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Portable Fridge/Cooler Size? What do you prefer?
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newfisher
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:59 pm    Post subject: Portable Fridge/Cooler Size? What do you prefer? Reply with quote

Moderator Note: We are discussing cooler SIZE here, not BRANDS.
If you want to discuss brands, use this linked thread....
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=505962

Any comments of brand X is better than brand Y will be removed.
Thanks!

Now for the original post..........

***************************

Getting ready to buy an Edgestar and looking through pics of builds, camp trips etc. I can't decide which one to get. If there was a retailer close by I could just slide them both into the tin top and see what fits best. My plan is up against the drivers wall behind the drivers seat and a RMW box on the opposite side behind the pass seat with a Webasto in the bottom under a false floor. Wifey can park her feet on it and get to " dog" related items/toys/food in the box. Our hounds will kill plywood to get to food, metal box makes sense.

Do you have the 43 and wish for the 63 or visa versa?

An ARB low amp draw would be nice, but with the $500 difference, I upgraded the 2.2 to a Frankenmotor 2.5 Smile and now have enough to buy the Edgestar
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whynotvw
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bigger is always better if it fits.
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j_dirge
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like my Edgestar 63 just fine. Its decent on energy consumption.. Holds a lot of food.. But its HEAVY.. and when its full of food, its HEAVIER.
It cools quickly on "fastfreeze" and it holds a decent steady tenp.

We are 4. Two adults, two kids. The 63 is just about right for our multi-day trips.

Anything less, and the smaller size would be more convenient for floor space, energy use, AND WEIGHT.


I bought mine because we had a trip coming up.. The price new was reasonable.
Wasn't going to wait for a deal on anything else.
I figured I'd sell it if I ever came across a better fridge for a good deal. But the Edgestar has not dissappointed in the year we have had it. No plans to look for anything else, now.

Since buying we've used the thing quite a bit.
It has served us at parties for xtra chilling.. It goes to the cabin and lives in the van when we don't need the room/floor space.

Summary.. If weight is an issue.. go smaller. The thing is a beast to move, especially for creaky ol' bones, like mine.
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0to60in6min
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
If weight is an issue.. go smaller.


yeah.... save weight ... otherwise you will need a bigger engine... like a subie for example...

Very Happy
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newfisher
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

0to60in6min wrote:
Quote:
If weight is an issue.. go smaller.


yeah.... save weight ... otherwise you will need a bigger engine... like a subie for example...

Very Happy

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tarandusVDub
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 8:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For 3 of us the 43q is perfect. Fits perfectly behind the passenger seat. Low draw, holds enough food, serves as a seat. The 63 would have taken up too much space. Have run it a lot in the past year and half.
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

63 qt holds more beer..... Cool
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newfisher
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 10:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Timwhy wrote:
The Edgestar of mine is perfect! The 63 qt was the right size to hold enough food for a week plus and was
priced right! I never considered weight as one of the factors and still do not, it suits my needs.


Your video is what made me think the 63 wouldnt be too big. As TrandusVdub mentioned, with more than a solo weekend (wife and 2 105lb dogs) any extra real estate will be appreciated in the tin top. I have a mega warrior rack with 3 extensions, a yakima box and a couple pelican boxes to keep "stuff" in and with the RMW box, floor space will be reduced some too. Maybe a cooler for awhile until I can check out some in vans in person at the gatherings?
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Timwhy
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 4:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

=@
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djkeev
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 5:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is an interesting thread.

It is focusing on what SIZE not on what BRAND..... Though the OP does indicate a brand......... but that is not the focus here........

Please keep this size focus here, if you want to discuss brands take the discussion to this very active BRAND thread....... Honestly Size is also mentioned a lot in the linked thread as well but it's focus is more on Brands.

I highly suggest anyone shopping to read the linked thread as well......

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=505962

Dave
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djkeev
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 6:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I opted for the Truck Fridge TF41.

It is just my wife and I, size was a concern for I wanted it to fit behind the Passenger seat in my "Weekender" and not protrude too much towards the jump seat.

