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Post by minicamper on Jun 17, 2008 11:33:29 GMT 10
Those of you that have viewed the post on Alby, my new van, will know that I'm fridgeless. I'm going to measure up tonight, but I already know that the space is very narrow and was originally an ice chest.
SO, originality aside, I'd like a poll on whether people vote Ice chest or fridge. Do Ice chests really chill and for how long? Or should i just go the fridge? (may have to get the guts of one and make it fit..)
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2008 12:15:15 GMT 10
Hi Chris.. I say if it had an ice chest..... fit an ice chest  . How well is your 240v fridge gunna work at places like coledale where 90% of the sites are unpowered. Dont come back with an answer that mentions the "G" word.. i.e: generator...  they are just not cricket in a caravan park. Ice chests work fine and you have to remember that you dont have to fill your ice chest up with everything ya need for a weeks camping. 90% of the places you stay at with your van have a Woolworths or coles in town .. so why cart the contents of the household fridge freezer with you. Just buy you perishables every 2nd or 3rd day and throw a bag of ice in the top of the ice chest . if it is a well insulated ice chest with "proper ice" aka frozen solid not that clear cube crap .. then you will get 2 or three days out of a bag or block anyway. Fridges are for Nancys that have been spoilt by modern day conveniences in their homes. Said it before.. say it again.. "Ice chest where good enough for granny and grandad... good enough for me. "... ;D ;D I would have thought that living down in siberia you guys wouldnt need a fridge. Just chuck the contents of the foodbox on the lawn overnight and stack it away frozen the next morning....  Oooo geez.....  i may have just shot myself in the foot.. i am lookin at runnin' both an "energy assist ice chest" and a "soildified H2O chest" in "Rosie". Sacrificing bottom half of wardrobe for the "energy assisted ice chest"... Does this mean i cant vote......  Reddo |
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Post by shaneandsimoen on Jun 17, 2008 12:35:57 GMT 10
Hello minicamper,
As Reddo said
if it had an ice chest fit an ice chest.
Our van has an ice chest, we have had no trouble in using it and getting ice, most towns or caravan parks usually have ice available.
It also starts a conversation when people say theres water leaking from underneath your van, and I answer thats ok thats just the ice melting in the ice chest. Some people dont even know what an ice chest is.
I vote for ice chest.
All the best
Shane and Simoen
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Post by sportsman 1 on Jun 17, 2008 15:00:57 GMT 10
Hi MC,
go the ice chest, you can always carry an esky or camping fridge hidden in one of the millions of cupboards you have, but you cannot fake the delight when opening the door to your ORIGINAL fitment ice chest when showing the van to its many admirers.
Buy the way, if you get a fridge will you then be fridge-ed, so to speak!
cheers, Leigh.
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Post by minicamper on Jun 17, 2008 15:20:48 GMT 10
Ahhh, Reddo... It's all in the detail... You'll note i said THREE way, 240v, 12v ans GAS... I like the idea of the ice chest, but have no experience with them to know how cold they stay. Yeah, insulation and all that, but ice up top putting a cold draft down, is not the same as burying food in ice and water in an esky (only comparison i have) As for Granny and Grandpa, people used to ride horses everywhere, don't see many of them on the Monash freeway ;D I usually camp in a NO facility area, so no 240v aint an issue. I have some 12v gadgets And just for the record, I am a nancy boy, so that might just be fitting... I love my Waeco... Lets see how the vote goes.. Ice winning so far... |
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Post by harriet on Jun 17, 2008 17:32:34 GMT 10
hi harriet hear aka fitzy .i removed my ice chest from the roadmaster biggest mistake i ever made ........ you can get ice most places . places i go dont have power ........i wont mention the g word..........but i can get ice usualy not far away ........................................ harriet.
