# Keeping food cool on long ferry journey



## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Our ferry crossing from Rosyth to Zeebrugge is about 22 hours, so our fridge will be off for all that time.

I would quite like to travel with a fridge full of supplies, but I'm kinda scared that it'll all defrost/heat up and we'll spend the first few days of our hols with food poisoning :lol: 

Does anyone have any suggestions for keeping the fridge/freezer cool enough when it is going to be switched off for nearly 24 hours? Or is it just not practical?

Thanks


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## Losos (Oct 28, 2009)

I assume your fridge is NOT a three way one (I.e. gas / 240 / 12 volt) is it is then the 12 volts will maintain the temperature (But not lower it) when the other two power sources are absent. I thought most MH fridges were 3 way.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

One way we have solved that problem is by freezing 4pt milk bottles about 7/8 full (leave space for expansion of ice), then stand 2 of those in fridge and leave door shut.

When we arrived in Spain the water had only partly thawed and the contents of the fridge were still very cold (even milk!)

As far as I know the 12v system ONLY works when the engine is running - there is a relay to prevent it running on 12v if the engine is off - I believe it drains about 8a but would be happy to be corrected. Even if it is only 5a x 22 hours = 110ah, a massive amount from leisure batteries which do not give their full capacity. But I am sure Frank will advise - he's usually right!

You are not allowed to leave it on gas - they actually check at Plymouth that it is not on gas which should be turned off to reduce the fire risk.

Dave


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Losos said:


> I assume your fridge is NOT a three way one (I.e. gas / 240 / 12 volt) is it is then the 12 volts will maintain the temperature (But not lower it) when the other two power sources are absent. I thought most MH fridges were 3 way.


Yes, it is 3 way. But I was under the impression that the 12 volt option only works when driving.

It's a 2007 Bessacarr E460, so am I wrong. Can I switch fridge to 12v for the ferry journey?


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

No you're right Hezbez. 12v only works when the engine is running/


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Hezbez said:


> Losos said:
> 
> 
> > I assume your fridge is NOT a three way one (I.e. gas / 240 / 12 volt) is it is then the 12 volts will maintain the temperature (But not lower it) when the other two power sources are absent. I thought most MH fridges were 3 way.
> ...


You can but it won't work, 12v is disabled when the ignition is off.

Do as Penguin says and pre freeze a few bottles of water, they should keep the fridge cool for the duration of your crossing.

Pete


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## Losos (Oct 28, 2009)

Penquin said:


> As far as I know the 12v system ONLY works when the engine is running - there is a relay to prevent it running on 12v if the engine is off - I believe it drains about 8a but would be happy to be corrected. Even if it is only 5a x 22 hours = 110ah, a massive amount from leisure batteries which do not give their full capacity.


Yes, you are quite right Dave, *only when the engine is running*, you can't really leave the engine ticking over on the car deck of the ferry can you


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## Codfinger (Jan 11, 2008)

*fridge*

The frozen water bottles is a good idea, works really well in a cool box too


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## PhilK (Jul 1, 2005)

*the frozen bottles*

This idea is similar to our cool packs. We also get the fridge cold by running on maximum for a day, it gives you a head start.


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

It also helps to fill the freezer as full as possible with for example frozen tetrapacks of fruit juice. If the freezer is kept very cold it will help to keep the whole fridge cold. As Penquin said, we have kept food cold for over 24 hours on the Plymouth Santander ferry, including delays in very hot summer weather. The butter was still too hard to spread and nothing went bad!


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

As above and you can 'max it' on gas for an hour before you get on.


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## Nora+Neil (May 1, 2005)

On our last trip to France. 
Irish Ferries will now allow you to plug in to electric.
Maybe they will have the facility aboard your ferry.


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## rogerandveronica (Aug 11, 2008)

A modern motorhome fridge will remain under 4 degrees C in the period you need provided that you run it as cold as possible with it as packed full as possible for a couple of days before the 24 hours without cooling. Putting in some of the "cold store bottles" that can be pre frozen in the freezer at home, which can be purchased in camping shops would help even more. 

It is unlikely that your freezer on the motor home will remain at a safe temperature.

I have found this information by experiment on my own motorhome.

