Which fridge?

[Photobug]

I am ready.

We have used a soft cooler because it fits our truck setup. We need to get ice every day or every other. I am done ready for a 12 fridge. It would be used in the back of my full sized truck. There is a space 16.5" high by 36" wide. I would like to keep it not much higher than that because we would have to climb over it when we sleep in the back but we are sleeping in a tent more often now. Behind this area is a set of trays with tools, stove and other camping gear we need to access often. So I would have to remove the cooler possibly often. Maybe create a short table to put it onto near the truck. I also have a 26' sailboat it would be used in.

I figure it would be used in conjunction with another smaller cooler where I would keep beverages and maybe the next meal and snacks handy. I would like to have a freezer compartment to keep gel packs cold to keep the second cooler cold.

I am looking for advice, is this a good idea? Which models should I look at?

 

[dreadlocks]

Engel MT45 is hard to beat, and has nice quick connect floor mounts available you can just snap it in and out of your truck/sailboat... Its got no Low Voltage Disconnect, which I see as a benefit because those often cause more headache than solve due to the fact nobody runs a fridge right next to the battery and there's always some voltage drop going on, I had my ARB fridge shut off on me in a bearbox because of its internal LVD and 40ft of wiring.. but it implies you should have some sort of battery monitoring, or at least an external LVD like a Victron Battery Protect fitted near the battery bank.

 

[verdesard0g]

This is what I have, seems to be very energy effecient:
( it wasn't $1000 when I bought it though!)

Amazon.com: Dobinsons 4x4 60 Liter 12V Portable Fridge Freezer Single Zone, Includes Free Insulating Cover Bag : Automotive

Amazon.com: Dobinsons 4x4 60 Liter 12V Portable Fridge Freezer Single Zone, Includes Free Insulating Cover Bag : Automotive

smile.amazon.com

 

[FJR Colorado]

The Engel is stupid simple and worry free.

 

[Photobug]

I am considering a dual zone so this Engel appeals to me. but it is starting to get too heavy. I wish someone made a 55l dual zone.

Engel MT60 Top Opening 12/24V DC - 110/120V AC Fridge-Freezer

When power and space allow, consider an Engel MT-series fridge-freezer. Every Engel fridge-freezer is capable of keeping contents fresh - or frozen - wherever you roam. Freeze food to last you on long trips, or set the temperature control to keep fresh food and drinks chilled. All Engel...

engelcoolers.com

 

[dreadlocks]

What drags you towards dual zone? I keep my Engel at near 0C and can pack it with pre-frozen food in the bottom and still have to thaw meat on day 14.. a small mylar cooler is more effective than a dual zone.

Actually Freezing stuff out in the field takes a buttload of energy FYI.. Ive heard one good justification for a dual zone and thats to have a seperate fish freezer.

 

[Photobug]

What drags you towards dual zone? I keep my Engel at near 0C and can pack it with pre-frozen food in the bottom and still have to thaw meat on day 14.. a small mylar cooler is more effective than a dual zone.

Actually Freezing stuff out in the field takes a buttload of energy FYI.. Ive heard one good justification for a dual zone and thats to have a seperate fish freezer.

My wife and I like craft beers and I have a few each night when camping and don't think opening the cooler that often is a good idea. I was thinking a frozen compartment would allow to keep some ice for drinks on one side and gel packs and maybe some ice cream. If the cooler does not fit in the space as needed it may be stashed in the backseat while camping.

I would like to have another passive cooler to store beer and snacks in with the gel pack that could be sitting by the kitchen or taken to the fireside.

 

[dreadlocks]

You can fill a double walled thermos with ice and toss it in the fridge and it'll keep good for many days, when its freezing inside and nearly freezing outside it dont take much insulation to reduce thermal transfer to a crawl.. not sure how many days because my wife will empty our 1 gallon thermos before it all before it melts.. now I have an ice maker.. Ice Cream just needs a small mylar bag and to remain at the bottom where its the coldest.. but honestly this is one of the things I'll run into town for, with a couple kiddos supporting the local ice cream shop is always on the todo list.. Ive got an ice cream maker too I wanna use w/my ice maker one of these days.

The Dual Compartments just reduce overall storage capacity, plus Your freezers at home operate at like -5F or lower, thats alot of energy to run off the grid.. If you set your fridge to right at or below freezing, nothing refrigerated will actually have any time to freeze before it gets consumed and nothing frozen will really defrost until you take it out.. More room for beer, its a chest style fridge.. open it as much as you like, its not dumping all its cold air out when you do.. Ive got a 84qt and it dont hold enough beer and food for me and my clan, gotta keep restocking it.. beats getting ice, thats what all the solar and batteries are for.

Cooling packs to use in a cooler is gonna chew up far more energy than your beer drinking, thats a super inefficent way at transferring energy.. Remember Fridges dont have any of that pesky ice/water taking up room, you can fit far more food/drinks into a fridge than you can a cooler of equal size.. most ppl are blown away by it, and the tighter you pack everything the less energy it'll need to maintain temps with all that thermal mass acting as a buffer.

 

[ZMagic97]

I've been using an Edgestar FP430 for years. Lower priced, reliable, and just keeps on working. I just mounted it on a slide on l tracks in the back of my truck the other day.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

I have a few fridges and one is a CFX95DZ a huge dual zone. Personally I think the dual-zone for vehicle-based travel is not needed. You did say it would be used on your sailboat where it could be very helpful on long trips. For me what makes a fridge is the baskets you use for easy access and the way the lid opens.

