bought a 120v cube fridge

[UptownSport]

Wish I woulda just took out passenger seat and set a dorm fridge there. $50 v several hundreds of dollars.
No one's going to break into a van for a dorm fridge, and if they did, it's $50.
Or if I decided to stop the van escapade, or 12v breaks at 1yr and one day ...

Expensive stuff just gets you (back) into the trap.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I will either be in a car or a tent at RTR. Is there a small refrigerator that already keeps everything cold for a few days without having to add extra insulation? If not, then I'm thinking I might as well save some bucks and get a really good cooler. Then I wouldn't have to purchase a solar system just yet.

Hi Mert...

I was under the impression that you would be getting a ride to the RTR and bringing along basic camping supplies....so if there is a possibility that you will be in a vehicle then I missed some updates...

At any rate, if your stay will only be for a few days, you don't need to buy a 'really good' cooler, because a less expensive one will do the job for a few days. A good size styro cooler can be made to work for a few days, and then you just dispose of it on the way out.

I do not see any practical way to power any kind of compressor or thermoelectric cooler in a tent, and only a day or so in a normal car, with no solar system for either, unless you plan to idle the car engine or run a generator a LOT.

Of course if you have made plans to power a fridge, borrowing power from a neighbor with surplus energy, I missed that post.

Or if you plan to be there for a week or two, then the solution will likely be something else.

 

[Sleep]

 So what if someone would rather spend $100 on a fridge and the other $700 to power it instead of $100 solar system to power a $700 fridge. We should be celebrating the fact that there may be a less expensive way to do it for those that can't afford a Engel.

Last night I went to Wal-Mart to purchase a few more items and to get a fridge/ice chest so that I can finalize my build out plans. The packaging on the fridges don't say much re: 120 volt, amp usage, etc all of the things I don't understand anyway. I do plan on putting 200 watts of solar on the van roof,  so would  that much solar work for the small fridges we are discussing here along with fan, electronics, 120 volt tv for a few hours. I am so confused.  :s

Thanks for the input.

 

[jonsun]

IDK about an ice chest, that's taking it to another level over a fridge.

 

[jonsun]

Thanks!
bought a haier (sp?) yesterday, and immediately returned it- it was 1.45A. Where's consumption for your linked fridge posted?
And ... anyone actually tested a low watt  inverter on these?

just seen this... that is the fridge I got. I got the 1kw harbor freight inverter for it.

the fridge pulls about 4-5amps and runs for about 2-3 minutes. how often depends on ambient and temp setting. the worst I seen was 3x an hour which the solar easily handles.

 

[mert6706]

Hi Mert...

I was under the impression that you would be getting a ride to the RTR and bringing along basic camping supplies....so if there is a possibility that you will be in a vehicle then I missed some updates...

At any rate, if your stay will only be for a few days, you don't need to buy a 'really good' cooler, because a less expensive one will do the job for a few days. A good size styro cooler can be made to work for a few days, and then you just dispose of it on the way out.

I do not see any practical way to power any kind of compressor or thermoelectric cooler in a tent, and only a day or so in a normal car, with no solar system for either, unless you plan to idle the car engine or run a generator a LOT.

Of course if you have made plans to power a fridge, borrowing power from a neighbor with surplus energy, I missed that post.

Or if you plan to be there for a week or two, then the solution will likely be something else.

No, you didn't miss any updates. I'm just trying to think in two directions at once. As far as RTR goes, my transportation is still up in the air.  One kind person has tentatively offered to get me there, not sure if, when or where could meet me, would have room for my equipment but not sure they could bring me home after.  My daughter might take me down and help me set up, but probably couldn't come back to get me, or maybe the other way around, couldn't take me there but would come get me and take me home. I would try to stay at Quartztite for a couple of weeks. That way I would have a good feel for how I could manage with what I have. So that's why I'm talking about an ice chest for now, and how to keep food cold if I'm there for a couple of weeks without transportation to get more ice.

I don't have a way to buy a vehicle right now, I'm just hoping and praying (I'm thinking of starting a GoFundMe page--scary, but might be my only possibility.) IF I  do get one then I will be pretty much full time right away, living out of vehicle and a tent when conditions are right. Then I would want to buy a refrigerator and a solar system.  I write, and would be on my computer several hours a day, travelling and boondocking in some cool areas for the summer months, so would need the better food storage and solar as well. So, I'm trying to plan for full time in case I'm lucky enough to get a vehicle, and make wise purchases accordingly, and also just trying to decide how to do RTR in case I don't have a vehicle.

I'm driving myself crazy trying to think of both scenarios at once!! Thanks for you input, I appeciate you taking the time to respond.
Everybody on the forums is so kind and helpful, I can't wait to be a part of the community and meet all the dear folks I have contact with.

 

[Nissi]

We use the Whynter 45 qt and the 65 qt in our van now: use 5 amps each whether freezer or
refrigerator.

