Looking for a Cooler refridge unit

[VTCDN]

Portable A combi fridge-freezer that gives you all , 3 way .

What do the Auzi ' s have to say ?

It's not sold over here , So i was going to import one..from down under , I HOPE.

RC 1180 EGP

I would like to have a long trip unit. 6 to 8 months per trip to South America

VT

 

[Ebag333]

The problem with that particular unit is that it's 220v, not 110. So it'd be a nice 2-way (12v and propane), but not 3-way, unless you do something fancy.

How much is that unit going to set you back? I'm looking at going with a 3-way myself....

 

[hoser]

AFAIK, the 3-way fridges are not as efficient when running in electricity mode as the electric-only fridges. But if propane is easy to get down there and you have room for it, then it could be a good solution for you. Also keep in mind, the aussie's call it LPG and we call it propane. I believe there is a slight difference in the actual mixture. You may want to look up compatibility.

 

[VTCDN]

We also call it LPG as in Liquid Propane Gas , just slang / short propane. CNG as in Compressed Natural Gas..

Anywhos ,

220 is just a plug and the heating element , Its just that Canada/Usa is not offering , OR i can't seem to locate.
LPG unit plus 12v unit i can use while moving, in Town 220 might be used in Europe etc.

I'm doing Solar panels , house battery's,

Its the fridge thats the largest power consumer .
Here is the links i found :
1
2

3

Notice there from the land of plenty , those men must be at work !

Since I'm looking for an absorption type of fridge,They do fine on unlevel or rough roads. What they don't tolerate is sitting out of level (particularly with the first part of the condenser higher than the tip of the boiler). The result is the thermosiphon action of the coolant stops, resulting in overheating of the part of the boiler that is in the flame. A rough road actually encourages the circulation of the coolant, so as long as you don't park for long periods they are fine. Also, there is considerable debate about traveling with the LP lit. Some folks say it is fine and I have been known to do it in a Westfalia. Others think it dangerous to have a live fire burning in a vehicle. I sort of agree, but,,,. That said, most Dometic fridges have a 12vdc element. This is usually not quite big for the fridge to get cold, but is usually big enough for it to stay cold. They keep the element size small to keep the draw on the battery/alternator reasonable. So running on 12 vdc while moving, then turning to LP while stopped is a good alternative.

Dometic made a 3 way fridge specifically for the VW westfalia market. They were quite small, but very efficient, with seal combustion systems so there is no risk of CO in the cabin. These are getting pretty rare as they haven't been made since 1991, but you might find one on Ebay, or in a Westfalia wrecker. You have to be careful with these as they were prone to damage from parking out of level, and I don't think replacement cooling units are available.

The best source for LP fridge info that I know of here: Very smart guy, very helpful.

Even Mexico and SA have access to these 3way. Link

It, must be USA that's not letting them be sold here.
Canada is mostly ice anyways ;p .

VT

 

[hoser]

We also call it LPG as in Liquid Propane Gas , just slang / short propane. CNG as in Compressed Natural Gas..

LPG is actually Liquified Petroleum Gas but yeah, you are right, their LPG is propane. I was confusing their LPG Autogas which is a propane-butane mix.

Anyway, another aspect to consider is the compressor type fridge performs better than the 3-way. In S.America, you might need the best performance you can get. Semi-cold beer on a hot day... bleh.

 

[firetruck41]

Those 3 way fridges are not very good as far as I have heard, they are no where near as good as a compressor fridge/freezer. Could barely get to freezing at ambient temp of 80 deg farenheit.
Read this thread, there are data points for several types of fridges (3-way absorption vs. compressor): https://forum.ih8mud.com/camping-ou...nce-fridges-engel-etc-3-way-some-numbers.html

 

[Ebag333]

Those 3 way fridges are not very good as far as I have heard, they are no where near as good as a compressor fridge/freezer. Could barely get to freezing at ambient temp of 80 deg farenheit.
Read this thread, there are data points for several types of fridges (3-way absorption vs. compressor): https://forum.ih8mud.com/camping-ou...nce-fridges-engel-etc-3-way-some-numbers.html

It's an apples and oranges comparison.

From what I've read in my research, a 2-way/3-way won't take something warm and freeze it. A compressor fridge will.

Then again, a 3-way will last a lot longer than a compressor will. A decent sized 3-way will go a couple days to a week on a single 1 lb mini bottle of propane, let alone a 10/20/+ gallon size.

