Electric cooler vs rv fridge

Ovis Canis

Observer
It seems everyone is making space for electric coolers and making them easier to use with sliding shelves. Are they that much better then rv fridges that wouldn't require a special shelf?
 

Rockhounder

Explorer
We just have ours oriented so that the right barn door of our 88 suburban opens on the fridge, and as we hardly ever put anything on it, it is easy to open and get at. I think that the slide out is good if you have a compact shelving system allowing you to stack right above your fridge. Then obviously, the slideout becomes necessary.
 

brian90744

American Trekker
Fridge all the way

Don't buy a cooler, cheap and will not keep food/beer cold. Get a 12 Volt chest refrig however they cost.
 
Last edited:

Wildcat

Adventurer
an rv fridge on 12v draws more power than a chest type fridge/freezer. on propane they are finicky and then you need to add fans inside and out to aid in cooling. read some of posts on popup portal in the fridge section.

a chest style fridge will hold its temp better than a side opener. cold air drops. when you open door on a side open fridge, the cold air drops out of the bottom, stays inside on chest style.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Septu

Explorer
I think we should clarify exactly what the OP means by "an RV style fridge".

Do they mean a mini fridge that you see in an RV? Or one of the many fridge/freezers that look like a cooler (ARB/Waeco/Dominec(SP)/Engel/etc)? From the sounds of it, (talking of sliders) I thought he meant the latter, that many of us are putting in our jeeps/trailers.
 

bonomonster

Adventurer
My understanding is that he is asking the benefits vs cost of an rv (think pop up) fridge vs chest fridge (think ARB)

Pop up style:
7ubyjana.jpg


Heavy Duty/ ARB style:
3y2y8yne.jpg
 

Sarmajor

New member
Just completed a 3000km trip from Cairns to Cape York return in a Rental Toyota 79 series pop top with a Waeco fridge like the one in the top picture. Ie front opening door. Bloody useless. Every time you open the door all the cold air falls out, plus what ever is not securely tucked in place. And we had to use a cushion to jam the door closed.
Two other trucks had Waeco / Engel 40 litre fridges. Used one as a freezer and one as a fridge.
Here is a link to a similar vehicle.


http://sales.keacampers.com/au/cata...eror-2-1-berth-/?ob=datetime_created&od=d&p=1
 

bonomonster

Adventurer
Can an Rv fridge (top pic) be mounted on its back so that it's a chest fridge?... Obviously electric only, and not hooked to gas
 

Ovis Canis

Observer
Bono is right in the two types that I'm asking about. But I see the confusion. Is a stand up refrigerator like bono shows in the top picture as good as a plug in cooler like the bottom picture? (Mounted in the appropriate manor for each)
 

Ovis Canis

Observer
I think i see where more confusion is coming from. I am referring to the "ARB chest" as an electric cooler. Is this wrong or different from an electric cooler??
 

RandomAbstract

Adventurer
I think i see where more confusion is coming from. I am referring to the "ARB chest" as an electric cooler. Is this wrong or different from an electric cooler??

ARB/Engel

  • Has a compressor
  • Will freeze water at 100 degree ambient temperature
  • Very efficient

Thermoelectric Cooler

  • No compressor
  • Will only cool 40 degrees below ambient
  • Uses lots of electricity

No comparison. My ARB is amazing.
 

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