I thought i’d post an update on our efforts to improve our fridge performance.
I had hoped to add insulation externally by pooring 2part foam into the cavity around the fridge, however when i measured up it became apparent that the fridge ‘box’ was made to fit within the surrounding cabibinet work exactly- there was almost no air gap around. This also showed that the insulation was much to thin- about 2cm on the top & sides & not much more on the bottom!
We did however make 2 modifications which significantly helped.
Firstly we lined the inside of the fridge with Therawrap, as advised. This made a significant difference, though not as much as i’d hoped. Research revealed that it’s very good as a radiant barrier, but has little effect on conduction- this is the biggest cause of heat gain on a poorly insulated fridge.
Secondly i fitted an extract fan to suck air out of the Compressor compartment, thus drawing cooler air from the bilge. The idea was to improve the efficiency of the compressor – this definately helped. It’s a cheap & easy mod to make- i’d suggest an 80mm dia ‘quiet computer fan’, to keep down the noise.
The fridge could still be better. Next season i plan to line the inside with extruded polystyrene foam (Blueboard).
We thought that hygene would be a problem, but it wasn’t. We put a plastic box (without lid) in the bottom of the fridge & any open bottles, packets etc went i the box. We mopped out the condensate every 7-14 days and after 5 months on board had no fridge smells.
