Fridge vs cooler?

General Discussion about almost anything Teardrop or camping related

Postby mikeschn » Sun Jun 25, 2006 3:20 pm

I use those baby kegs of beer for the backyard parties... Warsteiner is a good one!

But when you are on the road, is that really enough?

I figure, if you have a TTT, why not just put one of these in it?

Image

Mike...
The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten, so build your teardrop with the best materials...
User avatar
mikeschn
Site Admin
 
Posts: 19202
Images: 479
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:01 am
Location: MI

Postby sjptak » Sun Jun 25, 2006 4:29 pm

An Ol Timer wrote:Also another point that I haven't seen anyone address is the virtue of the cooler having a top lid whereas most installed fridge units have a front door. If you are careful in opening a cooler lid you will lose little of it's interior cooling whereas if you open a front door unit the cold air will fall out only to be replaced with warmer air.

When I was young I wanted the toys but had to care for them. Now being older and some what wiser (???) I prefer to sit and have a cold drink with my only worry being, "Can I drink all 96 cans before the ice melts in that Extreme Cooler???"


Ol Timer, Guru of wisdom that you are, you bring up a VERY valid point. Opening up a fridge door will lose more cool than opening a cooler. Never gave that a thought! NOW, I'm beginning to think. "What will I do with the fridge that I just got for free?". Until your post, I was leaning towards "Darn the conventional wisdom. I think it can be done!". Now, I'm not so sure. I stand of the fulcrum, not knowing where the force will lead me. Woe. are I!!!!!!

This may now be way too much for my grey brain matter to digest!!!!

The other problem I'm working on is how to build a hitch for the tow vehicle. (note my avatar)

NOT TO WORRY!!! In due time, all will become clear in my mind.

Now........Ira. I like your idea of the mini keg. One minor problem I will leave for you to solve. If the beer in the keg is cold and you are camped in the shade with an ambient temp of say 85, how fast must you drink that beer so that the warm beer in the line from the keg to the tap will not spoil my desire for ICE cold brew? That line going to the tap will warm the beer. I will try to get a picture or two of my garage fridge. I think you'd like it.

Stan
Stan

A tear drop wannabe but
a reasonably small TTT owner
User avatar
sjptak
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 273
Images: 9
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2006 8:53 pm
Location: Seymour, CT

Postby GeorgeTelford » Sun Jun 25, 2006 4:42 pm

Hi Ol Timer

The only time a 3 way fridge performs like that is if its poorly fitted and if it increased the interna van temperature to any degree it was poorly fitted (and before you say it was fitted by the professional van builder, I have found that they are the worst for not fitting 3 way fridges correctly)

I used to think 3 way fridges were poor performers, until an Aussie pointed out that the fridge was fitted incorectly, these fridges can perform well even in the outback of Australia in extremes of heat.

Here is a visual demo of Albert Einsteins invention

Image

The top opening door is an advantage (but some 3 way coolbox/fridges have top opening too) what happens with front opening doors is, that cold air is denser/heavier and falls out of the fridge this leaves a space behind which draws hot air in (but the specific heat capacity of air is very low hence in a fridge it doesnt take a great deal of energy to recool that air) but any waste is bad and to be avoided.
User avatar
GeorgeTelford
500 Club
 
Posts: 677
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 2:10 pm
Top

Postby sjptak » Sun Jun 25, 2006 6:02 pm

Now see, I no idea who actually came up with the idea that you could build a fire in order to make ice cubes. That concept always impressed the heck out of me! I knew it had to be one smart dude, but had no idea that Albert thunked it up. The whole concept amazed me. George, thank you for enlightening me on that one.

I just cleaned all the rust from the back of the freebie fridge and am planning to hook it up to electric to test it out. If that makes ice, I'll build my propane fire and give it a go.

