Cool box / refrigerator suggestions?

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jkhackney
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Location: Interlaken, Switzerland

Cool box / refrigerator suggestions?

Post by jkhackney » Fri Feb 03, 2017 7:38 pm

Hi everyone,

I have a 3-way absorption fridge that I use in the Dormobile. It draws 75A and cools to about 20C below ambient temperature, maybe more on gas. I like it because it was cheap (it's 35 years old) and because it can run on gas for so long, in case we're in a place without electricity.

Because it's so cheap and old, and it looks it, I can leave it in the shade at campsites, running on gas, when we go for excursions in the Dormobile, without worrying that someone will take it.

But, it's much bigger than we need, and it takes more space than I want it to, and 20C below ambient is not worth anything when it's 40C out!

I've read up on compressor fridges, some which even use solar panels, some of which can cool much farther than 20C below ambient. But the don't run on gas.

What do you all use? What do you recommend? Has anyone had one stolen? Does anyone have a solar power source for theirs, and does that work?

Thanks!
Jeremy

PS ... is there a Search Function on this forum ... ?
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RMS
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Location: Near Wakefield, UK, in God's own Country!

Re: Cool box / refrigerator suggestions?

Post by RMS » Fri Feb 03, 2017 8:11 pm

For efficiency, you really can't beat the compressor fridges. Most expedition vehicles use them so that must say something :wink:

I use a 25l Waeco on a leisure battery and 80W solar panel. Patrick has the 18l Waeco running the same setup in his Carawagon; Steve runs the same as me in his Carawagon and Mick has a 35l on leisure battery but no solar in his Dormobile.

They don't run continuously like the absorption fridges do, so just sip the amps and can freeze down to -18c no matter what the ambient temperature - sometimes accidentally if you catch the control without realising! Ask Steve about frozen wine and apples in the Sahara :whistle: On a leisure battery you should get at least 2-5 days running without charging depending on the temperature. With a solar panel as well you can run it more-or-less indefinitely.

I think you'd struggle to run one purely on solar though.
When the compressor kicks in it draws a hefty current for a fraction of a second which a solar panel wouldn't be able to provide, I think :shrug:
If the leisure battery is low, the fridge will fail to start if the voltage drops below around 11V due to a battery protection circuit built in to the fridge, so I think you'd need at least a small leisure battery to provide that kick - though I stand to be corrected :shrug:

However, they do cost quite a bit more than coolboxes, so you would probably have to justify it to your wallet. Some folk get by with dried milk and olive oil instead of butter, so not actually an essential piece of kit, though once you've had a full English breakfast or an ice cold Guinness on a Sahara sand dune, you wouldn't be without :gold:

Cheers,
Robin.
1967 109" Carawagon 200TDi
1972 109" SW Carawagon 2.5NA
1958 109" Carawagon 2.25P (project)
1972 109" Carawagon 200 or 300TDi (project)
1974 Dormobile 2.25D (project)
(Robin on S2C forum)
Dormy
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Re: Cool box / refrigerator suggestions?

Post by Dormy » Fri Feb 03, 2017 9:00 pm

jkhackney wrote:It draws 75A and cools to about 20C below ambient temperature, maybe more on gas.
Don't you mean 75 Watts - at 12v that's just over 6 amps. Still not something to be run from a car battery if the engine is off !

I second what Robin said ^^^ and also use a 21ltr Waeco fridge. I just kept checking e-bay etc. and got a second hand one at a good price in the autumn when the prices are lower (still a fair bit of dosh). I also bought a 75ah leisure battery to run it which is fine if you don't move camp for 3/4 days.

Whatever you do, don't waste any money on an electric coolbox. They draw a constant 5 amps or more and are no good at cooling food (or beer !). They can just about keep the temp of pre-cooled items down while you drive to the picnic site - but not much more !

Ian
jkhackney
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Info: It's not misspelled, it's American
Location: Interlaken, Switzerland

Re: Cool box / refrigerator suggestions?

Post by jkhackney » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:49 pm

Woops, of course I meant Watts and not Amps, thanks!

Our main need is storing leftover food so we don't just throw it away, plus a few staples like butter, milk, cheese, yogurt (the rest of the family is Swiss, after all). Luckily I like warm (ish) beer.

The 36L I currently have is rarely filled up, even counting the inch of water that collects on the bottom! Because of its size and where the vent holes are, it has to be packed in first, which really slows us down when leaving a campsite. It takes most of the space on the rear floor.

I have to say, though, that we once found it incredibly handy as a heater inside (on gas) during one very cold trip when I couldn't get the Eberspächer started! Otherwise it always has to stand outside, meaning upacking everything, first ... such a pain in bad weather!

Something 15L-ish would do, ideally though it should fit within the seating/packing arrangement of the Dormobile where its ventilation won't get blocked. All the available niches are pretty narrow.

