![]() The low consumption and minimal operating times means the house battery has no problem powering the fridge all night with plenty of power left come morning. The solar panels power the fridge and feed the house battery during the day. So, with a 200 Watt solar panel system, there is no issue. Once installed (12 volts in our case) this unit has been consuming only 1.8 to 2.2 amp/hour and runs on average 2 ½ - 3 times per hour for only 3 to 4 minutes each time and maybe once every 1 ½ hour after sundown and overnight. Plus all Nova Cool kits are designed to use 12 or 24 volts with no modifications. A very small foot print for such a powerful and efficient unit. The LT201 compressor unit is only 9” wide, 11” long and 7.5” high. The model that checked all our boxes was the LT201 with the medium size evaporator plate (model FM). They also reviewed my ice box shape and dimensions and provided me with best options. While in Vancouver, I visited Nova Kool where they gladly gave me a tour of their plant and explained their product selection, options, consumption and performance. In 2018, NOVA KOOL, a Canadian manufacturer, had introduced a new conversion kit that uses less space, less power and delivers remarkable performance. Since our club does not have shore power (which I prefer) and we cannot be at the club everyday to start the engine in order to recharge the batteries, the fridge had to use as little power as possible so that a solar charging system can keep it going 24/7 and keep the batteries fully charged. We did experience fridge failures on some boats and loss of some food items but with our “glass always half full” attitude, those experiences turned into positives as they played a role in how we were to plan our conversion project.įirst thing was to set our priorities and objectives: we wanted the ability to start the fridge from spring launch to fall haul-out and keep it stocked with food and drink without having to bring a cooler every time. So, we know firsthand the pleasures of spending two weeks sailing and island hopping in sunny 85/90 degree weather without concern for ice and the pleasure of staying on our planned itinerary. We still had to remember to start the engine or generator at least one hour, twice every day, to maintain the batteries and refrigeration. ![]() Some of the bigger cats also had generators to power up and recharge the batteries, keeping the fridge and freezer going. However, during the last 15 years or so, every bareboat we’ve chartered, mostly catamarans, have had onboard refrigeration. When I first started bareboat chartering in the Caribbean, the industry was relatively still new with a limited selection of boats available and even less so for those with onboard refrigeration so, the aforementioned “ICE” hardship was not new. Pus the important chore to remember draining the ice box and the extra cooler we had to bring along, which took too much space for my liking. With just a regular ice box and the warm summer temperatures, our ice trips were often daily morning and evening chores. No need to find and go into marinas or yacht clubs with the mother ship every day. Luckily, we do travel with our tender to go ashore for ice and other provisions. The state of “coldness” of food items in the ice box also dictated the day’s menu! ![]() However, the constant need to plan when and where to get more ice was a daily task that pretty much dictated where our next stop, detour or destination needed to be. The desire or rather, the argument, to convince my wife (AKA First Mate) to convert our icebox to a fridge came after our first two trips onboard our Catalina 270, Aquaholic 3, up to the Thousand Islands from our home port in Montreal.įully stocked, the need for proper planning of perishable items and those requiring constant cold or kept frozen is an important logistic and one extremely well managed by my wife (AKA, Onboard Chef extraordinaire). After installation, the cooling holes are visible on the right ![]()
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