Why not propane refrigerators on boats

Greg;

I will attempt to answer your questions as posed.

I would agree that a road with a 10% pitch is pretty DAMN steep.

I would agree that a boat can pitch is excess of 5 degrees.

None of which changes my life experiences as stated above. For the record, if you go back to my OP you will see that I am not a proponent of placing propane on boats to power a refer.

I'd be willing o bet, that you have performed moves with airplanes that the mfg. cautions about in their manuals. Does it mean that they can't be done safely?
 
quote:
Originally posted by L. Keith

An associate of mine sailed around the world in a French built cutter that had a propane refrigerator/freezer as the sole source of cold storage. The unit worked fine for him over the 3+ years of his voyage. Not sure of the manufacturer of the unit.

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That only proves that nothing bad happened to him, not that it is safe.

For many years I drank and drove. No accidents and never stopped by the police. Does my experience prove that drinking and driving is safe?

If anyone can find a propane powered marine refrigerator that is ABYC and USCG certified for marine use and is willing and capable of installing it to ABYC specifications, it might be a good alternative to AC/DC refrigeration. Somehow, I doubt it or it would be more common.
 
Propane refrigerators are somewhat common on houseboats. I've seen rentals with both electric and propane.
 
A little off topic. In my sailing days I asked Frank Butler of Catalina Yachts to build me a Catalina 400 with some modifications. He agreed to all changes but one. ABYC and USCG guidelines and regs precluded changing the propane stove/oven to CNG. The venting changes required to meet their specs were too extensive.
 
I have a factory propane system and stove/oven on my boat. All ABYC approved and compliant. It's a lot more complicated than your backyard propane grill.
 
I'm surprised that the regs precluded the use of CNG... it's lighter than air and should be safer than propane.
 
quote:
Originally posted by stmbtwle

I'm surprised that the regs precluded the use of CNG... it's lighter than air and should be safer than propane.

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I'm thinking it might be a tank pressure issue.
 
"I'd be willing o bet, that you have performed moves with airplanes that the mfg. cautions about in their manuals. Does it mean that they can't be done safely?"

That would be a loosing bet. As an engineer I understand that Cautions are there for a reason, especially installation cautions. If I operate an airplane outside the manual I have either declared an emergency, or have place a restricted or experimental airworthiness certificate upon it.
 
I think we all, from time, confuse "the Laws of Man" and "the Laws of Physics". You can bend the former and often get away with it. You will not get away with attempting to "bend" the latter.

In this case, the controlling body of "law" is physics.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Radioactive

I think we all, from time, confuse "the Laws of Man" and "the Laws of Physics". You can bend the former and often get away with it. You will not get away with attempting to "bend" the latter.

In this case, the controlling body of "law" is physics.

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+1
 
I think the bottom line with regard to maintaining a vertical flame depends on the type of boat. I can guarantee you some boats crossing the Gulf Stream will rock and roll exceeding the recommended values. However, that will not be a prolonged event for motor boats. Sailboats, sure it could happen depending on the circumstances. On a houseboat? Never. Personally I think there are better means to implement a heat driven refrigeration system but cost would prevent it. It's not much different but it has to be better than an open flame in a container.

That doesn't mean I'd run with one because it is an added encumbrance. With the availability of 12v refrigeration, inverters, solar power, marine generators and shore power, there is no need to carry propane unless you like to grill. Get an Emeril Grill pan for crying out loud.

In light of the catastrophic failures outlined above I fail to find any believable rationale to install a propane refrigerator. When someone can show me images of a dual voltage Norcold that burned a boat or R/V down, I'll submit.
 
"Vertical flame" is not the only issue. The cooling system is a combination boiler and condensation system that relys upon gravity, rather than pumps, to produce proper fluid flow. This action only takes place correctly when the unit is properly oriented. When the unit is at an angle, even with, for example, an electric heating element, they gravity flow system will not work correctly and can cause internal issues.
 
quote:
Originally posted by boatbum

................... With the availability of 12v refrigeration, inverters, solar power, marine generators and shore power, there is no need to carry propane unless you like to grill. Get an Emeril Grill pan for crying out loud............
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I agree with you that a propane refrigerator on a boat is a bad idea but not with the idea of cooking on a grill pan.

My boat (a trawler) is intended for cruising and that's mostly what we use it for. This type of cruising can involve staying on the boat for days at a time. We have a Force 10 propane stove/oven with broiler and use it to cook meals, sometimes with the oven and multiple burners operating at the same time. It's a much better system than electric cooking unless one has a genset. Even then, propane is silent, a genset is not.

We also have a microwave oven that can be run from an inverter.
 
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