Good Article on the Necessity of a Fridge

[Ramblinman]

I have always considered the necessity of a fridge. They are expensive, and in my view can lead to other gremlins to keep them running. Propane fridges are finicky and compressors can be expensive with the extra battery and solar. This said I have one and use it all the time!

Recently I spent 10 days driving and camping around Iceland in a Suzuki Jimny. It was not warm but not not overly cold. We managed to keep everything cool (including milk/yogurt and beer) in a card board box! This probably would not work as well for my annual trip to Baja - I get that

Ernest Hemmingway writes in Green Hills of Africa about the chop box and drinking warm beer out of green bottle. I think about that every time I have to stomach a warm beer.

I think it is Man rule #15 that says you cannot complain about a free beer. Just the temperature. I do like my beer cold.

For your reading enjoyment.

https://expeditionportal.com/do-you-need-a-fridge-for-your-overland-journey/

PS only 6 Months to Baja!!!!!

 

[BillTheHiker]

I always use ice and no plans to get a refer. I now have a FWC after 50 years car camping, often in warm (but never hot) desert temps, and never suffered a warm beer. I know roughly what the weather will be and pack enough ice. In such situations the melt rate of ice is known, but one never knows when the refer, or components needed to keep it running, will crap out. And when that happens how long, and where, to get it fixed or replaced? It could be days or weeks, depending on the problem and your location. It could easily ruin the entire trip. A few hours drive, at most, is all that is required to restock ice.

Also, as long as you open the cooler daily, you get advance notice before the ice is completely gone.

Many years ago I stumbled on a good way to increase longevity of ice. I wrap my winter grade down bag around the cooler. The extra insulation is amazing. BTW, I have never used one of those high end coolers.

 

[Ramblinman]

I think its a mind set. After reading this article I will not let a broken refer ruin my trip. (I hope I did not jinx myself) I will figure out a way to keep on trucking and just throw out the stuff that goes bad.

Lately I have been freezing water bottles (when possible) they do the trick for a couple of days and don't cause lots of water in the cooler. I also use the dozen water bottles to help keep the fridge cold.

In October I was on an African Safari in Zimbabwe in +44C Heat. (111F) The National Luna Fridge was in the back of the truck unsecured and kept everything cold. The fridge was unplugged at night so as to not drain the truck battery. That is one tough fridge!!!!

 

[Smokecreek1]

To look at this another way! After after almost 50 years in the boonies with cooler and/or warm beer or neither, I have earned a frig where i can find a cold beer when I want it, or even better, some ice for my vodka and cranberry juice sooooo I bought a FWC to enjoy my golden years. The change from back packer/truck camper to a mobile tent with frig, stove and a heater seems only natural, because as my body falls apart with retirement, I can still drive to those places I used to hike to! Now I sit in a chair instead of on a rock, enjoy the sun sets----- and if I get cold, retreat inside and turn on the heater. Do I miss all those years of "roughing it", yes-you bet ya--but as has been stated here before many times, someday (hopefully) they will find me out there enjoying my last sunset sitting in that chair, next to my FWC.! Sooo, until that time comes, I plan to enjoy every moment in the boonies, my FWC pop-up gives me!

Smoke

 

[DavidGraves]

In our world, the small portable Dometic fits every need.....we travel usually for 4 or more weeks and space is our most valuable commodity.

David Graves

 

[Stalking Light]

I camped for many years with coolers and ice and when I got my first fridge (Engle top loader) it was the best camping investment I had ever made. Now I have an FWC with fridge/freezer and no way I would ever go back, although I do carry a small cooler and blue ice for soft drinks, etc. I swap blue ice packs in my freezer and never have to worry about being 3 or 4 hours from the nearest ice.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Agreed, and when my old 3-way died, got that Dometic CR-110, another house battery and another 100w solar panel and now-if I could just find a cheap solar heater that works-can stay out there for a awful long while. Wonder if you can make vodka from juniper berries?

Smoke

 

[Stalking Light]

You can make gin from vodka and juniper berries

 

[smlobx]

To look at this another way! After after almost 50 years in the boonies with cooler and/or warm beer or neither, I have earned a frig where i can find a cold beer when I want it, or even better, some ice for my vodka and cranberry juice sooooo I bought a FWC to enjoy my golden years. The change from back packer/truck camper to a mobile tent with frig, stove and a heater seems only natural, because as my body falls apart with retirement, I can still drive to those places I used to hike to! Now I sit in a chair instead of on a rock, enjoy the sun sets----- and if I get cold, retreat inside and turn on the heater.......

