❄️Compressor Fridges ❄️

[trevskoda]

I have just ordered an Alpicool compressor fridge (90L for £216) to replace my existing 3 way fridge. As we mainly wild camp I had already upgraded to 600Ah lithium and ran the 3 way on an inverter. The problem with that setup was that the fridge consumed 15A when running and the inverter used 1A even when the fridge was at temperature. Given that the running time was at least wide that of a compressor fridge you can see the motivation to change. The Alpicool runs on 12v at 80W (7A). If you wish to run it on 230v it comes with a stepdown power lead but that is pointless in a campervan. 230v only compressor fridges are OK but the inverter continuously uses power and needlessly adds an extra component that can fail.

Not all inverters use a lot of power on standby, mine goes to sleep until being wakened by fridge, hence i have a cheap table top small 230v fridge, it when running uses a qtr of an amp, on test it ran 24 hrs on a single 90ah lead acide battery no bother, i have 180 amps to play with in my van plus 200w solar.

 

[wildebus]

I have just ordered an Alpicool compressor fridge (90L for £216) to replace my existing 3 way fridge. As we mainly wild camp I had already upgraded to 600Ah lithium and ran the 3 way on an inverter. The problem with that setup was that the fridge consumed 15A when running and the inverter used 1A even when the fridge was at temperature. Given that the running time was at least wide that of a compressor fridge you can see the motivation to change. The Alpicool runs on 12v at 80W (7A). If you wish to run it on 230v it comes with a stepdown power lead but that is pointless in a campervan.

230v only compressor fridges are OK but the inverter continuously uses power and needlessly adds an extra component that can fail.

The extra cost of a 12V Compressor Fridge over a 240V Compressor Fridge will mean that you could go for a 240V one and have hundreds of pounds in the bank to pay for that failed extra component (When I replaced my 3-Way with a dometic LEC 240V Fridge, I paid around £700 less than the 'proper' 12V fridge would have cost me).

As far as the inverter continuously using power goes, if you set up your system properly, that is not an important factor. When my inverter is not providing power, its draw averages 2W and as well as the Fridge, it is available to use for Microwave, Air Fryer, Induction Hob, Toaster, etc. (But if it were just for the Fridge, I could set it up so it used Zero Watts when the Fridge compressor wasn't running)

Note also that it is also not a cost that was incured solely for driving a Fridge, even though the cost saving going for the 240V Fridge/Freezer would have covered its cost, and it has been powered on near-continuously since 2020, so not doing badly really?

 

[mistericeman]

I have just ordered an Alpicool compressor fridge (90L for £216) to replace my existing 3 way fridge. As we mainly wild camp I had already upgraded to 600Ah lithium and ran the 3 way on an inverter. The problem with that setup was that the fridge consumed 15A when running and the inverter used 1A even when the fridge was at temperature. Given that the running time was at least wide that of a compressor fridge you can see the motivation to change. The Alpicool runs on 12v at 80W (7A). If you wish to run it on 230v it comes with a stepdown power lead but that is pointless in a campervan. 230v only compressor fridges are OK but the inverter continuously uses power and needlessly adds an extra component that can fail.

My 240v/Victron eco mode inverter run at @ 4 amps including the inverter (when the fridge isn't running the inverter goes into standby mode consuming very little power)

Power consumption is almost identical to the rather expensive to buy Waeco 40l 12v compressor Coolbox that we use in freezer mode on longer trips.

 

[Chasn]

Not all inverters use a lot of power on standby, mine goes to sleep until being wakened by fridge, hence i have a cheap table top small 230v fridge, it when running uses a qtr of an amp, on test it ran 24 hrs on a single 90ah lead acide battery no bother, i have 180 amps to play with in my van plus 200w solar.

Horses for courses. We need a full sized fridge and the 3 way provided would only cope for 3 days with a 600Ah LFP battery so an 80W compressor fridge was the obvious answer especially as it didn't need an inverter.

 

[wildebus]

Horses for courses. We need a full sized fridge and the 3 way provided would only cope for 3 days with a 600Ah LFP battery so an 80W compressor fridge was the obvious answer especially as it didn't need an inverter.

A great reason for going for a 240V Fridge/Freezer As you go larger, the prices for the 12V Fridges start going right up!
The "Full Sized" 12V Compressor fridge for my motorhome would have been around £1100 (trade price); I paid £279 for my 240V LEC 135L Fridge/Freezer, so in fact not far off a quarter of the cost.

PS. Including the Inverter overhead, drawing under 80W as well

 

[Chasn]

A great reason for going for a 240V Fridge/Freezer As you go larger, the prices for the 12V Fridges start going right up!
The "Full Sized" 12V Compressor fridge for my motorhome would have been around £1100 (trade price); I paid £279 for my 240V LEC 135L Fridge/Freezer, so in fact not far off a quarter of the cost.

PS. Including the Inverter overhead, drawing under 80W as well

I paid £216 for a 12v 90litre compressor fridge so that seemed pretty good value.

