That sounds like a great strategy, Alan.  Our fridge, a 1/2 hp Grunert, is
also an amp hog -- drawing 30 amps for an hour or two every day while the
cold plate gets cold.  I have to admit that I hadn't thought of using that
new-fangled stuff called "ice" to help it to do its job.  Thanks for the
tip!

Phil

On Dec 31, 2007 9:14 AM, Alan Lewis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>  My normal cruising mode is to load the reefer with 60-75 lbs of ice and
> only use the battery-powered refrigeration when the engine is running.
> Because the refrigeration (a 35 year old Adler-Barbour Cold Machine) is by
> far the largest user of amp hours aboard, I can often go up to a week
> without running the engine except for anchoring duties or the occasional
> safety maneuvers.   The ice lasts over two weeks in this mode and my house
> bank can be kept at a reasonable size (about 400 AH using four T-105s).  I
> have only a small (1000 W) inverter for occasional use.   Of course I can
> use the house bank if no ice is available or convenient (sometimes a problem
> in far downeast Maine), but I still like to use ice most of the time.  And
> the beer is always cold (we must have our priorities appropriately
> ordered!).
>
> Alan
>
> Alan Lewis
> "Victoria"
> Gulfstar 41 #160
> Lying Kittery, ME
> K1ALL
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Mon, 31 Dec 2007 08:45:05 -0500
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> To: [email protected]
>
> Subject: Re: [Liveaboard] Battery Explosions
>
> Alan:
>
> That's a clever use for a combiner, but I'm just curious about why you
> wouldn't want your refrigerator to continue to run off the batteries or the
> inverter, even while the batteries aren't getting a charge.  It seems to me
> that that's what the house bank is there for.  Also, wouldn't your method
> involve a major risk of the beer getting warm?  YIKES!!!!!!!
>
> Phil McGovern
> s/v Sunshine
> PDQ 36
>
> On Dec 31, 2007 7:21 AM, Alan Lewis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>  Another great use for the battery combiner is to automatically disconnect
> devices when the engine is not running and the batteries are not being
> charged.  I use one in my reefer circuit to turn off the reefer when the
> engine isn't running so I don't have to manually shut it down;  when the
> voltage drops below charging levels, the circuit is opened and the reefer is
> shut down.  I use the smaller of Ann-Marie's two  combiner for this job; I
> use the large one to combine battery banks.
>
> Alan
> "Victoria"
> Gulfstar 41 #160
> Lying Kittery, ME
>
> > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > To: [email protected]
> > Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2007 18:25:44 -0500
>
> > Subject: Re: [Liveaboard] Battery Explosions
> >
> >
> >
> > A Combiner, invented by Ann-Marie on this list, is a smart relay that
> hooks
> > up between two banks of batteries, such as my house batteries and my
> > starting battery, and connects the two together whenever one is being
> > charged and there is enough power available to charge both banks.
> >
> > It is like turning your battery switch to "all" at the appropriate time
> to
> > charge all your vessel's batteries, and then turning it back after the
> > charging power is off, all automatically.
> >
> >
> >
> > Norm
> > S/V Bandersnatch
> > Lying Julington Creek FL
> > 30 07.72N 081 38.4W
> >
> >
> > > [Original Message]
> > > From: < [EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > To: <[email protected]>
> > > Date: 12/30/2007 4:50:10 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [Liveaboard] Battery Explosions
> > >
> > > Norm,
> > >
> > > Pardon my ignorance but what is a "Combiner"?
> > >
> > > Tom
> > > Atlantic Beach, Fla.
> > > -------------- Original message ----------------------
> > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > > I had one explode in the bilge. My then Gas boat Gas generator would
> > not
> > > > start, I was young, I kept cranking it, and cranking it , and bang,
> it
> > exploded.
> > > > Gases were all over the bildge. I suppose it exploded from over
> > cranking?
> > > >
> > > > I was lucky.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > See you on the Waterway
> > > > Capt. Sterling
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > MV _SterlingLadyIII_
> > (http://floridakeys.homestead.com/sterlingladyIII.html )
> > > > Key Largo, Fl.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes
> > > > ( http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
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>
> ------------------------------
> Don't get caught with egg on your face. Play Chicktionary! Check it 
> out!<http://club.live.com/chicktionary.aspx?icid=chick_wlhmtextlink1_dec>
>
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> ------------------------------
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