Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2007 10:02:37 -0700
Reply-To: Nunya Business <bulletheadx@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Nunya Business <bulletheadx@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Comments wanted on this portable fridge
In-Reply-To: <0474D88C-D027-4807-8589-43A07459FF4F@comcast.net>
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We have a big mondo cooler- I forget the capacity but it's big enough that
it's best carried by two people; we buy gallon jugs of 'drinking water',
pour off about 10% of it and freeze the rest. The jugs of ice go in the
cooler and the food goes in and around them. The food stays cold and dry and
you have cold drinking water as the ice melts (two birds, and all that).
Of course you could rinse out and use 2 liter bottles or milk jugs and it
helps to have a big freezer (kind of hard to do in the fridge freezer). I
can get the water in squared jugs of different dimensions so it minimizes
wasted space in the cooler. It's an old trick but it works well.
We use another smaller cooler for beverages that gets regular ice, and we
use river water for non-food water needs. We don't have a Westy but even if
we did I suppose I'd still do it that way since with three kids that little
fridge wouldn't hold enough food for several days.
Cya,
Robert
On 8/7/07, Tom Buese <tombuese@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> On Aug 7, 2007, at 7:25 AM, Warren Chapman wrote:
>
> > Also desperately trying to solve this fridge problem....I need to
> > carry
> > more fresh produce than most due to my particular diet
> > preference....so
> > volume is important to me. I hate ice chests and wet food.
>
> Have you tried ice made in a sealed container so the food doesn't get
> wet?
>
> Tom B.-"dry" ice is nice?
> >
> > I've been pretty much convinced on the Engel type solution, but
> > haven't
> > pulled the trigger yet mostly due to the high cost.....then
> > recently, on
> > an impulse...(motivated by a great price) I recently purchased an
> > Isotherm
> > CR65 off eBay ....similar to the Norcold DC0040....slightly larger
> > (2.3 vs
> > 1.7 cu.ft.) interior capacity and uses the Danfoss BD35F compressor.
> >
> > It will install right into Vanagon fridge opening (width perfect,
> > with a
> > space left over at the top., sticks out slightly farther than the
> > face of
> > the Westy cabinets...easily solved with a bit of frame backing
> > between the
> > fridge and cabinets.
> >
> > Electrial specs are: "average" useage is .7amps/hr, max draw 2.5 amps
> >
> > http://www.emarineinc.com/products/refrigeration/icr65.html
> >
> > It cools down quickly and keeps food very cold in my "bench tests"
> > so far
> >
> > But, I'm still trying to get a grip on all these battery types and
> > construction and their various charging/discharging qualites and
> > requirements.
> >
> > It seems that going 12V only and giving up propane comes with some
> > serious
> > expense...and space compromises....for the required extra battery
> > capacity
> > and (solar ??) charging apparatus.....not to mention the extra weight.
> >
> > From what I've read here... for a weekend outing....if you start on
> > Friday, a 100AH battery capacity is the minimum....and possibly you're
> > risking battery damage on the third day (more than 50% discharge).
> >
> > Depending on your choices, the fridge will cost $400-$900 and the
> > solar
> > panel, controller, battery, etc....another $600-$1000.
> >
> > Yikes.!!...maybe wet food in an ice chest isn't all that bad.
> >
> > There is no 100AH battery that will fit under the driver's seat....so
> > there goes my precious under the rear seat storage. My goal is to keep
> > that darn battery either under the driver's seat or under the van
> > somewhere else. One idea I'm looking into is increasing the area
> > under
> > the drivers seat.
> >
> > Would it be possible to cut out the bottom of the battery box under
> > the
> > seat and weld in a 3" deeper box section?? Not sure yet what's
> > directly
> > under the battery box, but there's almost 12" of length and 7" of
> > useful
> > width there already....the limiting factor is the shallow depth.
> > With an
> > extra 3" of depth....there might be a 100AH battery that will fit in
> > there ...?????
> >
> > Comments on this?
> >
> > Also, I keep reading that there are SOME deep cyle batteries that
> > can be
> > discharged safely to 80% DOD...that's a BIG 30% increase in useful
> > AHs per
> > charge....and would safely get you that third day without
> > (expensive)solar
> > help . Which ones ?? and how does their size compares to the 50% DOD
> > types. I read a post on another forum that said the 6 volt golf cart
> > batteries allow this...but two 6 volts in series must be even
> > larger than
> > a single 12V with same AHs.
> >
> > There's a lot to learn and understand here.
> >
> > Warren C
>
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