Fridge options

[Mccolganm4]

Planning my Renault master conversion and have got to the fridge.
My head is burst reading info on all types.

So far I have ruled out 3 way as the position in the van makes ventilation impossible, so kind of left with compressor and absorption?

Ideally it will run off 200w solar, 110ah battery and EHU when on site.

Does anyone have any advise? Thanks

 

[wildebus]

#1 - forget absorption fridges if you want to run off a 110Ah battery. Not a chance.

So your choice is between 12V Compressor or 240V Compressor.

Have a read of https://www.wildebus.com/blog/products/a-home-fridge-in-a-campervan/ for my thoughts on the choice

 

[Mccolganm4]

Thanks for the reply. I'll have a look at the link.

 

[SquirrellCook]

Ideally it will run off 200w solar, 110ah battery and EHU when on site.

From my experience, double it. In ideal conditions it will work. All fridges need ventilation, that's how they work. Extracting heat. The better you can get rid of the heat the better and cheaper it is to run the fridge. Don't say solar is free, it's an expensive way to make electric. Unless your in a field.

 

[Millie Master]

In my LWB Renault Master conversion I fitted a WAECO CR50 12V fridge which of course does have to be ventilated, or rather it requires cooling air to pass over the ribs on the back of it.

I overcame this problem by cutting a 10 cm. hole in the floor which I then bonded in a length of plactic drian pipe (using Stixall), I have wire mesh bonded onto the top and bottom so as to stop any crawling nasties etc. and then in the roof I have a mushroom vent with all of this lot including the fridge being inside a floor to ceiling cupboard.

In a word it works, however after almost 5 years of use I have decided this winter to fit a computer fan on the inlet side so as to improve the overall performance.

Phil

 

[wildebus]

With Compressor Fridges, they don't HAVE to be vented. Ventilation can help them run cooler it is true, but they don't have to be in the same way as a gas fridge must be. I am making that point in case anyone reads the "have to be ..." and takes it literally.
I fitted a Waeco CRX-50 12V Compressor Fridge in my T5. I didn't actually provide any specific rear ventilation at all! it still worked fine always but it did get damn hot in the summer (50C at the rear).
Air flow at the rear is a benefit and worthwhile (my T5 fridge got vented when I opened the sliding door at the rear of it) and a forced air system over the compressor (using a small PC type fan or similar) can be a very good idea to help dissipate heat (on the current van, my fan comes on if the compressor reaches around 25 or so Celcius).
If you monitor the temp at the rear you can see how hot it gets and take any remedial action but the duty cycle of a compressor is such that the significant majority of the time it is not running, not generating any heat and there is natural heat transference through air gaps, material radiation, etc. which makes dedicated ventilation far less critical than people may imagine.

Each to their own but I certainly would not be cutting holes in the side or the floor to provide ventilation for an electric fridge - the removal of the need to do this is one of the key benefits of an electric fridge!

 

[GEOFF]

I have had 2 vans where I fitted Waeco compressor fridges. I never had ANY ventilation other than a 25mm ish air gap to all round, but about 80mm at the rear (to keep the front in line). I have never noticed any performance loss and would look upon any extra hab space warming as a bonus on a winters night!!! Due to the high cost of the Dometic/Waeco fridges my next (current) conversions will use a table top mains compreesor fridge via inverter and will get similar housings. Geoff.

 

[Mccolganm4]

Thanks very much for the replies, looks like I have some more reading to do.
I'll get a build thread going when the time comes