Cockpit Fridge Front Discoloration

Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭

Have you ever noticed the "white" front of many cockpit fridges has started to turn pink. I have been told that was due to UVA/UVB exposure changing the plastic's color. The change can really be noticeable in boats that have the fridge and ice-maker side-by-side as the ice maker front seems to remain white making the fridge front discoloration even more obvious. I helped a guy re-paint his fridge front last summer. Simple enough - plastic drop sheets, tape and a can of UVA/UVB stabilized spray paint made for plastics. I noticed last year that from noon on the sunlight hits my cockpit fridge and ice-maker dead on. So I got a couple of cans of Coke and a white towel (white reflects heat) and covered them. I draped the towel down from the refreshment counter and put the cans of coke on the edge of the towel to hold it in place. I put the towel up in the afternoon and when we are away. I soon noticed that the fridge cycled less often as I guess the shade kept it cooler. I left enough room between the bottom of the towel to let air flow around the fridge and ice-maker and to not block the air intake of the ice maker. The Admiral noticed my experiments and sewed two white canvas bags to hold some shot-filled soft dive weights we use for scuba (see below if interested). It works really well and now looks cool too. Yes, I DO have way too much time on my hands. BUT to put my ocdness in perspective, a guy at a marina showed me a 12v very low amp fan that he had installed in the cabinet behind his fridge and ice-maker. It was wired to the switch for the fridge and ran whenever the fridge was turned on. Now that's true ocd!

Post edited by Michael T on

Comments

  • Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,552 mod
    Waaaaayyyy too much time MT.  Cool experiment.  I thought you were going somewhere with using aerospace protectant or something on your fridge door.  I really like using my black (leather type) canvas in place of isinglass in the summer.  It keeps all the UV out (yeah, it's black, but stays a lot cleaner than white & doesn't matter when I'm not there.

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

  • MarkBMarkB Member Posts: 3,960 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Perhaps another example where wrap could be used to renew a surface.

    Boat Name: King Kong

    "Boat + Water = Fun"

  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @DI and @ MB....great ideas guys!
  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I wouldn't mind changing the panel to stainless or something that looks like stainless. Dometic clearly makes different inserts, but they are nowhere to be found on their site.
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
  • Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,552 mod
    Greg, just find an old SS dishwasher that someone is junking and cut to size.

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    My old fridge front was made of some wood or cardboard material. So I got a piece of scrap formica from the local cabinet shop free and used black automotive trim spray paint. Still looks like new. 
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