 

[86scotty]

My wife and I like craft beers and I have a few each night when camping and don't think opening the cooler that often is a good idea. I was thinking a frozen compartment would allow to keep some ice for drinks on one side and gel packs and maybe some ice cream. If the cooler does not fit in the space as needed it may be stashed in the backseat while camping.

I would like to have another passive cooler to store beer and snacks in with the gel pack that could be sitting by the kitchen or taken to the fireside.

If you have a moderately sized battery bank (I just have a 100ah aux battery with a 100w solar panel) then opening and closing a modern DC fridge often really doesn't matter. They cool so quickly and efficiently you won't notice. I have stayed away from dual zone because the wall takes up a LOT of space but I'm with you on ice cream. It's one treat I've never been able to swing camping except for when we had a small motorhome with a big residential style fridge/freezer.

 

[86scotty]

This is what I have, seems to be very energy effecient:
( it wasn't $1000 when I bought it though!)

Amazon.com: Dobinsons 4x4 60 Liter 12V Portable Fridge Freezer Single Zone, Includes Free Insulating Cover Bag : Automotive

Amazon.com: Dobinsons 4x4 60 Liter 12V Portable Fridge Freezer Single Zone, Includes Free Insulating Cover Bag : Automotive

smile.amazon.com

Nice unit for sure but I have no idea how they justify the price other than name alone. Just about all of the decent modern DC fridges have the same Danfoss/Secop 35 compressor and the rest is just an insulated box. I have been running the same Truckfridge Steel (IndelB rebranded) huge 80 liter in my last 3 rigs for many years and it was $599.

 

[Photobug]

The Dual Compartments just reduce overall storage capacity, plus Your freezers at home operate at like -5F or lower, thats alot of energy to run off the grid.

While your positions on gear and systems are well thought out and arguments persuasive, here is why I think your solution is not for everyone. You have 83 liters of refrigeration plus an ice maker. I think the fact you have an icemaker shows the importance both of us hold in having ice on hand.

If I were to buy the 40l Engel and put a 1 gallon thermos full of ice in it I would not have much fridge space left. Many of our trips are 2-4 day weekends but we have also spent 30 days from home driving down Baja and 19 days on the road which includes 14 days of sailing. If you think driving into town for ice cream is inconvenient imagine pulling up anchor and sailing for 5 hours to replenish ice just for refrigeration purposes, then the ice, meats and produce you buy on an island has an outrageous markup.

I am not sure your arguments against a DZ hold up. If you use it as a dual zone you lose capacity to the divider. If you have the freezer section set to -5 (which apparently is a possibility) sure you will be using a ton of power but if you set it the whole unit to fridge temp does it cost any extra in power compared to a single zone?

The way my current analysis is buying a DZ gives me the potential to make ice in a remote location if power allows it and it is needed. If I remove the divider and set the temp to fridge the DZ only cost to the higher end unit is a few hundred bucks.

 

[Photobug]

One thing that will need to happen when we buy a powered cooler is a huge change in the way we operate. Right now we have the most minimal electricity needs. Almost no lights at night as we are by a fire until it is time to sleep, often asleep before dark. We can charge the battery at home and go easily 4+ days without need to recharge.

Now we put as much beer as we can in our ice chest(s) to take up the empty space and preserve the chill of the beer we buy cold. With a cooler we will have no ice taking up space and can put in as much beer as we want for a night. We will have to evaluate and monitor our energy use much closer, update our battery capacity and monitoring capabilities to meet the needs.

 

[dreadlocks]

they make smaller containers, and no.. actually, I think ice sucks and has been a pain in my ass for years, I was hoping I'd never need it again when I threw out the coolers.. I dont use it, the wife drinks mixed drinks with it and when we're camping will burn through however much we carry.. I've got an ice maker because I have so much extra electrical capabilities that when opportunity presents itself I can operate it, I could lose it right now and care less.. It takes alot of energy to make ice its reserved for only when such abundant energy is available , Ive had fridges for decades and never once in my life ever made ice with one, well intentionally.. My 83 Liters of refrigeration and ice maker is so we can go months without resupplying.. and by We I mean 4 people and 2 dogs.. never said driving into town for ice cream was inconvenient, its more just an opportunity knocks and we answer.. We pass ice cream, we eat ice cream.. nobody goes outta their way looking for it, and I sure in the hell am not sacrificing anything for it.

I'm pretty sure Engels wont get below 0F, is Baja less than 86 degrees? If so mebe it is possible to hit -5, otherwise where you get your data from?

Actual Temperature range ability (at 86°F ambient) is 45 to 0 deg. F ( 7.2 to -17.7 deg. C).

Yes running a fridge at 32F takes considerably less power than running a freezer at 0F, You've got much more energy to remove from something to freeze it and change it from a liquid than a solid than chill it.. thats like asking if a car running at 100mph uses more fuel than one at 50mph.

Also most DZ's dont have dual thermostats, one side is the cold side and the other side is the warm side.. so the colder the freezer, the colder the fridge, the warmer the freezer, the warmer the fridge.. If you set it to fridge temp the warm side is gonna be higher than fridge temp.. the whole things are dumb