Hot air rises and cold air falls. You want to keep that cold air in the refrigerator. Most boat refrigerators are built with a drain in the bottom so any condensation that may form can drain into the bilge. If water can drain out of your refrigerator, so can the cold air drain out, and the warmer air from the bilge rises and enters the refrigerator.
The easiest way to solve this problem is to stick a rubber stopper or a wine cork in the drain hole to stop the air flow.
A refrigerator compressor and coils needs fresh air to work efficiently. A refrigeration unit works by removing the heat inside the refrigerator box. The heat is removed by the refrigerant and it dissipates into the air around the compressor coils. The less fresh air around the compressor and coils, the harder the compressor has to work to get rid of the heat and it will use more energy doing that.
Boats are generally designed with the compressor and coils somewhere, in the lazarette, the engine compartment or a locker. There is usually a cut-out for air to reach the condenser, and usually the compressor itself has a fan to keep the air moving across it.
To keep the refrigerator working at peak efficiency, keep the compressor coils clean, also clean the fan blades while you are at it.
The cooler the air around the compressor and coils, the more efficiently it will work. If you are going to place a big load on the refrigerator by adding a lot of warm food, you want to do it when the air is the coolest such as early morning and late evening.
As ice builds up on the condenser, it actually insulates the condenser from collecting the heat. You should not have more than a ¼” of frost on the condenser. By keeping the unit defrosted on a regular basis, you'll make it much easier for the heat to be removed and the cold air to transfer to your food.
One last thing, to help keep cold air moving around your food. I suggest you by a small battery operated fan to place in the refrigerator. The battery-powered RV refrigerator fans cut initial cool-down time by 50%. RV refrigerator fans help keep your food from spoiling by circulating air evenly at the top and bottom of your unit. They are portable air circulators for any refrigerator. These products can run continuously for 30 days on 2 "D" alkaline batteries. It measures a compact 3-1/2" x 2-1/2" at base. Camco 44123 Fridge Airator is also available and it has a charcoal filled bag that fits in it to absorb orders.
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