Fridges

[sackettmw]

I just got a Truckfridge 65. I ordered it from Westy Ventures and had it in 2 days (it was drop shipped). I emailed a couple of questions before hand and he was quick to respond and his prices are good.

 

[Bikersmurf]

I just got a Truckfridge 65. I ordered it from Westy Ventures and had it in 2 days (it was drop shipped). I emailed a couple of questions before hand and he was quick to respond and his prices are good.

A TF-65 sure looks interesting. I have the width and the difference in depth is minimal. Westy Ventures won’t sell to us... but their price is good.


Now Also considering an Indel B 42 that’ll fit in the cabinet and not stick out. It’d make for a factory look.

 

[kevman]

I believe you're in BC, no? Nova Kool is based out of Vancouver and seem to make pretty nice stuff. We picked up the R4500 and have been incredibly happy with it so far.

 

[Bikersmurf]

I believe you're in BC, no? Nova Kool is based out of Vancouver and seem to make pretty nice stuff. We picked up the R4500 and have been incredibly happy with it so far.

They do... but for a lot more money. A CRX-50 looks like it'll be about $720 CDN (from USA) or $910 locally, whereas the equivalent R1600 is $1400 CDN. Comparable warranties, similar products for twice the money.

 

[kevman]

Yeah I assumed we paid too much for our fridge. Haha. However, our R4500 which is a fair amount bigger than the R1600 was only $1,400 locally.

 

[Bikersmurf]

A 4500 for $1400 isn’t too bad. It’s a lot more space for a similar price to a 50 litre... the truck shop is almost more of a wholesale source... and I’m sure they sell a ton of small fridges. I’ve decided to buy local because when I factor in my time and the potential for hassles, it’s worth dealing with a brick and mortar establishment... my luck would have it arrive damaged or DOA and have to ship it back.

 

[Bikersmurf]

After buying one locally, Northern Fridge sent the code freeshipping31 to save $81 on shipping... oh well, I’d rather have local support if I have a problem.

 

[5spd97]

We bought a Truckfridge TB41. It works great, freezes or refrigerates but not both at the same time and replaces a 60 quart quality cooler that we used to use. Bought it a few months ago on sale, delivered for something like $475. I couldnt be happier with it.

 

[Bikersmurf]

We bought a Truckfridge TB41. It works great, freezes or refrigerates but not both at the same time and replaces a 60 quart quality cooler that we used to use. Bought it a few months ago on sale, delivered for something like $475. I couldnt be happier with it.

Our dollar sucks compared to yours... about 30% exchange right now. Plus the stores tend to charge a premium... that cooler would be $900 on a good day, and $1200 the rest of the time.

 

[5spd97]

Our dollar sucks compared to yours... about 30% exchange right now. Plus the stores tend to charge a premium... that cooler would be $900 on a good day, and $1200 the rest of the time.

That does suck. These are great units made by Endel with the Secop ( formerly Danfoss) compressors. On our last off grid camping trip it ran off of our 2 x 100 watt flexible solar panels while we were parked in the shade and the weather was overcast except for one day. When it ran, which wasn't often, it was using around 4 amps. When it does run its pretty quiet.

 

[mk216v]

I've had a National Luna Weekender 50L (40L fridge, 10L freezer) for about 6+yrs now. Never had any issues, robust build quality. It is costly to get into yes, but stainless exterior, Danfoss compressor, "health" monitor, alarm, etc, and it makes a sturdy seat too...it'll probably last until 2418. Using the National Luna PowerPack and a grp31 Interstate AGM battery to power it, the grp31 lasts about 2+ days before I need to start the van up and recharge it (the PowerPack has a built-in isolator).

If I went another route, I'd definitely stick with the Isotherm/Indel/Webasto marine grade units (Truckfridge is an offshoot of these, yes). Lots of great choices. My $0.02.

 

[Scotty D]

If this is going on an ambo build , I suggest going bigger on solar and then just getting a dorm fridge. With a good pure sine wave inverter they are pretty efficient.
I added an inch of insulation all around to mine and the power usage is pretty reasonable.

 

[Bikersmurf]

I had a small dorm fridge and found it wasn't laid out well inside and it killed the batteries quickly. I know others have had better luck... but I didn't want to cut up cabinets for a cheaper fridge that wouldn't necessarily cut it long term. The unit I've ordered has a rated average power use of about 1A, and I plan to add some extra insulation for good measure. It's a Dometic fridge built to replace a Freightliner unit, and it should outlast the rig.

 

[luthj]

The high quality 120v fridges can be a good option. They have very thick insulation though. The 80$ Walmart specials do not qualify. The units where the condenser are is built into the shell skin are a poor choice. A unit that is rated at 500Whr a day or less is a good place to start.

 

[motojunky]

My SIL loaned us a Dometic CF25 for our recent three week road trip. At a glance, I was sure it was too small to be useful. My wife had meds that must be kept refrigerated, so I figured it'd be good for that and we'd supplement with the cooler. Surprisingly, for a family of four, the CF25 eliminated the need for a cooler. Because we were moving daily, we could stop to replenish when needed and didn't need to carry days worth of food. We kept drinks cold as well, just replacing each time we took one to limit the total number of drinks in the fridge. Since you don't need to fill space with ice, you need less overall space than you would with a cooler. We may purchase a larger unit but I was really impressed with this one. Power consumption was a non-issue as we were driving daily to keep batteries charged.