Cost of having a fridge

[schmik]

I have just been using my techni ice 70L for the last couple of years. Biggest trip with it was 7 weeks and the latest trip was 4 weeks.  Works for us! We are a family of 5 so it gets open and closed a lot. I like to drink beer so am adding heaps of warm cans to it. Only needs a top up of ice every 3 or 4 days.  Last 4 week trip.... About $70 or $80.   The ice box cost $170.

If if pack it right using Tupperware containers ther is no water in the butter and no meat juice on the beer.

I'd love fridge but every time I see the price + fridge slide + dual battery setup + remaking my drawer setup to fit it I just can't be bothered.

[MDS69]

Bert could be onto something. People have been camping for years using just eskies and ice and other basics and still do. Sometime we probably get caught up in the camping gadget thing and haul a heap of stuff deemed unneccesary by some
fridges
batteries
solar panels
generators
battery charges
fans
tv's
DVD players
bread makers
coffee machines
shade shelters
reclining chairs
those big queen size beds that are off the ground
camp oven
dream pots or whatever they are called
$60k CT's

the list goes on

it is like we are trying to replicate everything we have at home but we go camping to get away from the big smoke and back to basics.
What happened to a sleeping bag in a 4 man tent with a single burner on the gas bottle and jaffle iron or banger sangers whilst sitting on a log around a fire.

BTW I have 2 x fridges
solar panels
2 x batteries
CT (but less than $10k) so I am not immune.

[heath74]

One waeco one engel, family of 4 standard dual batt setup, plus some solar. What I like is not stressing about the soggy snags that come out of ice.  I find the food wastage with an esky is huge.  With a fridge, you get home and know the food is fine, so it might go in the house fridge.

And of course who ever put a price on cold beer?

[cheif carlos]

average size of ice to food required is about 20%

just bought another fridge 78ltARB - Xmas pressie to myself 

[Crisp Image]

Well we have one fridge and and we bought it after borrowing one for a 2 week trip. I installed a home made duel battery system (design and purchased parts) home made fridge slide and draws.
I love not getting soggy wet food out to eat. I also like unpacking excess food and just placing itin the fridge at home. It also comes in handy when going shopping in other towns and we buy out meat in bulk. Chuck it in the fridge and it can stay there until we get home and get around to unpacking it.

As for cost..... Fridge was $1K Duel battery system $400 slide and draws (home made) $300.

Regards
Crispy
 

[Kit_e_kat9]

We too have the convenience of a "fridge" when camping.  Evakool 60L.  We used a 60L esky & 2ltr milk bottles of ice from the moment we purchased the CT ... which came with 2 batteries and all the solar connections, we just didn't have a fridge or panels.

We still don't have a dual battery setup in the vehicle.  We don't have chargers.  We have 2 x 100AH batteries & (now) 2 x 120W panels (Thanks Jetcrew ... We love them). 

He loves having ice in his Rum & Coke and we don't mind the odd ice cream cone.

Would we go back to esky and ice?  Only if we really, really, really, really, really, really had to ... but I'm thinking not.  It's just like asking if we'd go back to digging a hole rather than using the porta loo.  Or if we'd go back to a 2 man tent rather than towing the CT.  No question which we prefer.

Kit_e

[gronk]

Can't beat the fridge, but because the fridge in the van is an upright, it doesn't like being opened lots of times ( 14 beers a night is lots ), so have resorted to using a small Waeco 22ltr esky for the beer....but usually only for weekends as I couldn't be bothered to get more ice on a longer trip..

If you only do weekends and your happy to use an esky, then keep it up........but most people who have had a fridge wouldn't go back !!

Kit e..........funny that, but I've gone back to digging a hole rather than fill up the porta potti with no.2's......

[Nomad]

I am a foot in both camps bloke.

Fridge for food esky for beer.

I freeze ice in orange juice bottles, which we can then drink..........

If I do have food in the esky and  I have to replace ice, a 4 / 5kg bag of ice goes nicely into one of those zippable dog food bags quite well, washed out of course, this stops water going everywhere and having soggy food. Makes the ice last a bit longer too.

I think the best thing about an esky though is when you get home and do the clean up being able to drink the left overs out of that nice cold ice slurry, whilst hosing the sand / mud etc off the car and trailer.

Cheers Nomad.
 

