New caravan options and design questions

Holden_man

Holden_man

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Aug 21, 2012
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Brisbane - Carindale
Hi Folks,
We are in the initial processes of buying a new van, and was hoping you guys can provide some experience on various options and changes I am thinking of in that new van. In affect, can you help me with design and options please. As things progress I will list my questions here, which may also help others going through a similar process in the future......
 
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crackacoldie

crackacoldie

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Jan 8, 2013
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Newcastle NSW
I run two 100amp hr batteries in the van with 240watts of solar panels on the roof. In the 3 years we have had this van the batteries have never gone flat and the fridge never gets switched off. At home I don't plug into mains power. The draw from the compressor fridge is much lower than the 3 way fridges.
image.jpg
 
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achjimmy

achjimmy

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Jan 24, 2011
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I learnt the hard way in Adelaide once why you don't leave your power cord wound up when using it. Get a decent load and it becomes a fused together mess. Cords must always be rolled out, the wiring is rated to be exposed.
 
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achjimmy

achjimmy

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Note we have never had a compressor fridge @Holden_man but like you have considered it and I keep thinking about it. We were going to go Waeco compressor on our new Expanda but got warned off by the potential running noise. Plus the solar etc etc. that was 5 yrs ago and I don't regret our chioce but now with the benefit of this forum I may of made a different chioce. I have a mate who has a site van with with an engle upright built in and their swing compressor is definetly noisy. But you have to love the compressor efficiency as others have mentioned and I think the closer to the tropics the more tempted Id be. But i like the ability of the three way as well. I think as lithium battery prices fall it may bring about more compressor fridges?

If I had to go a new van now and keep in mind it would be a two person van. My decision would be to have a 150/160 litre 3 way and a Waeco/engle in a slide out within the van. As above when it becomes feasible (both economically and in regards to weight) to have 300ah of lithuim onboard with 3-400watts of solar I think a compressor will be the choice.
 
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crackacoldie

crackacoldie

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achjimmy said:
Note we have never had a compressor fridge @Holden_man but like you have considered it and I keep thinking about it. We were going to go Waeco compressor on our new Expanda but got warned off by the potential running noise. Plus the solar etc etc. that was 5 yrs ago and I don't regret our chioce but now with the benefit of this forum I may of made a different chioce. I have a mate who has a site van with with an engle upright built in and their swing compressor is definetly noisy. But you have to love the compressor efficiency as others have mentioned and I think the closer to the tropics the more tempted Id be. But i like the ability of the three way as well. I think as lithium battery prices fall it may bring about more compressor fridges?

If I had to go a new van now and keep in mind it would be a two person van. My decision would be to have a 150/160 litre 3 way and a Waeco/engle in a slide out within the van. As above when it becomes feasible (both economically and in regards to weight) to have 300ah of lithuim onboard with 3-400watts of solar I think a compressor will be the choice.
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My 185l Waeco compressor makes no running noise at all. I was always concerned about what the noise would be like until we got this van. Another benefit is no requirement for outside venting, reducing another point of dust ingress.
 
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achjimmy

achjimmy

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crackacoldie said:
My 185l Waeco compressor makes no running noise at all. I was always concerned about what the noise would be like until we got this van. Another benefit is no requirement for outside venting, reducing another point of dust ingress.
Click to expand...

There you go and your sleeping right on it! I put a switch on the fridge fan I installed as I could here that run at night anyway...... Just thought cracka your not loading yourself on the local produce before bed are you? Truck won't wake you then ;-)
 
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achjimmy

achjimmy

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Holden_man said:
Thanks jim, appreciate your thoughts. they certainly have their appeal. I have been happy enough with the 3 way, would be happy to remove a gas appliance though.
One point the van sales guy made, which makes sense, is he said i will need a generator. With not having the back up source of gas available with the compressor fridge, if batteries did get low with extended cloud you need the backup source. We don't have a genny, and to be honest we haven't needed it. We have got low on batteries, but hasn't been a major concern, easy not to use stuff, but not easy if the fridge relies on it.
I guess that also bring in lithium batteries, with being fast to charge you wouldn't need to run the genny for an extended time.

Good to hear also @crackacoldie that you haven't found yours noisey.
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Mate I was going to mention a genny as I have always had one and now with the starcraft it lives up front all the time. But tbh I hate using it! I am always concious of annoying somebody with the noise. What's the charging stratagy with lithuim ? Will a decent DC to DC do it? Wonder rather than a gen would running the tug for a while (which is less noxious than a gen) do the same job? Suppose it depends on where and how you camp? We are never anywhere long enough and one day when we can use an invertor for the coffee machine we will try to be generator free.
 
Dobbie

Dobbie

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Jun 18, 2014
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Are you looking at full size van?

If poptop, how will the extra solar panels affect the lifting of the poptop?

We have one large panel and have no trouble with poptop lifting but wouldn't like it much heavier

For what it's worth, our 150 dometic fridge ( standard issue) is brilliant and doesn't lose temp much when used frequently. In fact we monitor the temp to stop the lettuce freezing. Only issue we've had is it struggled in 47degree temps so added the fridge fans ....no further issue and we don't take the Engel any more ...don't need it.

Does the compressor fridge have two doors or one? That would certainly help.
 
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davemc

davemc

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Oct 29, 2013
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www.expandasdownunder.com
@Dobbie you can get both 1 and 2 door compressor fridges.
I had a list what we wanted if we built a van compressor fridge and 2 panels, 3 batteries needed one for CPAP only.

Although ended up with a floor model 22 so 3 way fridge and one battery and added 150W solar. Need to add more solar/batteries when I have some more $'s :)
 
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Red1

Red1

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Sep 14, 2013
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Holden_man said:
And how about keeping power up to it @Red1, any issues there..... How many panels and batteries do you run? Do you find it quite, one dealer is recommending Waeco. One reason is Dometic are looking to offer extended warranties soon, but at a cost.
Click to expand...
We upgraded and put in 2 x 150 watt panels and have 2 batteries. (Factory fitted)The compressor doesn't make any noise at all really. Probably less noisy than the 80 litre we have in the cruiser. Not intrusive at all when we are sleeping. We have had waecos in the hawk and the last 2 swans we have had, with no issues. The big 2 door fridge freezer in the expanda is fantastic.

Cheers
 
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Dobbie

Dobbie

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Interesting. I'd never even looked into that.

Keep saving davemc .....saving is such good fun.

As an aside...has anyone managed to glue / stick / adhere plastic thingies to the draw bar?

I don't want to drill holes and I'm not a welder but want to add a 12pin socket (not wired to anything....just for storing the 12pin plug when not connected) and have looked at gorilla glue and anything else we have in the shed. My concern is that vibration will break the glue.

Any suggestions??
 
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