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12V freezer worth it? Any suggestions? 12V freezer worth it? Any suggestions?
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  #1  
Old 10 Sep 2008
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Question 12V freezer worth it? Any suggestions?
Hi folks

I've got a 50l 12V fridge in my truck which will be for daily use. It has a rather pathetic freezer section that can fit about 2 blocks of ice at a squeeze!

I'm thinking it may be worthwhile to get a separate 12V freezer where I can keep frozen food etc. I imagine it would only be opened on occasion, as and when I want to get some frozen meat or something like that.

Are 12V freezer's available?
Are they affordable?
Can anyone recommend one?
All other comments, as tenuous as you like, would be appreciated!

Thanks
Steve
www.overafrica.org
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  #2  
Old 10 Sep 2008
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We have a Weaco CF50 (50 litre) compressor fridge in our camper. It will go down to around -10 deg C so can be used as a fridge or freezer. You do get smaller models as well which would be more suitable for your needs.
The CF50 uses about 7 amps when running. The amount it runs depends on the set temperature and the ambient temperature. Using it as a freezer (particularly in a hot country) it would be running a lot of the timeand would consume a lot of power. This would mean you would need a large battery bank and a big alternator to keep it going if you had a fridge as well. Cost wise compressor fridges are in the region of £500+. For occasional use I couldn't justify it, but that would be a decision for you to make.

Hope this helps.
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  #3  
Old 10 Sep 2008
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steve/m
hi steve on our recent african trip we used an engel 40 ltr fridge,but friends that we travelled with had a national-luna 60ltr fridge /40ltr freeezer unit that was very good.but found that once the freezer was empty it was very hard to find decent quality food/meat to restock it

steve/m
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  #4  
Old 10 Sep 2008
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I had, (recently sold it) a 240 volt freezer.
It was one of these basic Electrolux, freezer off Ebay for £40.00.
measured 600mm x 600mm x 600mm., so I could have it in the caravan (small width doors) or in the awning
We used it in the caravan to supplement the caravan 3 way jobbie (which was useless).
We would pack it the day before, in the house, plugged in.
When we were driving, the freezer stayed in the boot of the car.
I used it with an inverter, I think it was using 3 Amps @ 240V when running.
I had a 1000W inverter, with home made 4mm leads fused, through a relay, directly off the battery.
relay would energise from the "AUX" circuit which I got off the "ciggie". lighter.
So essentially, it only ran, while the engine was running.
To be honest, it didn't run that much of the time. The meat though was always frozen.
When we got to camp site, I lifted it out the boot, and right into the caravan awning, where we had mains hook-up.
When I get around to my "long trip" this is exactly what I will do again.
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  #5  
Old 11 Sep 2008
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They are a bit pricey, but Engel = job done.

I got a 40l one last year (got a bit of a deal as it was dented, £350 I think) and I have to say it's one of the best bits of kit I own. Very portable, very robust, good useable space.
Runs on 240v or 12v, drops the temp quickly and will freeze like billyo.

The only niggle I have with it is the voltage sensor - when it senses a voltage below about 10.5v it shuts itself down to conserve the battery, but like most I run it on a leisure battery and am happy for it to run the battery flat rather than have my go warm . That said, it takes a long while to get to that stage as it soesnt use much juice.

The other 'niggle' with it is has a power setting rather than being able to set a specific temperature, and the control knob can get easily knocked.
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Old 11 Sep 2008
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"the control knob can get easily knocked"
I used to stick some gaffer tape over my knob.
Never moved.
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  #7  
Old 11 Sep 2008
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dont fancy gaffa tape on my knob! must hurt when you take it off

Graeme
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  #8  
Old 11 Sep 2008
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AFAIK, and I do have an Engel fridge that will freeze, only 18 litre, all the "12v" fridges have an inverter in them. If, like I do, you also have an inverter for the laptop and charging batteries etc, your poor split charged leisure battery is going to work really hard, to be honest mine is normally flat after the first day and I can only use either the inverter or the fridge when the engine is running.
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