Dirt Rider
Well-known member
Want to replace my old and dead 3 way from my 2004 Grandby, sure there must be a specific 2 way that just sips the watts and fits the dimensions of that opening?
Which Fridge
- Thread starter Dirt Rider
- Start date
shade
Well-known member
Indel B makes good, efficient fridges at reasonable prices, and they have a variety of sizes & door options.
www.indelb.com
Products - IndelB
www.indelb.com
Dirt Rider
Well-known member
Thanks for those suggestions, should I think about a side door or top door with slide out?
Cayuse
Observer
Top door with slide out will be more efficient as you don't loose all the cool air when you open it but I like the convenience of the traditional door and don't seem to have issues with battery life and keeping things cool.
Motafinga
Adventurer
I replaced my old Dometic 3 way with this https://www.truckfridge.com/product/tf130-12-volt-dc/ and never looked back. Works way better , has much more usable space inside and was a nearly exact fit in the old cabinet opening, I had to zip about a 1/4 inch on one side of the Cabinet. It's basically a re-badged Indel-B
BajaSurfRig
Well-known member
I installed this in my older Grandby and love it. It makes ice in the desert and I haven't had any issues with power (I am running 200 watts on the roof with 200 ah AGM).
www.engelcoolers.com
ENGEL SB70F FRIDGE/FREEZER
The SB70's self venting cabinet mounting is ideal for the smaller boat galleys or even for the exceptionally smaller pull behind trailer galleys all the way up to your full RV kitchens. When space becomes an issue, the SB70 is a perfect fit for all your frozen/refrigerated items you just can't...
www.engelcoolers.com
Dirt Rider
Well-known member
Many thanks for the response, did you guys do anything with the back area door? Was thinking of adding a screen or something, also do you need any kind of fan or is it OK as is?
billiebob
Well-known member
It is a myth to think all the cold air falls out. Cooling the air is simple, but the trick is to keep the fridge at least half full of cold products. I've lived with coolers with lids for years. I much prefer a fridge with a door.... and no moving sliders.
I have not yet bought a new one but I'm looking at the Dometic CRX Series which are very energy efficient.
Fridge and a freezer.
Dometic CoolMatic CRX 80
Dometic CoolMatic CRX 80 - Compressor refrigerator, 78 l, stainless steel look
www.dometic.com
dreadlocks
Well-known member
Ive got a Engel MT80 and an ARB60, perfer the Engel over the ARB.. mostly for simplicity's sake, dun like ARB's LVD as Id rather run an external one near the battery.. both did fine.
A DC Only fridge you need a power supply to use at home, and when charging off a genset or something the fridge is not siphoning power off the charger.. allowing quicker battery charging.. You can also shut down DC system for winter and keep fridge powered in off season.
A DC Only fridge you need a power supply to use at home, and when charging off a genset or something the fridge is not siphoning power off the charger.. allowing quicker battery charging.. You can also shut down DC system for winter and keep fridge powered in off season.
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billiebob
Well-known member
DC only is fine if you set up a charge circuit off the tow vehicle. If you are mobile daily..... no downside. If you camp for a week with full services........ well why are you here? but really, 12v chargers are $40.
My parents, 40 years ago used a Kooltron Cooler and traveled with a 12V charger. They stayed in motels. They used that combo for 30 years.
We had a Dometic portable compressor cooler CFX 65W dual zone for almost 3 years in our Ford Ranger/Eagle Shell combination. We primarily used it "overland" style when camping (80% of the time) and also as a spare freezer refrigerator when we were not camping. The CFX 65 worked great as all freezer or all refrigerator, with a small variation in temperature from one side to the other. But as a freezer/refrigerator there was a significant variation in temps. Example Unit set at 4 degrees with divider in place, Freezer was 4 degrees, the center area was 35 and the far right upper area was 46. Having the unit set at 4 degrees, tended to suck some juice. Setting it any higher raised the temperature of the far right above what I though was safe for food. I had 175 watts of solar, and 2 - 12volt 100 Air AGM batteries. We did fine for 4-5 days with minimal driving and full sun. It is rated by Dometic at 45.6 amps in 24 hours at 90 degrees ambient temperature. The other draw back was although chest style refrigerators don't allow as much cool air to escape, we often had the cover open for long periods and we removed stuff on top to get to the stuff on the bottom. The Ranger/Eagle combination is now in that big campground in the sky.
