The F'in Fridge

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   I am half coming round to the Go Westy idea of taking the fridge out completely and putting some shelves in and buying a decent modern portable fridge. Question is what makes a decent camping fridge. 3-way is obviously the way but which one. Also notice there are several different types and wikipedia does not make it any clearer.

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mr bricolage Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Vanorak Joined: 29 Jul 05 Status: Offline Points: 1941	Post Options Post Reply Quote mr bricolage Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: The F'in Fridge Posted: 12 Aug 10 at 23:12
	I am half coming round to the Go Westy idea of taking the fridge out completely and putting some shelves in and buying a decent modern portable fridge. Question is what makes a decent camping fridge. 3-way is obviously the way but which one. Also notice there are several different types and wikipedia does not make it any clearer.
	Euramobil Terestra

Titus A Duxass Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Vanorak Joined: 12 Feb 08 Location: Lossatal, Germ. Status: Offline Points: 2164	Post Options Post Reply Quote Titus A Duxass Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 10 at 06:06
	This is the way that we went, you get a truck load of storage space where the fridge used to be. We bought a Sibir 3 way box. Similar too this one http://www.sibirgroup.ch/sibir/25.2.199/produkte/kuehlengefrierenfreistehend/fluessiggas-kuehlschraenkesibir/kuehlboxgaselektrischsilenzioa340k.html Wine bottle high, room for approx. 15 half litre bottles of Bier. Runs fantastic on a little gas and will freeze things if the ambient is not too high. But most importantly it does not sound as if it's a diesel - absolutely noiseless. The 12v ciggie lighter plug did melt when running of the battery (they pull about 7 amps), I replaced it with one of those other type who's name I can never remember. Edited by Titus A Duxass - 13 Aug 10 at 06:07
	Bollocks to it all!! 51°24′N 12°52′E

mr bricolage Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Vanorak Joined: 29 Jul 05 Status: Offline Points: 1941	Post Options Post Reply Quote mr bricolage Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 10 at 12:54
	Ok - do you know what the volume of the existing westy fridge is. I have been thinking of using something like truck fridge which is a highly efficient 2 way fridge. With a solar panel fitted, I should be able to get rid of gas power altogether.
	Euramobil Terestra

Titus A Duxass Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Vanorak Joined: 12 Feb 08 Location: Lossatal, Germ. Status: Offline Points: 2164	Post Options Post Reply Quote Titus A Duxass Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 10 at 13:16
	I find the gas option a must when wild camping. I have know idea what size solar panel you would need, these boxes can draw some current.
	Bollocks to it all!! 51°24′N 12°52′E

mr bricolage Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Vanorak Joined: 29 Jul 05 Status: Offline Points: 1941	Post Options Post Reply Quote mr bricolage Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 10 at 13:45
	OK the volume is 41 litres. Here is link to how people on the Samba are doing it. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=359831&highlight=fridge
	Euramobil Terestra

Titus A Duxass Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Vanorak Joined: 12 Feb 08 Location: Lossatal, Germ. Status: Offline Points: 2164	Post Options Post Reply Quote Titus A Duxass Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 10 at 14:03
	Nice fridges but the price is a bit steep.
	Bollocks to it all!! 51°24′N 12°52′E

Joker_Club Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Vanorak Joined: 14 Sep 06 Location: Sunny Lancs Status: Offline Points: 3733	Post Options Post Reply Quote Joker_Club Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 10 at 15:00
	Not trawled through the full thread in the link, but the space underneath the fridge is for air circulation (not a pan drawer), seeing as how Westfalia never added bodyside grills for inlet / exhaust of fridge heat the air has to get drawn in from the bottom, warmed up (a bit) by the heat exchanger and then rises and comes out the top vent at the rear of the kitchen-block, which draws more cool air in from the bottom (in theory) Not a brillaint concept in practice, but does work after a fashion unless it`s very warm outside temp. Got plenty of quiet PC fans to move the air on mine.
	Sunny Lancs

johnb Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Yardie Joined: 06 Apr 08 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 953	Post Options Post Reply Quote johnb Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 Aug 10 at 12:13
	I suspect that Westfalia designed the arrangement for camping in cool/temperate climates, not warm ones. if you are winter camping, the last thing you want is an icy blast entering the van through the fridge vents . The RM 184 in ours will hold 5 Deg C in the low 30s in full sun, but the fan is running flat out and the heat exhcanger is etremely warm.
	My van is better known in these parts than I am