Date:         Sun, 5 Aug 2007 17:33:38 -0700
Reply-To:     Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Comments wanted on this portable fridge
Comments: To: pbrattan@gmail.com
In-Reply-To:  <699b6e3f0708051508y561bf2eegc2a67c04f033a11c@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On 8/5/07, PB <pbrattan@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Loren,
> How long will your Norcold run on the aux battery without the use of solar
> panels or a generator?

Karl Mullendore was getting 2-3 days on a Group 91 battery (slightly more
capacity than the Group 41 most have under thir seats)  I have a battery
installed that is about twice that capacity and haven't run it dry yet but
expect at least four or five days out of it.

>    Did your Norcold fit in the stock cavity, or did you have to mod the
> cabinet?

The 110v ac box under the sink has to be moved (it sticks out and gets in
the way.  If you use the original front panel from the Dometic setup you
will have to widen the opening about 1/4"-1/2" and probably square off the
corners either at the top or bottom depending on how high you block the
Norcold up from the floor.

> I want to improve the fridge situation in my Westy, and was thinking of
> taking out the Dometic, converting the cavity to a cabinet, and replacing
> the fridge with a portable that can even be put in a car if needed.  The
> downside is that the portables take up a huge amount of floor space, and I
> think if the fridge were stowed away in its cavity, it would be simple
> enough for me to build some kind of hassock contraption for extra storage.

I've traveled with a large ice chest/cooler (when the Dometic wasn't
working) and yes, it's a PITA with all the room it takes up, at least it was
for me.

> The 2 problems (that I know of) with the stock Westy fridge are
> insufficient cooling temperatures, and inefficient power use.  I was
> considering the Dometic RC4000 under the assumption that these problems were
> fixed with newer refrigeration technology.  Is this not so?

Probably not so with the unit you refer to, at least not the power
consumption problem.  On 12v the stock Dometic pulls a constant 8 amps,
gives you max of 2-3 hours on the normal aux battery.  The unit you refer to
is the same absorption type cooling system so don't ecpect much
improvements.  A far better choice if going to that type of rig is the type
being referred to in the first message in this thread. Or the type being
sold by GoWesty:
http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=4091&search_phrase=refrigerator&start=
BTW, this type can be found at better prices but still are expensive.


Patti
> ***********************
>
> On 8/4/07, Loren Busch <starwagen@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > RE: I'm still very amps/volts/challenged, so how long would that fridge
> > run on
> > an auxiliary battery while the van is parked?
> >
> > It's the same type as the stock 'fridge in the Westy.  You would
> > probably get maybe two hours out of a standard aux battery.
> >
> >
> >
>
>