We've always wondered about the efficiency of the Sea Frost condenser and compressor system. It is in the same compartment as the port hot water heater. The engine cooling water loop runs from the bulkhead to the hot water heater, adding its heat to the compartment. To try to gain a little more efficiency out of the existing unit, we took two measures.
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| Water Heater Loop Hose with Insulation |
The first was to insulate the engine cooling water hoses and re-route them to reduce their length. The 7/8 inch ID pipe insulation from Home Depot fits the hoses perfectly. We used some thin mylar and aluminum ducting tape (not the fabric duct tape) to help hold the insulation hose closed. It is best to wrap a piece of tape around the hose every six inches.
The next observation is that the compartment gets warm from the heat expelled through the insulation on the hoses, from the hot water heater, and from the fuel tank when we're running the engines for very long. So we created a small duct to go over the condenser intake and ran the cooling air supply duct to this duct. It is constructed from a piece of 3/8 inch thick foam insulation and is held onto the side of the Sea Frost with velcro. A 4-inch mounting ring connects to the air supply hose.
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| Sea Frost Cooling Air Duct |
-Terry
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