Fridge Elimination and standalone fridge OR Truckfridge?

[madspaniard]

[nocreditnodebt]

I have a Vitrifrigo c51is, very similar to the TF-49, same compressor same box.

I have added insulation, and maximized airflow through condenser and across compressor, my unit runs well less than a 30% duty cycle in upto 85 degrees ambient.

Number 1, I can keep my interior from raising much above ambient.
Number 2, the Danfoss bd35f compressor can handle upto an 8 cubic foot fridge. It is just coasting along powering a 1.8 cubic foot fridge.

Those claiming very high battery consumption or not being able to run indefinitely with 65+ watts of solar likely have an inefficiency bottleneck somewhere, most likely in the form of recycling preheated air through the condenser.

The single best way to increase efficiency is to have the fan pull the coolest possible ambient air across the condenser, once. Not just have a few restrictive passive vents in the compressor compartment for the heat to make its own way out. The better the heat can be removed from the condenser, the lower the battery consumption, the better the fridge performance, and the longer the life of the unit.

My battery monitor says My fridge uses well less than 24 amp hours per 24 hours. It really depends on what I am asking it to remove heat from or keep the heat removed from. Installing a gallon of warm tomato juice and a 12 pack of warm beer makes the duty cycle skyrocket for several hours before tapering back toward 25%, and the heat coming out my exhaust vent behind the compressor is much much hotter than when everything inside the fridge has already been brought to sub 35f temps.

My 200 watts of solar have no issues what so ever returning what my fridge consumes. I could likely run 3 similar fridges in my environment before the solar could not keep up.

My batteries are now at 40% of their original capacity. Still no worries.

My previous fridge was a Norcold. the SawaFuji compressor was a Buzzsaw. It was not as efficient as this Danfoss powered Vitrifrigo which is nearly silent in comparison

Danfoss compressors can handle up to 0.5 amps of computer fans that turn on when the compressor does and dopuble that for 1 second on start up. Adding another low draw, low noise, low cfm computer fan to exhaust the compressor compartment will increase performance, reduce battery consumption and extend compressor life. The amount of tech which goes into some of these computer fans is impressive.

Google Noctua Nf-f12

You salvaged computer fans might be economical, but low tech noisy and consume more electricity for less air moved.

Can you get away without doing so? Of course. Most do. To my mind having small passive vents behind the fridge is akin to blocking 75% of one's radiator with cardboard and wondering why the engine is running hot

[furrylittleotter]

[joseph928]

Yes I did put more insulation on the TF-49. Also took a stock Westy fridge vent and put the pipe over the compressor with a new low power computer fan. Now my duty cycle is down to 30% of the time from almost 50%. And the TF-49 can go 3 weeks with out turning the engine on. That is the most time I have pushed it. Now I'm down to a little less then 24 amps per day.
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1987 syncro westy tin top sun roof , GW2.3, rear locker, decoupler, Gary Lee tire rack & winch mount, lift, south african grill, big brakes , rhein alloy ,15 BFG AT, Fiamma 10 foot awning ,140 watt rear 85 watt front solar , mppt, truckfridge, automatic fire extinguishing system, tencent oil cooler, And a RMW SS exhaust! - 1971 bug convertible 1776 engine- 2010 Subaru turbo - 1993 Toyota 4x4 truck - 1999 Harley 95 CI, big bore, Andrews cams . Also 80-84- vans. Stock 65 sunroof bug.

[kamzcab86]

[ThankYouJerry]

[LandSailor]

Very interesting that the poll is so evenly divided.

One big advantage to the removable units is that they are, in fact, removable. That ~$500 investment can be used in the house during Thanksgiving, if your refrigerator goes out, or just to get ice cream home from the store in the summer in Las Vegas. That's the biggest advantage in my book: You're not putting half a grand into something that will only be used in the Westy.

The other is that they operate on the "all of your cold doesn't fall out every time you open the door". Just look at all the frozen products in horizontal open freezers at the grocery store.

We've only made one trip so far in the Westy and we used an ice chest behind the passenger seat. It was useful as a footrest and for getting into the top bunk.

[westyventures]

[ThankYouJerry]

[westyventures]

[ThankYouJerry]

[Corwyn]

. . . .meanwhile, back on the subject . . .

I have an Edgestar FP43. I use my Westy as a daily driver and I don't need the extra weight rolling around town. When I go camping, I put it out next to the van, so not in the way. Now I'm working on installing a Marinco 12v socket on the outside of the van.
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'90 White Westy ("The Longship")
FAS Gen V 2.0
The Annual Baja Rally
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=604813&highlight=baja

"If anything's" gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there"
~ Captain Ron ~

[Timwhy]

[dobryan]

[ChilliConCarnage]

Just to add to this discussion, here's our setup:

Vitrifrigo (Italian made version of TF49)
120ah batteries
140 watt solar
Longest time camping in one spot: 5 days
Longest time fridge was left on accidentally: 6 days
Wife approval factor: loves having built-in as opposed to portable since there's already so little space.

Based on nocreditnodoubt's recommendations, I replaced the compressor fan. It is now both quieter and more efficient.

I love our setup. Could highly recommend to anybody.
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Now:
86 Westy
00 GTI VR6
03 Passat V6 4Motion

Sold:
62 T2 Double Door panel
72 T2 7-passenger
98 Jetta
97 Passat VR6
87 Audi 5000

[gl98115]

[nocreditnodebt]

Chest style fridges are generally more efficient not because the cold air spills out. The door opening itself will exchange most of the air inside anyway, top or front door.

It is the fact that chest style fridges have their door seals on top, and that gravity helps compress the seals where as front loading the coldest air has just a thin door seal keeping the hot air out. Since the lock is on top. One can stuff their fridge, and barely get the door closed. It will latch at the top, but flex a bit at the bottom, leaving a small gap.

I think Waeco makes a DC front loader that has locking mechanisms both top and bottom.

I've considered adding some more foam around the seals. Condensation forms on adjacent exterior metal in humid weather showing it could benefit from increased insulation.

But honestly I have no fears about the fridge consuming too much battery.

It is this dang laptop which uses up my solar excess. and shutting it off 30 minutes earlier could save the electricity that improved insulation around my door could improve if installed.

[BetaVan]

Dobryan, that venting trick is slick. Do you have a post on that? Would love to hear a bit more about it.

Love my TF-49. It was super easy to install (with all the Samba help of course). It's quiet, way more efficient, and has plenty of storage for my needs.
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84 Westfalia
Vanistan 2.2 Powerplant
WBXhaust + External Oilcooler

[ThankYouJerry]

Yet another option… 30L, 40L and 50L size. This one may have the best warrantee I've seen… 5yrs/compressor and 3 yrs/components. Low draw "0.7 Ah/h". 40L weighs in at only 37 lbs. Van Cafe advertises the 50L (but are currently out of stock):

http://www.ironman4x4.com/html/fridge.html

http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_1755_125/ice...by_ir.html
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1990 Multivan - "Ohana"
1.8T, Auto w/3.27 R&P + Peloquin TBD

[westyventures]