The last job...

I always get a little excited with the prospect of a new project.   Usually I've thought about the next project for a while before hand, so I embark upon the new task like a puppy dog on speed.  Our fridge was no exception.

From the out set let me make absolutely clear this is not the last job Ruth or I have to do.  But it is the last job that I have to start whilst in America.

Why ? 

Insulation. The better our insulation the better our fridge will perform. We have chosen what we would refer to in England as Celotex (a brand name) its r value (if you are in to these technicalities) is around 7 per inch.  We have gone with the recommended dimension of six inches around the fridge with a lesser amount around the top.

Despite the heat, and need for insulation in homes here in Texas, insulation thicker than ½'' is hard to come by.   Ivan, as always, had done the research for this in advance, having sourced a supplier where we could purchase thick insulation.  A kindly offer of a lift there saw us collecting insulation before the true heat of the day was upon us.

 

Having collected the insulative board, we drove back discussing the merits of the respective designs we had conceived.  Also the insanity of it.  Though substantial boats, in the grand scheme of things our boats are tiny; onboard our 38 feet must go everything we have, from tools to provisions.  Yet when we consider how much insulation to have, we opt for six inches.  This, we fear, is a far cry from the insulation in a typical household fridge; or for that matter within the walls of houses here.  Why?  The reason, of course is energy.  We will have to make all the electricity used by the fridge, so despite the space we have on board in comparison to a house; energy efficieny drives our decisions.

 

The process of fitting the insulation is a laborious one.  Measuring the size for one face, cutting an apropriate piece then repeating until the desired thickness is achieved.  It gives me time to wonder whether fridges with six inch insulation would ever catch on in households...