by pralfred » Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:54 am
Because I am planning on pulling my drop with a motorcycle, weight is my biggest enemy with my build. I could make the space for a fridge, and I could make the space for a large enough battery bank and inverter...but all the added weight is going to put my build over-weight if I go that route. I wasn't a huge fan of the ice-in-a-cooler option either, so my mentor and I came up with a unique solution. We're going to build an insulated ice-chest under the galley counter that will be constructed like a modern fridge (sealing door, fiberglass lined, silicone sealed) but be cooled by dry ice. To cool it we're going to use a wire rack/drawer at the top of the cooler to hold a block of dry ice and let convection do it's thing. Science for the (hopeful) win! We haven't tested this solution yet, but when we get to that part of my build and do test it I'll be posting then as to whether or not it actually holds up in practice to the theory. We will be testing this out before I hit the road to determine how cold we can get the ice-box and for how long it will stay cold enough to keep perishables in it. I'll then be costing out the dry ice for extended trips to see if it's worth doing long term or if I'll just have to get used to not having much cold food. Perhaps this is not the type of option you want to consider, but I figured I'd share in case the idea peeks your interest.
"While there is tea, there is hope." --Sir Arthur Pinero