GeriatricWanderer
Free Member
- Feb 1, 2015
- 1,194
- 4,199
- Funster No
- 34,964
- MH
- Pop-Top Campervan
- Exp
- 45years
Probably of more interest to some campervanners than to motorhomers.
If you run a compressor fridge and like to overnight off-grid, you might find this a useful way to stretch your leisure battery charge.
It’s a takes a little effort but I find it very effective when off grid for a couple of days. Definitely worth the effort
Clearly it wouldn’t work for everyone.
When you are either driving or on hook-up, put a few, I use 4, of those blue freezer blocks into your ice box (you’ll probably have to forego using the ice box for food).
Once you’re off grid, choose a suitable time of day (I do it when I turn in at night) and move the freezer blocks from the ice box into the fridge and turn off the fridge. If you plan ahead a little you’ll find that you don’t need to open the fridge again until the morning by when the freezer blocks will probably have thawed but your fridge will still be cold enough to have kept everything fresh and safe – and your battery hasn’t been used at all. I use a little 99p Chinese Ebay thermometer to keep a check.
I’ve done this many times and usually find only about a 3 degree increase in temperature in an eight hour overnight period. You can play with the fridge settings and probably keep it colder/longer as it suits you. Obviously, the length of time it stays cold depends on the fridge temperature when you switch it off and the ambient temperature while it’s off.
If you’re off-griding on a campsite they often offer a freezer block freezing service.
It works for me.
If you run a compressor fridge and like to overnight off-grid, you might find this a useful way to stretch your leisure battery charge.
It’s a takes a little effort but I find it very effective when off grid for a couple of days. Definitely worth the effort
Clearly it wouldn’t work for everyone.
When you are either driving or on hook-up, put a few, I use 4, of those blue freezer blocks into your ice box (you’ll probably have to forego using the ice box for food).
Once you’re off grid, choose a suitable time of day (I do it when I turn in at night) and move the freezer blocks from the ice box into the fridge and turn off the fridge. If you plan ahead a little you’ll find that you don’t need to open the fridge again until the morning by when the freezer blocks will probably have thawed but your fridge will still be cold enough to have kept everything fresh and safe – and your battery hasn’t been used at all. I use a little 99p Chinese Ebay thermometer to keep a check.
I’ve done this many times and usually find only about a 3 degree increase in temperature in an eight hour overnight period. You can play with the fridge settings and probably keep it colder/longer as it suits you. Obviously, the length of time it stays cold depends on the fridge temperature when you switch it off and the ambient temperature while it’s off.
If you’re off-griding on a campsite they often offer a freezer block freezing service.
It works for me.