Hi Everyone ;)
Just wondering :-/ Do any of you guys (and gals) use three way fridges at all for camping?
I've always used eskies but I just picked up an old chescold.....39litre I think.
What I'm wondering about is gas consumption so I can get a bottle for it that won't take up too much room.
A rough guide I found on the net states approx. 1/3 kg per day, which to me means I would get about 6days out of a 2kg bottle.
Does this sound about right? :-/

Robbo

Just found some more info. 375 grams/day, which looks like I'm back to 5 days an a 2kg.

I use to have a 50 litre chescold, bought it at a garage sale. I found it did'nt handle the hot days to well particularly on gas, But it could have been a fault with the fridge, who know's. Anyway I know have a 40L Engel, has't missed a beat in about 8 years. Always take it with me on trips, even have a spot for it on the boat gets the beers cold in no time.
Astro

G'day Robbo,
                 three way fridges certainly have their place when it comes to camping trips. Let me firstly say beware if running them on 12v they will flatten your car battery (if car stopped) in an hour or so they are dynamite on 12v power.
On 240v they work well and on gas they are brilliant, especially if staying put for a week or so. I could get 3 weeks from a 9KG bottle & that was running flat out.
They use an induction method and basically heat the ammonia gas via a heat source and magic, they get cold (a little slow though) if the fridge has been sitting for a while turn it upside down and leave like that for a few hours it will stir things up & get the gas in motion.

You can make your fridge far more efficient by removing the rear panel and locating the heating tubes with the elements inside.
They are easy to find (look for the wires) and jam an insulation bat around these tubes to insulate them - it stops the tubes from chilling ,especially in frosty areas.

I, like Astro use Engle fridges with a compressor and also find them the grouse,in fact, would say they are just about the best camping gear that I own.

All the best
Skip

Thanks guys.
Would have liked to go engel or the like but I got this one pretty cheap so I jumped on it. The info that told me gas consumption was actually on a site for Waeco which makes me wonder if Waeco owns Chescold.
Will be handy, cool down the night before on 240v, run on 12v while travelling and then gas at the camp ground, and like you said Skip, she runs like a pearler on gas. It is actually a fridge/freezer model (only one compartment) and has been running for a couple days on gas with water bottles in it and starts freezing them no worries.

Robbo

I bought  a Chescold 3 way in 1990 and it was my favorite bit of camping gear in 18 years it never missed a beat. It ran on 240 v in the shed continuously  at home and on gas when camping.

3 weeks running from a 9kg gas bottle and would freeze everything even in CQ in summer time if turned up past 25%

Sadly it was damaged beyond repair in the recent floods as the frame was twisted.

Prior to Easter I spent $1200 on replacing camping gear, 75% of that was on a new 55l Chescold or Domestic fridge/freezer as they are now also called.

While the Engel and Waco are great products nothing beats having 3 weeks of cold  drinks and frozen food for 20 bucks of gas and no generator


After 18 years of being bashed around from Dirranbandi to Cape York and beyond while being sat on, stood on, spewed on, shat on and generally abused was service that  bit hard to deny when looking for a replacement

Kev (UNPAID CHESCOLD AMBASSADOR)    :)

Have you tested out the new fridge, Soot?

:-/

Yes LK it keeps my  beer cold. I think that it is better to use gear like this rather than let it sit
Soot

Ye gots any Roo or Sootys in there too, Soot?

;)

Na just stubbies  n bourbon LK.
Old Tawney don't need no coolin
Soot    :D

What no food at all.  Whatcha cooking?  Well aged protein?  

;)