Any tips on keeping fridge cool on 24hr ferry trip to Spain; Are you allowed to keep Fridge working on gas?
Tips on taking frozen food on ferry to spain
- Thread starter moulineuxgorilla
- Start date
You have to switch the gas off on the shorter crossings, certainly - no experience of a longer crossing - but some 'keeping food cold' tips:
1. Buy a good quality coolbag.
2. Put it in the freezer. You may have to 'eat up' some freezer contents to make room.
3. Freeze everything you want to take, plus some litre cartons of orange juice, etc. Put the cartons of frozen orange juice in the fridge to really cool everything down.
4. Pack everything else in the cool bag, as tightly as possible, and fill any space with folder tea towels or similar, and put in a cool place in the caravan.
5. Run everything on gas or 12v whilst travelling, and only switch off when you absolutely have to on the ferry!
We've found, doing this, keeps everything frozen or semi-frozen for at least 36 hours - and even then things are colder than fridge temperatures. We've been doing this for 17 years, caravanning, without any problems.
1. Buy a good quality coolbag.
2. Put it in the freezer. You may have to 'eat up' some freezer contents to make room.
3. Freeze everything you want to take, plus some litre cartons of orange juice, etc. Put the cartons of frozen orange juice in the fridge to really cool everything down.
4. Pack everything else in the cool bag, as tightly as possible, and fill any space with folder tea towels or similar, and put in a cool place in the caravan.
5. Run everything on gas or 12v whilst travelling, and only switch off when you absolutely have to on the ferry!
We've found, doing this, keeps everything frozen or semi-frozen for at least 36 hours - and even then things are colder than fridge temperatures. We've been doing this for 17 years, caravanning, without any problems.
.....since all gas cylinders carried on Eurotunnel or ferries have to be turned off then you cannot run your fridge on gas!
Always left the gas on on P&O on the 2 night crossing to Bilbao, it was never checked and we were never asked about it. We're going on Brittant ferries in a few weeks and I will be doing the same.
Clive..... then you broke this condition of carriage drawn up by P&O
viii) On Short Sea, Western Channel and North Sea routes, gas with a weight of up to 47kg (excluding the weight of the gas receptacle) may be carried. On Irish Sea routes, up to 3 gas cylinders of no more than 11.2kg may be carried. All cylinders must be adequately secured against movement of the ship with the supply shut off at the cylinders during the voyage. Leaking and inadequately secured or connected cylinders will be refused shipment. Any gas cylinders to be carried must be declared at the time of booking. Partially full or empty cylinders will be treated as if they are full. A maximum of 6 cylinders of medical oxygen for personal use may be carried, provided a letter from the user's doctor is provided stating that they require medical oxygen.
......and this link gives you Brittany Ferries position.
https://help.brittany-ferries.co.uk/help/travelling/gas_transport
viii) On Short Sea, Western Channel and North Sea routes, gas with a weight of up to 47kg (excluding the weight of the gas receptacle) may be carried. On Irish Sea routes, up to 3 gas cylinders of no more than 11.2kg may be carried. All cylinders must be adequately secured against movement of the ship with the supply shut off at the cylinders during the voyage. Leaking and inadequately secured or connected cylinders will be refused shipment. Any gas cylinders to be carried must be declared at the time of booking. Partially full or empty cylinders will be treated as if they are full. A maximum of 6 cylinders of medical oxygen for personal use may be carried, provided a letter from the user's doctor is provided stating that they require medical oxygen.
......and this link gives you Brittany Ferries position.
https://help.brittany-ferries.co.uk/help/travelling/gas_transport
All gas cylinders must be isolated on a ferry. To not do so could endanger the ship, and is extremely stupid and selfish.
On a 24 hour crossing you are fighting to keep things frozen. You will keep them chilled but some defrosting may occur. However, unles you have a very large freezer compartment then the amount of food you can put in there will be limited. You can delay the defrosting as others have mentioend by keeping it working until you actually get on the boat. However, unless you are one of these people who feel that the only meat worth eating is from M&S, then why not just enjoy the local food abroad? In many cases it probably is the same and the cost is similar.
On a 24 hour crossing you are fighting to keep things frozen. You will keep them chilled but some defrosting may occur. However, unles you have a very large freezer compartment then the amount of food you can put in there will be limited. You can delay the defrosting as others have mentioend by keeping it working until you actually get on the boat. However, unless you are one of these people who feel that the only meat worth eating is from M&S, then why not just enjoy the local food abroad? In many cases it probably is the same and the cost is similar.
Regarding Clive leaving his fridge operating on gas ON the ferry I'm sorry but it is both foolhardy and VERY dangerous. Yes he may have had no problems so far but that doesn't mean none in the future.
Apart from disobeying the conditions of carriage which are there for good reason.
(1) A fridge operates using a naked flame
(2) The route to Spain is known for rough seas which could effect gas connections, etc
(3) If the cylinders or connectors should leak gas it will be onto a car deck which probably has no low level ventilation so the gas will collect near the floor
(4) The caravan will be surrounded by numerous other vehicles with gas cylinders and petrol tanks
What a recipe for disaster if ever I heard one. Endanger a ship and all its passengers for the sake of a fridge full of food!!!
