Finally got around to removing the 3 way fridge today....

mistericeman

mistericeman

Full Member
Posts
5,346
Likes
12,511
Eventually stirred myself to take out the 3 way fridge today ready for installing a replacement 240v unit....

Surprisingly not too difficult...

Let along compared to finding a replacement that fits....
Think I've found one now but in black rather than silver I wanted....
Hey ho itll still fit with the colour scheme...

Give me chance to give the removed one a good fettle and get it on ebay....
Seem to be going for daft money at moment
 
it’s good to keep busy & Tweak things now & again isn’t it, I’m sure the colour will ‘Blend’ nicely with its surroundings soon enough 👍😊
 
mistericeman said:
Eventually stirred myself to take out the 3 way fridge today ready for installing a replacement 240v unit....

Surprisingly not too difficult...

Let along compared to finding a replacement that fits....
Think I've found one now but in black rather than silver I wanted....
Hey ho itll still fit with the colour scheme...

Give me chance to give the removed one a good fettle and get it on ebay....
Seem to be going for daft money at moment
Click to expand...
My 3-way was a little tempremental on the gas, but I still sold it for close to what the brand new 240V Fridge/Freezer cost.

mistericeman said:
I wonder if my Victron 800w pure sine inverter will manage ;-)
(its the reason I fitted it)
Click to expand...
You might find it gives a little shake and an "overload" warning each time the compressor kicks in. Not a warning that matters but it happens all the same.
 
wildebus said:
My 3-way was a little tempremental on the gas, but I still sold it for close to what the brand new 240V Fridge/Freezer cost.


You might find it gives a little shake and an "overload" warning each time the compressor kicks in. Not a warning that matters but it happens all the same.
Click to expand...
Good to know.... Cheers...

Was nothing wrong with it (other than being none compressor)

It'll end up on ebay shortly I'm sure
 
wildebus said:
My 3-way was a little tempremental on the gas, but I still sold it for close to what the brand new 240V Fridge/Freezer cost.


You might find it gives a little shake and an "overload" warning each time the compressor kicks in. Not a warning that matters but it happens all the same.
Click to expand...
My only concern about a compressor fridge is the amount of leccy it will use when wc. We like a large fridge our current one being 140L. To be honest in my six years plus, I have never had an issue with my 3way, but I know that they are one of the most likely things to cause problems. Also I have no intention of going to Europe where it can get much warmer creating problems for us.
 
Fridge sizes are weird. The 3-way in the Motorhome was a Thetford N180 - so nominally a 180L fridge. I replaced that with a LEC5039 Fridge/Freezer which is quoted as a 135L unit but it doesn't seem that much smaller to me. (Physically it was about 2" slimmer and 2" shorter and about the same depth).
 
wildebus said:
Fridge sizes are weird. The 3-way in the Motorhome was a Thetford N180 - so nominally a 180L fridge. I replaced that with a LEC5039 Fridge/Freezer which is quoted as a 135L unit but it doesn't seem that much smaller to me. (Physically it was about 2" slimmer and 2" shorter and about the same depth).
Click to expand...
So what about leccy then David. Is it an issue when wc. You know my batter capacity, how would I fair with a thetford 140l type fridge.
 
mistericeman said:
Good idea Trev....

I wonder if my Victron 800w pure sine inverter will manage ;-)
(its the reason I fitted it)
Click to expand...
No bother, im using a 600w, more like putting out 450w constant and works mine no bother.
inv a.jpg
fridge c.jpg
fridge a.jpg
 
Fisherman said:
My only concern about a compressor fridge is the amount of leccy it will use when wc. We like a large fridge our current one being 140L. To be honest in my six years plus, I have never had an issue with my 3way, but I know that they are one of the most likely things to cause problems. Also I have no intention of going to Europe where it can get much warmer creating problems for us.
Click to expand...
Mine is rated at one qtr of an amp hr, battery hardly notices it running, I did a long test at the time wildbus was running a test and it worked as he stated.
 
Fisherman said:
My only concern about a compressor fridge is the amount of leccy it will use when wc. We like a large fridge our current one being 140L. To be honest in my six years plus, I have never had an issue with my 3way, but I know that they are one of the most likely things to cause problems. Also I have no intention of going to Europe where it can get much warmer creating problems for us.
Click to expand...
After 6 plus years with a Waeco cool box type in the transit (and now under the dinette table in the motorhome )
Without issues through all year usage...
It was one of the first jobs on the list when we got the motorhome (obvs needing to uprate the caravan specs of the electrics on the Moho first)

The ability of just leaving it loaded with beer/butter/wine etc without worrying about fuel source has meant it was a no brainer....
As we tend (covid apart) to head off on a regular basis.
 