 

[mistericeman]

I paid £216 for a 12v 90litre compressor fridge so that seemed pretty good value.

Which model did you go for out of interest?

 

[wildebus]

I paid £216 for a 12v 90litre compressor fridge so that seemed pretty good value.

did well at that price That probably explains a little why it is an 80W draw (higher than a typical 12V Fridge)

 

[mark61]

The Alpicool compressor fridges are gaining popularity and are very competitively priced, they have to be worth a look.

Brand of compressor, insulation quality/thickness, hinge quality are all things to be considered.

 

[wildebus]

The Alpicool compressor fridges are gaining popularity and are very competitively priced, they have to be worth a look.

Brand of compressor, insulation quality/thickness, hinge quality are all things to be considered.

Interesting comment on "hinge quality" there. Replaced the fridge/freezer in the house a couple of years ago and one reason was the door. The 'hinge' was basically a post pushed into expanded foam insulation and that had broken up over time stopping the door from closing cleanly as it was wobbling around. Swapped over the door side opening to get some extra life from it, but in the end enough was enough. The door issue, plus the freezer baskets cracking and breaking due to the cold (plastics used for baskets couldn't stand the cold? nice choice there!) meant it was time to get shot even though electrically it was still 100% good.
Very annoying but just shows have to consider a lot of aspects which you may not think of? (I can't recall the brand, but I don't think it was a bargain basement jobby. Was around 10 years old so not worth buying new baskets and door for).

 

[Okta]

The last couple of comments have me wondering whether domestic fridges are built to withstand the rigours of travelling, including our pot holed roads. Presumably the 12V ones designed for motorhomes and have their components such as compressors designed to cope with the bumps and bangs of travelling.

 

[mistericeman]

The last couple of comments have me wondering whether domestic fridges are built to withstand the rigours of travelling, including our pot holed roads. Presumably the 12V ones designed for motorhomes have their components such as compressors designed to cope with the bumps and bangs of travelling.

As Long as it's fixed in place I'd reckon your average 240v fridge will be fine...

I know some of our roads are a tad sketchy BUT they're not exactly the Darian gap.
And you do have usually have working suspension in a vehicle

And unless you're buying a very expensive expedition spec unit
It's likely built as cheaply as your average 240v unit at a fraction of the price.

 

[Chasn]

Which model did you go for out of interest?

Here is my online purchase including a £15 discount coupon.

 

[wildebus]

As Long as it's fixed in place I'd reckon your average 240v fridge will be fine...

I know some of our roads are a tad sketchy BUT they're not exactly the Darian gap.
And you do have usually have working suspension in a vehicle

And unless you're buying a very expensive expedition spec unit
It's likely built as cheaply as your average 240v unit at a fraction of the price.

With the first 240V fridge I fitted, I did wonder how well it would cope with the bumping and shaking, which is why I bought a spare one just in case.
That spare has sat unused in the shed for years as those fears were totally unfounded.

 

[trevskoda]

I have looked inside fridges and see not one differance, but many big boats have 12v fridges, they used to be very expensive but prices are dropping as folk cotton on to being ripped off.

 

[mistericeman]

Here is my online purchase including a £15 discount coupon.

Looks good for the price

 

[Boris7]

Well my Dometic compressor fridge/freezer has been i a few days now and I have to say I'm impressed so far.

Couple of hot days and no EHU it has just done its job, ok it wasnt cheap, but think I'll be happy enough.

Gas cooker goes next (never used it) and my ecoflow stack can go there, new worktop and Bob's your uncle.

End of the summmer and I'll look to see if I can run the water heater off the Lithium/EcoFlow and then look to dump gas completely.

 

[yeoblade]

With the first 240V fridge I fitted, I did wonder how well it would cope with the bumping and shaking, which is why I bought a spare one just in case.
That spare has sat unused in the shed for years as those fears were totally unfounded.

You bought a spare fridge! Do you carry the spare with you? Are they hard to get hold off? You must of had very low confidence in it.

 

[trevskoda]

You bought a spare fridge! Do you carry the spare with you? Are they hard to get hold off? You must of had very low confidence in it.

Did he tell you about the second wife hidden in the garage.

 

[bjh]

Well my Dometic compressor fridge/freezer has been i a few days now and I have to say I'm impressed so far.

Couple of hot days and no EHU it has just done its job, ok it wasnt cheap, but think I'll be happy enough.

Gas cooker goes next (never used it) and my ecoflow stack can go there, new worktop and Bob's your uncle.

End of the summmer and I'll look to see if I can run the water heater off the Lithium/EcoFlow and then look to dump gas completely.

My (cheap) Cookology fridge has been in for nearly 12 months. I first used it when the van was nowhere near finished. It seems robust enough so far. Still in one piece after many minor Irish roads.
Re heating water, I have Truma ttl unit with a tube through the middle for heating from the diesel heater. It also has a 300W thermostatically controlled heating element. When it is too warm to use the diesel heater there is normally plenty of solar, so it's not a problem. Normally only on for 20 to 30 minutes and plenty hot enough.