SnoozyRedoozy II

[MCDenny]

Originally Posted by Gleam B

I don't know anything about 12v refrigerators, but would like to learn about them for future consideration. Any info on brands and where one could purchase these would be appreciated. The wooden backing for the light over the bed was both glued and screwed. I have used 1/2" screws in other remodel applications with no problems. Just be careful!!! BTW... how long would such a refer run without draining the battery. I am considering adding another deep cycle marine type battery to supplement the one we have. Any suggestions??? Thanks

Here's a link http://www.truckfridge.com/tf130.html to a 4.4 cu ft model with a danfoss compressor selling for $600. There are marine models in more sizes with the same compressor for more money.

I have the std 3.6 cu ft dorm size fridge, two 6v, 220 ah batteries and a 600w true sine wave inverter. The fridge ran on the fully charged batteries for 48 hours over two 85 degree days with the trailer in the full sun and the windows open.

The problem with the inverter is it is expensive plus uses some energy whenever it is turned on, even with no load, and has less than perfect efficiency when using 12v to support a 120v AC load. The fridge is the only significant 120v load in the trailer that is practical to support with batteries.

Cooking, heating and hot water take too much current. Cell phone and computer charging are very small loads that can run with a very small inverter and those devices can often be charged directly from 12v if you have the adapter that plugs into a cigarette lighter socket.

A 12v fridge eliminates the high power inverter and would be more efficient, so would run on the same battery bank longer. When you are plugged into shore power the battery charger keeps the batteries topped up, no matter how much current you draw, up to the capacity of the charge of course.

We haven't dry camped hardly at all but use the fridge on battery power whenever we are on the road. If you drive all day you need the fridge to be working or anything frozen will thaw and the cold items will get too warm.

A lesson I learned the hard way about inverters: they draw lots of current - 600 w is 50 amps at 12v. You need fat wire, short runs and solid connections to keep the voltage at the inverter input terminals to stay high enough to not trigger it's under-voltage safety cutout.

[Gleam B]

OK.
The last item on my list was to relocate the spare to outside of the trailer. I never liked the lost storage space under the bed and once had the unpleasant task of emptying out the storage to get to the spare. I was lucky it wasn't raining. Mounted it to the side under the kitchen window. Would have liked a matching "Snoozy" cover for it....are you listening, Alan?!

Next, I want to replace the a/c with an 8000 btu unit that comes close to the dimensions of the original unit. Any ideas???

[honda03842]

Glenn, after 9 years I needed a new tire cover for the spare on our 2004 Honda CRV. I bought a blank black tire cover for $10 and a Honda Decal for $3. It actually looks better than the original. I suspect you could buy a logo decal from Snoozy.

[Brian B-P]

When TLG4FUN showed his Lil Snoozy spare mount I asked:

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Nice and tidy... but why so far back and so high?

I later realized that he used a commercially available bracket adapted to mount to the frame, and that bracket determined the height, but I still don't know why it is so far back.

Glenn, I see you're using a different bracket design, mounted to or through the body wall, but I have the same question:

Nice and tidy... but why so far back (especially when it started in the front) and so high?

[David B.]

Originally Posted by Gleam B

OK.
The last item on my list was to relocate the spare to outside of the trailer. I never liked the lost storage space under the bed and once had the unpleasant task of emptying out the storage to get to the spare. I was lucky it wasn't raining. Mounted it to the side under the kitchen window. Would have liked a matching "Snoozy" cover for it....are you listening, Alan?!

Next, I want to replace the a/c with an 8000 btu unit that comes close to the dimensions of the original unit. Any ideas???

I did what Norm did, but bought a white one and had a local guy at our local swap meet air brush what I wanted on it (he normally does t-shirts).

[Gleam B]

Nice job on the custom cover!

Did Honda sell the blank white cover. Great idea.!

The reason why so "far back...."

I originally wanted it just up and back of the passenger side wheel. I didn't like the way it looked there, so I kept moving it around until I found my "spot". It was easy for me to mount the bracket under the sink, although I could have easily removed the refrigerator. The bracket was purchased from Northern Tool, on sale for about $16. It mounts with four bolts that go through the side. I backed up the fiberglass with wood, to help distribute any stress, but I had called Alan at the factory and he didn't seem to think it needed the backing. We both agreed that it " couldn't hurt ".

Maybe one day I'll get a new cover that is more pleasing to the eye. Happy Trails!

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Gleam B

The reason why so "far back...."

... I didn't like the way it looked there, so I kept moving it around until I found my "spot". It was easy for me to mount the bracket under the sink, although I could have easily removed the refrigerator...

Thanks Glenn. I appreciate both the "looks right" approach and the need to find a spot with suitable access from the inside, with this design of bracket. Was there any consideration of the effect on tongue weight or stability?

How about the height... same reasoning? Other than access for installation of the bracket, I can't think of any reason to mount the bottom of the tire any higher than the bottom of the flat part of the wall.

[Gleam B]

There really isn't a "flat" part of the wall. If you look at my photo, the well has a slight angle. I didn't like it as well., and I considered "canting out" the bottom of the bracket. I thought about tongue weight. That's why I wanted it right behind the wheel well. We'll just have to wait and see if I screwed up. That's why they invented Bondo.

[carlkeigley]

I like it

[Bonita]

Carl Keigley, our Snoozy seems quite thin-walled also. I think it may have been the first (or one of the first) made after they changed fiberglass composition and/or vendors. They went through it in at least 1 or 2 spots at the factory - discovered this, with ends of a couple of screws rusted, when I took down the mini-blinds. Noticed they also added shims behind some of the screws and layered washers, presumably to give more depth to screw into.