I hope that this helps. rogerandveronica


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## jncrowe (Feb 14, 2009)

hi hezbez 
i agree with several of the above i freeze ham milk margarine steak ~ anything im not wanting to use immediately and sandwich it in between all the other things in the fridge 
i also put the fridge on full on gas for a day before we set off cos i think that the gas setting gets it colder i might be wrong
all the best 
cath


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Thanks everyone for your ideas!

I've never thought about freezing milk - does it freeze ok, still taste ok once defrosted?


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## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

Hezbez said:


> Thanks everyone for your ideas!
> 
> I've never thought about freezing milk - does it freeze ok, still taste ok once defrosted?


Our home freezer always has a few bottles of milk in it

Once thawed it is exactly as bought... taste perfect on my cornflakes

Wups


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## SilverF1 (Feb 27, 2009)

We went to Spain on Britanny Ferries from Plymouth to Santander, 20-ish hours, with no hook-up.

We put the fridge (Thetford) on max cold the night before travelling to Plymouth. We arrived at Santander and the contents of the fridge were just fine. The food (totally full) in the freezer compartment was ok as well, no significant de-frosting. 

Return journey via Santander-Portsmouth, slightly longer, same result. The essential is to get the food fully down to the lowest temperature you can before boarding. Didn't freeze the milk, BTW.

HTH


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## jncrowe (Feb 14, 2009)

regarding freezing milk query ~ we freeze milk all the time as we live along way from the shops and its just fine when defrosted we tend to freeze the 2 lit plastic bottles cos they defrost quicker 
atvb cath


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## 38Rover (Nov 9, 2006)

On the Brittany ferry to Spain no one asked us to turn off the gas so we didn't fridge and frezzer fine


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

rogerandveronica said:


> It is unlikely that your freezer on the motor home will remain at a safe temperature.
> 
> I have found this information by experiment on my own motorhome.
> 
> I hope that this helps. rogerandveronica


I disagree strongly with this statement. I have kept food rock hard in the freezer by doing as I suggested above, even on a 24 hour journey.


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## Knockluts (Oct 17, 2009)

You could of course leave the fridge empty! I believe they sell food on the continent! :lol: :lol: 

This may also help to relieve the constant critisism that motorhomers clutter the countryside but don't spend any money!

Regards,


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

To summarise all the above . . .

_*Fill up the fridge so there is as little air space as possible.*_ This is quite important as the thermal capacity of air is very low, so it warms much faster than liquid/solid substances.

Plastic bags full of water can be carefully poked into any gaps before they are frozen, but don't be too enthusiastic or you will have problems getting them out after they have frozen solid and formed an interlocking brick wall. :roll:

Get the fridge as cold as you can before you board the ferry. (To be very pedantic, the colder it is the faster will be the *rate *of warming, since it depends on the difference in temperature between the inside of the fridge and the ambient air - but starting off as cold as possible still works best. :wink: )

_*Don't open the door!*_

Cold air will fall out of the fridge very quickly, and will obviously be replaced by warmer ambient air. This is *not *what you want to happen!!

To be honest we never bother anyway since one of the most enjoyable aspects of foreign travel is the different food - so we only ever take enough for a couple of meals, and don't always get around to eating that if we get to the food shops straight away and are tempted!!

Dave


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

We take bacon and a first meal in case we are on a motorway and haven't been shopping before we want to stop for a break. We prefer the quiet of the aire de repos rather than the bustle of the main service stations. 

Certainly in France the food is just fine and there is no need to carry it with you, although they are not so hot on proper English-style bacon and Marmite!


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## 96783 (Nov 23, 2005)

This topic has been raised a few times before and the answers the same each time. We travel Hook to Harwich each year (6 hours) and each year have been able to get hook up on board. Staff are very helpful and never a problem just have to have a UK adaptor (sometimes). Does mean that one is on the lorry deck and may be one of the last off the boat. Also worked on the Newhaven-Dieppe route and Portsmouth-Bilbao. So suspect most lines will be helpful. Freezing bottles is a good backup and provides drinking water in due course.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

PhredC said:


> This topic has been raised a few times before and the answers the same each time. We travel Hook to Harwich each year (6 hours) and each year have been able to get hook up on board. Staff are very helpful and never a problem just have to have a UK adaptor (sometimes). Does mean that one is on the lorry deck and may be one of the last off the boat. Also worked on the Newhaven-Dieppe route and Portsmouth-Bilbao. So suspect most lines will be helpful. Freezing bottles is a good backup and provides drinking water in due course.


