direct sunlight on fridges (1 Viewer)

[WideAngleWandering]

I'm using a Norcold fridge in my 60. Even though I've tinted the windows if direct sunlight lands on the fridge it will start to heat up and run the compressor longer.

I'm thinking some sort of reflective insulation would make sense, sort of like Engel sells:
http://www.roadtrucker.com/engel/eng...ccessories.htm

I don't think anyone makes something cut to fit an NRF-30. Has anyone tried to make / improvise / repurpose something to protect their fridge from direct sunlight?

 

[Corey]

My ARB sits behind the drivers seat full time, never paid any attention if it ran longer or not when the sun hits it.
Has not seem to be a problem for me though.

 

[WideAngleWandering]

It's noticeable, especially if I have the rear gate up and the sun is streaming directly onto the fridge.

I have some mylar film I could glue over the fridge to make it reflective, spray it with reflective paint or maybe wrap it in reflectix.

I don't want to over-think this but it seems some improvement is in order. I know some engel guys run their fridges exposed in the back of pickups and others use the fancy engel thermal transport blanket.

 

[tag3]

I usually have my white sleeping bag liner over the fridge. Seems to block some of the sun rays.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I throw one of those windshield sun visors over mine. The heat gain IS significant when they sit in the sun. When I'm driving down the road, I don't worry about it, but when stopped in the sun-the fridge gets the visor.

 

[RHINO]

the NRF is a waeco/dometic, those covers should fit. or for cheap you can make your own with that aluminium bubble wrap from home depot (same stuff the visors are made out of drew mentions) and some foil tape.

 

[mwalls54]

before I put the cover on my arb the things in the top wouldn't stay cold. The cover has the alum bubble wrap and it works.

 

[greentruck]

I hacked a reflective windshield shade into a cover for our 43-liter Edgestar. It was just enough material to do a complete wrap. I repurposed it using some stick-on Velcro strips.

 

[WideAngleWandering]

the NRF is a waeco/dometic, those covers should fit.

The engel ones? I don't want to spend that kinda money for this project.

or for cheap you can make your own with that aluminium bubble wrap from home depot (same stuff the visors are made out of drew mentions) and some foil tape.

Reflectix? I think this is the way I'll go.

 

[SanDiegoCruiser]

I hacked a reflective windshield shade into a cover for our 43-liter Edgestar. It was just enough material to do a complete wrap. I repurposed it using some stick-on Velcro strips.

Photos? I have considered doing something similar to my edgestar.

 

[greentruck]

SDC,
Sure, no problem. Sorry not the best quality.

You could make it a little fancier by using two sunshields, instead of just one. But then that would have cost $20, instead of just $10.

 

[Bogo]

I did similar to a Coleman thermoelectric cooler. I used AL duct tape to attach 2 layers of the reflective bubble insulation directly to it. Now it will maintain a 35F difference between inside and outside it, and even cools down stuff at a reasonable rate. The thermoelectric cooler is still only good for beverages unless the outside temperature is below 75F.

 

[SanDiegoCruiser]

Thanks for the motivation. I recently did this. Just some old sun shields, duct tape for the cut edges and Velcro to attach the insulation to the outside of the fridge. Works much better. I noticed it cools things down faster.

 

[greentruck]

Nice work on the insulation.

What's the source of the travel bag?