The best statistic to know is amp/hours per day at a specific ambient temp with full-time two-person daily use.
We figure very roughly 100 amp/hours per day (estimated, not measured) for our 5 cu/ft freezer and our 5 cu/ft reefer, well-insulated units, both together on average. They each draw 2 amps when running. Skin-of-unit style condenser, so there are no fans or seawater pump, only the compressor. I suspect a high quality heat exchanger on the outside of the hull with the Freon cooling in it would work well if kept clean for units with compressor only loads. Since we are full-time-cruisers and anchor out only, we don't use the AC often as it requires running the genset. We have good ventilation and try to follow the pleasant weather up and down the coast, but nevertheless do experience temps from 95 F to occasionally freezing. Fans are very useful at desks, berths and the galley in the summer. For the winter the boat is fully insulated (2"-3" hard foam in living and shop spaces), plus we have a nice selection of warm clothes. We have never been aware of the heat load the freezer and the reefer put into the living quarters. The boat is only closed completely up on the coldest nights, say below 45 F. It does tend to stay warmer in the boat than the air is outside at night. It also warms up nicely with large windows and generous skylights letting in the sun. Norm SV Bandersnatch Lying Julington Creek FL > Thanks for all the recommendations- the reason I'm looking at Adler > Barbour is because they claim 35f with a 15cuft box size with 40% run > time and 80f ambient temp.. I haven't found any similar claims from > other manufacturers using the BD50 compressor. This box is 12.2 cuft > with 4" insulation if I get 40 degrees at 40% run time it will be > adequate, if I get 35 degrees at 40% run time I'll be happy. > > The water cooled feature is something I would need not because of > efficiency, but because any additional heat in the boat has to be moved > out with A/C to stay comfortable. I might as well put the heat directly > into the water and save the load on the other heat pumps. In my home > waters we have more of a fresh/brine mix than an actual full salt water, > so growth is less of an issue here than in many places. > > _______________________________________________ Liveaboard mailing list [email protected] To adjust your membership settings over the web http://www.liveaboardnow.org/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard To subscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] The archives are at http://www.liveaboardnow.org/pipermail/liveaboard/ To search the archives http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] The Mailman Users Guide can be found here http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html
