Electric Refrigerator Spacing

[RunnerDuck]

This is my first post of what I'm sure will be many as I embark on designing and building my TD.

My wife wants a refrigerator so I'm looking at a Dometic CFX-65DZUS Portable Freezer/Refrigerator - 2.2 cu. ft. I want to build it in on a slide but I'm not sure how much room I need around it to "breath".

One thing I was thinking about was adding a vent to the side of the trailer that would allow some venting/cooling.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

KennyB

[dales133]

Pretty common fridge here in australia but rebranded as waeco.
I recon a side vent would be adiquate as ive seen them stuffed into some pretty small spaces on camper trailers

[halfdome, Danny]

A side vent will also be beneficial to avoid asphyxiation and to apply Bernoulli's Principal to help keep the teardrop from sucking in water while driving in rain.
I put another vent from the galley to the cabin to equalize the pressure.
Danny

[Vedette]

Hi Ken
While doing your fridge research remember to compare the amp hours (amps required to run the fridge)
We have a Koolatron that we love, as it meets our need perfectly, but it draws 4.4 amps.
This draws our 27DC Battery down in 15 hours when we are off the Grid.
I have it wired to charge from the tow vehicle while we travel, and we now have a 90W Solar panel that puts out 5.5.amps to help stay ahead of the fridge while camping.
You can never have enough wiring for your teardrop.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[RunnerDuck]

Thanks for the comments so far.

Vedette: I don't think "asphyxiation" should be a problem since it's only 12V/120V. Thanks for the tip on a vent to the cabin.

Brian: I'm aware of the battery killer these fridge's can be. Supposedly the one I'm looking at draws 3 - 4 amps. I do plan on installing a solar panel but that's a discussion for another day.

I've already changed my mind on the model I'm going to get. Once I laid it into my design it was just way too big. I'm now looking at the Dometic CF-050AC110, quite a bit smaller but should still work. We do plan on taking a regular ice cooler along to supplement it but will use the Dometic for the important stuff

Thanks again,

KennyB

[Vedette]

Yes, we run both Fridge & cooler.
One for Beer and other cold drinks that like ice. And the fridge for stuff that we want cool and dry.
shift there is nothing worse than a block of cheese riding down the hwy. all day floating around in cooler water.
I will email you pictures of our galley set up in Miss Piggy or you can click on my little album icon to the left of this post.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[dales133]

Not sure if you get engel fridges there but thats what im getting for mine.
They have been avaliable here for 30 plus years and use virtualy no power compared to most other brands (around 2A/h.
The 40l is a good size.

[bdosborn]

While the electric fridges aren't a sensitive to air flow as absorption type, you still want to get the hot air out as they draw more current as the ambient temperature goes up. Trapped heat will cause it to draw a lot more current. I converted my absorption type to DC and blocked up most of the existing vents. I still kept a fan to exhaust the hot air. I put a temperature relay on it so it clicks on when the temp is over 90F.



http://home.comcast.net/~bdosborn/Boxcar/TundraTJ22.html

I wouldn't have cut such a huge wall in the trailer if I had started with the DC fridge but I'd still would have cut some kind of vent.

Bruce

P.S. We have a dometic chest type fridge as well but it rides in the back of the truck:



http://home.comcast.net/~bdosborn/Boxcar/Waeco_CF40.html

[Shadow Catcher]

For a refrigerator to work there has to be an air flow or it is swimming in its own heat. Ours rides in the back of the Subaru with a line directly to the battery. When in camp it sits outside under the galley hatch or in the back of the Subaru. Power via the charging cable from the Subaru to the tear will back feed and charge the Subaru battery and supply power to the refrigerator.

[bdosborn]

8 pages on venting 12V fridges

Bruce