# Keeping food frozen at the port



## Hoedown (Apr 27, 2012)

Further to our question about parking at Poole.....I have phoned the port and they have told me we can park there overnight, but only after 22.00 hours when the incoming passengers have departed. Thanks anyway for all your replies.

This leads me on to thinking about frozen food in the fridge...does anyone parking overnight on the docks anywhere put their fridge in to 'gas' mode rather than on the battery? Is this allowed? We are not sure that the 'battery' mode would keep food frozen whilst driving down to Poole as well as waiting for the sailing and on the sailing itself. Obviously we would use the battery mode on the boat.


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

To use battery power, you would need to run your engine all night as it only operates on 12 volt that way.

Nothing wrong with using gas.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

if you don't have your fridge on all the time (when at home for instance), make sure you have it on for 24+ hours before leaving, then it will have time to get down to working temperature. You can then be sure that it's Ok for the trip to the port, and run it on gas while you're there. Don't forget to turn the gas off when going on board. There should be no problems with it saying cold over the crossing.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

.
I've seen this question, in various forms, raised so many times here that I'm beginning to wonder if things have changed with some more modern motorhomes.

My understanding is, and has always been, that a 3 way fridge will run on 12v only when the engine is running. With the engine off there is a choice of 240v mains or gas.

Are there ANY motorhomes that have a 12v fridge running off a 12v battery when the engine is not running?

This may sound a daft question but the OPs question comes up so many times.


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

tonyt said:


> .
> 
> Are there ANY motorhomes that have a 12v fridge running off a 12v battery when the engine is not running?


Yes. Compression fridges will run on 12v at all times e.g.Waeco but mostly converters use absorbtion type fridges which, as you say, will only run on 12v when the engine is running due to the high current drain.


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## Scolds (Jul 26, 2010)

I am in danger of posting without having checked but I think all 3 way can run off the battery. When you first turn off the engine it takes a while before it automatically switches to gas, it has something to do with allowing you to fill up at a fuel station without the gas being used.


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## ChaseTracker (Aug 22, 2012)

At home the day before you set off put the fridge on your home electric to get the fridge to a nice cold working temp, I freeze a old pop bottle of water this can help keep the fridge cold if parked without gas/electric. Have fun. 8)


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Certainly there is nothing at the waiting area at Portsmouth ferry terminal to say that you may not run gas appliances while waiting. We sleep overnight there and, being winter, have kept the heating on as well to keep us warm.

As said above, don't forget to turn it off at the bottle before you go. We have had no problems with keeping stuff cold in the fridge though don't take frozen food and only have milk, a first night meal and anything that was left over in the fridge at home.

G


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## Cherekee (May 1, 2005)

We use the ferry from Guernsey to the UK (and St Malo sometimes via Jersey) quite often and the fridge can be off for up to 3.5 hours by the time you are loaded. It has never been a problem keeping things frozen but it takes a bit of planning.

We really freeze the stuff down in the house freezer and leave the van freezer on max setting overnight on electric (mains) until we are ready to leave home for the 15 min drive to the docks and we load the van freezer. Leave on max for the drive on the 12v setting and run on gas whilst waiting at the docks. TURN OFF THE GAS when it is our turn to load. Do not be tempted to open the freezer door just to check!!!! Your drive from maybe Kent would be fine to keep it frozen.

Sometimes if we arrive in Poole late evening we will stay on the docks overnight with the freezer on Gas. We have never had a problem with temp control.

It would be possible with a bit of work and electrical fiddling to allow the fridge to work direct off the battery in an auxiliary. The 12v side of the element (they are usually dual voltage elements) only takes 170 watts per hour (in mine). You would have to run it direct from the battery and you would have no control of the temperature doing it this way but it would work. I think it would be about 1 amp hour consumption every 5.88 hours so not a big drain on the habitation battery.

cheers

Alan


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## Scattycat (Mar 29, 2011)

I know with our fridge when set to auto it will switch from battery to gas when the engine has been off for around 20 mins but I can over ride this if required.

To be honest I don't see there should be a problem leaving it on gas at the port.

The last time we went to the UK via Dover Calais I didn't see any signs or was given any information regarding turning the gas off when on board. I asked one of the loading guys if I should turn the gas off or could I leave it on, he just shrugged and said it was up to me. 

I was going to leave it on but decided in the end to turn it off. In reality if, as has already been said, you put it on mains for a day before you leave and don't open the doors the fridge/freezer should be fine for the length of your crossing


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## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

The fridge will only work on 12v with the engine running unless it automatic energy selection and they only run for a short time when stopped, the thermostat doesnt work on 12 volt its just on full,for anybody thinking about bypassing this feature its there because running your fridge on 12 will quickly kill the battery. the compressor fridges usually run soley on 12v and are a different thing altogether.


