Truck Fridge TF49 - To AC or not to AC

[scottjk]

Can anyone think of any large advantage of getting the ac/dc model over the plain dc model? I'll be running the fridge off a 55-65 deep cycle batter with a Battery Minder+ hooked up when connected to AC power. I'm assuming that the Batter Minder would keep up as well as charge the battery at the same time.

The AC/DC TF-49 is on back order for 30 days and will be more expensive. They don't know how much more at this point. I just don't want to buy something now that I wished I would have waited for. I can't think of any compelling reasons not to just stick with the full DC model.

Thanks

Scott

[singler3360]

I just posed this exact question to guru Tencentlife, 1621 and others over at this thread. Scroll down to last 3 posts (as of this date/time).

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=355311

Thanks for the info on the backorder and let us know what you decide.

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

I would take advantage of the AC circuit.
That's just me though.
The current draw is low enough on these units that it really doesn't matter which way you do it.
Strict DC would make your wiring easier to sort out.
_________________
"Saying what we think gives us a wider conversational range than saying what we know."
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(T)exas (C)oalition (B)uses
(H)eidenhammer (B)ully (B)oyz

--1966 De Luxe Camper

[crazyvwvanman]

I would not bother with AC but that is just me. I seldom camp where AC is available and even in those places it often costs less to camp in a site without and that also tends to put me away from the giant RV crowd which is a good thing.

I think the AC wiring in general is a net minus for the Westy, ditto for the city water hookup.

If you do get an AC option on the fridge you can just let the cord stick out a little behind the driver seat so you can plug it into an extension cord should the desire strike.

Mark

[billwilson]

as a solar power kinda guy i STILL got the AC with my TF
someday, maybe not soon
maybe not in this Galaxy, i will wish i had spent the extra $20
so Big Spender that i am, i got the AC/DC
_________________
'84 Wolfsberg Westy
Shore Power Free since 10 Apr 09
well i was untill 01 Jun 09......
.... but only after 6 days of no sun
16' rims / WBX
Fiamma, 130 watt solar, 198 amp hour batts
Truck Fridge, Coco Mats
and of course:
the hard mount for my Pith Helmet!

[OldSkoolVWLover]

[82WestyMan]

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

[singler3360]

Linux on Wheels. Decide the features you want, find the mod to do it, research it, then install. Reboot once every 100k miles.

[Blood Loss]

I'd just go for the DC model and carry a small battery charger in case the campsite has AC electricity, so I wouldn't have to drive around to recharge the battery.

[PDXWesty]

AC is good to plug in at home and pre cool the unit. Is that necessary with the truck fridge?

[scottjk]

[PDXWesty]

How many amps will you be charging at when you're plugged in?

I think it would be fine. You slow your charging time but I bet you'll hardly notice.

[crazyvwvanman]

Last summer we traveled and camped for 6 weeks and never charged our batteries other than from driving. We have an electric only Norcold, running on 2 ordinary Group48 batteries in parallel. These are the same as 41 but slightly less long so a bit easier to get into the boxes under the seats. Our starting battery is in the engine compartment, another 48 type.

We parked for 3 days and 4 nights as the maximum in one place without driving. The batteries were fine for this long, day temps in the 90s. We camped again last week at SDM, 3 days and 3 nights, same batteries.

The Group48 are from Wmart, $65 near me, 6 year prorated, 2 year free exchange.

Mark

[OldSkoolVWLover]

[scottjk]

So I decided to buy the Vitrifrigo ac/dc model. According to Andrew this was the last one they had. He said that this model was going up to $599.00 so I would assume the new price of the TF ac/dc will be around $450.00 which will be available again in about 30 days.

Scott

[woggs1]

[rockfish]

My TF came in about 10 days ago - was ordered a month ago.
_________________
89 Westy
GW 2.5 5-speed trans

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."
- John Wooden

[82WestyMan]

I just finished putting in my AC/DC truck fridge before heading up to BugOut 65 over Memorial Day weekend.
The day of the show, I stopped to pick up something to make for dinner and tossed a 1-lb bag fo frozen shrimp in the little freezer compartment early in the morning
All thru the show I ran my little Honda 650 (at the end of the 100 ft / 12 gauge extension cord) but never got around to making dinner.
Headed home and got in about 2am and fell into bed
Next day, about noon, I headed out to clean up / out the Westy and those little shrimps were still rock-hard when I pulled them out

What a difference from my old Dometic

oh, forgot to mention, my truck fridge held about 38 in the main compartment that whole time
(and yes, i had fridge thermometer in)
_________________
"The floggings will continue until morale improves"
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82 Westfalia - w/ a Raby 'Camper Special' engine

[woggs1]