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| The insulation is done and it is glassed. Ready to be painted. |
So I added layer after layer of high quality polyiso insulation, in half- inch thicknesses, staggered and interlocking. I added these layers 3-4 deep on all side and the bottom, and added 2 inch pink foam to the top. I also sealed off the so called "day access" hatch as it was just another source of air leakage and absolutely impossible to use anyway.
Sealed the whole thing in fiberglass, used epoxy primekote over it all, and today put the coat of bilge note on it for a nice clean and cleanable white icebox.
On a trial run I added two blocks of ice, and the trip was for 4 days, and damn if that ice wasn't still there at the end. This is a game changer for our ability to store stuff. We gave up probably 25% of the ice box volume, but gained a true icebox. I've left out a lot of detail, but let me know and I can share more about how I did it.
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| Added an inch of pink insulation to the lid and glassed it all over. This is before I painted it. |
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| A view into the now painted box. The shelves still install and the drain still drains. |
5 comments:
I live on my gulf 32 not far from you, and agree the ice box is nearly useless. I've been considering a 12 volt compressor chiller unit.. Unrelated, do you have a red dot heater? And have you had to replace the fresh water pump yet? Hope to see you out there!
Hi Matt, Are you in the islands? I have a radiator style coolant heater on the boat but don't remember the brand. Works great. Installed it right under the port settee by the sink. I did replace my freshwater pump but have found in the past 10 years of using Aeolus heavily all summer and winter that we never, ever use the pump. We don't shower in the shower, and there has never been any use in using the pressurized water at the sink. Instead, we only use the foot pump, which we have plumbed through a simple carbon filter for great tasting water.
I cannot begin to express what a difference that icebox project has made. It holds ice now like you wouldn't believe.
Hi ..We have a Gulf as well up in Richmond BC and have also recently done a refit of the cooler..though in our case it was installing a Norcold evaporator. Recently I refitted the refit to make it into a freezer/fridge of the spillover type. Always fun and games. Looks like you have done a great job with the insulation. I had to work around the evaporator as they do not come out once installed.
Hi Brian, I just read your post on the ice box. Could you share additional info on how you did it. Yes, it is not much good as is other than dry storage!
Thank You!
Don Keller
S/V Thetis
Homer Ak
Hi Don,
As I tried to document here, it was really a matter of cutting and fitting numerous layers of hard foam insulation. I epoxied it all in place. I did all the sides and the lid as well. It ended up being several inches of new insulation all around and now it's amazing. Just be careful to not use epoxy paint as it takes forever to dry and gas off down in the hold. Just use water based stuff. We can put in a bag of ice now and it lasts for many days.
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