Freezer

Trotter

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If and when we’re allowed out to play again, I’d like to have a freezer in the van. Shops sell food in quantity or at a higher price. Ice cream would be very nice, ready meals, would be a help when travelling. The freezer in my 3 way fridge is tiny, and not really efficient.
I’ve seen a few on eBay. Both 12 volt camper compressor freezers at silly prices, others around £219. Chinese of course.
Another possibility would be a domestic table top freezer run through my inverter. I’ve got more than enough power to run one. I only wonder how they’d stand up to the rigours of being in a van. Set it on celotex or memory foam maybe?
Any thoughts?
Stay safe all.
Ps. Yes, I know it’s not self build. It’s still a conversion init.😇
 
If and when we’re allowed out to play again, I’d like to have a freezer in the van. Shops sell food in quantity or at a higher price. Ice cream would be very nice, ready meals, would be a help when travelling. The freezer in my 3 way fridge is tiny, and not really efficient.
I’ve seen a few on eBay. Both 12 volt camper compressor freezers at silly prices, others around £219. Chinese of course.
Another possibility would be a domestic table top freezer run through my inverter. I’ve got more than enough power to run one. I only wonder how they’d stand up to the rigours of being in a van. Set it on celotex or memory foam maybe?
Any thoughts?
Stay safe all.
Ps. Yes, I know it’s not self build. It’s still a conversion init.😇
Well, my comments would be:
1) I have run my domestic 240V Fridge in my van since Oct 2017 and never had a single problem with it. I checked how well the compressor pump was supported and seemed fine so I fitted it to the floor without any padding. So I would not be overly worried about it being a "domestic" product (you will need to fit some kind of door lock/strap though).
2) I have been wondering about trying the same thing as we have a table-top freezer in the house as a 'backup' and been thinking about maybe putting it in the van for occasional use. To that end I keep meaning to plug it in via a "kill-a-watt" meter to see how much power it uses in a day. If I find the meter and plug it in, I will post how much power my one uses (standard kind of unit, nothing special).
 
... a domestic table top freezer run through my inverter. I’ve got more than enough power to run one. I only wonder how they’d stand up to the rigours of being in a van.
If the ride is so rough that it would damage a freezer, it would not be good for passengers either.
I'd sort out the suspension and the tyre pressures and not faff with padding the floor under the freezer.
 
Well, my comments would be:
1) I have run my domestic 240V Fridge in my van since Oct 2017 and never had a single problem with it. I checked how well the compressor pump was supported and seemed fine so I fitted it to the floor without any padding. So I would not be overly worried about it being a "domestic" product (you will need to fit some kind of door lock/strap though).
2) I have been wondering about trying the same thing as we have a table-top freezer in the house as a 'backup' and been thinking about maybe putting it in the van for occasional use. To that end I keep meaning to plug it in via a "kill-a-watt" meter to see how much power it uses in a day. If I find the meter and plug it in, I will post how much power my one uses (standard kind of unit, nothing special).

IF you saw what your average domestic fridge goes through in shipping....
I wouldn't worry about it being in a van (providing they aren't laid on their side so the oil in the compressor can migrate out into the coil)

A lot of our aircon units used to come fitted with transit bolts (stops the compressor wobbling around in transit)
BUT few of any do these days.... Just rely on the spring/rubber mounts to keep things happy.
 
We’ve ran domestic fridges for over ten years now. I don’t see a freezer being a problem. And if you only got a few years use, it was still cheap.
 
Th
Well, my comments would be:
1) I have run my domestic 240V Fridge in my van since Oct 2017 and never had a single problem with it. I checked how well the compressor pump was supported and seemed fine so I fitted it to the floor without any padding. So I would not be overly worried about it being a "domestic" product (you will need to fit some kind of door lock/strap though).
2) I have been wondering about trying the same thing as we have a table-top freezer in the house as a 'backup' and been thinking about maybe putting it in the van for occasional use. To that end I keep meaning to plug it in via a "kill-a-watt" meter to see how much power it uses in a day. If I find the meter and plug it in, I will post how much power my one uses (standard kind of unit, nothing special).
The blurb says about 0.4W
Thanks Dave. Looks like a plan then 👍
Stay safe
 
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We’ve ran domestic fridges for over ten years now. I don’t see a freezer being a problem. And if you only got a few years use, it was still cheap.
Ice cream mmmmm!
 
Ice cream mmmmm!


Home made is best.....

None ice cream machine ice cream.

Tin of condensed milk
Tub large of double cream
Add flavour (couple of tablespoons of instant coffee and table spoon of warm water to dissolve/or few spoons of Horlicks powder for a nice malty flavour)
Mix and whisk until thick....
Tip into container and freeze for an hour or so (till part frozen)

Then stir some crushed biscofee biscuits for coffee one
Or malted milk biscuits for Horlicks

Freeze completely and enjoy


Or let your imagination run wild flavour wise
 
Home made is best.....

None ice cream machine ice cream.

Tin of condensed milk
Tub large of double cream
Add flavour (couple of tablespoons of instant coffee and table spoon of warm water to dissolve/or few spoons of Horlicks powder for a nice malty flavour)
Mix and whisk until thick....
Tip into container and freeze for an hour or so (till part frozen)

Then stir some crushed biscofee biscuits for coffee one
Or malted milk biscuits for Horlicks

Freeze completely and enjoy


Or let your imagination run wild flavour wise
Great idea. But all I want is ice cream. Not had one for about 6 weeks 😥
 
Especially 2 for 1( almost) from Morrisons. Mint choc chip. OMG 😆
 
Th

The blurb says about 0.4W
Thanks Dave. Looks like a plan then 👍
Stay safe
I remembered where the meter was, so plugged in soon after I posted ....

