Refrigerators

[RLG-GSG]

I would like to know what people are using for refrigerators.

The wife does not want to mess with ice coolers and I'm not sure how good a refrigerator would do. Can a refirgerator be powered off of a converter for very long? Can they be powered off the converter while trailing?

Thanks,

George Gilbert

[halfdome, Danny]

I would like to know what people are using for refrigerators.

The wife does not want to mess with ice coolers and I'm not sure how good a refrigerator would do. Can a refirgerator be powered off of a converter for very long? Can they be powered off the converter while trailing?

Thanks,

George Gilbert

Here's what you can expect to pay if you don't like using a cooler.
Danny

[Midget]

We put at 12v/110v Igloo cooler in our Midget trailer back in 2004. It eats the 12v battery in no time and we put the Harbor Freight 45 watt solar panels on the battery and it doesn't keep up. It's now used for storage space unless we plan to be plugged in and can use the 110v shore power.

When dry camping we use an extreme cooler and freeze 1 liter bottles of water before we leave. This helps keep the cooler dry and cold. The cooler is kept inside our truck away from the sun. Three 1 liter bottles will keep the cooler cool for an entire 3 day weekend.

Bob

[Vedette]

We have a Koolatron Fridge unit that lifts in and out like our cooler and is the same size as the cooler we use.
The fridge is very handy for all of that stuff you want to keep cool and "Dry". While the Cooler is used for Beer, white wine, chocolate milk, Beer, milk,
Beer, water, and meat (if not opened)...did I mention Beer!
And yes, it charges as we are driving via our TV charging system connected to our Converter (Inteli Power 9245) which is good for us as we are travellers, more than campers. Works best when we are plugged into 110 via our shoreline.
But , while camped with no power (off the grid) we get about 15 hours with the fridge running before it runs our Deep Cell 27 series battery down. As it draws 4.4 amps while running.
We have just purchased a Samlex 90 watt Portable Solar Panel kit that puts out 5.5 amps for next season.........Hope it can keep our fridge running??
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[Esteban]

There are a quite number of chest type portable AC/DC refrigerator/freezers to choose from. Prices and features vary considerably. Many of your options can be found at AC/DC fridge/freezer info. Solar power is very useful to provide extended, quiet, power for a fridge/freezer.

Two of many choices are an ARB Fridge-Freezer or a lower cost portable TruckFridge

[rowerwet]

We got an indelB 12/110V fridge, will never camp without it again. We camp with 110V so not sure how long it would last on the car battery(no tear 12V) in cases where we have the car parked with the fridge plugged in it has a switch to reduce the load on the battery for longer life.

[GerryS]

We've got a Dometic cf-35....I feel the same way. I'll never camp without it! As a bonus, it frequently gets used a home....keeping sodas cold, extra groceries....trips to the butcher shop a couple hours from here....trust me, if you had their meat, you'd drive there too.

I've ran it for 3 days, along with a coupe lights and a movie in the DVD. We still had battery left. The battery in our trailer is small too...it's about 3/4 the size of the standard car battery....

[RLG-GSG]

Thanks everyone, loads of good information...

George

[dales133]

The dometec cf35 is a very popular fridge with a great reputation down under, waeco it's branded at here.
No need to keep it level as slow suggested that's more for the more conventional rv fridges you have that side of the world.
I've got some good ice boxes but you can't beat a good fridge freezer

[MtnDon]

Truckfridge TF130. Love it.

[Vedette]

Our Koolatron can be use with the lid pointing up like a conventional cooler or standing up like a regular fridge.
Reversing the plug allows it to warm or cool.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[pmowers]

If you are going where there is 110, I have installed a 3.5 cf refrig/freezer in my cargo trailer. I keep the freezer compartment filled with 4 Fuji water bottles since they are square-shaped. The refig holds the temp well and I have checked the internal thermometer which was under 42 degrees after being unplugged for 2 days of 85 degrees, the bottles still had some ice in them. I have used the 12 v. coolers which do not have the oomph to actually cool things down, but can work okay if you prime them with frozen bottles, as well as ice chests, which always seem to either leak or float everything that needs to stay dry.
Do wish that I could afford the Dometic or Waeco though.

[sagebrush]

Truckfridge TF65

[Shadow Catcher]

We have a CF40 Waeco that is powered by 12VDC or 120AC this will take contents below 0 degrees or keep them just above freezing. It was powered for 8 days by the solar panel and it rides in the back of the TV powered by the alternator.
The problem with the peltair coolers (Kooltron et el) is that they will only get you down to 40 degrees below ambient temperatures and that can get you into food safety trouble quickly. I fitted it with a insulating jacket.

[bdosborn]

X2 on the Waeco plus a Tundra Fridge too.

http://home.comcast.net/~bdosborn/Boxcar/Waeco_CF40.html

http://home.comcast.net/~bdosborn/Boxcar/TundraTJ22.html

Bruce