Scamp Fridge

[Matthew A]

I am looking to purchase a Scamp trailer, but becuase of past trailer experience have some reservations about the fridge.

For those of you who own a Scamp when trialering how do you power the fridge 12v or propane?

In my last trialer the 12v did not have the wattage to keep the system cool for very long and when using propane the flame would blow out after about 30 min of driving.

Just wondering what kind of experience those of you who own a Scamp have had.

Thanks

[JMS]

In our Burro, I removed the ice box and installed a residential 1.7cuft. refrigerator. I attached some aluminum angle to the four sides, screwed that into the cabinet face, blocked & secured under the fridge at the rear to reduce the stress on the angle and then picture framed the refrig with some moulding. Then I installed a 400w inverter under the front bunk and wired that into the Burro battery and then installed 2 duplex receptacles in a 2 gang box mounted on the backside of the cabinet face. One of the duplex receptacles is wired into the inverter, the other to 120v. When mobile I turn on the inverter and plug into the inverter side of the receptacle. When parked and connected to the campground's 120v, I turn off the inverter and switch the plug to the other receptacle. Problem solved!

[Fred Bell]

I have a Dometic in my Scamp 13' ('94). When towing I power it with the TV's alternator. It doesn't really keep the interior cold when traveling, but cool enough so that I've never had anything spoil. I always start the fridge the day before I leave with house AC, so that I start the next day with the fridge as cold as I can get it.

[Robert Johans]

I am in the process of installing a Dometic 3-way 1.9 cuft reefer into my 13' Scamp at this very moment. I have found on this forum and elsewhere on the net many useful pieces of info. Here's are the key points I've learned so far:

1 Properly directing and controlling the intake and exhaust air with appropriate vents and baffles at the backside of the reefer is imperative. Add small computer fan to help exhaust hot air. See: http://www.fridge-and-solar.net/fridge_vent.htm

2 Protect the unit from the ambient air temperature with an insulated shroud or enclosure.

3 Pre-cool the fridge with 110v power the day before you hit the road.

4 Ensure that you have dedicated line of 12v power to your reefer. Use the 12v mode while in transit.

5 Use the propane mode when boondocking. Use 110v mode when shore power is available. (I would not drive with the propane lit.)


Dometic_Refrig_RM2191_RM2193.pdf

[Fred Bell]

Whenever the outside temperature is over 90, I hang a little muffin fan on the side of my trailer so that it pulls the air from the top exhaust vent. This really helps move the hot air off the coils. I rest it on the belly trim and also installed a couple of small magnets to help keep it there. I ran a 12V line into the fridge compartment next the 110V outlet and installed female banana plugs on the end. The muffin fan has the male banana plug ends. If I only run it for a few hours the draw off of the battery is negligible.

[Patrick M.]

On our 2005 Scamp 13', I ran it on 12V while traveling and 120V or gas when camped. The 12V seemed to keep everything cold.

I now have a Casita and run on gas when traveling, and the design is such that it stays lit (although I think the computer exhaust fan helps). Some people have put a fiberglass furnace filter in the grill to keep drafts from keeping the pilot light from being blown out. I haven't found this necessary.