We use the Plymouth Roscoff route most years and have NEVER been offered a hook-up, neither were we on the Plymouth Santander route in either direction.

So you may be lucky on that trip - it does not appear to be widespread though.....

Dave


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*12v*



philoaks said:


> No you're right Hezbez. 12v only works when the engine is running/


Our fridge is AES with manual override.

So we can select 12v and it will work without the engine running.

In addition, We do what the other poster suggested, freeze some 1 pint plastic milks and put some ice packs in too.

TM


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Teemyob

I bet your fridge does NOT work without the engine running !! It would drain your battery very quickly 

I could of course be wrong but I am fairly sure that it will work off 12V ONLY with the enginge running (and the alternator providing enough power)


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Right or wrong Mr Plodd, in 22 hours it would certainly drain the battery to the point of destruction. 8O 8O 

Hab batteries do not respond well to being run too flat, and a new one costs a lot more than a few items of food. :roll: 

Not worth the risk, even if it were possible.

Dave


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## mygalnme (Jul 12, 2009)

Can't add anything else because its exactly what we do, other than to say
Have a great holiday and happy motoring
Margaret


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## 96783 (Nov 23, 2005)

Just to top off my previous post. You have to ask for hook up, we have never had it offered for only the truckies get it automatically if they are, or would be, running generators for chilled/frozen food. Because we board with cars and coaches etc it does mean you may have to wait to board so that you can go up to the truck deck.


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## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

Frozen milk???? 8O 

I found that several cans of beer chilled down to 4C kept the other fridge contents fresh during a 12 hour ferry crossing. 

And by the way I have seen Marmite on the shelves in Carrefour and Auchan!  


SD


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*12v*



Mrplodd said:


> Teemyob
> 
> I bet your fridge does NOT work without the engine running !! It would drain your battery very quickly
> 
> I could of course be wrong but I am fairly sure that it will work off 12V ONLY with the enginge running (and the alternator providing enough power)


I can assure you it does, our batteries total 440ah and we leave the fridge on 12v when we cross from Hull-Zeebrugge.

TM


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## trevd01 (Oct 26, 2007)

I find Marmite keeps just fine in a cupboard, no need for a freezer :twisted: 

Half the fun of going on holiday used to be the different food. Its all the same now, though...


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

I can confirm that the AES fridge can be run on 12V without the engine running. I can also add that the thermostat works on the 12v mode on my fridge, so if I want to use 12v with my engine off I can conserve battery power by putting the thermostat up full while driving and knock it down while the engine is off. The fridges do use around 170w IIRC so are pretty heavy on the battery/ies.


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

SpeedyDux said:


> And by the way I have seen Marmite on the shelves in Carrefour and Auchan!
> SD


Agreed but at a significant price! We eat far more marmite than jam with our bagette, so take plenty of marmite from the UK. Otherwise it is tea and bacon only that we take with us- we love the food in France (as our waistlines show only too well after every trip!!)


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## oldun (Nov 10, 2005)

*Re: 12v*



teemyob said:


> I can assure you it does, our batteries total 440ah and we leave the fridge on 12v when we cross from Hull-Zeebrugge.
> 
> TM


An impressive but very unusual system. About 95% of all MHs will have leisure batteries in the range 55 Amph to 110 Amph.

As most fridges consume around 9 amps on 12V this will give you around 4 to 8 hours before the battery will be too flat to be of any real use.

I have a compressor fridge which runs on 12V at all times but consumes much less than 3 way fridge. It also has the advantage of working efficiently at all times. Thus I have no problems with keeping food cool on ferries or whilst on the road. Nevertheless we still set off with bottles of frozen milk and several frozen meals ready prepared

To give me a reasonably good 12V supply I have 2 x 110 Amph batteries.


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Whats unusual about having loads of batteries, I have 4 x 110 amp 1x starter battery and a 3600 kva genny and 2 x 90 watt solar panels

Plenty leccy

Loddy


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

Some fridges do not use a thermostat while on 12v so will be using full current all the time, a lot more than one with a thermostat on 12v which will only run part of the time.

IIRC my Fridge freezer uses 170W which is about 14A but that will only be while cooling so not 14A all the time.


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