And I think that's the difference right there. With a 3-way, you'll have no problem going a month or more with little to no expense. With a compressor, you can go a couple days no problem, but then either you're running the rig to charge, using a generator, or spending a ton of money on solar panels.

Over in Australia folks seem to commonly go camping for a week or longer at a time, here it's usually just a few days. For myself, I think I'd like a 3-way just so I don't have to worry about running the Cruiser's battery down. Basically peace of mind.


As for the link above, the results experienced with a 3-way aren't exactly fair. I'm assuming it was tested with the fridge empty, and as we all know, a fridge or freezer is way more efficient when it's full. I know I've read accounts of people complaining that the fridge side of their 3-way got too cold overnight and froze items, they had to turn it off at night and back on in the morning. That to me doesn't sound like something that has trouble keeping stuff cold.

 

[firetruck41]

It's an apples and oranges comparison.

From what I've read in my research, a 2-way/3-way won't take something warm and freeze it. A compressor fridge will.

Then again, a 3-way will last a lot longer than a compressor will. A decent sized 3-way will go a couple days to a week on a single 1 lb mini bottle of propane, let alone a 10/20/+ gallon size.

And I think that's the difference right there. With a 3-way, you'll have no problem going a month or more with little to no expense. With a compressor, you can go a couple days no problem, but then either you're running the rig to charge, using a generator, or spending a ton of money on solar panels.

Over in Australia folks seem to commonly go camping for a week or longer at a time, here it's usually just a few days. For myself, I think I'd like a 3-way just so I don't have to worry about running the Cruiser's battery down. Basically peace of mind.


As for the link above, the results experienced with a 3-way aren't exactly fair. I'm assuming it was tested with the fridge empty, and as we all know, a fridge or freezer is way more efficient when it's full. I know I've read accounts of people complaining that the fridge side of their 3-way got too cold overnight and froze items, they had to turn it off at night and back on in the morning. That to me doesn't sound like something that has trouble keeping stuff cold.

I couldn't say exactly how the 3 way was tested, but I did test the 20+year old norcold, in that thread (went to the +1 deg F, no problem). But the 3-way that was tested could only get to 32F with an ambient temp of 80F, and high 20s with ambient temp of 65F. That is barely/not adequate as a freezer. I don't have personal experience with a three way, so I can't say if that is "normal". If so, I could never recommend it for use as a freezer, though it might suffice for use as a fridge. If a "freezer" is unable to freeze something that is warm/ambient, it is not a freezer IMHO.

My norcold, in that thread, was empty except for the tupperware tub that was filled with water, I took time/temp data and posted it, also mentioned how long it took to freeze the tupperware tub of water.

While a fridge freezer is more efficient when it is full, I don't believe that will have any/much bearing on the actual ability to reach a certain temperature, just how efficiently it can maintain a specific temp.

Comes down to a choice based on need/desire. If you need a freezer, you need a compressor fridge/freezer... and a way to deal with the battery/power situation. If you can't use AC/DC for the term you need the fridge/freezer, then you will need an absorption type 3-way fridge, but you will not have a freezer.

 

[Ebag333]

I couldn't say exactly how the 3 way was tested, but I did test the 20+year old norcold, in that thread (went to the +1 deg F, no problem). But the 3-way that was tested could only get to 32F with an ambient temp of 80F, and high 20s with ambient temp of 65F. That is barely/not adequate as a freezer. I don't have personal experience with a three way, so I can't say if that is "normal". If so, I could never recommend it for use as a freezer, though it might suffice for use as a fridge. If a "freezer" is unable to freeze something that is warm/ambient, it is not a freezer IMHO.

Keep in mind there are different 3-way's out there as well. A lot of them have a "freezer" that works about the same as the mini-fridges...poorly if at all. The mini-fridge I used to have would only keep stuff frozen if I set the temp low enough to freeze everything in the fridge, not just the freezer area.

The newer ones seem to have a different design where they actually have coils built into the freezer section, and it truly is a freezer. But that's rather different than the old style designs.

What I meant by a 3-way being unable to freeze ambient objects is that it is not going to do a fast freeze that a compressor type fridge could do. It'll get there, but it'll take some time.

While a fridge freezer is more efficient when it is full, I don't believe that will have any/much bearing on the actual ability to reach a certain temperature, just how efficiently it can maintain a specific temp.

I don't believe that's true, though it'd make an interesting Mythbuster's episode.

It's true that a compressor fridge/freezer that is full cycles less often to maintain the same temperature than an empty one. But a 3-way doesn't work the same way as a compressor fridge, it doesn't cycle on or off, it's always on.

