I put the fridge on couple of hours before we go away! what gets it cold quickest?gas,mains or both the same!!!
getting the fridge cold
- Thread starter Tina3
- Start date
Hi Tina,
The mains electric is the cheapest and it's thermostaticaly controlled. The gas is just as good but more expensive to do.
It's not so much the power you need as the time. The condenser fridge takes about an hour to start the process moving regardless of how much heat is applied. only then it starts cooling.
My 'van is in storage so I tend to put the gas on the lowest setting a day before we go away.
If you're near power, I'd switch it on the day before.
Pete
The mains electric is the cheapest and it's thermostaticaly controlled. The gas is just as good but more expensive to do.
It's not so much the power you need as the time. The condenser fridge takes about an hour to start the process moving regardless of how much heat is applied. only then it starts cooling.
My 'van is in storage so I tend to put the gas on the lowest setting a day before we go away.
If you're near power, I'd switch it on the day before.
Pete
Damian
Moderator
Tina, the fridge needs at least 24 hours to cool from start, or when you load it, it is fighting to drop temp against the items placed in it.
We always put the fridge on at least 24 hours before setting out. Longer if possible, especially during the summer months. We put a couple of ice blocks (already frozen) into the body of the fridge when loading it to help it keep cool. We also put a couple of frozen ice blocks into the freezer compartment along with our frozen food. This eliminates the worry of anything going wrong during the journey.
Hi, Do it on gas,
Over a period of years of using folding campers and caravans gas seems to be the most effective to the extent that when we get on site we use gas for the first few hours then swop to mains after. The idia of putting frozen goods in the fridge prior to powering up on either gas or electric is great as it reduces the ambiant temprature effectivly and I would use ice rather than food stuffs as they could thaw and then refreeze leading to Delli belli or worst.
If you have mains feed available put it on as suggested about 24 hrs before and add a tray of ice to help it out. if not, a tray of ice and gas as it is quicker to cool down, but don't forget to switch off the gas before you leave as it is illeagle to travel with your gas switched on and there is a great chance it will blow out the pilot light while in transit and switch to car 12v which should help to maintain the temp. Its up to you but we have always found gas quicker to chill out.
Rob
Over a period of years of using folding campers and caravans gas seems to be the most effective to the extent that when we get on site we use gas for the first few hours then swop to mains after. The idia of putting frozen goods in the fridge prior to powering up on either gas or electric is great as it reduces the ambiant temprature effectivly and I would use ice rather than food stuffs as they could thaw and then refreeze leading to Delli belli or worst.
If you have mains feed available put it on as suggested about 24 hrs before and add a tray of ice to help it out. if not, a tray of ice and gas as it is quicker to cool down, but don't forget to switch off the gas before you leave as it is illeagle to travel with your gas switched on and there is a great chance it will blow out the pilot light while in transit and switch to car 12v which should help to maintain the temp. Its up to you but we have always found gas quicker to chill out.
Rob
Our caravan is in storage so it would be a pain to switch on 24hrs before a trip.
For rallies we freeze all our meet well b4 the trip then on the day we leave we put the frozen food in the fridge and it defrosts while cooling the fridge down. We use 12 volt while traveling and switch to gas as soon as we are on site. for longer trips, we buy the food when we arrive after the fridge has cooled down (about a day) and live off takeaways until then.
Steve
For rallies we freeze all our meet well b4 the trip then on the day we leave we put the frozen food in the fridge and it defrosts while cooling the fridge down. We use 12 volt while traveling and switch to gas as soon as we are on site. for longer trips, we buy the food when we arrive after the fridge has cooled down (about a day) and live off takeaways until then.
Steve
Try fitting a small 12 V DC fan (e.g. from a computer - available from Maplin shops) behind the top external vent of the fridge. It makes an amazing difference to the speed the fridge cools down at and it's ability to keep cool when it's 40 C outside. You will nbe impressed by the flow of warm air if you put your hand over the vent where the fan is fitted.
Thanks all
Have had the fridge on mains overnight and yes it was cool,however even turned up high the stuff in it never feels that cold,as compared to say your fridge at home ! Is this just caravan fridges in general or a prob with certain makes etc.....!
Have had the fridge on mains overnight and yes it was cool,however even turned up high the stuff in it never feels that cold,as compared to say your fridge at home ! Is this just caravan fridges in general or a prob with certain makes etc.....!
Hi Tina,
The condensor fridge has a maximum temperature diffrence, cant remember what it is, but basicaly, if it's very hot outside, your fridge wont get as cold as normal.
you can increase it's perfomace (speed of cooling) by adding a fan as Bill says. But there's not much you can do to get it any colder.
They do normaly work brilliant but last week was a scorcher.
The condensor fridge has a maximum temperature diffrence, cant remember what it is, but basicaly, if it's very hot outside, your fridge wont get as cold as normal.
you can increase it's perfomace (speed of cooling) by adding a fan as Bill says. But there's not much you can do to get it any colder.
They do normaly work brilliant but last week was a scorcher.
Agree with last post - is your fridge vented into an awning by any chance - will make it worse again.
In the summer heat, it can get awfully hot in the awning. Expect everyone's noticed that the fridge becomes far less effect, just when you need it most! Why don't they put the fridge on the other side of the van where ventilation is better? Anyway to get to the point, I aim an electric fan at the bottom vent on the fridge. Hey presto the fridge gets cold again. I also leave the caravan skirt off and open a vent in the awning. Works just fine.
I think these fridges are designed to work off gas rather than electric
I think these fridges are designed to work off gas rather than electric
Chris,
The condenser frige works just the same regarless of what power source is being used.
There is two heating elements (240 and 12 volt) and a burner for gas.
Gas is more powerfull than the 12 volt but mains is as powerfull as gas coupled with the added facility of a themostat.
They get less effective regardless of the powersource in hot ambient air temperature because it works by the condensation of amonia instead of compressing and de-compressing and inert gas. So the ammoia is more reluctant to condense in the same way that it's less likely to rain on a hot day.
The condenser frige works just the same regarless of what power source is being used.
There is two heating elements (240 and 12 volt) and a burner for gas.
Gas is more powerfull than the 12 volt but mains is as powerfull as gas coupled with the added facility of a themostat.
They get less effective regardless of the powersource in hot ambient air temperature because it works by the condensation of amonia instead of compressing and de-compressing and inert gas. So the ammoia is more reluctant to condense in the same way that it's less likely to rain on a hot day.
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