F4Phantom replied:

some examples

Site Link

Site Link

Member - Phil G (SA) replied:

We own one of the 50litre bar fridges - identical to your Ebay example above (except we paid $99 for ours, not the Ebay special price of $179 :-)))

It has "Input 85watts" written on the back. I just hooked it up to a car battery, an inline ammeter, and my 300watt inverter, and it wouldn't run. The inverter was pulling over 25amps and going hot after just 20 seconds. I think you'll find they need way too much current to start. They would also flatten a battery in no time. They'd also fall apart.

I guess thats why nobody does it. Having said that, I think Reefer Fridges use an inverter (or they used to).

Willem replied:

Methinks that a Bar fridge was intended to stand quietly in the bar and do its job.

It would probably shake to bits after a short time. Then again you could buy 5 bar fridges @ $200 each for the price of and Engel or Waeco....lol

I wonder why there is this urge to carry even more stuff in fridges out bush.

BTW those bar fridges are only 50litres in size...the same size as many of the E or W brands

Cheers

Dave McC replied:

Unfortunately the vibration on would do damage the fridge, and the contents of the fridge such as bottles bouncing around will break the fragile interior of a bar fridge.

A bar fridge would not operate efficiently as a waeco or engel in a 40+ deg temps ie. a car parked in the sun/direct sun on the fridge

An inverter will result in 5-15% loss of power when converting to 240v.

engel's and waco's are manufactured to specifically address these issues, thus the extra $$$'s

Dave

troopywanderer replied:

Hi,
A lot of caravan use a normal house fridge or frezer running on 240v
Most caravan are much poorer suspended than cars or 4wd and most do not have shock absorber. These house (bar) fridge seems to survive OK.

Member -Signman replied:

You'd be surprised just what you can fit into a 40 litre top lid type fridge (eg Engel). When the missus packs our engel 40 litre - there's not much space left. All stuff is packed out of the home fridge into the pre-cooled Engel. Enough perishable tucker, including cryovac meat to keep us going for 3 weeks plus. As we use stuff from the engel, we use a wine cask bladder to fill the void keeping all contents from bouncing around.
I can't see you fitting any more stuff into a (say) 50 litre upright- probably less.

Member - Col G (WA) replied:

One point that has no been mentioned in this thread is the size of the evaporator in domestic fridges. In my 40L Engel the evaporator runs around the four sides of the fridge, in domestic fridges it is usually a much smaller plate or small freezer compartment, usually at the top so cooled air can fall and cool the remainder of the fridge.

It would probably be satisfactory in cooler climates but in summer in the desert would not cut the mustard. Another point to consider is that cool air will fall out of a front opening fridge, this does not happen in a chest type. This means that the fridge will beaver away for ages to replace the cool that you just let fall out every time you open the door.

Another thing you mention is to modify the door of a domestic fridge. Be very wary of this as there is usually a thing called a mullion heater that runs around the door frame of these fridges. This is a gas line and I have seen several that have been punctured by the Black and Decker by amatuers fitting hasp and staple type locks to keep the door shut. The result either a very expensive repair or a scrapped fridge.

These reasons together with the increased likelihood of fracturing a gas line on corrugated roads would rule such a fridge out for 4WD purposes IMHO.

F4Phantom replied:

Thanks so far guys,

disadvantages so far
- could break
- not cold enough
- draws to much power

advantages
- cheap!

So its obvious a proper fridge for 4x4ing is much better, but as mentioned the RV style vans do use stock fridges. So for long trips in the bush for weeks at a time just spend the money. If you stay mostly on roads and use camp sites and dont do 3 days of corregations I cant see why a bar fridge will not do alright, especially in the back of the wagon ready to open when the tail gate is open. You may even use camp site power. I suppose it comes back to conditions, and your trips rarther than the equipment.

Member - Norm C (QLD) replied:

This link is to an area of the 'Fridge and Solar' web site. It details a test between a Waeco 140 litre fridge and a domestic LG 140 litre run via an inverter.

In summary, the Waeco is about $1,200 more expensive than the LG.

The LG uses about twice the power of the Waeco. Add a second deep cycle battery (say $200) and that problem is solved. But you have to replace (recharge) twice the AH you did previously. How you do that may change the financial outcome. If by solar, you will use all the saving so far.

No reference made to durability off road.

www.fridge-and-solar.net/fridgetest1.htm

troopywanderer replied:

Hi,
I have a Waeco 45l that I use as a freezer (brilliant) and a 50l no name brand bar fridge (around $150). Been in the truck for over two years. No problem so far. Except the Waeco running 24/7 24 hours a day need the fan replaced.
My caravan have a 120l normal freezer, also have no problem.
Only thing I did to the bar fridge is tighten the compressor mounting a bit so it's not so floppy. (for the cape york trip)
Hope this help