hours/24 hours