Smoke I like your style!
Vodka and Cranberry juice is just the thing to finish off a great day in the outdoors!

 

[Squatch]

I like my fridge. Do I need it? Probably not. But it sure makes things easier. I'm with Smoke on this one.

 

[munchmeister]

12 v fridge or cooler, I think, depends on what you are doing and, of course, your budget. And whether you are in North America/Europe or a developing country. Even with solar, you have to be able to stop for a day or two in good sun to recharge a battery. Solar is really just a kind of trickle charger. Of course, a generator solves that problem and fuel is ubiquitous except in the most out of the way places. But, so is ice. If you are traveling and spending no more than a couple of days in one place on your trip, a decent cooler is hard to beat, especially if you keep it insulated (great idea using the winter sleeping bag!). Easy enough to grab a bag of ice as you pass through a town. And sometimes, for me, I love pulling into a town and checking out the local food haunts and the local culture. I've been vacillating on the 12v fridge to outfit a new, to me, FWC Raven Shell. For now, my Frosty, a Yeti knock off (at a MUCH cheaper price), filled with ice as I pass and a stop at Blondie's restaurant will do. Just my $.02.

 

[dharte]

I've been debating upgrading the ice box in my 2015 Hawk to a fridge. At first I didn't mind buying ice on trips but it seems increasingly common now for stores to only sell cube ice instead of blocks. Buying cube ice is just throwing money away. We also carry a Pelican cooler that works extremely well but it's not big enough to hold all the perishable food and beer I carry. Has anyone else upgraded the ice box to a fridge? If so, was it a major and expensive conversion? I know the fridge alone will be $600-800 not including installation.

 

[craig333]

My fridge just slid right in in place of the ice box. Nothing to it. Necessity maybe not, but it sure is nice.

 

[Vic Harder]

Even with solar, you have to be able to stop for a day or two in good sun to recharge a battery. Solar is really just a kind of trickle charger.

That may not be true anymore with the kinds of power and tech available now. I can recharge my batteries in a few hours with my PV array, and the Victron electronics are smarter than any trickle charger I have seen lately.

 

[munchmeister]

That may not be true anymore with the kinds of power and tech available now. I can recharge my batteries in a few hours with my PV array, and the Victron electronics are smarter than any trickle charger I have seen lately.

It was just a simplistic comparison but most PV vendors rate their output much higher than you'll realize in real world camping. And you have to be in one, sunny place for a while, I presume, to get maximum watts of output. How many watts of PV do you have? Brand? Certainly the more panels you have running into a 1 or 2 battery array, the better off you are. As with most everything, the more money you are willing to throw at equipment, the better off you'll be. And panel brands vary quite a bit, in output. I've got a Goal Zero setup with their Yeti 400 and 2 Boulder 30 panels (~$800 worth) and I've held back on a 12v fridge because I know I'd need a lot more wattage to reliably keep a fridge going. That's a lotta ice cubes. YMMV. Choices!

 

[Squatch]

Prices have really come down. Watching specials and seeking quality functional products without spending extra on not really needed technology can save a bundle.

!60 watts and a good group 31 battery will cover most folks fridges and furnace use with a proper charge controller and monitor. Especially with the truck charging option hooked up.

Can't speak for all ratings. But with the battery below 85-90% my 160 watt panel laying flat often produces over 7 amps real world. Adding the 2) 60 watters in my portable panel will produce over 15 amps real world in good sun. That kind of amperage at the right voltage makes short work of a moderately depleted 110 AH battery.

Up front costs are not cheap, cheap but viewed over the long haul is a good investment for most of us. The components last a long time when cared for.

MPPT controllers and lithium ion batteries are cool stuff. But not necessary for what most of us need to run a small efficient fridge.

A year later it still amazes me to watch a battery run down from a few days of bad weather charge up in a few ours of just soaking up a little sun. I think of it like my geothermal heat pump in my house. it's crazy to spend money to burn fuel to create heat when you can just transport it from the sun or ground to where you need it. To me heating costs are like setting $20 bills on fire to warm your hands over them.