So if a compressor fridge runs less cycles to maintain the same temp with a full fridge, wouldn't it stand to reason that with the same number of cycles (always on) it could go to a lower temp?

The other bonus would be that with greater thermal mass it would maintain a temperature closer to the lowest temp achieved. So lets say you could get down to 20*F temps at night, an empty fridge might move back up to 32*F during the day while a full fridge might stay below 32*F all day long.

All that being said, I don't think I'd buy a 3-way planning to use it as a freezer. It should keep frozen food frozen no problem, but won't be particularly effective at freezing non-frozen stuff. Then again I don't usually go camping with frozen food that I need to keep frozen.

Comes down to a choice based on need/desire. If you need a freezer, you need a compressor fridge/freezer... and a way to deal with the battery/power situation. If you can't use AC/DC for the term you need the fridge/freezer, then you will need an absorption type 3-way fridge, but you will not have a freezer.

Well said.

 

[VTCDN]

I myself can't see having a freezer , or taking something frozen and expecting it to stay frozen.
My use would be to have something bought local (cool food or frozen ) and the ability to have it stay cool / thaw till needed , so say 7 days max without having to replenish cooler food. drinks are semi luxury.

I had a Costco unit that uses 4 amps under 12v DC , they lower the interior temperature by 'X degrees' in relation to the outside temperature. This means the warmer it is outside (or inside the vehicle) the warmer it is inside the cooler. Not the same as real refrigeration.

Here is another unit for USA only : Dometic RC4000

Good to see I'm not the only one looking.

VT

 

[Ebag333]

I had a Costco unit that uses 4 amps under 12v DC , they lower the interior temperature by 'X degrees' in relation to the outside temperature. This means the warmer it is outside (or inside the vehicle) the warmer it is inside the cooler. Not the same as real refrigeration.

That's one of the peltier/thermoelectric jobbies. I picked one up at a garage sale for $25, and it was worth that. It's slightly better than a regular cooler as the peltier supplements ice (wet or dry) nicely, and I've used it to keep food cool without ice. But without ice keeping your food cool is a day, maybe two at the most. Plus it's something of a power hog.

Here is another unit for USA only : Dometic RC4000

I looked at those, but the price is horrible for how small it is.

 

[VTCDN]

Yup , 400.00 deliver to the door.

One would think that the some would be available to North America , Mexico has them from Dometic..

 

[Tinman]

The three way work on a completly different principle then the 2 way fridges.
The 2 way will get a lot cooler and freeze things down. The trail blazer once upon a time was the best here but the engle now is well and truly up there. They are much more efficient on electric and 12volt about 3.5 - 4 amps while the compressor is running. Maybe 2 amp over a 24 hour period. If you are going to keep it in the vehicle and do a bit of driving around this is the way to go. Otherwise a solar panel set up can be used.

The three way works off a heat exchange process. Works very efficiently on gas but not so on electricity. I have a chestcold 50 litre fridge freezer. Plastic one 20 years old. Although these days i think most of theirs are plastic. 3 kg approx 7lb gas cylinder lasts a week roughly. On 240 volts not sure but works good and on 12 volt operated with thermostat. On 12 volt draws 11 amp contant. No thermostat. So will run a 70ahr battery flat in 8-10 hours. Not real efficient here. I change it ofer to gas every time I stop for more than an hour. this can be a problem in an enclosed vehicle. It is great when I stay in one spot for a number of days. It can be a problem in windy conditions as it takes the heat away from the burner so it needs to be proteced from the wind. I find it works much better when bouncing around in the back of the 4be. It does not get a cold as a 2 way compressor type but I can keep food frozen in the freezer for a number of weeks. I cant say I have treated it good it has been dropped out of the back of the vehicle and all sort of abuse. The thing you need to be carfull with is the vent paticularly when on gas. People tend to place things on top of it all the time and it will burn holes in things or set them on fire.

Any wirng needs to be quite heavy for 12 volt. I have modified the initial wiring as it was hard wired for 240 volt which I rarly use. So now it has plug in 240 and hard wired 12volt with 4mm wiring. My vehicle has 6mm wiring to the outletin the back.

It is pretty much an individual choice for which is best. I have been pretty happy with the Chestcold but there is a lot more on the market then when I bought mine. In 20 years I have replace the 240 heating element once and had to clean the gas jet and burner out a few times. Any problems with the jet and throw it in a cup of vinigar for a couple of hours.

 

[VTCDN]

Tinman
Good report , and what your using / expecting / and doing with them.


good report.
VT ,