12V fridge/cooler Question

[Almost There]

I intend to invest in the 12V cooler/fridge units, probably a Whynter and have a couple of questions for y'all.

According to the Whynter website it requires specific spacing all the way around and is not meant to be enclosed.

I notice several of you talk of having added insulation around the unit which obviously means you've 'enclosed' it.

How are you handling exhausting the heat from it and the air intake?

Does it make a noticeable difference in reducing the power costs when insulating it.

Did you leave it open to the interior of the vehicle on the front only or put it in a complete cabinet/box whatever.

I'm getting near the stage of building all the cabinets and have to start figuring out exact size dimensions of the space to be left for the fridge. It won't actually be in place until the fall unless the price of the Cdn dollar drops drastically...no cross border shopping trips for me right now...

I'm also getting way ahead of things with this one but it comes with ciggie plug for the 12v. Did you change that over to one of the better connectors once the warranty was up or left it alone? Is there any value in doing the changeover?

 

[akrvbob]

Here are two photos on how I insulated mine:

I cut the Polyiso to fit all the vents on the fridgeL

The panels of polyiso are held on with a bungee

I forgot about the handles so I ended up not adding any insulation to the end with the main intake for the compressor. It's sitting on a piece of Polyiso and I cover the top with folded blankets and a pillow.

 

[Almost There]

Thanks Bob!

Oops, forgot one question that you answered I think- the short end under the handle is the intake right??

And that makes the heat output on the front? or the back?

 

[SternWake]

The insulation can do wonders.


The reason they say not to enclose it id for the compressor/condenser intake and  exhaust vents.  Leave these unrestricted and you can go batcrap crazy with Insulation over the rest of it.

I added lots of insulation to my front loading fridge.  With just 3/4 inches of foam board attached, I ran the fridge overnight not in the cabinet.  When I pryed off the insulation the next day and shot the fridge skin with my IR temp gun, and it was 18 degrees cooler than the other side of the insulation.

My fridge has 3/4 extra all around and 1.5 inches in the back.  The cabinet in which it resides has ~5/8" foamboard and 3/4 inches of plywood.

Get some Nashua Flexfix tape  You do not want air movement between insulation and fridge.



  

 

[VJG1977]

They make a cover for these so as long as the vents are not covered, you are good with any insulation.  
[font=mulireg, helvetica, clean, sans-serif]http://www.amazon.com/Whynter-Insul...431597381&sr=8-1&keywords=Whynter+Transit+Bag
[/font]

 

[akrvbob]

Here is another post I did on a friends box for his Dometic cooler. I think it is more along the line of what you want to do. He took out his front seat and put his fridge there. It's in a lot of heat so he built a really great box for it:

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/als-creative-vandwelling-modifications-adco-rv-windshield-cover/

 

[Almost There]

Thanks Bob.

I hope it's okay that I PM you and get you to use a tape measure a couple of times...

It's a bit problematic building so something will fit when you don't have the 'something' yet. Just another one of the logistical crap things I encounter living in Canada... Prices up here are outrageous so I'm building now and buying later...sigh!!

What size Whynter do you have?

 

[akrvbob]

Mine is the 65 quart. BUT ... it is in AZ and I am in UT! Sorry about that!
Bob

 

[ccbreder]

Hey, Bob. That makes it hard to get a "Coke".

 

[Almost There]

Mine is the 65 quart. BUT ... it is in AZ and I am in UT! Sorry about that!
Bob

Oh crap, so who else has a Whynter that's available - preferably the 85 quart size?

Anyone??

 

[janncoo]

Mine is the 45 quart. Check on Amazon, the dimensions should be listed. I often make my space for items before the purchase. Jan  

 

[Almost There]

Mine is the 45 quart. Check on Amazon, the dimensions should be listed. I often make my space for items before the purchase. Jan  

Thanks Jan, the Whynter web site has all the dimensions both external and internal.

