refrigerator

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Does anyone have any experience with coolmatic fridges? I just got a new dometic which does not fit. I thought I was careful about measuring, but it is way too deep. I thought height and width were the only considerations and now I will have to pay shipping. So I will be more careful this time. I called trillium and they are installing coolmatic fridges that run off the battery or land line with converter. I like the idea as they are well suited to solar operation but I don't want to end up with another refridgerator I don't want/can't use. Any thoughts any one? Is there an advantage to gas power fridge, or would coolmatic be the way to go?
Thanks.

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Hi Maggie! :wave

I don't know anything about the coolmatics in particular, but do you know the amperage it will use when running on DC?

My Dometic pulls 10 or more amps per hour (someone please correct me, for I think it may be as much as 12). Since my solar panel only generates 3.1 amps under perfect conditions, you can see there's no way our set up would support it.

Doesn't mean it can't be done... A 3.1 amp panel isn't all that big (it's about 45 watts), and we just have a single house battery. Also our fridge is probably larger than what you're looking at (given that your dimensions are restrictive).

But, yes, running a refrigerator on propane is really a good way to go if you're planning on boon-docking.

I'm guessing Norcold doesn't make a fridge small enough, either? :nope

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Boon-docking......run the fridge on propane!!! :)

You'll spend more on a solar panel that'll feed it than the cost of the fridge. :o

Use the solar to replentish low amp electrical usage.

Two propane bottles and two batteries are helpful.

I have both a portable AC/DC fridge and a 3-way installed in the trailer.

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Don, your comment reminded me we have one of those electric coolers (ours is Igloo) that doesn't have a compressor, but runs a (loud) little fan and cools 30 or more degrees below the ambient temp.

So, I did a google for coolmatics and found:

COOLMATIC MDC-50

Capacity: 45 litres, including 4 litres freezer compartment
Voltage: 12/24 volts
Average power input: 45 watts
Power consumption: at 5°C interior temperature and 25°C ambient temperature: 0,8 Ah/h, and at 32°C ambient temperature: 1.0 Ah/h
System: fully hermetic Danfoss BD35F compressor with integrated control electronics, low-voltage protection adjustable for consumer or starter battery, electronic fuse, automatic reverse pole protection, statically ventilated wire condenser, aluminium rollbond evaporator; mechanical, continuously variable thermostat
Material: body of plastic, middle section of coated sheet steel; inside door lining and interior: polystyrene (white); door with magnetic sealing, door with double lock (top and bottom), door for right or left mounting
Colour: door frame/body: grey; coated door panel (pale grey)
Insulation: 35 mm solid polyurethane foam
Delivery kit: height-adjustable coated folding grille with locking shackles and fixture; interior light as standard
Weight: 15 kg

Ref. No. MDC-050

Accessory:
Ventilation panel

Ref. No. 8000G-003


Contents, specifications and availability are subject to changes serving the technical improvement.

Notice it says at 32 C degrees, it only uses one amp/hour.

I dunno. Might work?

More info

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Wow, thanks for responding. It sounds like it might be a good thing. Does anybody out there have one of these coolmatics? I think norcold makes a model that will fit depthwise but the other measurements are off. I think we'll have to build a collar for whatever we get. I like the idea of a groovy coolmatic magic refrigerator, but there is a lot to be said for tried and true too.

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Well, Maggie, to be honest, if Norcold makes a 3 way that will work, I'm conservative enough to advise you to go with that - the propane feature is really that good!

But, maybe someone else will chime in here, someone who's seen one of these Coolmatics in action. Even at only 1 amp per hour, that's still 24 amp hours a day... which is significant. (But, like I said, it might work; you'd surely want two batteries. Do you have room for two batteries?)

If you do go the coolmatics route, I'll sure be interested in hearing your experiences with it!!

:sunny

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Maggi O
I like the idea of having propane on my fridge.I do have 2 Batteries on my unit but prefere Propane.
My 2Cents CDN:wave

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Orginally posted by Mary F
that doesn't have a compressor, but runs a (loud) little fan and cools 30 or more degrees below the ambient temp.

30 degrees??? so if it's 100 degrees out your unit would be 70 degrees inside, unless you have the ac on. not good eough for most things. I ran a ref (on the large size) in Miss, once in 112 degree weather. everything stayed nice. ran propane in the day and elec. at night. propane at night would freeze the lettuce. I know I could have just turned it down, but I don't like the propane lighter light when I'm trying to sleep. :) usually ended up taping a paper over it. :lol

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Orginally posted by Mary F
COOLMATIC MDC-50
Capacity: 45 litres, including 4 litres freezer compartment
Voltage: 12/24 volts
Average power input: 45 watts
Notice it says at 32 C degrees, it only draws one amp.

I don't want to rain on your parade:sad but power (P) equals current (I) times voltage (V) ie P=IE. Therefore an average input power of 45 watts at 12 volts requires approximately 4 amps of current.

Larry (x USAF electronics instructor)

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Larry, I was just quoting the part where it says:

Power consumption: at 5°C interior temperature and 25°C ambient temperature: 0,8 Ah/h, and at 32°C ambient temperature: 1.0 Ah/h


But I won't argue, it sounds too good to be true!

