Best type of fridge for a campervan
My sister and husband are buying a campervan and have been asked what type of fridge they want fitted Waeco 12/24v compressor fridge or a Dometic 3 way Absorbtion fridge.
All my caravans have had Dometic which have been exceptional other when in high temperature of 30/40 degrees when it struggles to keep thing cold. So I am not able to advise, any help would be appreciated.
Comments
-
Compressor fridges are far more efficient than 3 way when run on 12 v. They can easily run off a small solar panel, they have a fast cool down, work when well out of level, work well at high ambient temperature ,they are easy to fit and don't need external vents. They are noisier so don't try to sleep with your head against the housing and obviously they can't run on gas.
So if you use a campervan for touring and living independently then the compressor has many advantages but if used as a conventional motorhome a 3 way would be more flexible.
Our VW campervan has a Waeco and I wouldn't swap it.
0 -
Having struggled for years with the conventional absorption fridge in Southern Europe where it is almost impossible to get a temperature below about ten degrees C I would love a compressor fridge, however, I always understood that 12 volt power consumption
is excessive due to the need to run the compressor. If this is not the case then go for it.0 -
We have a Waeco M90 in our PVC.It runs off twin 110ah batteries and a 100w SP on the roof.Very slight hum from it which no longer bothers us at night and it out performs our previous 3 way fridges at 34C outside by a country mile.If it went wrong,which it
has not in six years,we would have to go to the agents in Blandford who will fix it ;whereas you can get a 3way done elsewhere.Then again we had to go to Sturminster Marshall to get a new canvas on our Omnistor when it ripped.Back to point,we will be having
another Waeco fitted in our next van conversion because, on balance ,we find it suits our needs in a PVC-gas bottle use is purely for cooking /heating when off mains and when on mains we use an electric hot plate and microwave;6kg of propane has lasted two
seasons with over half the bottle left in reserve.You pay your money and make your choice....0 -
Waeco fridges only run off a 12v source-mains feed is via the charger/batteries as a 12v feed.With a solar panel feeding the batteries we have run for four days without needing to run the engine to boost battery state.Without the SP you could run into battery
problems with one battery;we have, as stated,twin 110ah and an SP-the key is to do the job properly in the installation rather than skimp on half measures.0 -
I agree with the majority. If it's a choice between a compressor or absorption fridge then go with the compressor if you are going to Southern Europe. It is noisier but more efficient. We have the usual absorbing fridge fitted in our caravan but we always
take a chest compressor fridge for the awning g when travelling in Europe.David
0 -
Noisiest thing on waeco fridges is the cooling fan attached to the heat exchanger. Change this for a silent computer fan of the same size and it's difficult to hear if fridge is running.
I set the temperature on my waeco in 2013 when I built the van and it's been running 24/7 ever since. Temperature inside is the same inside regardless of if it's -15 outside or +35 as it is here today parked on the beach & enjoying an icecream from the freezer.
0