[nbd73]

Some interesting thoughts here. The real killer (as mentioned several times) is availability of ice - there are many places where you just can't get it.

it is like we are trying to replicate everything we have at home but we go camping to get away from the big smoke and back to basics.
What happened to a sleeping bag in a 4 man tent with a single burner on the gas bottle and jaffle iron or banger sangers whilst sitting on a log around a fire

What happened is idiots that leave fires still smouldering/not put out properly, forcing governments to ban open fires virtually everywhere. No camp fire has forced some people to resort to other nite time entertainment such as the aforementioned TV.
One point: the coldest beer possible IMHO is still achieved in the slurry of ice & water quoted by Nomad, no fridge can achieve this without freezing the beer.

[bobnrob]

Would love to have a fridge, but to some like me...cost compared to convenience is a major thing! I do have the 3 way that came with our Cub, but I refuse to run it on gas
So I have large Techni Ice esky, never had soggy bread or other foods, and it keeps the minister's wine chilled...but I continue to dream of maybe one day having a fridge

[WaituiRob]

For nearly 3 years with the campertrailer we had a 50 litre cooler with 3 x 2 litre frozen bottles of water. As there are only 2 of us, worked well for us and when needed put a bag of ice into a large plastic container. No mess.

Now that we have a pop top caravan we use the fridge on gas most of the time, not while travelling though. We`ve found that meat is still frozen after 8 hours on the road, so no need to run it off the car battery.

Bobnrob, just wondering why you won`t run your fridge on gas?    Robyn.

[Nomad]

Bert could be onto something. People have been camping for years using just eskies and ice and other basics and still do. Sometime we probably get caught up in the camping gadget thing and haul a heap of stuff deemed unneccesary by some
fridges
batteries
solar panels
generators
battery charges
fans
tv's
DVD players
bread makers
coffee machines
shade shelters
reclining chairs
those big queen size beds that are off the ground
camp oven
dream pots or whatever they are called
$60k CT's

the list goes on

it is like we are trying to replicate everything we have at home but we go camping to get away from the big smoke and back to basics.
What happened to a sleeping bag in a 4 man tent with a single burner on the gas bottle and jaffle iron or banger sangers whilst sitting on a log around a fire.

BTW I have 2 x fridges
solar panels
2 x batteries
CT (but less than $10k) so I am not immune.

When I was at Cotton Tree last, see the thread, there was one older lady there. She has a Little Suzuki, two man tent, one chair and a little gas stove...........and seemed as happy as a pig in mud..........din't get to talk to her, but all her stuff looked well used and she seemed to have it down to a fine art. Reminds me of camping pre kids..............or having to drag all that sh!ite around to keep SWMBO happy who as to be talked back into camping.

[Diksta]

Hi all,

I've added up the cost of having fridges compared to eskies.

I NOW DON'T KNOW WHY I WANTED FRIDGES IN THE FIRST PLACE. HOW OFTEN ARE WE THAT FAR FROM CIVILISATION THAT WE CAN'T GET ICE. I WOULDN'T HAVE BOTHERED IF I HAD KNOWN THE REAL COST.

2 waeco's...$1200
Dual battery set up, including a 70 a/h marine battery...$900
Powersonic battery to replace marine battery...$280
700 watt generator...$400
Petrol for generator...$5/day based on coastal pricing
Battery chargers...$330
Solar kit...$450
Wire...$120
Plugs, switches etc...$200
2 X 31 Litre fridge of meat when the marine battery collapsed...$100

Nearly $4000 in 18 months and a lot of heart ache trying to get set up, that is a hell of a lot of ice. I've got 1 large (100 litre) and 2 small eskies sitting in the shed. Only the small ones get used now. I should have bought a 140 litre tucker box freezer for at home and made my own ice.

Bert

went to the cape this yr and one of my fridges died, pain in the a trying to get ice everywhere etc, give me a good fridge and dual battery set up any day

[blackcat]

after doing the cape this year with one 60ltr evakook for food, and one evakool ice box for drinks and having trouble with keeping ice as ice and not water, then having to store drinks in bjf's HUGE fridge, we came home and upgraded  we now have a 40 ltr engel in the back of the car and a dual battery system. Couldn't be happier, we consider the cost worth it for the convienience of cold drinks and not having to worry about ice!
 

[WilSurf]

It seems that Bert has started something but he hasn't popped back in.

