I cant really address your question other than to say that in order for the fridge to work there has to be a heat source. There are three for the fridge; Propane, 110 and 12 volts. There is a BIG bottle of propane; a HUGE supply of 110 (if you have access to it at all) but very little supply of 12 volts; coming as it does from your battery.(unless, of course, you crank your engine). Electrically speaking, there is nothing, absolutely nothing in the world that draws more current than resistance wire, which is what you have in there making the heat for the fridge (It's the same stuff you wiill find in a toaster). This is not much of a problem with 110 but a LARGE hazard with 12. A 12 volt circuit that would keep your fridge as cool as 110 or propane would suck your battery dry in no time so they don't even try. In practice I use the 12 only on the road between 110 sources if I can get them or propane if I can't. BTW: What do you mean by "Incredibly well"? Mine is not so much a fridge as it is a "self-propelled" cooler. Works about as well as your average ice chest but without the need to add ice. I haven't seen many that do much better than this. Maby you lucked out. -----Original Message----- From: Gregg Scharff <scharff@ENG.KNS.COM> To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM <Vanagon@VANAGON.COM> Date: Tuesday, May 26, 1998 4:23 PM Subject: Westy fridge efficiency in 12v mode
>My Westy refrigerator works incredibly well in both the propane and the >110 volt ac mode, but not so well in the 12 volt dc mode. Is this >typical? > >Gregg (Conshohocken, Pa) >'85 Westy |
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