Stan
Stan

A tear drop wannabe but
a reasonably small TTT owner
User avatar
sjptak
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 273
Images: 9
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2006 8:53 pm
Location: Seymour, CT
Top

Postby asianflava » Sun Jun 25, 2006 6:50 pm

Sonetpro wrote:
asianflava wrote:I saw a short review (in a car magazine of all places) of a 3-way cooler. Not a frige exactly, but a compact cooler that could use 1# propane bottles. They were pretty happy with it, but they were using it differently than a camper would. I've looked for the article but I can't find it. I'll bet that the wife "Filed it away".

Here ya go Rocky. $>
http://tinyurl.com/z5svv


Yup I think that's it. I think my $12 cooler and 300+ bags of ice was a better choice.
User avatar
asianflava
8000 Club
8000 Club
 
Posts: 8412
Images: 45
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2004 5:11 am
Location: CO, Longmont
Top

Postby GeorgeTelford » Mon Jun 26, 2006 5:22 am

Hi

I cant see why they are so expensive over there, its usually the UK that gets ripped off on prices, Solar panels made in Germany cost say $300 in USA in UK same panel is £350 thats over double the cost
User avatar
GeorgeTelford
500 Club
 
Posts: 677
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 2:10 pm
Top

Postby cracker39 » Mon Jun 26, 2006 9:27 am

I posted this on George's thread building your own fridge or cooler before I saw this one, which is more appropriate for my post.

I've used a 110v/propane fridge in a pickup camper I once had and it worked great if you pre-cooled the items placed inside, and it even made a little ice in mini trays. I ran it on propane while driving as the side wall vent didn't let in enough moving air to disquingish the tiny flame that powered it. Besides, if the flame went out, the gas shut off. You had to hold down a button on the gas valve until the flame heated heated a spring inside that held the valve open.

Now, it's KISS time. I don't want the expense of a fridge, or to have to take along a large propane tank to power one when there's no shore power available, just the 1 # bottles for my stove. Those 5-day coolers are nice, but costly and I'm a DIY'er. I thought I could make one for less than $20. And, I may still try it.

A while back, WM had a simple, but sturdy, medium size styrofoam cooler with sides that were straight up and down (perpendicular to the bottom) for less than $6. I failed to buy one when I saw them, thinking I could get one later...wrong...they no longer have them, so I'll keep looking for one.

What I planned to do was build a "box" around it with another 2" of foil-backed foam insulation and duct or plastic tape (for a total of 3" - 3 1/2" of insulation), including a second lid, making it a "super cooler". I'd use a regular cooler for the food and drinks in the TTT, and keep my "super cooler" in the truck to hold the spare ice. With limited use, just for taking out ice once during a weekend trip, and being carfule with it, it should hold up for years.
Dale

Sometimes I pretend to be normal. But, that gets boring...so I go back to being me.

Squidget Pop Top Build Pages http://www.thesquidget.com/ptbuild/ptbuild.html

Squidget and Pop Top Plans Info and Photos: http://www.TheSquidget.com
User avatar
cracker39
3000 Club
3000 Club
 
Posts: 3069
Images: 233
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2005 2:18 pm
Location: Lake Alfred, Florida, USA
Top

Postby Cutterpup » Mon Jun 26, 2006 6:45 pm

cracker39 Years ago during one of my many moves for Uncle Sam. I lined my freezer with 2 inches of styrofoam insulation. I then moved this loaded freezer from Yorktown VA to New London CT... In July... in 90 plus deg. in a non air conditioned van. The trip took 13 hours due to the normal trafic and a bridge being out on I 95 ( T-shirt seen later ...Welcome to CT now start swimming.... it showed a picture of the broken bridge with cars plunging over the edge... I know sic humor..). :wink: :wink: Inside the freezer was 150 lbs of beef and 100 lbs of spring lamb. :Flippin Burger: :picnic: Everything arrived well frozen.

So if you want to make your own super ice box just add insulation either outside or inside to make it 6 inches thick.

Dan
User avatar
Cutterpup
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 239
Images: 15
Joined: Sat May 07, 2005 4:51 pm
Location: Annapolis, Maryland
Top

Previous

Return to General Discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests