41 replies to this topic

[VanGoOutdoors]

My experience is that the newer Indel/Webasto Isotherm 60L fridge uses about the same amount of power as my last ARB/NL/etc top loading fridge (1 - 1.5 A average under 'normal conditions').   So if you have the newer fridge in your camper you won't gain much from the switch.   In my opinion anyway, my new front loader is much more convenient to use compared to the ARB I had in my previous camper as you don't have to dig through your food and it is easy to access from outside with the top up or down. 

You must not offroad alot. 

I can't tell you how annoying it is to open the fridge and stuff just fall out.  

[rando]

I don't really have much of a problem with stuff falling out, when I am on rough roads or pavement.   Occasionally at the beginning of a trip when it is really full a couple of things will have shifted and something I stuffed in on top will fall out, but the little lip on the front of the shelves helps stops most things from actually falling out.  Are your shelves installed the right way up?

[Vic Harder]

+1 on great low power use on our 130L Truckfridge to keep stuff from moving around in the fridge we use strategically placed empty plastic containers

[smlobx]

We keep a variety of small square Tupperware containers onboard and use it to stabilize food in our front loading 2 way fridge and works great.

Edited by smlobx, 11 October 2017 - 07:54 PM.

[abqbw]

My experience is that the newer Indel/Webasto Isotherm 60L fridge uses about the same amount of power as my last ARB/NL/etc top loading fridge (1 - 1.5 A average under 'normal conditions'). So if you have the newer fridge in your camper you won't gain much from the switch. In my opinion anyway, my new front loader is much more convenient to use compared to the ARB I had in my previous camper as you don't have to dig through your food and it is easy to access from outside with the top up or down.

Rando-My new 85L isotherm must be a dud. FWC has agreed to replace it. It runs most of the time even in mild temps and kills my 2 75ah batteries. The 180w factory solar barely keeps up. FWC has agreed to replace it. Hopefully the new fridge will perform more like what you experience even though it is larger. Your post is encouraging..

[rando]

Hopefully that solves the issue for you and it is not too much bother to swap these out.  It would make sense that if it were low on refrigerant or had a bad seal that it would get cold, but just run very inefficiently.    It sounds like most of us have been very happy with the new Isotherms. 

[So Cal Adventurer]

No advice on how to fit it in your rig, but i have been running a 65qt ARB in my truck, for over a year without shutting it off soley on a 100 watt renogy panel.  Its insanely efficient

[abqbw]

You must not offroad alot.

I can't tell you how annoying it is to open the fridge and stuff just fall out.

I had the ARB top load in my Hawk shell and now have a front load in my Hawk front dinette. I off-road a lot. Pretty much every time I use the camper. My nights in the dirt vs on pavement ratio is probably 100:1. Hands down the front load is more convenient than the top load. Trying to open and access a top load with the top down is between challenging and impossible. Even with the top up it takes a lot of extra room to swing the lid up and get into the thing and find what you are looking for. With the front load it is easy to reach in and put things in or take things out with the top down. Items rarely fall out when I open it the front load. Stuff may have shifted toward the door but it's easy to shove it back in as I open the door. It's only the flat soft stacked stuff that tries to fall out. Like tortillas and cheese and lunch meat stuff. Round cans and jars go on the door and the only thing that bounces up and out is my beloved red-bull 8 oz because the cans are skinny. But I learned to jam them with other small plastic items such as mustard or mayo.

[abqbw]

Hopefully that solves the issue for you and it is not too much bother to swap these out. It would make sense that if it were low on refrigerant or had a bad seal that it would get cold, but just run very inefficiently. It sounds like most of us have been very happy with the new Isotherms.

I know this has been covered a million times but how do you measure power consumption? What is the simplest device to add to do it. I'm a moron when it comes to electronics. I only need something that is permanently mounted that I can look at and get a live reading of consumption so I can check what my fridge is doing at any given moment. Any other logging functions would be extra. Useful but not required...

[rando]

In order to understand the fridge, you kind of do need the logging functions.   I can tell you right now that your fridge draw is about 3.5A when it is running.   What you want to know is the average current consumption over some longer interval - say per day.   The simplest and best option is the Victron BMV-700 or the newer BMV-712, these can tell you both your average power consumption and the state of charge of your battery.   There are cheaper direct from China options on ebay, but if you want to hard mount this and cut a hole in your cabinet, I would go with a proven reliable option over the cheapest option.