Holding Plate?

[motion30]

I am looking to purchase a new undercounter frige/freezer Isotherm offers a holding plate or a regular evaporator style which should I order? Boat is at the dock all week on the hook 2-3 days over the weekend Boat has generator

[Randy]

There are a number of refrigeration threads going, so you might check them out if you want to figure out how do do it right. Maybe PM one of the experts for an opinion of a best of off the shelf frig.

[Talbot]

Decision is very simple and depends entirely n how you make the electricity in the boat.

If you have solar and wind generators, your charging routine is primarily a slow and lowish amphour charge over a long period.

If you rely on charging by running a generator or an engine, then your charging routine is a fast high amp charge over a short period.

The holding plate is designed for that fast high amp charge and thus creating a reservoir of ice to keep things cool.

The evaporator works better on a solar/wind as the main charging system, as it puts a small amount of power into the evaporator over the longer period.

If you are always opening the fridge, and losing a lot of the cool, then a holding plate is not such a good idea (i.e. dont use a holding plate with a front opening fridge!

However, if you frequently have stuff that needs to be frozen down quickly (or cooled quickly) e.g. another slab of beer!

then the evaporator may not have the power to meet your needs.

[Richard Kollmann]

Isotherm’s cabinet refrigerators with ASU (Automatic Speed Up) control are a good choice with a holding plate. Isotherms holding plates are too small to offer any benefit over the standard thin plate evaporator without the ASU unit. The only advantage of ASU controller for your planed activity at the dock on shore power or when motoring ASU would increase compressor capacity especially when warm product is added to box.

[motion30]

Thanks That is the information I was looking for and the manufactures do not provide So no holding plate in a front opening unit

[bstreep]

The problem with a front opening unit (ours opens from both the top and the front) is that all of the cold air "falls out" when you open it - and is replaced by warm humid air. We then, quickly, get a heavy frost on our holding plate.

[motion30]

I understand , but the layout of the galley gives me no choice front opening is what it is At least my toes stay cool

[Captain Bill]

A friend of mine has an Isotherm ASU unit on his Mainecat 30. He has 4, 55 watt solar panels and brags that his boat has never been on the grid. He has 1 lifeline 8D house battery supporting it. He notes that near midday or after depending on the time of year, the battery is fully charged and he has extra power to spare which the ASU unit uses to chill down the holding plate. While in the Bahamas this year he had two panels fail but he was still able to keep the fridge cold, but he didn't have power for much else. The fridge is front loading, though I believe it was built by the boat manufacturer as it is built in and appears to be all fiberglass with foam insulation. Isotherm sells kits for installation into existing ice boxes. He can even make a little ice if he puts it directly against the holding plate.