Compressor fridge - which one?

No they run on 12/24 volts not 240. I don't switch anything at all when I plug in the hookup, I just plug in and everything still works as normal except I'm now charging the leisure battery as well.

@pkrboo was spot on my charger is a Ctek. The consumer unit I've installed (again on Mattys recommendation ) has two outlets. One is hard wired to supply the Ctek, the other goes to a 240v house socket. The Ctek is also hard wired to the leisure battery.

 

Exactly how mine will be done @sANDYbAY, only I will have the ctek plugged into a mains socket not hard wired so I can remove it and use it on other cars if needed

 

I will call them to query!

 

If you have a decent battery charger to charge your battery whilst on mains the mains transformer is a waste of money imo

 

That's a good way of doing it. I can't remember the last time I've had to charge any of our car batteries so I decided hard wiring would be a bit neater. Having said that I'll probably have a flat battery in the daily tomorrow.

 

It sounds like they've given you good advice based on what they knew about your setup. However if you decide to go the battery charger route then you will only ever need the fridge connected into the 12v Leisure Battery.

 

Not long at all I'm afraid, 4/5/6 hours tops so really not good for purely battery use
However, they're great whilst driving and brill on hook-up so unless you do loads of wild stuff these are a relatively inexpensive & easy fit.

The planning involves solar panels if you want to be independent

 

I bought mine from just kampers. It's unbranded and runs on 12/240v wasn't bothered about a 3 way with gas. I chose this because it fits perfectly inside the cupboard where the cool box sat on my westfalia continental Malaga

 

Just had a Waeco CR50 delivered as my old Electrolux wasn't getting that cool - fitting it tonight!

 

What about ventilation, do you need to cut great big holes into the side of your van?

 

Like Gavlad we have the un branded Justkampers Fridge - which works fine. Only issue is that the van has to be pretty level for it to work.

 

have a look at engel fridges not cheap but will run of a leisure battery no problems

 

I have a Vitrifrgo C 42 L , superb fridge /freezer , it has a remote compressor so frees up space in the fridge , the compressor is made by Danfoss , 12v only .
Ours has run for 5 days on the leasure battry without charging , the only problem is the low voltage cut out that isn't needed on the leisure battery .http://www.penguinfrigo.co.uk/shop/category/vitrifrigo-12-24-volt-fridges/

 

I know this sounds a bit controversial but we trekked across Europe last year with a Agros special £50 12/240v cooler, in temperatures of over 30 degrees, cooling meat and veggies in there with no adverse effect. We did have a little problem when we were off grid for more than a couple of days as it was a bit if a drain on the lb, but, I plan to fiddle around with a thermostat for when it's on 12v this year. Just couldn't stomach spending £600 on a fridge!

 

The JK ones only £250 which is good value ,I would get a 3 way for off hook up ,the gas works really well ,can pick them up for £100 odd on ebay.

 

i have a 12v chest style compressor fridge, its amazing!! but it was 575 quid!!!! it uses virtually no battery power at all.

 

Waeco cr50 for the win. Yes expensive, but a super bit of kit. Will run for days on the leisure battery.

Wire in a ctek charger and when your on hookup it will charge the batteries.

Can understand people's hesitance on putting fridge in a van due to space, but for us its an essential companion. When we camp with our tent friends they all want to put stuff in it or have their ice packs refrozen.

It's amazing how well you can pack the fridge with so much food and drink.

 

I am now considering between buying a compressor fridge versus the cost of getting an under slung LPG tank to run a 3 way fridge. Is there an easy way of comparing between the two in terms of how good they are? Is a compressor fridge going to work as well as a gas fridge?

 

3 way fridge still has a compressor just has a separate one for running the gas side as well. For me it all depends in what space you have and how much you want to spend and if you don't want to cut holes in the side of your van.

 

Had originally planned for a 3 way fridge because with an under slung LPG tank I could run the fridge and the cooker off the same gas, with a 2nd hand Westy LPG tank and a 2nd hand Electrolux 3 way fridge. However now it looks like a new tank is required, so that is going to cost as much as a compressor fridge. And the way my luck is going, the 2nd hand fridge will turn out to be U/S too, once I get it out of the shed and get it checked out.