When running, using 70W. when compressor not running, used 0.5W (prob meter overhead?).
Will check how many watts used overnight, but 70W on is not very efficient if is has same duty cycle as a fridge. (Freezer is I think a Currys own-brand). I'll do a power update tomorrow.
 
Did my monitoring of the Freezer ...
Make is a Proline. Table-top model of around 35L I would guess, and bought in 2009, so a newer one is likely more efficient?

In 17 Hours of running with only being opened once in that time (funnily enough to get some Ice Cream out of it 🍦🍦), it used 430Wh

so for the maths, 430Wh is around 35Ah, or 607Wh/Day (50Ah) in a full 24 hour Day. That is a fairly hungry appliance

As a Comparison, my Domestic Fridge in the van is rated at 84kWh/Annum - or 230Wh/Day and my power monitoring confirms that be pretty accurate. But this little freezer would seem to be 221kWh/Annum.
Could be a lolly to far? I am sure if buying new a much more efficient model than the one I have monitored should be available?


(Still tempted though myself as thinking a bigger freezer would be handy in the kitchen to replace and free up this one and got enough battery to run the freezer in a weekend away in the summertime)
 
Did my monitoring of the Freezer ...
Make is a Proline. Table-top model of around 35L I would guess, and bought in 2009, so a newer one is likely more efficient?

In 17 Hours of running with only being opened once in that time (funnily enough to get some Ice Cream out of it 🍦🍦), it used 430Wh

so for the maths, 430Wh is around 35Ah, or 607Wh/Day (50Ah) in a full 24 hour Day. That is a fairly hungry appliance

As a Comparison, my Domestic Fridge in the van is rated at 84kWh/Annum - or 230Wh/Day and my power monitoring confirms that be pretty accurate. But this little freezer would seem to be 221kWh/Annum.
Could be a lolly to far? I am sure if buying new a much more efficient model than the one I have monitored should be available?


(Still tempted though myself as thinking a bigger freezer would be handy in the kitchen to replace and free up this one and got enough battery to run the freezer in a weekend away in the summertime)
Any idea what the star or A+ rating was of that freezer was?
The ones I’ve looked at are around the 35 litres mark and show an A+ rating, ranging from 139kwA to 153kwA @ 240volt.
To get a daily consumption at 12 volt, I think I divide by 365 and multiply by 12. So 153 becomes 5+wh
Have I got that right, or am I way off as usual 🤓
Although about twice the price, on eBay there is a 12 volt, 18 litre fridge/freezer @ £219. But I cannot find a power consumption figure for it.
 
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Don't think your maths is right there, TBH.

So White Goods Power is based on annual consumption. 153kWh = 153000Wh /Annum
153,000/365 = 419Wh per day

Power = Volts x Amps. Another way to show that is Current = Power / Voltage. So to get that Watt Hours in Amp Hours (Ah), you divide 419 (Wh)/ 12(V) = 35 (Ah) - so a 153kWh device will use 35Ah a day on a 12V system. Add in inverter overhead of say 10-15% and you are looking at around 40Ah/Day out your batteries.

I don't think size is a big factor in power consumption once the fridge or freezer is down to operating temp, so a smaller unit is no more efficient than a big one.
 
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This might be one you looked at? https://amzn.to/2KCOpVg
Russel Hobbs 32L Freezer, £108, A+ Rated. Power use is 153kW/Annum
an A++ unit will be notably more efficient (if you can find one!)
 
Don't think your maths is right there, TBH.

So White Goods Power is based on annual consumption. 153kWh = 153000Wh /Annum
153,000/365 = 419Wh per day

Power = Volts x Amps, so to get that WattHours in Amp Hours (Ah), you divide 419 (Wh)/ 12(V) = 35 (Ah) - so a 153kWh device will use 35Ah a day on a 12V system. Add in inverter overhead of say 10-15% and you are looking at around 40Ah/Day out your batteries.

I don't think size is a big factor in power consumption once the fridge or freezer is down to operating temp, so a smaller unit is no more efficient than a big one.
So in your opinion would my :- 135x2 ah lead acid batteries, 200 w solar panel , ctek d250 and smartpass be man enough for your estimated 40Ah/Day ? I do tend to move every few days. Although not atm, not moved for 6 weeks, shopping excluded. Batteries at 13.6 volt by midday. Charging tech only
My maths were only out by a power of ten😠. That’s pretty good for me 😬
 
Lead Acid batteries - so can only take down to 50%, giving you a realistic usable capacity of 135Ah.
Your main fridge is 3-way, so that will be using very little battery power.

Solar Contribution ... just looked at my setup as a real-life example and with 460W of solar on a nice April day on Scotland, I have so far put in 70Ah into the battery with a couple of hours of decent harvesting left today (that 70Ah into the battery doesn't include the power the fridge is using either, so will actually be better than 70Ah from the solar).
So getting into the summer (and further south?), I would say a 200W system could make up the 40Ah the freezer would use? and a bad weather day will take around 30% of the USUABLE battery bank power
I don't think it is unrealistic to be able to run a little freezer like that Russell Hobbs one in the van in the summertime, especially if you are touring every few days (y)

I had a look on Amazon to see the current price of the Waeco Coolfreezes (they are very efficient and work well as freezers as well). Currently still pricey but they fluctuate a lot in price (I bought a 36L one for just over £300 in the past, but I managed to catch that price at the right time - usually much more).
I did see this unit - https://amzn.to/2y0axGy . Not got any experience of these, but could be an possible option at £279 for an unit that I *think* is 200Wh/day (the spec writeup is a bit mixed-up. it quotes 0.2kW/h and I think that is meant to be 0.2kW/Day)?
 

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