boat modifications

someone on the Malibu crew site started a thread about mods you've done to your boat. I proposed the possibility of converting the built in ice chest to a fridge. I got no response

has anyone done this?
I figure there are a few issues

1) insulating the box and turning the seat/ice chest lid into a sealed door

2) removing the heat from the compressor area while not letting it enter the engine compartment

3)wiring it to run without the boat on
....perhaps a dedicated battery and on/off switch (maybe on an off timer in case you forget to turn it off)

all issues seem addressable

it sure would free up a lot of room for lunch/snakes/drinks
any thoughts?

i say do it, sounds deluxe.

Nothing like a cold, tasty snake after a hard set!

Sounds like a "cool" idea. If you do it make sure you take some pics!

I wonder if you could just get a junkyard AC compressor for a chevy small block and bolt it up to the engine, (of course you'd need the right bracketry and a bigger serp belt, but should be all stock chevy stuff) then have it insulated enough so it would stay cold when the motor's off or just leave a blue ice pack in there, if sealed the frosty beverages would stay cold for a while. Seems like an electric compressor would use alot of power, aren't most on RV's propane powered?? I hate having food in a separate cooler with blue ice packs and beers and sodas in the built in one. I say hate because we forgot the food one all packed up in the garage the other day and didn't realize til everyone was starving that it wasn't aboard

the auto a/c comp is a good idea!
I wonder if it would get cold enough to do a good enough job

I would like to see this done. There needs to be a solution for all boats with built in ice chests.

If you kept the door closed, never opened it, and ran the boat continuously for 6 hours you may get the temps you want.

It will never be efficient enough for you to achieve what you really want it to do.

Think about it. How long does it take for a new fridge to cool down when you just buy one? And they are much more efficient and have constant power supply. So an engine operating compressor is out of the question.

That leaves an electrical option but the inverter and the amount of batteries you will need to run it costs way to much and takes up space.

Both options are way more expensive than a new 6 day cooler and some ice.

that's a good point Jim

I was thinking that you could use parts similar to the parts on one of these:
http://www.coolerdirect.com/12v-freezers-103-ctg.htm

or integrate one of those into existing built-in cooler area (while still having a functional seat)

Cliff,

my parents bought one of those things and to be honest they dont work all that well. The door must remain shut and has to be running a long time to be effective.(not practical for us grabbin beers n sodas all day long.)

In a perfect world your idea would be awesome!!! Unfortunately physics gets in the way...damn it.

On the auto ac I think it would work fairly well.
Think of how short a time it takes to get your vehicle to cool off. So put the cooling element in the bottom of the "fridge" and half fill it with water. Using the water would be a much better conducter.
Only thing I could see is how much space would be lost in the setup.
Or maybe even build a circulating loop of water and have the cooling element out of the way. You could even do multiple fridges that way.

REally "cool" concept. Unfortunately, doesn't seem practical. At all. Maybe if you started with a freezer unit and an external temp control, you might be able to get it cold enough. Of course, thats 120 volt so there's more electrical demand.

Sounds like it cost a lot of money to have "cowboy cold" beer.

We have a cooler that has a small cold air fan and a heater option. It works great and very small. It does take about 15 min to get a cold temp but it keeps things cold or hot if you need it. The whole motor/compressor takes up the space about the size of a brick. We got it as a gift, but I think it's made by coleman.

You might be able to butcher it and add it to a boat pretty easily. It's already wired for 12v too.

VW and Audi have a vent that runs into a spot in the glove box to keep drinks cold.
Or just get the one Premier or Bennington uses in their pontoons

I have a fridge on my cobalt. It takes forever to cool down. We never use it.