When I first started in my mini-van I used two of these Coleman
Refrigerated Coolers: https://www.coleman.com/coleman-coolersandwaterjugs-thermoelectric/
These also use 5 amps at 12v (60 watts in 120 ac), but are much cheaper than the Whynter/Engels...
I added insulation on these to help... On sale at website right now for a little over $100...

I still keep these in my mini-van, but they only run when car engine is running. I have no solar
on this van. So they are great when running to the store, or if I need more refrigeration and pull
a trailer behind Cargi...my Nissan .

 

[John61CT]

Those cooler are much less effective than a compressor fridge.

Especially when it gets very hot.

 

[Jmel]

I have a slightly older heier fridge. 2.7 cubic feet. Says it eats 1.3a at 110v.

I don't see how it would work for long in my van with 200w panels and a 70ah battery. Math seems to say I'd overrun my system after a day or so. Maybe I'm wrong?

 

[jonsun]

you'll need more battery and a back charge source. will use about 500 watts a day give or take.

 

[John61CT]

No you're right.

30-50 watts while cycling is the norm for an efficient compressor fridge, even a very large box in freezer mode.

You're talking about 2-5 times higher consumption.

 

[Jmel]

No you're right.

30-50 watts while cycling is the norm for an efficient compressor fridge, even a very large box in freezer mode.

You're talking about 2-5 times higher consumption.

Guess I should save up for a dometic fridge box then. I saw a 40qt one for about 519, so that might be the route I go.

Thanks.

 

[John61CT]

There are many quality brands.

Engel's got a great rep for longevity, I think their current sale's still on.

 

[Nissi]

Those cooler are much less effective than a compressor fridge.

Especially when it gets very hot.

Yes, indeed. This is correct.

However, if someone needs something without relying on ice,
and does not want to pay the give/or take price of $500 + for a frig/freezer
like the Whynter, of which we have 2, then this is an alternative.

 

[Nissi]

We use the Whynter 45 qt and the 65 qt in our van now:  use 5 amps each whether freezer or
refrigerator.

I have to add here:  these do not run all the time. So the 5amps is not a continual amperage use off the battery. 
They cycle on when the set temp needs to be maintained. This will depend on the surrounding temperature, I
suppose.  They only come on for a short time.
I imagine the Engel or other similar brands are the same.

The Coleman frig and 110v small frig from Wally World or elsewhere... will probably run much more...

 

[Jmel]

I did my math based on the kwh usage for the year listed for each device.

A household cube fridge/freezer (like 1.3 to 2.3 cu ft) will run anywhere around 200-318 kwh / year, whereas a dometic fridge/freezer will only run 61 - 64 kwh / year.

I multipled by 1000 for wh, then divided by 365 for wh used per day. So even though it's an "average" at least I know how much the fridge "should" use per day on average. If that number is higher than what the solar can generate in a day, there will be a deficit, and the battery starts getting eaten until it runs out - as the solar won't be able to put back enough juice fast enough.

This is why I'm now considering the dometic. And while it is $435, the smallest unit is a bit too small when it is only 100 dollars to go from 15qt to 40qt.

 

[John61CT]

> However, if someone needs something without relying on ice, and does not want to pay the give/or take price of $500 + for a frig/freezer like the Whynter, of which we have 2, then this is an alternative.

The problem isn't just the gross inefficiency of the peltier-based coolers.

People need to be aware they just flat-out don't do the job in many situations.

IMO just a waste of space boondocking in very hot weather.

For that the three choices are ice in a super-cooler, a proper compressor fridge and just doing without.

 

[jonsun]

I did my math based on the kwh usage for the year listed for each device.

A household cube fridge/freezer (like 1.3 to 2.3 cu ft) will run anywhere around 200-318 kwh / year, whereas a dometic fridge/freezer will only run 61 - 64 kwh / year.

I multipled by 1000 for wh, then divided by 365 for wh used per day. So even though it's an "average" at least I know how much the fridge "should" use per day on average. If that number is higher than what the solar can generate in a day, there will be a deficit, and the battery starts getting eaten until it runs out - as the solar won't be able to put back enough juice fast enough.

This is why I'm now considering the dometic. And while it is $435, the smallest unit is a bit too small when it is only 100 dollars to go from 15qt to 40qt.

I'd love to see a dometic use 14A a day.

the average listed for trucker fridges is 24w an hour... about same as my 120v, actually a bit more with a month of data in

 

[Jmel]

Shrug... I was just going by the data they gave for kwh per year for the cfx models. Guess it's higher in real life use?

 

[John61CT]

The tests are standardized.

Just like with solar panels, may not be "real", but does allow for apples to apples comparisons.

The big question each must calculate, how much to pay up front to buy just how much greater efficiency.

Would you pay $5000 for a large fridge/freezer that used under 5AH per day? I would, if I was otherwise financially secure.