I only have the starter battery for now. My sixpot has the 11AC alternator so plenty of power available while running, but running down the battery in a traffic jam or when parked is always foremost on my mind and that's getting old! I'd like to leave it running while on a ferry, too. So I'll also have to find a spot for a battery, and put it on a split charge (I already have that set up through the caravan plug) or a solar panel.

I've seen AlexB's and Mick's compressor fridges when they were in Switzerland. Indeed your posts reinforce that that's the technology to choose, then, even though it means abandoning the gas.

I found an 80W peak solar panel that would fit perfectly on the front part of the roof, 1500 x 350 mm, like a tropical roof sheet.The idea of putting a charging system together is interesting at the moment, even if it's not necessary, seeing as how a pretty modest-sized battery will last so long!

OK I'll start looking around for a used one, good idea!
Jeremy
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DrivingDutchman
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Location: Raunds, Northants

Re: Cool box / refrigerator suggestions?

Post by DrivingDutchman » Sat Feb 04, 2017 11:43 pm

Hi,

Definitely go for a compressor fridge. Look at your need and decide for the size. I run an biggish National Luna 50 ltr weekender. It has 40 ltr cooling and 10 ltr freezing capacity. My wife swears by it having a seperate freezing compartment. I have built a bespoke cupboard in he back of my Dormbile to house the fridge and the porta potty below. We use weekend bags for our clothes as we don't have the original wardrobe anymore in the car. I still have it, but sits in the shed for now.

I think they are well worth the money. We use ours frequently for the shopping run as well. Keeps the fresh stuff cool while going sightseeing after the shopping.

Michiel
1969 109 sw dormobile Dora
1996 overland defender sw 110 Nellie
1962 109 sw safari diesel Hannie (sold)
1973 88 series 3 soft top in various bits on the drive...
jerryd
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Re: Cool box / refrigerator suggestions?

Post by jerryd » Sun Feb 05, 2017 1:50 pm

I use a Waeco 50 litre fridge, it has a seperate cooler, fridge and freezer. Or you can remove a divider in it and have cooler and fridge or freezer.
Seems to use very little from the battery and it also has a built in sensor which turns the fridge off if the battery is getting low.

Forgot to add that when it's not used for camping it's in the garage keeping the beer cold :cheers:
Jabbawocky
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Re: Cool box / refrigerator suggestions?

Post by Jabbawocky » Tue Feb 07, 2017 3:32 pm

Hi Jeramy
It's all be said, we love our fridge. Robin is mistaken about the size of our fridge, It's a Coolfreeze CF25, the same as Robin's, just an older model. easy to fill, so I wouldn't go any smaller, but I wouldn't go any bigger either in a Dormobile.

best regards Mick
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RMS
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Re: Cool box / refrigerator suggestions?

Post by RMS » Tue Feb 07, 2017 4:25 pm

Jabbawocky wrote:Hi Jeramy
It's all be said, we love our fridge. Robin is mistaken about the size of our fridge, It's a Coolfreeze CF25, the same as Robin's, just an older model. easy to fill, so I wouldn't go any smaller, but I wouldn't go any bigger either in a Dormobile.

best regards Mick
Ah, sorry Mick - I remember seeing a bigger one in a Dormy - must have been Michiel's :embarassed:
1967 109" Carawagon 200TDi
1972 109" SW Carawagon 2.5NA
1958 109" Carawagon 2.25P (project)
1972 109" Carawagon 200 or 300TDi (project)
1974 Dormobile 2.25D (project)
(Robin on S2C forum)
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DrivingDutchman
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Location: Raunds, Northants

Re: Cool box / refrigerator suggestions?

Post by DrivingDutchman » Tue Feb 07, 2017 5:45 pm

Yup, that must have been mine.
Attachments
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1969 109 sw dormobile Dora
1996 overland defender sw 110 Nellie
1962 109 sw safari diesel Hannie (sold)
1973 88 series 3 soft top in various bits on the drive...
jkhackney
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 9:01 am
Info: It's not misspelled, it's American
Location: Interlaken, Switzerland

Re: Cool box / refrigerator suggestions?

Post by jkhackney » Wed Feb 08, 2017 10:32 am

Hmm, as much as I love the idea of travelling in an original vehicle, those wardrobes aren't the most useful things. We use it for storing things that could be stored in any old box anywhere. I could store it in the garage at home and replace with somethign more useful.

I like the additional shelving you have around the fridge, Michiel, and the hooks. Where do you store water, now?

I thought of putting the fridge on the rear door, outside, and running it off a battery that I'd plug into the split charging circuit I built into the caravan socket. I already have a handcart that I modified to fit on the rear tire carrier, instead of a spare wheel. It's removeable for carting heavy stuff around campsites.

The idea would be to place the fridge and battery in a metal box on that cart. Alternatively, I could put the battery on the water bottle shelf inside, with the wires going through the door. I suppose the box would be necessary to keep dust out and to keep people from playing with the fridge when we're parked.

A refrigerator probably weighs as much as a spare wheel, more or less?
-Jeremy
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