Date:         Wed, 14 Sep 94 16:59:29 ADT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         smitht@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca (Tim Smith)
Subject:      Re: kooltrons/misc

>I use an older Koolatron unit pulled from its box and mated to the 'fridge'
from a '72 Westy. I cut a hole through the fridge wall/cabinet and mounted 
the unit so that its controls/fan are behind the drivers seat. The unit is a 
little on the small size, it will keep things cool, but milk goes off in 
about a day. A couple of small cooler paks (blue freezable thingies) and the 
Koolatron running works well for a weekend. Parked in the mid-summer hot sun 
is too much for my setup however, and the vanagons battery is good for about 
3-4 hours of operation before I can't start up. Battery is 5 years old BTW!. 
I don't have the heat option, reversing the plug does generate heat, but the 
fan doesn't run. I haven't messed with this, probably modifiable though. The 
koolatron box was about 3" thick, the Westy fridge has about 1" of 
insulation. Lots of room for improvement here, but difficult to do without a 
major fridge rebuild. Maybe add a second unit? I hesitate to claim this is 
the ideal setup, but it's compact, safe, and reliable. A tad puny though! 
The original koolatron box worked better!!!
         BTW The weird setup, '72 Westy in '85 transporter works well, 
sink/H2O/fridge unit is behind the driver, fridge door opens into the aisle. 
Single seat is behind the passenger, easy to remove when lugging big 
objects. Wardrobe and bed required some re-cutting to fit. I use a swivel 
table from a later Westy mounted on its storage box/seat base for fine 
dining experiences. The main pain is the bed mechanism, I have a 'manual' 
bed, needs help to be unfolded, and rests on the storage box. Works OK, rear 
parcel shelf and front hammock included! It was cheap, and I couldn't find a 
junked Vanagon Westy nowhere. Still can't.                      tim s.