Fridge

[nopanic - neil]

Few years ago, the guys next to us on the campsite had a freezer, which they filled with beer.

They ran it off a genny, while they where there and when they went off around the track they unplugged the genny, put it safely in there motor and still had cold beers when they got back. Not bad, and they let us share them - thats the spirit.

Mind you drinking slush puppy beers was different (need to drink the cold ones first)

Go for a freezer ! - hope this helps (p.s. mines a cold one please, - if I can get a MB campsite ticket)

[Canada Phil]

Tony there are two distinct 12v systems your
coolbox (koolatron) uses electronics to transfer the heat from one heat sink inside to another outside and as you note really extends ice but not up to high volume cooling. The other is a functioning fridge.
Canada Phil

[nick12dmc]

Will be going with the chest freezer as I checked the wattage
which is only 145w.
 So our 900w ebay genny should run it easily.
 We used it for a garden party last year and it worked
a treat.
 Just remember to unplug or turn off the genny. or its
Ice pop time!

Regards
Nick H

[Ferrari Spider]

Its been very interesting reading peoples accounts of the great good approaches to the refrigertor question.  Many years ago when i were a lad and yacht racing, our main worries in those days wasn't keeping the beers cold but how to heat food up.

Electrical and gas weights needed to be kept to absolute minium for the quest of an extra 10th of a knot.  The skipper had his R & D group look at the problem, by the way these guys were the scientists working on the new Rapier point defense weapon.  Anyway they came up with the first ever man portable microwave oven which at that stage must of been the pinnacle of british technology.

It worked fine and we were the envy of the racing fleet that year with frequent visits from other crews wanting demostrations and to sample the food which really was streets ahead of the instant heat in a bag bloody pot noodle.  The only draw back we would explain to the latest visitor was keeping the wick trimmed.

[Piglet]

I've run a 12v/240 cold box for a number of years, off of either the car or mains.  It's great and I wouldn't be without it but these things only cool to around 15 or 20 degrees below ambient temperature - at Le Mans that's still likely to leave you with warm beer.

For this year I've splashed out on the combi cool gas/12v/240 fridge that someone listed over the page.  We had a trial run on it the other day for a birthday party and it was great - the other half is very happy as (although we have three fridges anyway!) there is now a dedicated "beer fridge".  It cools very quickly and even produced ice around by the cooler bar.  It took a large amount of beer and I'm confident that it's going to be fab for the 4/5 of us who are camping at LM.   It is going to take up a chunk of room in the boot but our intention is not to run it on the way down but to pack it with camping stuff and run it when we get there.

Having said all that - if I was worried about boot space,  had a genny or was on Houx with electric Gille's suggestion of a cheap "disposable" fridge would probably be the way to go, particuarly if there was a group of you as the cost would be minimal.  

Piglet

edited to say, I've got one of these:- http://www.worldofcamping.co.uk/shop/Detail.asp?Mfg=6&ProductID=300

[Andy Zarse]

I've got our new cheap fridge...

[TonyT]

Thanks all for the feedback.

Piglet - Your experience with the coolbox is exactly how I remember it. Even if we don't get ice, it sounds that your coolbox will certainly chill the beer a lot more than the coolbox I have now.

Time to invest in one.

TonyT

[rcutler]

Do you mind having cold camping gear then?

Did you buy the Waeco Fridge I advertised. We are thinking of buying this one.

[Piglet]

Do you mind having cold camping gear then?

Did you buy the Waeco Fridge I advertised. We are thinking of buying this one.

You've got to be careful what you chill though.....

Yep, I've got the fridge that you've listed - second one down on the page your link goes to - it's a tenner cheaper on my link but I don't know what P&P works out on either of them.  You can usually pick these Waeco's up at camping stores rather than pay P&P.   It really is a fab bit of kit, it's going to be useful at home as well as for camping.  I just can't wait to get out there and use it!  Roll on June!

[Snoring Rhino]

Anybody with a genny could use this -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=36798&item=4542328504&rd=1

[Piglet]

Anybody with a genny could use this -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=36798&item=4542328504&rd=1

Yep and even if the price trebles that's still a good price.

[Robspot]

What's the best type of gas to use with the waeco fridge? You can specify three different types of regulator when ordering - calor butane, calor propane or camping gaz.

[Snoring Rhino]

Is'nt the Blue Camping Gaz the most common in France?

[Barry]

Is'nt the Blue Camping Gaz the most common in France?

Most of the hypermarkets in tourist areas carry the large gaz bottles. Other types seem to be more differcult to find

[rcutler]

Calor gas is avaliable throughout the UK and is cheaper than the Camping Gaz in France.

A 6Kg Red cylinder will last all week.

Propane burns hotter than Butane.

Butane= Blue
Propane= Red