3 Way Fridges - In Car Use

David

We've had 3 ways for yonks now and I'm not certain there is any appreciable difference between 12 and 120 V. Both are merely heating elements so I can't see any benefit in operating 240V via and invertor whilst in transit. The problems relate more to motion and removing the external cabinet heat, hence the fan etc.

On our recent trip to the cape we had the unit in a homemade u beaut insulated cover, computer fan and heavy wiring and it worked fine. Not as well as the Waeco which we used as a deep freeze for the entire trip, but better than it has before.

The only difference between 240 and 12 is the thermostat is disabled in 12V. In our case that matters not as it is only a fridge not a freezer, so it's always cranked up to the max regardless.

Happy chilling

You are right Dave - the gas run while static is attractive. We have the Chestcold 40L 3 way and its always been a winner on the road.
I do of course have it cold at the start of the journey either from gas in camp or 240 in the shed. While they must be level when static, the movement in the car seems to negate the level issue while mobile. The 12 volt circuit is very greedy, but this is not an issue while mobile of course. I have put a small 12 volt fan from Jaycar El. in mine so that it runs when the 12 volt circuit is on. Keeps the back side air circulating past the condensor etc. With a small inside/outside digi themometer (Jaycat too) probe screwed just under the lid, we can monitor the top end temp while mobile (head unit on the console). Works for me. The 3 way is expected to struggle in the tropics though - might have to get an Engel if going up there seriously. Running on gas, and perfectly level, we can keep our tucker and drinks quite cold in the high 30's while camped (freezing is not on in the high 30's though).
Frozen tucker in the bottom is consumed later rather than earlier - monitor and decide as you go. Same old story - you can adapt your expectations and provisioning to suit the hardware you have.

David we have an Electrolux 3 way upright, would not use anything else never had a prob, runs off the battery in the camper while driving and gas when camped it is permanent in the camper now used to be in the car, the day before we go away we run it on 240v to get it cold then from then on it's either gas or 12v always stays cold we don't run it flat out always about half, anymore and it will freeze things, hate beer popcycles.

Our fridge & kitchen

Baz.

David,
Sounds like a 3 way fan club here but I also use a Finch three way and think they are great, so long as you don't want to freeze with it. And no need for additional battery kits.

Also can't see why to bother with the invertor. Only concern is that it may use a higher current than straight 12VDC so the main loss is through the wiring to your power outlet. These things draw quite a bit already so make sure your wiring is up to it.

Just saw the Repco Fathers Day catalog. It was a "Finch" copy for $399 including fittings. This is about $300 less than I paid (damm) so should be worth a look.

Also found mine to be tricky to light on gas until I realized that the OFF position is just slightly past the FULL position. Turn it down a little before lighting.

Enjoy.

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Portible bar.

Thanks for all the replies - seems like those who use these fridges tell the real story - ie, with care they do work on 12V.

Thanks again
DavidT

I prefer the "compressor" type 12v 240v and forget the gas (see remnants off blown up campers). I think they are more efficient with the compressors than the "heater" types which can go on gas. Have used them in car when driving and when stopped used to use a small genreator, now we use a solar panel. If it's too cold to work the solar, you don't need a fridge!

Dave, I went to the cape with a three way and an engel. I found that the problem with the three way was not so much the 12 volts while driving, it is more to do with the unit being level. Because of the way they work the fridge needs to be level to work and if you are driving off road, most of the time you cannot achieve this. I ended up turning mine to high on gas at night and getting things really cold and just turned it off completely while driving. For staying in one spot the gas is great. Also with all fridges, keep them closed as much as possible and decide what you want before opening them. I have been away with people who leave the door open the whole time they made their lunch. I could make ice in the three way at night and I would put what I wanted for lunch that day into a small esky with a little ice and that way I never had to even open the fridge during the day. I also have a small bubble level so as to level the fridge at night. They work so much more efficently when level on 12/240 or gas! hope this helps.

We recently completed a five week trip during which the Chescold 60 L three way stayed in the car the whole time ( on a slide over tailgate when on gas). We used it as a freezer, about 1/3 full of frozen meat and the rest full of frozen milk bottles (plastic), occasionally we would put 2 blocks of ice in the freezer in case we needed them for the esky.. The temp when we left home was -12.5 C and the fridge hardy rose above -10 the whole time. We would use the milk bottles in a Tropical esky, replacing them only when necessary (every 3 days). We had to use ice twice because the fridge was slow at freezing the bottles. Overall we are very very happy.

Setup. 6mm^2 wire direct to aux battery wiring to fridge is hard wired ie no plugs in back of fridge. Computer fan provides ventilation on 12 V. Thermostat works on 12 V. Everyone said movement would affect the fridge, but it doesn't if you GET IT COLD and KEEP it COLD.

Voltage drop to fridge at 12 V is less than 2 V. Rear windows of 90 Range Rover were blacked out completely. Other windows tinted. We used 240 V about 3 nights in total (use it where you can I say).

Fridge won;t run off our inverter and I wouldn't suggest it as it would need to be one hell of an inverter and losses from inverter would amount to more than losses from 12 V setup properly.

3 ways are great if you need to set up for long periods of time, and they are inexpensive but compressors are beeter for efficiency.