Dometic fridge , cool box advice

[Harleyboygaz3]

Thinking of buying a second hand Dometic RC1700 3 way cooler box, works on gas,220v and 12v. Just wondered if anybody had one or similar they can comment on please? Want to use this as a backup and for keeping cold drinks when we head for Morocco in October. Have read they are supposed to keep 36 degrees cooler than ambient temp. and I’m guessing Morocco is going to be fairly warm Oct-Nov. It won’t fit through the doors to my garage so will have to keep it either in the shower tray or under the dining table. Also wondering if best to run it from my Pure sine wave 2000w inverter whilst driving or cigarette lighter then once parked pop it onto gas? What are your thoughts please?

Thanks Gary

 

[mistericeman]

Thinking of buying a second hand Dometic RC1700 3 way cooler box, works on gas,220v and 12v. Just wondered if anybody had one or similar they can comment on please? Want to use this as a backup and for keeping cold drinks when we head for Morocco in October. Have read they are supposed to keep 36 degrees cooler than ambient temp. and I’m guessing Morocco is going to be fairly warm Oct-Nov. It won’t fit through the doors to my garage so will have to keep it either in the shower tray or under the dining table. Also wondering if best to run it from my Pure sine wave 2000w inverter whilst driving or cigarette lighter then once parked pop it onto gas? What are your thoughts please?

Thanks Gary

Used a very similar one for years when camping in the tent.... Worked great... 240 works best on the electric side of things BUT the 12v worked OK to maintain temp...
Gas was best of all BUT needs using outside as no external flue.
We just used to set it up outside the tent....

We then went over to a 12v compressor coolbox which frankly although expensive IS a fab piece of kit.

 

[trevskoda]

How are you going to secure it under a table,flying things kill i the advent of a frontal smash,other than that they work quiet well on 230v but put it in the shower room if pos.
Dont think gas is a goer if not fixed.

 

[Harleyboygaz3]

How are you going to secure it under a table,flying things kill i the advent of a frontal smash,other than that they work quiet well on 230v but put it in the shower room if pos.
Dont think gas is a goer if not fixed.

Thanks Trev, not thought about having a smash,,!! What are your thoughts on running off the inverter whilst driving between places ? I’ve heard they do use a lot of juice ,I’m guessing whilst driving the engine and solar will put it back into my 2 LB’s?

 

[Deleted member 74361]

Thanks Trev, not thought about having a smash,,!! What are your thoughts on running off the inverter whilst driving between places ? I’ve heard they do use a lot of juice ,I’m guessing whilst driving the engine and solar will put it back into my 2 LB’s?

Might be OK if you have a B2B or A2B to maximise alternator output to the leisure batteries, otherwise the small charge from the alternator after first few minutes will be inadequate to keep up with the inverter.

I think tou need to do some calculations on charge and drain rates.

You need to know what voltage the coolbox is actually operating on - there is no use using an inverter to go up to 230v if the box is then dropping it back to 12v. Same with charging laptops which use 19v. as input.

Geoff

 

[harrow]

Thinking of buying a second hand Dometic RC1700 3 way cooler box, works on gas,220v and 12v. Just wondered if anybody had one or similar they can comment on please? Want to use this as a backup and for keeping cold drinks when we head for Morocco in October. Have read they are supposed to keep 36 degrees cooler than ambient temp. and I’m guessing Morocco is going to be fairly warm Oct-Nov. It won’t fit through the doors to my garage so will have to keep it either in the shower tray or under the dining table. Also wondering if best to run it from my Pure sine wave 2000w inverter whilst driving or cigarette lighter then once parked pop it onto gas? What are your thoughts please?

Thanks Gary

I have an earlier model a Electrolux RC160

On 12 volts it wants to use about 10 amps continuously

Mains electricity or bottled gas, they will happily make ice cubes, they need to be level for best results.

A brilliant fridge.

 

[r4dent]

What are your thoughts on running off the inverter whilst driving between places ?

Check the 12v and 240v wattages.

A higher wattage will use more power but produce more "coldness".
If they are the same it seems pointless using an inverter and incurring extra power usage.

To work out power usage divide the 12v watts by 12.
Divide the 240v watts by 10 (allows for inverter losses).

 

[Harleyboygaz3]

Check the 12v and 240v wattages.

A higher wattage will use more power but produce more "coldness".
If they are the same it seems pointless using an inverter and incurring extra power usage.

To work out power usage divide the 12v watts by 12.
Divide the 240v watts by 10 (allows for inverter losses).

Thanks Pete.
The specs. online state both 12v & 240v = 85 watts so no reason to use inverter. I have two large, I think 120ah LB with a 100 w solar on roof which on most days here charges at about 13v at about 4-6 amps average throughout the day. I have read that these fridges do have quite a drain on 12v so would only use whilst driving and not whilst stationary.

 

[r4dent]

Thanks Pete.
The specs. online state both 12v & 240v = 85 watts so no reason to use inverter. I have two large, I think 120ah LB with a 100 w solar on roof which on most days here charges at about 13v at about 4-6 amps average throughout the day. I have read that these fridges do have quite a drain on 12v so would only use whilst driving and not whilst stationary.

So 85w from 12v = 7 amp .
Your 120ah battery will provide a max of 60 ah before it is flat. = just under 9hr.
On a good day your figures give about 40ah (will be more in summer or further south) will eck hings out a bit.

Definitely not a good idea to run on 12v while stationary.
have a read of this


View attachment DummiesMoHO Electrics v03.pdf

 

[trevskoda]

All above correct if amps the same so you would then use on 12v,they only have to be stable if on gas,which i would not bother with,keep a few ice creams for me slurp slurp.
Just a thought a fixing strap could be used to hold it safe if a fixed point is found at a handy place.