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Old Style Ice Box instead of a Fridge?

TabletTablet Member Posts: 46
in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
I have a 2010 Tab TQ with the original Norcold. It's noisy and inefficient. In a possible step towards going more acoustic, I have considered making an old style icebox to replace it with. Block ice lasts a long time, and with a good design I think it could work well and be very quiet! Has anyone done anything like this?
2010 T16-Q & 2013 Toyota Sienna Limited AWD.
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Comments

  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    I did the opposite once, regretted it afterwards.  I had a 30-foot traditional sailboat, that I was living on and had a nice mahogany ice box built in on side of the galley.  I took it out, and replaced it with a 12-volt compressor cold plate style refrigerator, looked OK, but lacked the class of the old icebox, and it drained the battery too.  Afterwards, I wished I had left the original icebox in.

    With today’s improved installation, block ice can last for a week.  We got Yeti icebox to use on trips, and it keeps cold for 5-days with bag ice.  Very efficient, and does not use any power resources.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • MuttonChopsMuttonChops Member Posts: 1,733
    LOL, another sailboat job.
    I had a 26-foot sailboat years and years ago with a no insulation installed ice chest compartment, didn't even a water drain.  Was able to access space well enough to add a drain [to a hand pump for overboard dumping] plus fully insulate and then made new insulated top & lid.

    It worked great after the modifications on many successful week long sailings.
    '18 320 S,  pitched axle, 3020HE; PNW based
    TV: '17 Colorado V6 Z71 4x4, Tow Package, GM Brake Controller
    Adventures:  54   Nights:  341  Towing Miles 43,780
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,764
    @Tablet - funny, nuCamp replaced the perfectly good Norcold chest frig with a Yeti cooler and many owners are disappointed and want an electric frig.  You want a cooler.  Maybe consider the newest, very efficient 2 way frig that they have in the 2021 models.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    For short camping trips )3-4 days), the Yeti works great, holds more food stuff (depending on the ice you use), and costs less than a replacement 2-way.
    That said, the new 2-way compressor fridge is very nice, and also works quite well, not noisy at all.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • falcon1970falcon1970 Member Posts: 758
    If you are using a Yeti cooler check out the Yeti Ice freezer blocks.  No water in the cooler and they last (and keep things cold) for several days.  They last much longer than any of the several other brands I have tried.
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  • ontheroadontheroad Member Posts: 485
    @Sharon_is_SAM..I agree..LOVE my Norcold cooler..and so did many others, unfortuneately NuCamp only heard from owners that didn't like it..
    Former 2017 T@G Max XL
    2021 T@B Boondock CS-S
    2018 Nissan Pathfinder
    Ontario, Canada
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