Fisherman said:
So what about leccy then David. Is it an issue when wc. You know my batter capacity, how would I fair with a thetford 140l type fridge.
Click to expand...
For your current setup, I would say you would be good for a Compressor Style fridge easily for a long weekend even in Winter.

some anecdotal comments... Used to do the VW Shows in my Campers with a Compressor Coolbox or Fridge. In the T5 with a Waeco CRX50 (45L Fridge), I would arrive around Friday Lunchtime with a full 200AH Lead Battery bank. I would leave Sunday Afternoon, again with a full battery because the Solar (200W flat on roof) would give me everything I needed. I would actually deliberately use a little electric induction hob instead of the Gas hob so as not to waste the solar harvesting as the batteries would be full again by noon after the evening/overnights usage.


A bigger fridge does not actually use more power than a smaller fridge. A fridge/freezer DOES use more for sure though.
A fridge I really liked the look of was the Thetford T2175 and T2160 (https://www.jacksonsleisure.com/fri...ressor-fridge-freezer-for-campers-motorhomes/).
Ignore the "3.5 Days" comment in that link - it is not realistic, but even so that is a clever fridge and you can control the Fridge and Freezer independantly to save power and also make either a bigger two-compartment fridge if you don't need a freezer on a particular trip.
I was fairly close to getting this to replace my Thetford 3-way (exact size replacement) but couldn't get a good enough price on it.
 
mistericeman said:
After 6 plus years with a Waeco cool box type in the transit (and now under the dinette table in the motorhome )
Without issues through all year usage...
It was one of the first jobs on the list when we got the motorhome (obvs needing to uprate the caravan specs of the electrics on the Moho first)

The ability of just leaving it loaded with beer/butter/wine etc without worrying about fuel source has meant it was a no brainer....
As we tend (covid apart) to head off on a regular basis.
Click to expand...
wildebus said:
For your current setup, I would say you would be good for a Compressor Style fridge easily for a long weekend even in Winter.

some anecdotal comments... Used to do the VW Shows in my Campers with a Compressor Coolbox or Fridge. In the T5 with a Waeco CRX50 (45L Fridge), I would arrive around Friday Lunchtime with a full 200AH Lead Battery bank. I would leave Sunday Afternoon, again with a full battery because the Solar (200W flat on roof) would give me everything I needed. I would actually deliberately use a little electric induction hob instead of the Gas hob so as not to waste the solar harvesting as the batteries would be full again by noon after the evening/overnights usage.


A bigger fridge does not actually use more power than a smaller fridge. A fridge/freezer DOES use more for sure though.
A fridge I really liked the look of was the Thetford T2175 and T2160 (https://www.jacksonsleisure.com/fri...ressor-fridge-freezer-for-campers-motorhomes/).
Ignore the "3.5 Days" comment in that link - it is not realistic, but even so that is a clever fridge and you can control the Fridge and Freezer independantly to save power and also make either a bigger two-compartment fridge if you don't need a freezer on a particular trip.
I was fairly close to getting this to replace my Thetford 3-way (exact size replacement) but couldn't get a good enough price on it.
Click to expand...
Cheers guys food for thought.
We do have a freezer and we do use it normally when heading out.
Gives me food for thought.
 
One of the things that did surprise me was just how inefficient a 3-way fridge was on the Electric. On the camper with a 240V fridge I would never bother turning it off (same as you would do at home) and was always ready to use, as Mistericeman is saying. Plus, if you did turn if off on occasion (maybe a defrost?), after switching back on, down to operating temp within a couple of hours.
With the 3-way, it would be a 200W draw for at least 75% of the time and would take until the next day to get down to temp from off.
The potential flexibility of a 3-way is certainly an attraction, but the energy consumption of 7 times a compressor fridge was hard to accept once you get used to having one.
 
Fridge arrived today (quick service as wasn't due till Friday...)
Had to go with black as Silver in the size I needed was made of unobtanium...

Fitted a treat with only a small trim of the woodwork (aside removing the match wood that formed the baffling a found the rear of the fridge)
Over the top to clear the top hinge...

There was even room to get the power lead around to the socket underneath the cooker where the 240v hotplate plugs in (we never use it anyway)

All up and running pulling around 5/6 amps including inverter....
Might swap the led bulb for a incandescent one though as it pulls so little it doesn't wake the Inverter....

20220111_154253.jpg
20220111_154018.jpg



Apologies for the state as I've still not cleared up the carnage from Xmas/New rear trip....

Seems massive inside compared to the old 3 way....

Last jobs to get some brackets to anchor it at the rear through the fridge vents...and fit the door lock for travel
But I've left them at work...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top