It seems Australian summer time temperatures are forever on the increase. With so many of us heading off on our caravanning adventures during the warmer months, keeping our fridges cold is absolutely critical. No one wants to arrive at their destination with warm beer and spoiled food.
Many Caravan owners choose a 3-way Fridge and the reason is simple: they offer maximum convenience on the road because they have the option to run it off 12 volt power, mains electricity or LPG.
Apart from being super efficient, another bonus is that they are very quiet, which is great when in an enclosed space. However, unlike compressor fridges, 3-way refrigerators are usually affected by the ambient temperature and cannot chill down to lower temperatures. They can only cool down to a certain level below the temperature outside.
There are quite a few things we can do to help it along, ensuring your caravan fridge is working properly and at its peak efficiency for the duration of your holiday.
- Use some shadecloth or canvas awning to shade the exterior of the caravan where the fridge vents are located. By keeping direct sunlight off the vents, you will increase efficiency by 15-20%.
- Install a 12V computer cooling fan behind the fridge – particularly in hot climates. This will push the hot air out, cooling behind the fridge, making it work more efficiently.
- Keeping the van as level as possible will help with the gas absorption
- A couple of days before heading off on your travels, turn your caravan refrigerator on at home at the mains power, as this will give the refrigerator time to cool down to a constant temperature.
- Pre-cool foods and drinks in your home refrigerator before placing them in your van refrigerator.
- Keep the air vents clear of any obstructions.
And last but not least..regular maintenance on your 3-way fridge is a must.
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