Refrigerator ?

[SoulRaven]

CamperVan-Man, I'm curious about kerosene fridge/freezers and did a Google search on them and couldn't find one for less than $1900. Can you find us a link to some small ones we could afford? I'd love to see it!

Where did you get yours and how much did you pay. Have you ever seen them in a store somewhere? If so where? I'd probably try one out if you can send me a link.

Thanks! Bob

Greetings Bob!

I actually got mine free, out of an abandoned boat in the middle of the desert. That's where my 12v AC and my original kerosene double burner cook stove came from too, along with a "Fire Coil" used to heat water.

Most of the off grid homesteaders got theirs from St. Paul Mercantile I think. Not sure on the prices, and most of theirs are big ones, much bigger than mine. One fellow even has a kerosene powered 8 foot chest freezer.

For our size, I'd check out the boat salvage places, since they seemed to be pretty common on older boats. Not sure about the prices... Mine says it was patented in 1912-1926. It says it's an Electrolux.

Do you ever get down towards Slab City? Last November, I salvaged one just like mine from their dump, for a friend, and there was another one that I saw in an abandoned bus too. Under counter size, free for the taking. My guess is that nobody wanted it since it says kerosene on it. Probably been there for years. The one I got from the dump seems to be a little harder to adjust than mine, seems like it would prefer to be a total freezer, even in just pilot light mode. In doing a search I found some manuals, so maybe I can tweak it.

On searching CL, I found about 20, all over the country, the closest to you was one in Sacramento for $40, a 1936 model. White, no teak cabinet.

I found a site that said many millions were made... A couple of sites said they'd run on gas/propane/kerosene/diesel ... Not quite sure what to make of that... Run on all, or different models for each... Or???

Maybe check used appliance stores? Or antique stores? Flea Markets?
A couple of years back I caught a gigantic Flea Market right beside I-10 in Quartzite, just about this time of year I think, and there was a guy there that had a bunch of them in the $200 range. Maybe a regular there...

When doing hurricane relief work, I discovered lots of them in use as backups in hurricane alley for when the power was out. Mainly house sized ones though. They've kept their old floor standing kerosene kitchen stoves/ovens too, and OLD kerosene heaters. Some of those old timers are a lot smarter than what people give them credit for. They're the ORIGINAL survivalists!

At $2k for new ones, I guess someone thinks they're pretty valuable...
I wonder how that compares to similar gas or electric ones...

Cheers!

The CamperVan_Man

 

[Starlight]

I like the idea of using a small freezer just to freeze bottles of any size that you can add to a cooler to keep food. I'm even wondering if a combination air cooler/refrigerator wouldn't work. Using The CamperVan_Man's air cooler specs -- with copper coil, pump, and fan (I'm thinking aquarium pump rather than a bilge pump) -- and doubling that cooling area for keeping food.

Stews, beans, etc can be cooked w/o using much fuel -- bring the contents to a rolling boil... wrap pot with wool blanket... put into a cooler chest for a couple of hours... and it cooks itself quite nicely.

Alaska is a big place. If you go North from Anchorage, through the mountains that create a bowl around Anchorage... you get into the deep freeze in winter. However, that bowl serves as a route for the Japanese trade winds that blow a temperate climate south of Anchorage. The Kenai is fairly temperate and can be more tolerable than some lower 48 states that get winter winds with their cold temperatures.

I love CamperVan_Man's ideas... but... I don't like handling the fuels. I'm really trying to find a way around those. I'd like to do it all on a small portable solar panel and a 12volt battery that I can place anywhere on my campsite during the day to charge. If I can do the freezer on that... I'm think I'd be good to go.

 

[akrvbob]

You're a lot braver than I am if you're willing to order one of those from the supplier in China. How much do they cost? How much will shipping be? Whose going to service it?

I'd be very curious to see a small kerosene fridge or freezer for less than $600 from a US dealer.
Bob

 

[SoulRaven]

Stews, beans, etc can be cooked w/o using much fuel -- bring the contents to a rolling boil... wrap pot with wool blanket... put into a cooler chest for a couple of hours... and it cooks itself quite nicely.

Greetings!

A solar oven can make that type of stuff using NO fuel...

I love CamperVan_Man's ideas... but... I don't like handling the fuels. I'm really trying to find a way around those. I'd like to do it all on a small portable solar panel and a 12volt battery that I can place anywhere on my campsite during the day to charge. If I can do the freezer on that... I'm think I'd be good to go.

I never "handle" the fuels, I use a small hand powered pump to transfer the fuel to the appliances. No lifting of the jugs, no pouring, takes about 3 minutes once a month.

Even with solar, a generator is an absolute must have, if you don't want to run the risk of being without power, sometimes for days, or even weeks, depending on where you're at, and what Mother Nature decides to do.

Believe it or not, I don't use my systems because they're cheap, easy, and the most convenient. Those are just added bonuses. I use them because they are the most efficient. I use them so I never have to worry about running out of power, or being cold, or too hot.

Choosing to live in my van isn't really about survival, existing, or just getting by to me. To me it is a challenge to make my home more convenient, more efficient, and most importantly, more comfortable, than living a more traditional lifestyle.

I was never forced into this lifestyle, nor am I trapped by it. I willingly chose this lifestyle, and I continue to live this way because I truly enjoy it. It's not about money, I could pay cash for any lifestyle I wanted, house, fancy motorhome, whatever. It's about happiness, comfort, and enjoyability. No amount of money could improve my lifestyle or my happiness. I am doing exactly what I want, when I want, and wherever I want to do it. There is nothing on this earth that can be better than that.

Cheers!

The CamperVan_Man

 

[Starlight]

@The CamperVan_Man

There's got to be some kind of award for a guy who can live in a van in the deep-freeze of inland Alaska. I lived in a log cabin in Anchorage when a cold spell took temperatures to minus 30, and inland to minus 60. Our little wood stove was turning red and I still had to wear gloves to fix dinner. Couldn't get temps above freezing.

 

[SoulRaven]

@The CamperVan_Man

There's got to be some kind of award for a guy who can live in a van in the deep-freeze of inland Alaska. I lived in a log cabin in Anchorage when a cold spell took temperatures to minus 30, and inland to minus 60. Our little wood stove was turning red and I still had to wear gloves to fix dinner. Couldn't get temps above freezing.

Greetings!

Even though my van is uninsulated, I think the size of it definitely helped me in keeping it warm. The others in my group had larger trailers, with propane heat, and they were all struggling.

Since my van is all windows, one day just to poke fun, I wore one of my really bright short sleeve hawaiian shirts... I think I may have thought it was funnier than they did...:angel:

Cheers!

The CamperVan_Man