What they don't show is little things that I need to leave the vent openings for both intake and exhaust. They don't hand them out because they have this warning that the fridge isn't meant to be enclosed.

I know how big an overall space to leave for it, just not the little details.

Good to know I'm not the only one who builds this way...

 

[akrvbob]

I gotta tell you that the 65 quart is huge! I could never use all that space. You want it to be full so I keep 2 gallon jugs of water in mine just to take up space and I still have to use other fillers so it stays full.

I can't imagine needing 85 quart for less than a family of 4.
Bob

 

[Almost There]

I gotta tell you that the 65 quart is huge! I could never use all that space. You want it to be full so I keep 2 gallon jugs of water in mine just to take up space and I still have to use other fillers so it stays full.

I can't imagine needing 85 quart for less than a family of 4.
Bob

Thanks Bob!

I'm going to take some cardboard and build a model sized to the interior specs and then take a second look at it.

How much fridge space one needs depends on food preferences. I rarely use anything from a can (canned tomatoes for making sketti sauce is about it) and if it comes in a cardboard package it's probably not going on my plate. Particularly when I'm in good weather (as opposed to winter... ) I go through fresh veggies like crazy.

For a weekend camping I normally have to take 2 regular sized coolers with me if that's any indication.

I want to be able to go at least a week to 10 days boondocking without shopping - 14 would be even better. Water replenishing, laundry and food are always one large trip for me...do it all and be done with it attitude.

 

[highdesertranger]

one thing about the larger size is it lets you stay out longer or more times between trips to the store. fresh veggies do take up a lot of space. unless it's real hot you don't need to refrigerate most veggies. I have 2 40qt engels. one is food only the other for drinks and food overflow. I am going to get a third one to use as a freezer. however I go way out in the boonies, far from stores. I don't like to have to drive hours to resupply. so I will have 120qts total. which takes up a lot less room than when I used ice chests. a lot cheaper too, can you imagine how much ice it takes to cool 250-350qts ice chests. highdesertranger

 

[cdiggy]

Being as though we are on this topic... I was wondering about the feasibility of using a freezer to keep frozen foods and to make jusgs of ice to use in a cooler to hold fridge stuff. I know most of these 12v freezers are not dual zone and will only do one or the other. Kind of curious about energy use doing it this way instead of buying 2 units to do the work. Any ideas?

 

[Bdog1]

There's a few larger dual units.

 

[Oberneldon]

Here is s link to how I insulated my compressor fridge during my Prius Travels.

http://macaloney.blogspot.com/2015/05/insulation-for-my-prius-fridge.html?m=1

 

[iloozyun]

I notice several of you talk of having added insulation around the unit which obviously means you've 'enclosed' it.

i have an piggy-back question: since hot air rises, would it make sense to add insulation on the bottom of the fridge more so than the top?  i have added insulation all around, but mostly on top of mine, but have recently considered that it might be more effective to focus on the bottom... dunno.

 

[iloozyun]

the feasibility of using a freezer to keep frozen foods and to make jusgs of ice to use in a cooler to hold fridge stuff. I know most of these 12v freezers are not dual zone and will only do one or the other. Kind of curious about energy use.

it's totally do-able, i did.  i got an 18 quart (small) dometic and made it my freezer, along with a 5 day cooler.  a HUGE step up from soggy butter floating in cold water, but it was a bit of a hassle constantly monitoring the cooler and swapping frozen jugs (i used freeze packs), especially when the weather is warmer.  and the freezer was on a LOT, working it's little butt off to get those ice packs frozen and keep them that way, and i'm starting to think a bigger unit at 40 degrees will use the same (less?) energy as the small one at 10 degrees.  so myself, i just bit the bullet and ordered a 40 quart fridge, and will use it as a fridge, and use the small dometic as a freezer only intermittently, as needed for essentials like occasional ice cream and cubes for drinks.  verdict not in on this plan though...  anyone?