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## kimbo4x4 (Jun 29, 2008)

The Electrolux three way fridge fitted in our Camper switches to gas around 15 minutes after the engine has stopped. This is to stop the fridge trying to light the gas jet(sparking) if you were stopped and refuelling.
Have crossed the channel on ferrys of all sorts many times and have never been asked to switch off gas - only time we have been checked is on Eurotunnel. 
Fridge tips. Freeze two litres of fruit juice in tetrapacks and a large plastic bottle of water at home and pack them in the fridge. 
Fill up the freezer compartment with frozen food or even a bag of ice.( Handy for G&T at first stop  )
The less air gaps in your fridge the better it wil work. Fridges find it hard to chill air. 
Stay cool 8)


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

I agree with the above chill all drinking water bottles and use them, only put pre frozen food in there and try and keep your fridge side away from direct sun

we had 35 to 37C in The Jura a few days ago and ours struggled like hell to stay cool!


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

Cherekee said:


> It would be possible with a bit of work and electrical fiddling to allow the fridge to work direct off the battery in an auxiliary. The 12v side of the element (they are usually dual voltage elements) only takes 170 watts per hour (in mine). You would have to run it direct from the battery and you would have no control of the temperature doing it this way but it would work. I think it would be about 1 amp hour consumption every 5.88 hours so not a big drain on the habitation battery.
> 
> cheers
> 
> Alan


A typical Dometic fridge is rated at 130w on 12v and a fridge freezer is more like 170w. This would mean anything between 10amps and 14amps current being drawn when running on 12v. If the engine wasn't running then your typically 90ah battery would be goosed within a few hours.


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## VanFlair (Nov 21, 2009)

Cherekee said:


> We use the ferry from Guernsey to the UK (and St Malo sometimes via Jersey) quite often and the fridge can be off for up to 3.5 hours by the time you are loaded. It has never been a problem keeping things frozen but it takes a bit of planning.
> 
> We really freeze the stuff down in the house freezer and leave the van freezer on max setting overnight on electric (mains) until we are ready to leave home for the 15 min drive to the docks and we load the van freezer. Leave on max for the drive on the 12v setting and run on gas whilst waiting at the docks. TURN OFF THE GAS when it is our turn to load. Do not be tempted to open the freezer door just to check!!!! Your drive from maybe Kent would be fine to keep it frozen.
> 
> ...


Hi Alan

Not sure about your calculations there, if its standard absorption fridge it's more like 170 watts at 12 volts so about 14 amps so that is 14ah which will quickly take a fair chunk of power out of your batteries, 14ah for 5 hours will be 70ah which is at least one flat battery, make sure it's running off the leisure batteries otherwise it might not start at the other end.

Martin


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

kimbo4x4 said:


> Have crossed the channel on ferrys of all sorts many times and have never been asked to switch off gas - only time we have been checked is on Eurotunnel.


You did however sign up that you accept the ferry company terms and conditions when you made your booking.

They state that ( I quote from P&O)

_All cyclinders must be secured against the movement of the ship and the supply shut off at the cylinders during the voyage._

There is more. It also says that the cylinders must be declared at the time of booking but I think, when last this was discussed, it was decided that simply booking in a MH made it a given that there would be gas on board.

G


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## GROUNDHOG (Mar 7, 2006)

Never tried it in a motorhome but in the old days we used to use dry ice to keep inbound meals frozen on long haul flights, I see you can still buy it and it works but not sure about putting it in a freezer???

Anyone ever tried?


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## kimbo4x4 (Jun 29, 2008)

Grizzly said:


> kimbo4x4 said:
> 
> 
> > Have crossed the channel on ferrys of all sorts many times and have never been asked to switch off gas - only time we have been checked is on Eurotunnel.
> ...


Ouch !
Wrist slapped..........


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## Cherekee (May 1, 2005)

Further to Vanflair & Sideways.

Yes you are both correct, I forgot we are talking 12volts. I am used to 240v.

I had to fiddle a few times when I started my refrigeration career back in the early 70's when some of the old Walls ice-cream freezers still operated on bottled gas in remote beach kiosks and I had to bypass the stats a few times to save the day (not to mention the ice cream).

Alan


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## bigfrank3 (Mar 26, 2007)

When we went to Bilbao with a journey time of 36 hours the freezer was full and the fridge was full of normal food and a couple of plastic containers with a frozen meal inside ( a chili I think) and a packet of 8 sausages frozen and wrapped in newspaper.

The fridge had been on at home for a few days so the temperature inside was down to operating temp. The fridge was then put onto 12volt and we set off for the ferry. We arrived st Portsmouth and sat on the quayside with the engine switched off for at least an hour.

When we arrived at Bilbao and we were told to rejoin our vehicles the sausages still had an icy center and the plastic containers were half frozen. 

I don't think you will have a problem after only a few hours. If you are in doubt why not switch your fridge on at home and fill the ice box with water bottles etc let them freeze for a couple of days, then turn your fridge of and keep checking every 12 hours.

Enjoy your holidays, Frank


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Let's settle this "when does the 12volts go off" once and for all.

The "12 volts" to the fridge is supplied via the same relay as the "12 volts" to charge the leisure battery and that relay is activated by the alternator delivering MORE than 12 volts.

Any time the alternator isn't delivering more than 12 volts, (which is any time the engine isn't turning it), there is no (more than) 12 volts being supplied to either the leisure battery OR the fridge.

Just because it hasn't yet switched over to gas, does not mean it is still on 12volts.


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