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Post by cobber on Jun 17, 2008 18:34:57 GMT 10
Gee Chris, Contrary to popular perceptions I am having trouble deciding which way to jump on this question.... original Ice Box or a bodgy fridge, three way one at that  . Good thing it's a secret vote . You can always stick the Waeco in the back of the car and have the ice box in the 'van... get ice at any petrol station in Oz. Just about . I know a bloke who does that, reckons he's never had a problem  . Cobber. |
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jun 17, 2008 19:10:16 GMT 10
G'day Chris, Thought I'd throw my tuppence worth in on this one. The first thing to say is that it is certainly possible to reconstruct an icebox in Alby. Someone at Mount Gambier was telling me about the icebox he'd built in his van, which he'd found very effective. I fancy it may have been RayM with his really neat reproduction teardrop, but someone will provide the right name if I'm incorrect. You've also got the advantage of being able to use some modern insulation materials which will make the icebox more efficient than some of the original ones. I'm sure RayM (if it was him) would be happy to share what he learnt from his project with you. The second thing is that if you decide to go down the fridge track, there are ways of giving even a brand new fridge that period look. Retro1's friend Graeme - who was also at Mount Gambier - installed a new fridge in his van, but then used a cut down old fridge door shell to make it look like this:  All the controls are hidden behind the door. It is a stunning piece of work (but then his whole '48 van was stunning). We had an icebox in our van for the first few years after my wife and I took it over from my mother. For as long as we could get block ice, it worked really well - the block ice lasted 2 to 3 days and kept the contents at a good temperature. However, the place where we got block ice at our holiday location closed down, and we found that crushed ice lasted less than a day in summer. That became a problem for us because we generally were away in the caravan for 4 or 5 weeks at a time in summer with three little kids. There was no way we could handle life with only crushed ice in the icebox for that long, so in 1983 we replaced the icebox with a little fridge which fitted in (more or less) the same space. I sometimes wish we had the icebox for the look, but we still go away for up to 3 weeks in summer to a place where there is only crushed ice. Funnily enough, I don't think our fridge keeps things any colder than the old icebox - at least in summer - but then the fridge is now 25 years old, so maybe it's a little tired. So my answer to the icebox vs fridge question? It all depends on how you are going to use Alby. If you are mainly going away for weekends and short breaks to places where you can get block ice, or you can freeze ice in ice cream containers in your home freezer before you go away, as a lot of people do, go for the icebox. However, if you intend to use Alby for extended holidays (say 5+ days) or touring, you might want to think about the fridge option. Happy decision making. Whatever you do will be cool! ;D ;D ;D Don Ricardo |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2008 21:18:18 GMT 10
Yo There is no reason that the crushed /cubed ice in the bag from the servo stations has to be opened. Just install it in the top compartment and leave it there in the bag. It will keep frozen longer than opening it up like you would in an esky to get your beers cold. While in the bag it acts like a block of ice... not exposed to air. Thats all that is required to keep FOOD cold. . Ice tends to fret away in an esky due to movement and slushing around. Ice in its solid form.. ie bag or block packed amongst food in a properly insulated ice chest will last longer because it is not disturbed. Always think about what you are about to get out of the ice chest before you open the door. The less time spent goofing off thinking about what you want with the door wide open means less time for the heat to enter . Where possible freeze the meat you are taking from home rock hard. It will help keep the ice frozen longer and take longer to thaw out. Balloons and ice cream containers put in the freezer at least a week before you go away will be frozen to the core and last heaps longer than service station bag ice. Servo ice is kept at a temp which just barely keeps the water in a solid state. The clearer the ice the closer it is to turning to water. Now keepin ya beers cold. .. thats a different story.. smash the ice and pack into your geniune Malleys tin esky . the more crushed ice around your bottles the better..... ummmm ... you are using a tin esky ARENT YOU... please dont tell me you are using a plastic esky... how in the hell do ya make plastic cold.... Tin .. yes certainly... but plastic... never. Ever grabbed a plastic bottle of fizzy drink out of a fridge at the same time as a can ...... whats the coldest..... THE CAN... . Hmmmmmm makes me wander why they went to new fangle plastic lined fridges in the first place....... and dont come that better insulator crap with me.... Of course there is a better insulator than plastic or tin and that is.... yep you guessed it .. WOOD. no bullshit. Wood is the best insulator there is. Ok wanna argue due ya... remember when dad use to go to the iceworks and buy block ice ( shit Reddo your showing your age now) the coolroom had 6" thick walls full of sawdust... no word of a lie... there is no better insulator than wood . So... go get some old cypress pine floor boards... nail up a box.. build another one 2 inches bigger and poor saw dust between them.... its the best ice chest you will ever own....... Just my totally unbiased opinion on the subject of ice and how to keep it longer... bugger the gas /240v and 12volt ozone depleting rubbish I am tired .. i need to rest... my brain hurts......good night. Hand me a beer out of that old oak wine barrel dear.... aaaaahh "here 's Toohyas" ;D Reddo |
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Post by tinnie on Jun 19, 2008 0:28:31 GMT 10
MC - go the icebox. I am going to throw the fridge out of the Ambassador - when I get a minute and um...er...then maybe test it and measure it for another very patient forum member....who, even though nameless, seems to be a strong advocate of the icebox, and yet has an interest in my little 12v/240v nancy boy, ozone depleting, new fangled plastic, non-timber fridge (oops did I give your identity away reddo). Another tip for the icebox, if your going to stay in a park that has a camp kitchen (as most do) take a couple of old icecream containers and use the freezer in the camp kitchen to make your own block ice. Wine cask bladders work well too (so I am told). Anyway, I shut up now, coz I don't yet have an icebox for the van.........but I do have a tin esky mr Reddo! Um....er...and a 3 way camp fridge, which is...um...plastic. But at least it is a good old (new) Primus! Cheers, Gristy |
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Post by Cruz on Jun 19, 2008 11:41:16 GMT 10
Hi I have left my ice chest in place because not only does it look cool from all reports on this site it will work for what i need (not planning a bit trip around the block just yet). But purchased from kmart on 40% off camping sale a 3 way fridge (about $300) that i can carry in the van and set up outside if away for an extended time but find i mostly only use for a weekend so would just leave the fridge at home and use ice . Cruz
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