[austastar]

I do have the 3 way that came with our Cub, but I refuse to run it on gas

Hi,
   I'm curious to know why.


Given the right conditions of a long term camp and temperate weather they do work quite well.


They are at their worst trying to run on 12V on a hot day, stuck in a town some where while the Mrs goes shopping. It is not worth the trouble of switching over to gas and the heat is guzzling Voltage out of the battery as you wait in the sun out side each shop needing a full inventory taken of its 'interesting stuff'.


cheers

[bert56]

I'm still here WilSurf.

For those with just eskies ice can be kept for over a week with the addition of a small amount of Dry ice on the bottom of your esky and the ice in large as possible blocks, not those just frozen bags you buy.

The main thing I miss about eskies is how cold the beer is. Even at home I prefer my beer packed in ice out of an esky.

Bert

[Top.ender]

I'm still here WilSurf.

For those with just eskies ice can be kept for over a week with the addition of a small amount of Dry ice on the bottom of your esky and the ice in large as possible blocks, not those just frozen bags you buy.

The main thing I miss about eskies is how cold the beer is. Even at home I prefer my beer packed in ice out of an esky.

Bert

Agree with the Beer comment...

[BigJules]

I use my primary fridge, 10yo 40L Engel, almost every day in the back of my Cruiser.

[Bird]

For those with just eskies ice can be kept for over a week with the addition of a small amount of Dry ice on the bottom of your esky and the ice in large as possible blocks, not those just frozen bags you buy

interesting... both times I've gone to buy dry ice the dudes have told me not to or you'll freeze everything solid. dry ice is  minus 74 degrees. Both had had people come back and complain about it with steaks that wouldnt defrost in the BHP Smelters....

This was to go in my Techni ice box.

[MDSimpson]

Cost compared to convenience is nothing. I wonder how much bigger you esky has to be to get the same amount of food/drinks in and cold for 7 days as opposed to my 50lt fridge?

The cost of the setup, is little compared to the convenience of cold food a drinks anywhere, anytime.
My fridge lives in my tug, 24x7. I am currently doing Lite n Easy (diet stuff) and I can put a whole weeks worth of food in the fridge and does not matter where work sends me, Hunter Valley, Wollongong, Southern Highlands, all I need is a hotel with a microwave and I am all good, no breaking the diet, no un explained expenses.

For this little black duck, convenience over cost wins for me...

[TOPNDR]

For us "camping" is about being in the bush, enjoying the friendly folk one meets most of the time, the peace & quiet (when camped away from those with generators).  It no longer means putting up a tent, sleeping on the ground with a rock under one's hip, etc, etc.

So we happily tow our Quantum and enjoy cooking outdoors, sitting outdoors, socialising outdoors.  We also enjoy the comfort of a proper bed, a hot shower, and a dunny.

Six Star camping at its best! 

And bugger being without the fridges. A Waeco CF60 in the Cruiser and an Evakool 60 litre in the Quantum.   

[Barry G]

Me and the 2 billy lids did NSW and Southern Qld in Oct - Dec, out as far as Winton and then back to Broken Hill & Bourke via Innaminca & Cameron Corner with a Waeco Ice box, and one of those heat pump boxes for the milk.  Actually worked quite well, all things considered.
Now have a 39 litre 2nd hand Autofridge, 100amp hr battery in the rear of the tug and 87 amp hour battery in the trailer. About to re-equip with solar.
THe reason I went this way is that I wanted to be free to avoid van parks altogether.  Remote camping is an instant saving in that respect, which more than compensates for the cost of the fridge and electrics, IMO.

[schmik]

LOL... Barry. Your post gave me a good chuckle.

If i have a  fridge i don't have to go to caravan parks.   Try telling that one to Burke and Wills...
Let me guess if they a had Waeco they would have make it!

mike

[Barry G]

LOL... Barry. Your post gave me a good chuckle.

If i have a  fridge i don't have to go to caravan parks.   Try telling that one to Burke and Wills...
Let me guess if they a had Waeco they would have make it!

mike

Could have phrased that better I guess.     Fridge + solar = no van parks.
Was actually using the parks to freeze 'blue ice blocks' in their fridge freezers, and to charge camera batteries, etc.

I had little trouble keeping lettuce crisp wrapped in newspaper, and the like.

What Burke and Wills needed was common sense!  LOL