# OK, Fridges..in hot countries...to fit...which ones?



## Antonia (Apr 27, 2008)

Hello folks

I have an old van with the usual 3 way fridge..which in the summer in france and spain is quite frankly rubbish! my food goes off as it can only get down to 20Deg C below ambient. 

The problem

I want a compressor fridge, quiet ish, less than 62cm tall and 49 wide.
It must have a good sized freezer compartment and not weight too much.
It must be less than about £250, so the fancy Waeco ones are out!

Any useful ideas please.

Antonia


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Have you considered maybe trialing fitting a [12v computer] fan at the rear of the fridge ? I've read [forget where] that the 'extra' movement of forced air over the fridge cooling fins does help shift warm air away & drag cooling air over the fins to aid bringing the temp down . . I've got a two speed 12v fan fitted in the flue just above the fridge & in hot weather it does seem to help


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## Antonia (Apr 27, 2008)

Yeah I tried that...didn't work, the ambient is usually 35-40 deg C 

Thx

Antonia


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*almost perfect*

Just too high perhaps!


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## jimmya (Jun 30, 2012)

no use just fitting a fan to draw air out in 35 to 40 heat...

site the fan bellow cooling fins directing air onto them and i guarantee you wont need another fridge...


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Antonia said:


> Hello folks
> 
> I have an old van with the usual 3 way fridge..which in the summer in france and spain is quite frankly rubbish! my food goes off as it can only get down to 20Deg C below ambient.
> 
> ...


I'm afraid that's rather like wanting a brand new Hymer A Class for £20,000. :wink:


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## FranknJan (Dec 18, 2007)

Hi. Thetford do a kit to do exactly what you want, providing you have a thetford fridge. It comes complete with thermostat, wiring, switch and fitting instructions including the correct position of fan. I found it on Ebay.
Frank


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Frank

Can you post a link to the ebay item?? I am sure there are a lot of people who would be interested in such an item (inc me, but my fridge is Dometic!!) 

Andy


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## FranknJan (Dec 18, 2007)

Hi Andy
Its a thetford fridge ventilator kit £54.34 Ebay no. 251068627629
It may seem expensive but it was really easy to fit. I havent need to use it yet but will soon be travelling to spain. Hope this helps.
frank


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## Antonia (Apr 27, 2008)

My fridge has a large quiet fan on the back vent hole blowing directly onto the cooling fins of the fridge. Unfortunately, although this helps, the fridge is still at 10 -12 Deg C due to the high August temperatures in the south of france and in spain.

Compressor fridges are far more efficient but I only have a maximum height availablity of 62cm.

Thanks

Antonia


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Could it be stretched half an inch to 63.4cm?

http://www.penguinfrigo.co.uk/shop/#C50i


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## NTG (Dec 16, 2011)

I have a similar problem with my Dometic 3 way fridge. It's about 4 years old and can't cope with 40 degrees outside air temp. It's cool but not cold.
I think it's unacceptable given that they cost around £500.


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## Antonia (Apr 27, 2008)

Stanner said:


> Could it be stretched half an inch to 63.4cm?
> 
> http://www.penguinfrigo.co.uk/shop/#C50i


Wow ! thanks for pointing me to this site;

This one is better

http://www.penguinfrigo.co.uk/shop/#C75L

Tho still a bit too expensive for poor ol me, still we shall see.

Regards

Antonia


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

With that second one you have to find somewhere for the compressor to go as it's separate and not located inside the fridge itself. If you can tuck it away under the floor or in a wasted space somewhere it does give you more capacity in the fridge.


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## trevd01 (Oct 26, 2007)

And to think there was a very recent thread here rubbishing compressor fridges!

Yes they are more expensive

No they don't use _that _much power

BUT they are far more efficient


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Dometicford*



Mrplodd said:


> Frank
> 
> Can you post a link to the ebay item?? I am sure there are a lot of people who would be interested in such an item (inc me, but my fridge is Dometic!!)
> 
> Andy


I made my own for £8

See here

To make it thermostatic would only cost a couple of quid more.

TM


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## Antonia (Apr 27, 2008)

Prior to our trip this summer, I built a coolbox out of a poly box, insulated with space blanket and 25mm celotex. I added 3 of the 40 Watt peltier devices and ejected the heat into a copper jacket. The plan was to pump the heat away with a long coil of plastic hose and a little pump into a heat exchanger under the van. Once made it worked very well,and fitted under a bunk, but, it consumed a minimum of 6 Amps to keep it cool enough..not bad but I had hoped for better. 
I am loathe to drill holes into the bottom of our van and into our fresh water tank until I am sure.
Another box, passively cooled with 'freezer blocks' is the way I shall do it this year I think. Hopefully we will have the money for a compressor fridge by next summer.


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Hiya

One of the posh German off road truck converters make their own compressor fridges to maximise the available space, since I know you can buy the compressor bit as a kit to make your own.

Googling Waeco compressor kit brings up this as an example?

http://marinestore.co.uk/Dometic_Waeco_CU54___VD02_Cooling_Kit.html


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

I have three ex PC PSU fans ( just about the right size & free) mounted behind the fridge vent. They can certainly chuck out a considerable amount of heat in Southern climes. No problems with the fridge.

