ok guys....fridge

[mr_glasgow84]

Thanks Tarquers, much appreciated.

 

[kp64zl]

This is how I have my fridge set up at present with two cables. I plan to get solar power, hard wire it as per @Amarillo's description. Then hopefully a 12v extension cable made from 6mm^2 automotive cable will work out in the awning...

Two pictures below - hope this helps clarify things in your mind

Top one is of the two cables that came supplied with the fridge, the 12v one is plugged into the 12v socket and the 240v 'kettle' lead into the 3pin 240v socket.

If on hook up, then the fridge uses the 240v supply, but automatically switches to 12v when the 240 volt supply is disconnected.

 

[mr_glasgow84]

This is how I have my fridge set up at present with two cables. I plan to get solar power, hard wire it as per @Amarillo's description. Then hopefully a 12v extension cable made from 6mm^2 automotive cable will work out in the awning...

Two pictures below - hope this helps clarify things in your mind

Top one is of the two cables that came supplied with the fridge, the 12v one is plugged into the 12v socket and the 240v 'kettle' lead into the 3pin 240v socket.

If on hook up, then the fridge uses the 240v supply, but automatically switches to 12v when the 240 volt supply is disconnected.



View attachment 42758

View attachment 42759

Thanks - very helpful.

In my case, if the fridge made a noise at night, I think my wife would want to move it to the awning. Is there a simple extension cable that would allow me to store it there whilst still switched on overnight?

 

[sidepod]

If hooked up the length of power cable from 12 volt socket to fridge is highly unlikely to matter as the voltage at the power socket will be a steady 13.8 volts.

I love the internet. Just write any old bollox and hit Send.

 

[Sp0_0k]

Surprised how thin cables are usually used for 12v appliances. I rewire most of them to at least 4mm2 or even better 6mm2 if runs over a meter.
You simply can't go wrong with thick copper wires.

 

[Bramco]

for more than a few hours.

Tom, sorry but you still need to edit your post. Type B fridges last a lot longer than 'a few hours'. Ours last a few days.

Your use of significant for power usage comparison is also misleading. The devices have similar ratings - look the specs up - Type A are modulated, i.e. turn on and off as required based on the internal temperature while type B run continuously unless you manage them by unplugging them at night for example.

I would use 'significantly' for something that is say is 10 times more or less than an other. In the case of power usage, for these devices it's more like a factor of 2 times which I wouldn't call significant.

Maybe the following would be a truer reflection of the merits of each type?

'Type A is significantly more expensive, but uses less power. Type B is significantly cheaper, but uses more power.'

Type A are about 10 times more expensive while they do use less power than type B.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Lets keep it simple.

Type A - A proper compressor fridge that keeps stuff cold for long periods.
Type B - A picnic box which helps keep stuff sort of coolish/lukewarm for a few hours...

 

[Sp0_0k]

Type b can't run as a freezer at any power. Freezer is essential in vanlifing. Ok now posts with people who don't need freezer.

 

[Sp0_0k]

Ooo that is wrong?

On hookup the leisure socket voltage should not be below 13.8 volts.

maybe some need 1,25mm2 cable at 10 meters )))

 

[Sp0_0k]

In my case, if the fridge made a noise at night, I think my wife would want to move it to the awning.

I recall couple stormy nights in Norway with waterfalls and rivers noisy as a thunder. My wife climbed down and hugged the freezer which as she said calmed her with purring noise in her sleep.

 

[sidepod]

The Waeco 29L coolbox is 5 amps max. At max setting it would flatten an 80Ah battery in 16 hours

You are aware it doesn’t run continuously? No , of course you’re not. It also depends on ambient temp and a whole host of other conditions.

Why do you insist on writing drivel ?

 

[Amarillo]

Why do you insist on writing drivel ?

I've deleted my posts in this thread. They were based on my experiences of cheap cool boxes ~18 years ago, so were outdated.

 

[MattBW]

Why do you insist on writing drivel ?

Maybe its lost in translation but you could surely disagree or call something out without being so insulting?

 

[Bramco]

A picnic box which helps keep stuff sort of coolish/lukewarm for a few hours...

Sorry that's just rubbish...

You may be very happy with your expensive Waeco or whatever you have but that doesn't mean you should give opinions masquerading as facts. Really not sure what benefit anyone can derive from statements like that.

Thermo-electric coolboxes cool to 20C below ambient - not what you might call lukewarm for normal use. Or maybe Devon normally averages 40C throughout the year.