I hope no one will carry out this dangerous and illegal act of leaving their fridge running on gas on ANY ship let alone those on the longer crossings.
Tim
Apart from disobeying the conditions of carriage which are there for good reason.
(1) A fridge operates using a naked flame
(2) The route to Spain is known for rough seas which could effect gas connections, etc
(3) If the cylinders or connectors should leak gas it will be onto a car deck which probably has no low level ventilation so the gas will collect near the floor
(4) The caravan will be surrounded by numerous other vehicles with gas cylinders and petrol tanks
What a recipe for disaster if ever I heard one. Endanger a ship and all its passengers for the sake of a fridge full of food!!!
I hope no one will carry out this dangerous and illegal act of leaving their fridge running on gas on ANY ship let alone those on the longer crossings.
Tim
Regarding Clive leaving his fridge operating on gas ON the ferry I'm sorry but it is both foolhardy and VERY dangerous. Yes he may have had no problems so far but that doesn't mean none in the future.
Apart from disobeying the conditions of carriage which are there for good reason.
(1) A fridge operates using a naked flame
(2) The route to Spain is known for rough seas which could effect gas connections, etc
(3) If the cylinders or connectors should leak gas it will be onto a car deck which probably has no low level ventilation so the gas will collect near the floor
(4) The caravan will be surrounded by numerous other vehicles with gas cylinders and petrol tanks
What a recipe for disaster if ever I heard one. Endanger a ship and all its passengers for the sake of a fridge full of food!!!
I hope no one will carry out this dangerous and illegal act of leaving their fridge running on gas on ANY ship let alone those on the longer crossings.
Tim
Apart from disobeying the conditions of carriage which are there for good reason.
(1) A fridge operates using a naked flame
(2) The route to Spain is known for rough seas which could effect gas connections, etc
(3) If the cylinders or connectors should leak gas it will be onto a car deck which probably has no low level ventilation so the gas will collect near the floor
(4) The caravan will be surrounded by numerous other vehicles with gas cylinders and petrol tanks
What a recipe for disaster if ever I heard one. Endanger a ship and all its passengers for the sake of a fridge full of food!!!
I hope no one will carry out this dangerous and illegal act of leaving their fridge running on gas on ANY ship let alone those on the longer crossings.
Tim
......just as an aside.
Ferry companies do carry dangerous vehicles and goods but their drivers have to inform the operator of the ferry.
Even a refrigerated truck falls into this category, as its diesel engined compressor will fire up automatically during the crossing.
The vehicle numbers are restricted on each individual ferry and they are loaded and chained down on an open deck regardless of sea state.
I have been told that this is done near the bow or stern so that in the case of a serious fire they can be jettisoned overboard!!
A caravan jettisoned overboard is the sort of thing Top Gear would come up with
.........Clive's caravan may not make it !!!
Ferry companies do carry dangerous vehicles and goods but their drivers have to inform the operator of the ferry.
Even a refrigerated truck falls into this category, as its diesel engined compressor will fire up automatically during the crossing.
The vehicle numbers are restricted on each individual ferry and they are loaded and chained down on an open deck regardless of sea state.
I have been told that this is done near the bow or stern so that in the case of a serious fire they can be jettisoned overboard!!
A caravan jettisoned overboard is the sort of thing Top Gear would come up with
.........Clive's caravan may not make it !!!
OMGl, I won't be using Brittany ferries..........
I can't believe that there is no common sense about having gas on and running fridges...doh
Why do you need your fridge cold anyway...I understand that it handy for milk and stuff cough, cough, (those things we don't take out or in other countries) but longlife milk doesn't need cooling.
I can't believe that there is no common sense about having gas on and running fridges...doh
Why do you need your fridge cold anyway...I understand that it handy for milk and stuff cough, cough, (those things we don't take out or in other countries) but longlife milk doesn't need cooling.
Look it is highly probable 'Clive' has got the message so let us leave i be. However, if you are on a ferry to Spain shortly and there is a Welsh accent behind you, maybe better check.
Sorry to the Welsh, it was meant to be taken in humour.
However, we all know that gas on ships does not mix.
Sorry to the Welsh, it was meant to be taken in humour.
However, we all know that gas on ships does not mix.
And to be charitable, perhaps Clive has essential drugs or other things which have to be kept cold at all times. My brother-in-law is diabetic and keeps his insulin and eye stuff in the fridge and is very careful about the temperature.
There are some of us, too, who need special foods so he may have had a 'reason' for keeping his fridge on. Perhaps Clive was not aware that it ought to be turned off - and I'm sure he'll be doing so in the future.
There are some of us, too, who need special foods so he may have had a 'reason' for keeping his fridge on. Perhaps Clive was not aware that it ought to be turned off - and I'm sure he'll be doing so in the future.
Pre-freezing the fridge contents realy does work. Milk will stay frozen for days and keep the rest of the fridge cool in the process . Regarding gas operation of fridges, I dont think I will ever be happy again on a ferry knowing that there are people stupid enough to do this. .There are no excuses such as drugs etc, the ships crew would be only too happy to refrigerate any perishable items. I feel almost angry enough about this to contact Brittany Ferries and warn them that this could be happening. Perhaps the embarkation staff should start checking as they do at the tunnel, we will all suffer delays if they do but its better than involved in a disaster.
Facebook
Twitter