I have a Hawk shell on order to mount in a 2016 F150 FX4 supercab. Due to changing circumstances we will probably use the new camper truck combination less as an overland camper and more as a travel camper/State Park camper. I'm guessing 70% road-30% overland camper. So we are strongly considering a cabinet style compressor Refrigerator. We want a large freezer, we like to prepare meals at home and freeze them, so we have easy cooking days after driving or long days of hiking.
So here is what I am considering and would like folks to weigh in on. The one caveat is that I am assuming the unit will fit, based on the refrigerators FWC installs, this unit appears to be the same height as the large one in the FWC factory models.
- Isotherm Cruise Freeline 115 Elegance 4.1 cu ft (116 L) danfoss compressor unit. It has a 83L Refrigerator and 32 L freezer.
Rated at 22 amps/24 hours on 12 volts dc, AC/DC powered. I'm a bit skeptical about the rating but even at double, 44amps, it's no worse than my other unit.
- 2 x 6 Volt 260 Ahr AGM batteries, Renogy has a big sale right now until 9/22/19, $499.99 with a connector cable
- Depending available roof space somewhere between 160 - 200 watts of solar
The Refrigerator manufacturer recommends two, 31 sq inches vents one at the bottom and one at the top of the cabinet holding the unit. Since I have a shell and no outside vents I'm thinking I will have a 1.5" x 20" vent top and bottom plus I will consider cutting a hole in the bench of the Hawk under the refrigerator for a fan. Probably this unit from eTrailer.com Valterra FridgeCool Automatic Exhaust Fan for RV Refrigerators - 12 Volt. I'm thinking I'll need some bug screening over the fan. I will also add additional insulation around the refrigerator.
If anyone has any first hand knowledge of this Refrigerator, that will be greatly appreciated and of course any insight into what I may have missed, will also be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
I have a Hawk shell on order to mount in a 2016 F150 FX4 supercab. Due to changing circumstances we will probably use the new camper truck combination less as an overland camper and more as a travel camper/State Park camper. I'm guessing 70% road-30% overland camper. So we are strongly considering a cabinet style compressor Refrigerator. We want a large freezer, we like to prepare meals at home and freeze them, so we have easy cooking days after driving or long days of hiking.
So here is what I am considering and would like folks to weigh in on. The one caveat is that I am assuming the unit will fit, based on the refrigerators FWC installs, this unit appears to be the same height as the large one in the FWC factory models.
- Isotherm Cruise Freeline 115 Elegance 4.1 cu ft (116 L) danfoss compressor unit. It has a 83L Refrigerator and 32 L freezer.
Rated at 22 amps/24 hours on 12 volts dc, AC/DC powered. I'm a bit skeptical about the rating but even at double, 44amps, it's no worse than my other unit.
- 2 x 6 Volt 260 Ahr AGM batteries, Renogy has a big sale right now until 9/22/19, $499.99 with a connector cable
- Depending available roof space somewhere between 160 - 200 watts of solar
The Refrigerator manufacturer recommends two, 31 sq inches vents one at the bottom and one at the top of the cabinet holding the unit. Since I have a shell and no outside vents I'm thinking I will have a 1.5" x 20" vent top and bottom plus I will consider cutting a hole in the bench of the Hawk under the refrigerator for a fan. Probably this unit from eTrailer.com Valterra FridgeCool Automatic Exhaust Fan for RV Refrigerators - 12 Volt. I'm thinking I'll need some bug screening over the fan. I will also add additional insulation around the refrigerator.
If anyone has any first hand knowledge of this Refrigerator, that will be greatly appreciated and of course any insight into what I may have missed, will also be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
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dreadlocks
Well-known member
fixed that for you..
If its a danfoss compressor unit, its about as power efficient as can be had.. outside that it depends on insulation, which on a front loader like that has ample room for DIY improvement.. I would not depend wholly on the freezing capability of anything like this, a single motor unit is going to be a compromise.
dreadlocks,
I'm not using FLA batteries, the Renogy sale is $499.99 for 2 x 6volt, 260 amp hr AGM batteries. I have 4 x 6 v FLA batteries in my motorhome, in an exterior compartment with lots of ventilation but choose to use AGM batteries in the FWC camper, since they will be inside.
I'm not using FLA batteries, the Renogy sale is $499.99 for 2 x 6volt, 260 amp hr AGM batteries. I have 4 x 6 v FLA batteries in my motorhome, in an exterior compartment with lots of ventilation but choose to use AGM batteries in the FWC camper, since they will be inside.