Fridges for Offroad Caravans

Doing the same research myself recently - I'm on the Trakmaster production list at present - I'll go for a modest sized compressor fridge, because we intend to do lots more top-end travel and it gets really hot up there, even in winter. The 3 way is a bit challenged under certain, hot circumstances. The upshot of my intention is we'll need a decent solar system ($$$) in support, and I have a small gennie already as backup if required. Lots of "rough roads capable" vans do have compressor fridges (as seen on used listings) - can't see me going up to 230 litres in size though, as many owners have chosen ! 150 would have to be plenty for the two of us. I've come across happy owners of Waeco Coolmatic and Vitrifrigo - don't know about any others.............

I lived in the topend for years and got lots of camping in. I used an Engel fridge and put it through some tough tracks. I always had a spring loaded base and the cover bag. I still needed to tie it down. One camp I was chasing buffalo through remote Arnhem land with the fridge tied down on the back of the ute. No problems - food was a bit scrambled though. One thing I did learn in the heat of the top end is portable fridges only cool to about 45deg below ambient temperature - and on some hot days traveling in the build up with the fridge set to freeze - things became defrosted as the fridge stuggled with 48deg in a covered ute tray.

See reply I have just posted a couple of threads below this. Our Vitrifrigo is 12V electric only - compressor driven. We have solar panels on van (240 W?? in total), and 2 sealed batteries (which can charge from 240V system when we have it). That is ample for fridge, even in really hot conditions, van lights, rangehood fan, and inverter for our 2 laptops. We did find though, that after a week in really cloudy and dull conditions, that we needed backup genset to charge up the system.

Hi Bob

Our 1998 Bushtracker came with a 130 litre Vitrifrigo 12 v caravan fridge with remote compressor. It only has a small internal freezer, which is not really suitable for long term storage of frozen goods. It was very efficient running from batteries powered by solar. We killed it - after loading the freezer section overly full, we ended up on 300 kms of corrugated road without letting down the tyres. The plastic freezer section was only secured at the back by one screw, which snapped, and the gas line severed, rendering the fridge unrepairable. Although i would love a fridge with a separate freezer, we could not fit it in without major changes so went for the same again (same size and remote compressor). They are 12/24 volt, and can be run from a rectifier when on mains power or genny which cuts the power down to 24 v. The newer fridge does not seem to be either as efficient or as silent, but does the job. We have four solar panels, but until this year, did not know that we had a faulty batch and we probably only had the equivalent of 1 and ½ 120 w panels which charged 3 x 100 ah AGM batteries. The panels which were replaced under warranty are now 4 x 130 w and will charge 4 x 110 ah batteries.

Newer Bushtrackers don't have the Vitrifrigo.

If you want the best fridge for camping - an Engel car fridge style is about as good as you can get (ducking for cover). In a previous camper, we replaced the old 3 way with an Engel upright caravan fridge which was probably around 120 litre, with small internal freezer. I don't think they sell the upright model now. It was 12 240 v and although a little noisy it was very efficient. We were using a portable 80 w solar panel put out only when we stopped to charge 1 battery.

I hope this helps

Motherhen

Bob,

Nothing beats a GOOD 3 way fridge in a Van. It just has to be rated accordingly.

We had a low spec Jayco Van that had an ST rated Dometic fridge fiited. Worked fine until it got over about 33 degrees.

Mum and Dad had an upmarket version Van and Fridge rated "T" and it was holding 0 degrees with and an ambient of 42 on setting 3 of 7. Ours was running at 10 degrees regardless of what we set it on.

No need for solar, generator, battery bank etc.

They use less than 500g of gas per day. That is a lot of equivalent monet invested in solar, batteries, generator etc.

Cheers,

Jim.

Engel.


All stays cold. Its great.

I noticed they have a new one now...40 litre for $899 and you get a pack of stuff with it.

We have a 230 Litre 2 door Vitrifrigo in the Kedron Van. Only had the van since August and it has not done a long tough trip yet. When we bought the van home, I turned the fridge on. It has never been off since. On day one I put a tub of ice cream in the freezer as a test. It stayed very firm, but not hard till I turned the fridge up to about 75%. Whithout ice cream, fridge and freezer seem to run very well at about 25% of max on the dial.

Only ever had 240 V connected to the van for a couple of hours (testing 240 V stuff, charger etc). Otherwise it has been on solar the whole time, including the recent long wet spell in SEQ. Handled it all no problem.

Happy so far. The big test will be when we hit the road full time early next year - heading North to NT first to fish the wet season run off. That will be a good test for us and the fridge / solar system.

Norm C