Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 19:17:58 -0700
Reply-To: Vince S <gipsyflies@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Vince S <gipsyflies@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: DC Refrigerator Alternatives
In-Reply-To: <000701c48a3e$c85b7960$ef02fea9@none8d9z0zb52k>
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I don't think Westfalia done a lousy job in choosing a front open door
fridge. There were virtually no top open fridge in those days. Even if
there was the cabinet design in the Vanagon would have to be arranged
very differently to make work. The Vanagon conversion has many
compromises and I think they made very good and balanced choices.
When you have the vehicle the size of the Sprinter to work with you have
a lot more latitude. The fridge in the Westfalia James Cook is top load.
If I were to do the conversion in the Vanagon I will maintain the side
load. Don't forget the specific heat of the food content is
significantly higher than the cold air in the fridge. If the fridge is
pretty full of food/drink the "cold" loss is not so bad in percentage.
- Vince
http://gipsyflies.home.comcast.net
1989 Vanagon GL Camper
1993 Mazda Miata
1996 Land Rover Discovery
2005 Mini Cooper S (almost here)
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Stan Wilder
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 6:00 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: DC Refrigerator Alternatives
That all sounds real good.
What I see as the weak link is that the door opens and the cold dropps
out. If the Westy fridge was just flipped over on its little backside it
would become a good bucket to hold the cold. The refrigeration unit
would work just as hard but the fridge would stay colder.
Stan Wilder
www.engineceramics.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Elliott" <j.michael.elliott@ADELPHIA.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 7:33 PM
Subject: Re: DC Refrigerator Alternatives
> Vince S wrote:
>
> >A new subject to better reflect the content.
> >
> >Here is a self-contain complete system built with Danfoss BD35F if
> >you provide your own fridge box such as modifying the existing
> >Dometic cavity and put this unit in the small cupboard adjacent to
> >it.
> >
> >http://www.sailnet.com/store/item.cfm?pid=30527
> >
> >
> Hmmm. I'm trying to wrap my head around this one. My Westy is on some
> truck miles from here right now, so I can't take a measuring tape to
> it
> -- how thick is the insulation on the stock reefer?
>
> Power consumption for this unit is expressed as average run time X
> power input. Power input is said to be 45 to 60 watts (why the
> range?). Average run time for 2'' polyurethane insulation is 40% .
> This affords an internal temp of 41F with outside temp of 80F. Worst
> case with these numbers would be 60W X 40% =24W =2 ampere/hr @ 12
> volts.
>
> Did I do that right?
>
> Given the largest battery that can fit under the driver's seat -- how
> quickly would it become discharged at 2Ahr?
>
> And this Danfoss BD35F-based Waeco Coolmatic Cooling Kit . . . the
> "larger picture" is the same low-rez picture on the linked page
> (above), just scaled larger so there isn't really more information. It
> is larger, though, so they ain't lying. What I can't quite figure out
> is where the hot air is meant to be dumped. If you mount the
> compressor in the small cupboard adjacent to the fridge box, I reckon
> the heat would have to be vented outside somehow?
> --
>
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 71 VW Type 2 / 84 Westy: A poor but proud race.
> KG6RCR