:cblob


p.s. I always preferred watts = amps x volts. But you're right. I didn't check their math this time. :wink

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Originally posted by Thomas and Janifer

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE

Originally posted by Mary F
that doesn't have a compressor, but runs a (loud) little fan and cools 30 or more degrees below the ambient temp.

30 degrees??? so if it's 100 degrees out your unit would be 70 degrees inside, unless you have the ac on. not good eough for most things. [/quote]

Exactly, Jana. We got it to use in a motel. And in a motel room we were able to actually keep milk. BUT, the little fan is loud enough that we always had to set it in the bathroom, and keep the door shut... It does run on 12v, and with an extension cord we could (and did, but only a time or two) put it in the back of our pickup (we have a shell top), plug it into the truck's powerpoint. In summer, it really wasn't very effective... and we've not used it in years. There's a reason I had forgotten we even have the thing.

:sunny

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We have a Koolatron which is the same type of cooler as Mary has described.

The fan is noticable but not a bother but our fan has been replaced and the old fan had gotten quite loud before it quit.

We use it in the van all the time and it keeps things cold. On the very hottest summer days it must be kept in the shade but there have only been a couple of times we found it didn't keep things cool enough. Then we add ice. We have a thermometer inside it and keep an eye on the temp on really hot days.

We even use it at Christmas when the house fridge is full.

It will run for about 4 hours off the van battery. Some people run them off a solar panel.
Nancy

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OK I think I'm getting a headache... I looked into the norcold with the depth of 21 inches. Our cabinet is 19 inches deep. The dometic which is sitting in the camper right now is 24 inches deep. Those three inches would make a big difference. So we were going to ship the dometic back and get the Norcold (or coolmatic) until...I noticed the advertised dimension of this dometic is also 21 inches deep. Does that mean the norcold is really also 24? I think we may keep this dometic and frame it in somehow. The longer it is in our yard the more we are bonding with. I don't like to pay shipping once let alone three times. I really appreciate the responses about propane. It seems there is an advantage to go that way.

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here's a link to norcolds conversion charts.

http://www.norcold.com/conversion_main.cfm

I think dometic also has one on their site. Personally, I prefer a 3 way fridge- ac/battery/propane- like the boy scouts--- Always Be Prepared !!!
Get it?( I know; my humour is strange)

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Okay.....I know that all of you are going to jump on me quicker that I can cry uncle....but I just gotta ask this. Every once in a while, I get this bottle neck in my brain when there's so much info coming in it gets jammed up and can't get through to my logic.

Most people say that a three-way fridge is better. Got that. Gas...now that one goes without saying. It's easy to understand. Here's my dilemma. In order to use the fridge on AC, I need to be hooked up to shore power. Got that. Piece of cake. Okay....here's where I'm confused. IF I'm hooked up to shore power and I have a converter and my battery is getting recharged, why couldn't I run it off of DC while plugged into shore power just like my lights? I know that my fridge draws so much power that it will drain the battery IF I'm not plugged in, but if I am....why is that different than running it off AC?

Somehow, it almost seems like a redundancy. I know that I'm missing something here, but not quite sure what it is.

Thanks.

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Hmmm... I'm not sure I get that joke. I've been polishing the trailer today, I think it's lowered my IQ. I'd seen that conversion page at norcold. It's strange that they consider so many models interchangeable. The dometic we bought is considered the replacement for the one that came with the trailer. It sticks out about 4 inches from the cabinet. when we first saw it we thought this is no good. I think now, it'll have to do. We are learning as we go. I'm sorry we threw out the original fridge maybe we could have gotten it rebuilt? No, I'm not really sorry. It was in terrible condition. It was the right size tho'. Argh!

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From what I can see how you run your fridge is all a matter of efficiencies.

Gas - fridge runs best because it heats the mix chamber the best.

AC- the next best because it doesn't draw off your batteries and the heat strip is usually a bit bigger than the dc one.

DC draws from your batterie(s) or your inverter.

It may just be because I have an older model, But I find AC and DC take a lot longer to cool down the fridge initially, compared to propane

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Hi Joe
I agree with your statment.I much prefere Propane.:wave

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I believe the Coolmatic is manufactured by Waeco. You can do a search on Waeco, which will come up with the US distributor (something-Barbour, I recall). The Waeco fridges are used in the new Trilliums Outback's manufactured in Calgary, Alberta. Joe Thoen of Outback is also the Canadian distributor of Waeco.

They are compressor driven, like a household unit. No propane, so perhaps safer, but battery draw.

Hope this helps


Rick

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Originally posted by Suz

IF I'm hooked up to shore power and I have a converter and my battery is getting recharged, why couldn't I run it off of DC while plugged into shore power just like my lights? I know that my fridge draws so much power that it will drain the battery IF I'm not plugged in, but if I am....why is that different than running it off AC?

Suz, you may remember me telling you that our older Casita had a 2-way powered refrigerator (DC and GAS) which is unusual to see in today's market. Several times we camped with electric hookup and ran it on DC (not knowing any better, plus the folks we bought from never ran it on propane - they didn't use any of the propane systems in the trailer, having switched the water heater out for an electric, always cooked outdoors on their Coleman portable stove, etc.).

Anyway, when we ran the refrigerator on DC like that, the converter/charger ran almost constantly. Nice ambient noise to drown out the sounds from the neighboring campsites, but surely not good for the converter to run so long...