Which Fridge? Advice Needed !

ARB makes one too, but I think that its in line with the Engel's, in price and features.

Not. Either 'do a Hobbs' and bag a very good, very cheap s/h Electrolux or fork out for an Engel. In time your Engel will become your best friend (I'd never go anywhere without mine etc...)

Engel makes the fridges for ARB, AFAIK.

AaF?

So that's what you've got up your jumper! I thought you were just....

Arse about Face?

Andy

How much are they (I'm too lazy to look it up!)

Gromit

It won't do the job. The NZ equivalent to Halfords (same useless staff, better range of parts that you actually want) has a cheap coolbox that will run off 12V, gas (and I think 240V) and seems to work quite well for about 70 quid. I'll find out what make they are - someone in the UK must import them, or maybe I can start an export business to the afl regulars.

Whatabout the electrolux RC 1600 which I was considering ?

Very good. I've got one...

Have a look for a Waeco - surprised they haven't been mentioned as they are *supposed* to be one of europes biggest sellers.

CF50s are on some sort of special deal in Aust at the moment (doubt its a worldwide thing though)

Engel 15L approx £370 + VAT Engel 35L approx £450 + VAT (think this was for a shop demo one)

Both prices from TBRUK. To be honest at these prices I was only half listening to the chap but he was very helpful none the less!!

Thanks for the replies.

Got this (below) from a uk camping website

inc VAT

Not quite sure what the energy figures mean though... In simple terms, could I leave it connected to the Landy battery overninght (say 12hrs) and still be able to drive away the next morning, or is it something that would definately need its own battery?

Any experience in this area to decipher below or give real world performance experiences?

Thanks Jon

Dometic Electrolux RC 1600 best selling portable refrigerator boasts a giant 33 litre capacity. Rugged construction and the free choice of energy ensure a wide range of uses. The Dometic Electrolux RC1600 portable refrigerator model will delight you with cool drinks and fresh food everywhere. Free choice of energy: 12 Volt + 230 Volt + gas Ice cube making facility Piezo igniter

2 stage control for gas operation Thermostat for mains operation Hermetically sealed lid Durable plastic-coated cabinet Dometic Electrolux RC 1600 portable refrigerator is also available as 230 Volt + 24 Volt + gas versions. On these models the thermostat regulation is on the DC supply. See also RC1500 RC160024V RC4000 F400 RC1180 Portable Refrigerator See Hints & Tips for Portable Refrigerator The Dometic Electrolux RC1600 Portable Refrigerator comes with 12 Months Dometic Electrolux Full European Guarantee Capacity,refrigerator,litres 33 Net Weight, kg 16 Dimensions, mm H x W x D Outside - 440 x 500 x 458 Inside - 368 x 418 x 229 Colour blue and white Consumption - Electric, kWh/24 h approx. 1.35 12 Volt, Ah/24 h approx. 150 - Gas, g/24 h approx. max. / min 252 / 187 Average consumption in 24 h at 25 C° mean ambient annual temperature according to ISO standards.

Seems fine.

Leisure battery (if you intend starting the engine again!)

I am 'just' and 'fair' and do not own a gun.

On or around Wed, 08 Sep 2004 08:14:40 +0100, Jon enlightened us thusly:

that's probably more than yer battery contains, so yes, you'll need a separate supply.

150 Ah is 150A for an hour, or 75A for 2 hours, etc. or in this case something like 6.25A for 24h. That's about as much as leaving half the lights on for 24 hours, unless you have a very big battery, you'd be pushing yer luck.

lookat it another way, for 12 hours, you're looking at 75Ah, which is probably something near the battery capacity, but that don't allow you enough to restart it in the morning.

your battery should have a capacity on it in Ah, along maybe with a starting current (CCA) in amps and maybe a reserve capacity at 20A or 25A load.

Note that the Ah capacity on the battery is normally quoted at something like a 20-hour rate - viz. the current drain that will flatten the battery in 20 hours. And that the actual capacity in faster discharge is less than this.

Unless you have a rooted objection to gas, though, you might think about running it on gas, which won't flatten the battery at all.

Thanks for this, that means that i am either going to need another battery or a gas bottle for when i havent got an electric hook-up.

Having not used gas appliences before, especially portable ones, please bear with me!

When using gas, Im assuming that they need some sort of flue, or at least to be well in a well vented area?? Would it be safe to leave it on gas in a tent whilst we where sleaping or would we not wake up again??!! Im thinking Carbon Monoxide and other such nasties..

My folks used to take us on motorcaravan holidays every year. It had a similar Elextrolux fridge which required a flue terminal out the side of the van for gas running. In theory, if running correctly it should only produce carbon dioxide and water, but you could always extend the vent pipe out a window or under the tent. The small bottles of gas last a very long time, especially if you remember to switch to 12v when driving and keep the cooking sensible. Regards David

On or around Wed, 08 Sep 2004 14:56:39 +0100, Jon enlightened us thusly:

I'd expect the thing to come with full instructions, but normally, yes, they have a vent to the outside. If it's anything like the mains gas fridge me grandma used to have, it works by using the gas as a working fluid in the refrigeration system, and then has a little flame to burn the gas off. In an electric system the depressurising of the working fluid extracts heat from the surroundings and repressurising it again creates heat, hence a) the compressor in the fridge and b) the radiator on the back which gets warm.

gas one loses the compressor and radiator and wastes the gas it's depressurised from the gas supply, normally this gets burnt, hence the flue outlet on such fridges. I assume that a dual-purpose one either has a means of changing the routing of the working fluid so that it either recompresses it or burns it, or, more likely perhaps, it has 2 complete systems.