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Cold Box Refrigeration

System Builder

For component refrigeration we always recommend Frigoboat’s Frigomatic 12/24 volt component fridge and freezer equipment.

Built to the highest specification, designed for self-installation to deliver the best performance 12 volt or 24 volt DC fridge or freezer system with the lowest power consumption, whether air cooled, keel cooled or pump water cooled.

Frigomatic has a wide range of evaporator plates and either air cooled, keelcooled or pump water cooled compressors and condensing sets to optimise the fridge or freezer system in an existing insulated cool box.

specify 12 volt 24 volt fridge system

Easy to install with all the components pre-charged with R134a refrigerant and connected by Frigoboat’s excellent re-sealing ‘quick couplings’ and controlled with either mechanical or digital thermostats.

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Cold Box Refrigeration

System Builder

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Step by step system to select the components to refrigerate your Fridge, Freezer or combination Fridge Freezer

Step by step process to select the correct fridge or freezer equipment to suit the specific size of your boats insulated box.

To specify the correct equipment to refrigerate your existing insulated box enter your boat name and email address to get started

Or for our range of budget priced fridge kits up to 160 litre volume go to our shop and browse 12/24 Volt fridge and freezer kits to select the parts you require.

If you wish to purchase a product in the UK please go to our UK System Builder

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Cold Box Refrigeration

Select type and calculate the volume

Which fridge or freezer system should you select?

Select Fridge – for a dedicated fridge designed to operate around +4C

Note that for a fridge we recommend 75mm thickness of insulation (minimum 50mm).
The maximum volume of a fridge using a single compressor and evaporator plate is 380 litres.
Fridges which are larger than 380 litres will require 2 systems to cool effectively to maintain +4C

Select Freezer – for a dedicated freezer system designed to operate and maintain -18C


Note that for a freezer we recommend 100mm thickness of insulation (minimum 75mm).  The maximum volume of a freezer using a single compressor and evaporator plate is 120 litres.
Freezers which are larger than 120 litres will require 2 systems to cool effectively to maintain -18C

Select Combination fridge freezer (spillover system) if you are looking to create a top opening fridge (+4C) and freezer (-18C) with two adjacent/joined boxes or one box with a divider.


Note: that if the volume of your combined fridge and freezer is calculated on a ratio of 3:1 freezer to fridge. If your volumes are too large for a spillover system you will need to fit two separate systems one for the fridge and one for the freezer.

How to calculate the volume of your insulated box?

To calculate the volume of your insulated box select the option that matches your box and enter your dimensions in millimeters (mm):

Cube

frigoboat-fridge-box-dimensions

Partial Cube (with a sloping wall)

Frigoboat-fridge-dimensions-angled-back

Or click the option to add the volume manually

Note: we only need to know the volume +/- 5 litres so don’t worry about calculating all your dimensions to the absolute millimeter.

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Cold Box Refrigeration

Select type and calculate the volume

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Select fridge, freezer or spillover (fridge freezer) to calculate the internal volume

To calculate the volume of your insulated box select the option that matches your box and enter your dimensions in millimeters (mm)

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Cold Box Refrigeration

Select the evaporator required

Choose Box evaporator or plate evaporator?

Box evaporators can be mounted horizontally or vertically, allowing an area to store frozen food and make ice.  Horizontal mounting is ideal for front opening fridges or top opening where the lid does not cover the whole of the box, (leaving a return to mount the plate).

Flat or Plate evaporators are more suited to top loading boxes, especially freezers, combination systems or fridges where the lid reveals the complete box.  They can also be used for front opening fridges where no ice box is required.

Flat plate evaporators can be bent to suit the shape of your insulated box  All our plate evaporators can be bent to suit your insulated box. We will need your box dimensions, size of lid opening and where you wan the pipes to exit and we can then send you a sketch of how we will bend the plate confirming dimensions.

Why is the plates volume capacity important?

For a Fridge – select the evaporator whose maximum fridge capacity is closest to the volume of the insulated box you are refrigerating.  If the plate is too big it will not stay cold enough and will cause condensation making your fridge very wet.
For a Freezer – always select the largest plate possible, you cannot over size a freezer plate.  A true freezer is rated at -18°C or below. (4 star rating).  For a 5 star fast freeze freezer you need to achieve -26°C and below to pull things down to frozen without risk of a temperature rise which could affect existing food in the freezer.
For a combination system the same rules apply as a freezer, specify the biggest plate possible.

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Cold Box Refrigeration

Select the evaporator required

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Select the evaporator required for a

Based on one refrigerator box for fridge - 0L

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Cold Box Refrigeration

Select the type of condensing set required

Efficiency of air cooled, keel cooled or pump water cooled condensing sets

Water is far better at dissipating heat than air, so water cooled systems will reduce power consumption by at least 20%.  The graph below shows average consumption by volume for water and air cooled Frigomatic fridge systems

Average 12 volt fridge power consumption

Note that these figures are based on air and water at the same temperature. Normally in hot weather air temperatures are higher than the sea water temperature so the actual efficiency gain will be much higher is the air temperature is 30C and the sea water temperature is 20C

Which area you will be cruising in?

For boats cruising in hot climates like the Med or the Tropics we recommend you select water cooling, either keelcooled or pump water cooled.  Water cooled fridge systems are the most efficient possible because water dissipates heat far better than air (some 20x more effective) so will dramatically reduce your power consumption.

12 volt DC fridge cruising map

Boats cruising in Northern European waters will normally have lower ambient temperatures so air condensing sets are more than adequate, although water cooling will still be more efficient it is less critical.