Anyway, there's no need to diss things that you don't like...

 

[soulstyledevon]

Sorry that's just rubbish...

You may be very happy with your expensive Waeco or whatever you have but that doesn't mean you should give opinions masquerading as facts. Really not sure what benefit anyone can derive from statements like that.

Thermo-electric coolboxes cool to 20C below ambient - not what you might call lukewarm for normal use. Or maybe Devon normally averages 40C throughout the year.

Anyway, there's no need to diss things that you don't like...

Nope...
Stand by my last statement.
When i had the VW coolbox, it drained the leisure battery faster and didn't perform anywhere near to that of a proper compressor box.
We had to use ice-packs to try and keep the temperature of the box cool.
The difference between the two types are night and day, or should i say ice cold and slightly below room temperature...

They are rubbish, fact...!!!

 

[jts46]

1-compressor fridge 12v/24v or 240v
2- absorption fridge 12v, 240v or leg
3- coolbox 12v/24v usually fan driven

 

[sidepod]

Maybe its lost in translation but you could surely disagree or call something out without being so insulting?

Point of order there Matt.
I pulled him up earlier in the thread on a sweeping statement he made and his response was this


The arrogance of the man.
All he has to do is show a clear calculation to support his statement, instead he just carries on.
If you don’t understand a subject then keep quiet. It’s not difficult.

 

[jts46]

1-compressor fridge 12v/24v or 240v
2- absorption fridge 12v, 240v or log
3- coolbox 12v/24v usually fan driven

The compressor fridge is the most efficient, but can be noisy
The absorption model is also efficient but has to be on level ground which can be a problem when camping. The big advantage of this type is 12v, 240v and lpg. Plus it can be used in awning or outside. We as a family used one of these for nearly 20yrs, and never had any problems.
The coolbox is usually an insulated box with a fan that is reversible, to either suck warm air out, or can blow warm air into it for keeping food warm in winter. They are not very efficient. When I worked for Electrolux I was given a coolbox to evaluate. Needless to say we engineers, not happy about them.

 

[Amarillo]

The arrogance of the man.

Admitting a mistake is hardly a display of arrogance.

The mistake was clumsy, but not crucial to the point that fridge cut out from voltage drop is less likely to be an issue when on hookup.

 

[Sp0_0k]

Sorry that's just rubbish...
Thermo-electric coolboxes cool to 20C below ambient -

Sorry but exactly that. Just advertized on paper. It won't do even 5'c below with 0 outside.
Those 20 are achieved at like 30-40 ambient in perfect conditions.
Though yes 10-15'c is reasonable for most food when too hot outside.
Of course lots of thermoelectrics use thermal rele which is 2-5$ to add in production so it kinda doesnt have to run all the time.
If no freezer required and you aren't too serious with vanlifing ofcourse thermoelectric is a decent option.

Our x2 50L compressor freezers draw below 5 amps together in eco mode. So they draw less energy together for keeping -15C' than a single coolbox trying to keep +5-10'c

 

[GrannyJen]

I can't believe a thread about fridges could generate so much heat

 

[Kano]

I have a Webasto tb41 and camp in Spain for 3 weeks each Summer with a family of 4. Very good fridge i would recommend. Cio

 

[MattBW]

I clearly need to think about making a video about fridges for CVCO or the club channel.

 

[Sp0_0k]

One valuable thing I have learned from my fridge is how to solve overheating cig plugs.
IndelB has smartly made a plug without a fuse and put it into the fridge itself.
So the cig lighter plug is soldered directly to a cable. And the fuse is what is causing the overheating due to lots of questionable connections with just a spring pushing a fuse. Those metal parts oxidize with time and increase resistance and overheat and overheating just helps to speed up the process.
So I just put a fuse on the cable itself and make sure a connection going to a cig socket is all securely soldered.
This allows up to 20 continuous amps without issues. An average plug will have a problem with 5 amps in the long run.
P.S. a quick and painless way to temporarily solve overheating plugs is to clean all the connecting metal parts inside with sandpaper.

 

[Sp0_0k]

To give you an idea of voltage drop.
https://www.calculator.net/voltage-...nce=3&distanceunit=meters&amperes=5&x=64&y=19
A nice calculator with an example of 1mm2 (the most common cheap cable) running for 3 meters at 5 ams (average fridge) results in 8,33% 1 voltage drop.
So you are effectively wasting 8-9% energy on heating the cables.
Using 4 or even 6mm2 cables I get 1-2% loss.