110 Td5 fridge/expedition question...

[fil2462]

Hi guys and gals,

We're doing a few camping trips this year, specifically around the highland and islands of Scotland, and 'er indoors wants me to plug a 12v fridge in to keep her milk and margerine cold.

Now, if I leave my 12v travel fridge switched on for a few days it'll surely run my battery down (overnight for example) and we may be looking at leaving something on for a day or two without running the engine.

I was thinking of putting 2 batteries on a split charge but know nothing about electrics. I cant afford an expedition fridge at the moment, or those optima batteries - it would have to be 2 standard Defender batteries.

Any ideas or advice?

cheers

[jasper110]

lots of the campsites you'll visit sell milk etc,or you could use UHT and forget the marg, i'm sure someone elsr will be along soon who can help you with the fridge option.

[fil2462]

Thats one option, but we'll be doing some rough camping in areas and tracks a local friend of mine knows.

My idea was to put it in a net and leave it tied to the lannie, but she's having none of it! :p

[mmgemini]

You do not need to change your vehicle battery. Just add another battery for the fridge.

A split charge relay can be bought for less than twenty quid from Vehicle Wiring Products. Or a caravan shop.

I do suggest you have a look at a proper second battery. The battery may seem expensive but you'll only get waht you pay for. Paying 40 quid for another vehicle type battery will not help. The battery might not last very long. You need at least 90amp hr battery to run a fridge. A vehicle battery of that price will be nearly as much as a deep cycle battery.

Do you have a fridge or an electronic coolbox ? Can you adjust the fridge temperature. If you can run the coolbox at the lowest temperature you can while driveing. Then bring the temperature up to 0 for overnight use.

HTH

[fil2462]

Thats great, thanks. Ive seen a split charge system on www.wizardbilt.com (http://www.wizardbilt.com) which I assume will be pretty good. The batteries Ill be using will aslo be pretty big (i think 50+ amps?) so do you reckon this will be safe to leave a small electrix (12v plug in) fridge on for 24 hours or so?

Does anyone have these expedition fridges, and if so whats so good about them to justify the £hundreds?

Cheers

[mmgemini]

I have an Engel.
I can justify the price because I use it in Southern Africa.
You can freeze things in it. BElieve me it will freeze a two liter bottle of Coke overnight on 240volt hook-up.

My Minus40 fridge freezer would run for 27 hours before it cut it'self off.

Have a look at my truck here

http://www.landroveraddict.com/smf/index.php?topic=340175.0

and here

http://www.landroveraddict.com/smf/index.php?topic=340175.0

You might pinch some ideas.

[mmgemini]

I've just looked at Wizards wiring diagram.
That's fine except for one thing.
Don't use it with a TD5 or certain 100amp alternators.

The 85 to alternator W terminal. Change that to any ignition wire. A White wire. You will fry the alternator using that W wire.

Don't ask how I know please :eek:

[fil2462]

...how do you know that...?!

Please bear in mind, im colourblind and as such have NEVER gotten into electrics and don't understand the first thing about them. I can rebuild Landrovers on Galvanised chassis, but as far as electrics go I can barely replace a headlamp bulb...!

[fil2462]

Superb ideas on landrover addict, mmgemini - thanks!

[nitwit 66]

We have a 40l Engel and run it on fridge or freezer setting when the engine is going. When vehicle is stationary we set it to cooler setting and everything stays as cold as it was. We also have a fridge cover whichg we keep zipped so maybe this helps with keeping things cool.

[Snagger]

I have a 40l Waeco fridge, which freezes things if you turn the controller down. It's a 3-way fridge, which means it will run on 240V AC, 12V DC and gas. We leave it running on the gas at the camp sites, and on the vehicle's second battery when on the move or stopping for one night only.

We recently used it for two months at home while AEG screwed us about over replacing the house fridge, and will be using it again for the extra bits and pieces over Christmas - it's a very flexible piece of kit, and was a much better value option than an Engel at £140. Engels are very good, but they're also highly over-priced, as are Optima batteries. Excide batteries are better value, but your local dedicated battery supplier (not Halfords or similar) or auto-electrician will be able to provide you with a far more cost effective battery solution of similar capability.

My only regret over it is that it doesn't have a locking lid, relying just on gravity, and doesn't have good lashing points, so it needs to have ratchet straps over its lid to secure it on the move.

[nitwit 66]

We just have a bog standard battery and everything runs fine on it.

[toppa]

I gained a 60-65ltr engel, have used it a few times, both in truck and inddors...cant fault it, but yes if actually buying one, the price is high...


Cheers