 

[Vic Harder]

How many watts of PV do you have? Brand? Certainly the more panels you have running into a 1 or 2 battery array, the better off you are. As with most everything, the more money you are willing to throw at equipment, the better off you'll be. And panel brands vary quite a bit, in output. I've got a Goal Zero setup with their Yeti 400 and 2 Boulder 30 panels (~$800 worth) and I've held back on a 12v fridge because I know I'd need a lot more wattage to reliably keep a fridge going. That's a lotta ice cubes. YMMV. Choices!

265W Canadian Solar panel on the roof, another 240 portable in flex panels (have not needed these yet). Batteries are 2x 6v 220AH Rolls/Surrette AGM.

After 30 days of use I have only had one (1) battery cycle - meaning less than 80% charge, and that was because I was running a test and ran the fridge wide open and the fantastic fan on high for 36 hours.

 

[hoyden]

Kinda off-subject, but Vic what charge controller do you have? (make/model) Thanks!

 

[Vic Harder]

Kinda off-subject, but Vic what charge controller do you have? (make/model) Thanks!

Victron 15/75. It is a bit too small for my 265W on the roof. IF conditions are idea I can exceed 15A. Not a big deal, but next time I would get a 30A max Victron.

Much depends on the rest of your system. What are you planning on hooking it up to?

My system and deliberations before getting it are described here - LINK

 

[Chadx]

I thought we'd live with one of our supercoolers for at least a year after buying our Hawk, but then Engel had a sale so a 45qt topload fridge found it's way into our camper. Replaced our 45qt cooler but has so much more room since 1/3 of it isn't filled with ice. We'll not go back to a cooler. If the fridge ever broke on a trip, which is unlikely, we'd just buy a cheapo cooler and ice and keep on truckin'. No big deal.

We have two agm batteries totaling 150amp/hr. Before buying solar panels and controller, i bought and wired a trimetric monitor since we wanted to know exactly how much power we were using before sizing our solar. With fridge, furnace, lights and fan, we use about 30 amps a day, so even without any charging, our batteries could go 2.5 days and still be at a safe 50% state of charge

We then bought our setup and I installed it. I have about $500 into the 180watt panel, bogart 2030 controller, bogart trimetric monitor, shunt, temp sensor, breakers and wiring. In the summer, we are back to 100% battery state of charge by 11am or so.

When controller is calling for bulk charge from panel and a high noon in July here in Montana, I'll see right around 8 amps from the panel. Now in October, I see just under 5amps max. We went on a trip this weekend and it snowed and was overcast and 25 degrees. The next morning, partly cloudy and the snow blew off the solar when we started driving. We went from 82% state of charge at 8am to 95%state of charge by 2pm as we drove around. I do NOT have the camper hooked to the truck battery/alternator. Never needed it. But i have it so i can easily hook it up if needed. I don't even prechill our fridge on ac power. I just turn it on and run it off battery while we load up the camper because the solar revs up and covers the charge plus more. Nice to not mess with prechill or hooking up battery tender in the shop since I drive my truck daily and it gets an hour or so of sun each day driving from one parking garage to another. Or if it is not 100% charged before we are going to leave on a trip, I park outside the day before so we are at 100% before leaving on a trip.

... Solar is really just a kind of trickle charger...

The trimetric monitor allows one to program the solar controller for ones specific battery brand. Exide gave me the exact perameters to use. I can program the custom charge parameters and get to a true 100 state of charge unlike my smart trickle chargers as they won't push the charge long enough before going into float. And the solar will do it fast. Less than $500 and it will charge as fast as a little generator with no noise, no storing it on a trip and no gas cans. Entire solar setup is lighter than our 1000watt yamaha generator.

Since we have batteries sized to get us through 2.5 days with zero input, we have not yet run into a situation where we've run low on power because even on overcast days, we get 10amps/day out of the panel and we rarely encounter 4 or 5 days straight of overcast and it only takes one half day of sunshine to have us back to 100%. As a backup plan, I can connect the truck wiring if need be. Since adding the solar, we have not brought along the little yamaha generator even once. We actually have so much excess power I'm going to get cables to extend to, and recharge, the trolling batteries on our fishing boat. And that is with a single 180watt panel that retails for about $160.