If you are starting in Northern waters and heading South then select Med

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Cold Box Refrigeration

Select the type of condensing set required

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Select the type of condensing set required for a

Select Air cooled for the lowest price.
Select Keel cooled or Pump water cooled for the lowest power consumption and best power efficiency.

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Cold Box Refrigeration

Select the compressor and condensing set

Air cooled compressor options

Frigomatic use aluminium finned forced air condensers. A low voltage brushless DC fan pulls the air across the aluminium fins giving greater surface area to dissipate the heat effectively.

Air cooled compressors need good ventilation in and out (the minimum square area for each grill is 144cm2, which is equivalent to a grill size of 12cm x 12cm

Air cooled condensers can be ducted for greater efficiency

Keelcooled compressor options

Keel cooled refrigeration reduces power consumption by a minimum of 20% (often significantly more in high ambient conditions), because water dissipates heat approximately 20 times better than air.  

The Keel cooler uses the water on the outside of the hull to cool and condense the refrigerant.

  • Produced in marine bronze the sintered plate protects the heat exchanger from damage
  • Sintered bronze is porous so the water passes through to the heat exchanger inside
  • The heat exchanger is manufactured from cupro-nickel for maximum resistance against sea water corrosion.
  • Supplied with sacrificial zinc anodes as standard for further protection from galvanic corrosion.

The keel cooler is extremely quiet in operation as there is no cooling fan required.

As the heat exchanged is bonded on the outside of the hull there is no heat put back into the boat form the fridge or freezer which in hot climates will significantly reduce the temperature in the galley and saloon.

fitting a frigoboat keelcooler for a 12 volt fridge

Water cooled compressor options

Pump water cooled refrigeration reduces power consumption by a minimum of 20% (often significantly more in high ambient conditions) compared to air cooled systems, because water dissipates heat approximately 20 times better than air.  

Frigomatic pump water cooled systems have a highly corrosion resistant Cupronickle sea water condenser and use a diaphragm pump to deliver a flow of 5-10 litres per minute of cooling water.

The Frigomatic water cooled condenser also has a built in overheat switch to protect it should the sea water flow become restricted or blocked.

Pump water cooled is ideal for larger multi compressor systems or for aluminium boats where a keelcooler is not recommended due to the dangers of galvanic corrosion

12 volt water cooled fridge

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Cold Box Refrigeration

Select the compressor and condensing set

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Select the compressor and condensing set for your

Select the condensing set that best fits your requirement from the list below
Click on ‘full product details’ to help see more details on the dimensions and product details to help you confirm the best fit

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Cold Box Refrigeration

Select Thermostat and extras

Thermostat options

The standard mechanical thermostat for use with all Frigomatic evaporator plates systems. Simple temperature control 0 – 7

  • Mounted inside or outside the fridge to suit requirements
  • Supplied with 3m of electrical cable with spade connections, which connect to C & T on the compressor and there is no polarity. Can be extended
  • 90cm temperature sensing capillary (which must be attached to the evaporator plate) and cannot be cut or shortened

Full range Frigoboat fridge thermostat with fixed sensing probe. Allows precise straight forward temperature control.

  • Must mount inside the fridge or freezer
  • Fixed sensing probe (must not be attached to the evaporator plate)
  • Suggest mounting half way up the wall inside the fridge, 50cm away from cold plate

Digital thermostats are suitable for fridge or freezer and allow temperature control between -20c to +10c

  • Voltage 12v and 24v
  • Mounted externally
  • Clear LED temperature display
  • Display in C° or F°
  • Adjustable parameters including temperature differential and timer defrost
  • High and low temperature alarms
  • Temperature sensor cable 6 meter which can be extended

Multi voltage upgrade

We will fit a 12/24V 110/240V 50/60Htz controller fitted in place of standard 12/24V controller

If the controller senses AC power either 110V or 240V it will automatically switch to use this power only reverting to the 12V or 24V DC supply when the AC supply is not available.

Note that this upgrade must be ordered with the condensing set/compressor and cannot be added later

Pipe Extensions

Copper pipe extensions available from 1m to 6m length.

Designed to allow you to extend the distance between a Frigomatic compressor and the evaporator in the fridge or freezer. Ideal if you are looking to locate the compressor remotely, away from the living area of the boat.

  • Pre-insulated extension copper suction and discharge pipes
  • Pre-charged with R134A refrigerant
  • Supplied with Frigoboat self-sealing couplings

Transfer fans for Combination Spillover

Frigoboat thermostatically controlled spill over fan 12/24V.

Practical device for spill over fridge or freezer system powered by 12/24v DC. Allows you to thermostatically control the temperature in the fridge section by drawing cold air from the evaporator plate in the freezer compartment.

  • Supplied in either 12/24v (select above option)
  • The freezer will run on its own dedicated freezer thermostat
  • Easy to control with thermostatic knob
  • Quiet fan
  • Mounted internally inside the fridge
  • Easy clean plastic housing

Optional compressor bulkhead mounting bracket

Bulkhead mounting bracket for Frigomatic 12/24 volt compressor.

Note: Options for Frigomatic water cooled W35F/W50F, keel cooled K35F/K50F compressors or air cooled Roma condenser only– please select correct option

  • High quality stainless steel
  • Easy bulkhead installation
  • The compressor locates on its Teflon feet which clip neatly into the pre-drilled location holes
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Cold Box Refrigeration

Select Thermostat and extras

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Select/confirm the thermostat

More extras title