3-way fridge and solar panels

[Gillski]

My 3-way Electrolux fridge is not working on gas. Is it cheap to fix or should I just use cool blocks from campsite? The Waeco compressor ones seem to be the way to go but expensive! Also happy to get a 12v coolbox.

The long term plan is to put a solar panel onto battery. Not sure whether to get one fixed on roof (not stealable!) or a briefcase type one to set up facing the sun. I will only be running the fridge from this with lights at night (torches will be fine!)

I'd rather spend more money now and get it right than do a temporary fix which doesn't work for long.

All thoughts gratefully received.

Gill
T25 Autosleeper Trident Hi-top (C reg)

[Mocki]

If you are on a campsite that offers cool blocks surely they have hook up ?

You can buy a new three way fridge and a solar panel for the price of one of those compressor fridges, don't be under the illusion they use less power than any other 12v fridge.
If your fridge works on mains and or 12v now the gas bit isn't going to cost a lot to repair, if it's not just a case of cleaning it.
As for solar panels, a fixed one on the roof is very unlikely to be stolen , much less likely than a free standing one .

I have a 100w semi flexible one on my roof, no one is going to steal it without a step ladder and some sikoflex desolving compound ! It charges at 8amps in direct sunlight, and about 4 amps under grey cloud. It won't keep up with a fridge , simply because the fridge works 24/7 and the solar panel won't work in the dark.

[MattBW]

Agree with Mocki. If you have a good solar panel or two and a 12v fridge it may be good to have than one leisure battery ideally. My panel will kick out more amps than my compressor fridge will use on a good day, but most of the spare power in the day is wasted if I have no extra storage for it. Then at night its heavy battery load.

[oorwullie]

You can buy a new three way fridge and a solar panel for the prove of one of those compressor fridges, don't be under the illusion they use less power than any other 12v fridge.

it seems there are fridges that use a lot more power than the top quality units, but i doubt if they use anything remotely approaching what an absorber frigo needs on 12 volt.

[1664]

The 12v heating element in an absorption fridge is about 90W IIRC

A compressor fridge is about 40W I think, not as much but still an appreciable load. The one saving grace is it's not a constant draw as once it reaches it temperature the 'stat cuts it off.

Using gas is the obvious thing to do, the absorption fridge uses next to no gas and does very well as long as it's working

[MattBW]

You may just need to give the gas burner a clean if it's not working

[oorwullie]

The 12v heating element in an absorption fridge is about 90W IIRC

A compressor fridge is about 40W I think, not as much but still an appreciable load. The one saving grace is it's not a constant draw as once it reaches it temperature the 'stat cuts it off.

Using gas is the obvious thing to do, the absorption fridge uses next to no gas and does very well as long as it's working

i'd suggest that anyone who hasn't actually got any experience of the new compressor fridges should connect their 12 volt absorber model direct to a battery and see how long it lasts. the battery will be dead in a few hours at the most...............

i too was always a fan of gas till last autumn when i found that my new compressor ran for 9 days on a 66 A battery.
and that was on the med, not up on a frozen alp!

[1664]

i'd suggest that anyone who hasn't actually got any experience of the new compressor fridges should connect their 12 volt absorber model direct to a battery and see how long it lasts. the battery will be dead in a few hours at the most...............

We know that. Yes of course the absorption fridge will flatten the battery after a short period of time which is why the 12v is only used when the engine is running - that's the exact reason it runs off gas too.
I have had numerous experiences with compressor fridges in campers on holidays to New Zealand. Kept waking me up at night when the 'stat clicked in and the compressor ran.
Horses for courses I suppose, I prefer complete silence although I grant you the compressors go unnoticed during the daytime.
Were you parked up stationary for those nine days or driving around recharging the battery? Even a compressor fridge will flatten a battery eventually without a recharge.

[Theolegit]

Compressor fridge running for 7 days mid temp backed up by 100watt solar panel plus btb sterling not driven, both batteries 14.2v!

[oorwullie]

my then freshly fitted WAECO coldmachine 55 was connected straight to the battery under the r'n'roll bed (with a fuse!) and the battery wasn't connected to the bus charging system at all.

the only "noise " i hear from it is the ventilator fan and that's barely noticeable. what woke the missus up was the red light blinking when the battery voltage dropped to 10.7 volts.

i believe you possibly had total silence at night in the aussie outback but in central europe there's virtually always some noise however slight it might be. somewhere i have a recording of the river running by at a local regular spot.

i always used to turn the gas off at night anyway, if the small click and faint whish of the danfoss unit are unbearable then it's easily switched off for the night too.

anyway, i'm convinced but i still have several 3way units lying around if i ever feel the need.

[1664]

i believe you possibly had total silence at night in the aussie outback

NZ not Oz but you are correct; you could hear a mozzie fart in the middle of 'bum-f**k-nowhere' over there. The stars just took your breath away, there's billions of the buggers, not twelve like you see from round here

I'll stick to gas