I opted to NOT use the hard plastic handles to reduce the overall hard length. I made some soft handles using an old seat belt I had.

Here is a photo of it in place, the cardboard is a mock up of a storage space/work table for the stove......

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


The dog had just dropped his ball inside the door and for the life of him cannot comprehend why I haven't thrown it yet!
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


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newfisher
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 7:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Dave for the photos and the reference. That size TF looks similar to the ARB , Engel and is nice too. Cant wait to see how your cabinet turns out.

Anyone running a small,medium or large top load fridge against the drivers wall in a tin top?
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Syncro Jael
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 8:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting, a few of us were discussing this at BBB and comparing our fridges. We use the 50Q ARB for just (2)two of us. It has enough space to store perishables on our week long outings. If we have more of the family come along we supplement by bringing an ice chest.

If there were more of us or we planned an extended stay, I would opt for a larger fridge/freezer. The foot print is what is important. The loss of floor space is a trade off when using a portable fridge/freezer. Some of the 60Q+ ones take a lot of room.

Built in ones like mentioned above are another great option. I come from a sailing background, using cold plate and chest type fridges/coolers are more efficient. They loose less of their "cool" when opening and closing the compartment by shear design. You can also stack foods to utilize space. Either way you go it is an improvement over the stock components.

I converted an ice box on my old boat with a Cold Machine by Adler / Barbour. The system worked flawless and did not require much power. Insulation is the key to keeping duty cycles low. Perhaps one day I will toy with making a really efficient fridge/freezer for the Syncro. But for now the off the shelf products are very well designed and are relatively inexpensive.

Here is some info on selecting refrigerators.

http://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Selecting-Refrigeration-for-Your-Boat

http://www.suremarineservice.com/CU-200.aspx

http://expeditionportal.com/overland-journal-portable-12v-fridge-review/

http://www.adventureparents.com/blog/dads-dirt-roa...-or-camper

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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dobryan
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 8:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I also looked at the dimensions for the 43 vs 63 qt models. The 63 qt model is only 4 inches longer (28 vs 24 inches) but you get 50% more internal volume. That made the decision easy for me..... YMMV.
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Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 9:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dobryan wrote:
I also looked at the dimensions for the 43 vs 63 qt models. The 63 qt model is only 4 inches longer (28 vs 24 inches) but you get 50% more internal volume. That made the decision easy for me..... YMMV.


Surely your exaggerate!

the 63qt is only .46511628 bigger than the 43 qt!

NOT .50 bigger as you claim. Wink

Actually if I recall the larger Truck Fridge units capacity is accomplished by extra height, Making a much deeper cold hole in which to lose things! Shocked
I chose mine for height as well as being the smallest footprint (23" x 13 3/4")
I could affordably locate. I did not want to exceed the height of the Jump Seat.
I also was concerned for height of standing bottles. My unit does this just fine. The TF 31.... not so much.
TF units max out at 51qts.

Dave

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Last edited by djkeev on Thu Jan 22, 2015 9:36 am; edited 2 times in total
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 9:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

djkeev wrote:

Surely your exaggerate!
Dave


I always round up. My wife is a lousy carpenter. Wink
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794
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newfisher
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 10:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dobryan wrote:
djkeev wrote:

Surely your exaggerate!
Dave


I always round up. My wife is a lousy carpenter. Wink



Bawahhahaaa!

So I should get a 31-43 and tell her it's a 63...maybe you are onto something(else). She might pack less?
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 10:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dobryan wrote:
djkeev wrote:

Surely your exaggerate!
Dave


I always round up. My wife is a lousy carpenter. Wink
Now THAT'S funny!!
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 3:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

After lots of cubic inch calculations (fridge vs. the old ice chest/cooler) and mapping out sizes in the van: ARB 50 for me, but I also use the stock Dometic fridge.

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 6:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

^^^ +1 The ARB 50 easily holds enough food for my family of four for at least 3+ days. More if we use a separate cooler for just drinks.
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