Icy-Ball

[raprap]

I don't know where exactly to post this, but I've been trying to come up with a alternate to ice in the cooler---and fell upon Powell Crosley--famous for the Crosley Radio, the Cincinnati Reds, WLW, and the sheet metal engine. One of his other products was a kerosene refrigerator unit called the Icy-Ball. It was a batch absorption unit using anhydrous ammonia and water as the working fluid and was marketed to the nonelectrified America before WWII. After the war, Rural Electrification pretty much made the Icy Ball obselete, but in the non-electrified world of boondocking in a small trailer--it could be time for a rediscovery.

I found a fair link on the process for non electric refrigeration that leads to a source of plans (for $15.00), but it is old and in Florida. Just kinda wondering if:

a) any one remember using these units and;
b) any Floridians know of this place ---Dunedin, FL

Rap

[AndyL]

Little big for a tear... but...

http://www.solarhaven.org/AmmoniaAbsorptionIcemaker.pdf

The green energy types are playing around with this technology for all kinds of projects such as A/C and many others... Which only makes sense since these units are available to institutions...

google solar adsorption and you'll find a ton of projects and free / detailed plans

[satch]

Little big for a tear... but...

http://www.solarhaven.org/AmmoniaAbsorptionIcemaker.pdf

The green energy types are playing around with this technology for all kinds of projects such as A/C and many others... Which only makes sense since these units are available to institutions...

google solar adsorption and you'll find a ton of projects and free / detailed plans

Maybe you could use that as an air deflector mounted on the tow vehicle

[HossHoffer]

There are versions of the Icy- Ball around in use in the RV industry. We had one in the camper that used propane. If I knew that I was going to be in the same spot for awhile I would use it in a teardrop trailer.

The solar refrigerator looks promising but as with most things solar takes a lot of room. I wonder if it would be possible to have a dual use solar collector for electricity and refrigeration.

Hoss

[len19070]

The icy-Ball is the same technology used in any new Dometic/Norcold RV Refrigerator.

Years ago I saw one in use in one of my RVIA classes.

They really work well.

The Amish use one that I guess is the closest, The Servill. It uses a kerosene burner from an Aladdin Lamp.

Happy Trails

Len