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Before we cover the best campervan fridges available today, we want to warn you about some of the worst! Reviewing these sub-standard options will give you an insight into the advantages you’ll gain from a good quality campervan fridge. Yes, you can put a domestic fridge in a campervan. However, a 230V fridge will draw lots of power from your battery bank when you’re off-grid, and parts may fail early due to vibration. A 12V fridge designed for campervan use will be lighter, smaller, and more efficient. Will a 12V fridge drain a campervan battery? An inverter will draw the 12V DC power from your leisure batteries and convert it into 230V AC power. This conversion process isn’t perfectly efficient, so you’ll end up having to draw extra power from your battery bank to compensate. Even good-quality inverters will continually draw a small amount of power, even when the fridge compressor isn’t running. Now that you know the pitfalls of a sub-standard fridge, let us tell you about the best campervan fridges available today. All system accessories should be sized according to your system requirements to ensure your electrical system is safe, functional and cost effective. Shop Accessories
We take into account 100+ parameters and calculations to ensure your system is fully bespoke and perfect for your needs. Find out more
Batteries are typically the single most expensive component in your build, so it’s important to choose the heart of your electrical system wisely. Shop Batteries
Other than price, there’s a few different factors you need to consider when choosing the best campervan fridge for you. Here’s what you’ll need to keep in mind: Capacity (volume) Finally, absorption fridges require a bit more effort when it comes to installation . Because they generate quite a lot of excess heat, some manufacturers will insist that one or two vents are installed on the outside wall of your camper, to help cool the fridge’s mechanism. In comparison to a compressor fridge which simply needs to be wired in, the installation of an absorption fridge is definitely more involved. Secondly, compressor fridges do use up power from your battery bank, but if you also have a solar panel , you’ll find that these two systems work hand in hand. For instance, when it’s hot outside, your fridge needs to work harder to stay cool. But incidentally, there will be plenty of solar power to keep it running. Similarly, when you’re short of solar power because the sun’s not shining, your fridge won’t need to work as hard because it’s cooler outside. Even in hot climates, the CRX fridge-freezers keep food properly frozen, without ramping up the power and draining batteries.
This big list of pros already highlights how compressor fridges are more effective and efficient than absorption fridges. Even when we consider the cons in this list, it turns out they aren’t too significant.
Having said that, both models have a significant difference in wattage. The 80 Liter Costway uses 85 watts vs Alpicool’s 45 watts. You probably expected this variance in power consumption, due to the size difference. More Answers to Questions About the Alpicool Fridge/Freezer: First of all, it includes a 3 stage car battery protection system. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about the unit running down your car battery unexpectedly. 2. Low Maintenance Cooler: In terms of power consumption, domestic fridges are actually becoming more and more efficient. In fact, many small fridges will have a similar power consumption to that of a campervan fridge. However, domestic fridges need 230V AC power to run, so if you want to keep the fridge running when you’re off-grid, you’ll need a large battery bank and an inverter . Unlike the CRX fridges, the Vitrifrigo freezer compartment isn’t removable, so you won’t have the choice to remove it when you want more fridge space.The cooling time for the Alpicool fridge freezer varies depending on the ambient temperature and the starting temperature of the items being stored. Generally, it takes a few hours to reach the desired temperature. TIP: Load your cooler with food and drink that’s already cold to chill the fridge/freezer faster. Absorption fridges use heat to initiate the cooling process, whereas compressor fridges use a compressor.They can be powered from LPG gas, whereas a compressor fridge needs 12V or 230V electricity to run. Compressor fridges are more efficient than absorption fridges when powered by 12V electricity. What’s the difference between a 2 way and a 3 way fridge?
To give you a few more options other than Dometic, we’ve included our second and third favourite brands in this list too: Vitrifrigo and Thetford. DUAL TEMPERATURE CONTROL: Detachable sensor divider to switch single temperature zone or two temperature zone in one T50 refrigerator. Similar to Dometic, Costway electric coolers will cost you more than the Alpicool. However, they offer an extra-large version that has 2 separate lids. Creating a kitchen in your campervan is a great way to make it feel like a home away from home. A 12V fridge will make your campervan kitchen much more functional and will make off-grid living that little bit easier.Alpicool fridges also have another pitfall: most models will take 24hrs to get down to temperature. During this time, the compressor will draw loads of power from your leisure battery (160Ah in the case of the T50). And you’ll have to remember to turn on your fridge the day before you leave. It also has an energy-saving design and heavy-duty construction to handle more extreme activity. Specs for the Alpicool Portable Fridge Freezer: One advantage of the Vitrifrigo fridges is the option to buy a model with an external cooling unit which can be installed up to 1.5m away from the fridge. This gives you a little extra room inside the fridge itself and might suit you if you have a bit of spare space in a cupboard nearby.
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