Steve


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## Antonia (Apr 27, 2008)

My many thanks to all you kind folks that posted replies  
I have decided to get a compressor type fridge and pay the 'over the top' prices in time for next summer.

Thank you all

Antonia


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## Antonia (Apr 27, 2008)

Hi Folks

Well, we have just returned from 5 & 1/2 weeks touring France and Spain. It was for the most part very hot indeed...and my old aircon broke down  ( anyone got a starter capacitor for a Coleman mach?)

The food in the fridge went off as you would expect with a fridge temperature of 15 degC.
My homemade cool box was very useful but we were still not happy.

While away, browsing ebay I located and brought a brand new still in wrapping 'Waco MDC 50, 43L compressor fridge for £300. Done deal! Picked it up on the way home from the ferry.

It is ment to consume 40Watts at 12v dc.

I shall fit it and see how we go.

Regards

Antonia


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

We had the same problems with our 3 way fridge. We fitted a baffle to ensure the rising air goes through the fins, and a compter fan, mounted horizontally, to blow the air directly upward through the fins (NOT, as most do, a simple extractor in the top vent).

We hope that will help. But to be on the safe side, we also bought a Waeco http://www.mgdonline.co.uk/products/waeco_coolfreeze_cdf_25andmains.php

Maybe like yours?

Anyway, hope you (and we!) can keep food cool or frozen, and also have that chilled beer or wine!

Haven't had a chance to try the fan arrangement in a hot climate yet (but off to Spain and Portugal in a fortnight!), but tried out the Waeco at home, and very impressed. Goodluck with yours!


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## bigtree (Feb 3, 2007)

It wasn't really hot when we were in Spain and France in June and early July but felt the fridge could have been colder,freezer still froze things though.Is there a kit for a Dometic fridge/freezer?


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Fridges*

In the Med climate, you need a fridge rated "ST" to cool in hot weather.

Ratings are

SN
N
ST (Sub Tropical)
T

TM


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

Very interesting thread and some good ideas. My old Chausson had the bog standard Electrolux/Dometic 3 way fridge, with a small freezer compartment. An old computer fan kept it cool, even in Calabria in July temperatures of 43 C. BUT, we didn't keep food in the fridge that would go off. Always fresh meat/fish or whatever; just needed to be kept cool until mealtimes. Maybe change your food storage habits, or diet, in hot climes?
saluti,
eddied


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

eddied said:


> Very interesting thread and some good ideas. My old Chausson had the bog standard Electrolux/Dometic 3 way fridge, with a small freezer compartment. An old computer fan kept it cool, even in Calabria in July temperatures of 43 C. BUT, we didn't keep food in the fridge that would go off. Always fresh meat/fish or whatever; just needed to be kept cool until mealtimes. Maybe change your food storage habits, or diet, in hot climes?
> saluti,
> eddied


Maybe, but some of the places we want to stay for a few days are miles from the shops, so we have to keep food for a while. And what about the ice-cold beer and chilled wine?


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

*Re: Fridges*



teemyob said:


> In the Med climate, you need a fridge rated "ST" to cool in hot weather.
> 
> Ratings are
> 
> ...


We contacted Dometic to find out what is the difference between the ratings. They told us the only difference is that the ST and T types have a fan that blows upward through the fins!

However, if it's an absorbtion type fridge, even if it's fitted correctly (many aren't), and even if it has a correctly fitted fan, it still won't do better than 30C below ambient temperature.


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## ched999uk (Jan 31, 2011)

80mm 12v computer fans are about £1.50 delivered on ebay, 120mm fans £1.65 delivered!!!!! Should be easy to fit a couple maybe even 4 directly below the fins? Thermostats seem a little more difficult to find. Only ones I can find on ebay are digital ones that display the setpoint and actual temp and are an on off control but they are only about £11.
So for about £20 you could have a very good fridge cooling system.


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

ched999uk said:


> 80mm 12v computer fans are about £1.50 delivered on ebay, 120mm fans £1.65 delivered!!!!! Should be easy to fit a couple maybe even 4 directly below the fins? Thermostats seem a little more difficult to find. Only ones I can find on ebay are digital ones that display the setpoint and actual temp and are an on off control but they are only about £11.
> So for about £20 you could have a very good fridge cooling system.


We didn't bother with a thermostat, just a simple on/off switch, which we will turn off at night, and a fridge thermometer from Lakeland (about £3). Just used 1 fan and wiring, baffle was made from a piece of old metal we had in the garage, fan fixed to it so it blows directly up through fins. Whole thing cost about £15.

Biggest problem was fitting it. Should have been easy, if we could get the top vent cover off. The vent part came off, but the frame appears to have been stuck in with space glue!

We'll let you all know how well it works when we get to a better climate again! The Great British Summer is no test!


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Re: Fridges*



Easyriders said:


> teemyob said:
> 
> 
> > In the Med climate, you need a fridge rated "ST" to cool in hot weather.
> ...


Hello,

I was referring to all Domestic Refrigeration. Not Just Dometic.

TM


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