have just joined the forum, for a lot of reasons, but mostly to try and get some clarity on solar systems.

My needs are very simple, I just want to have a fridge for trips of over 3-4 days max 2 weeks away from mains, I may need to charge a laptop at a later stage. But I dont need power for lights or showers or microwaves or washing machines.

So, on the strength of giving notice of my retirement...yippee....I have bought a fridge.....a 2yr old engle 38lt elipse (there is only me) reported by engle to be the best thing since sliced bread and better than all the rest... yeah right!!!!    I got it for $2-300 under new inc cover & residule warranty....so i'm happy enough with that.  I'm sure you'all have something to say about it....but its done and dusted so the point is mute.

The question for me is how to power it.   Obviously while driving it can plug into the 12 volt at the back of the xtrail.  Although there seems to be some question of some fridges cutting out??? if the feed level is too low or fluctuates or something... When stopped I can apparently then:

A.   Leave it unconnected, having prefreezed the unit, added a couple of icepaks and carfully planned storage and access, should give me maybe an extra day or so, so why not just use the esky.

B.  Get a battery.  

C.  Get Solar.   

D.  Get both.   

So choices .....I'm not planning to wire up a battery to the xtrail....i cant do it myself, know no-one who is capable....and don't want to spend the money on something that is only for the next couple of years till I upgrade.

Currently I sleep in the back, and have an enclosed awning off the tail which works well for now.

So due to space restrictions I cant fit a large heavy battery or large solid panels. I will often have a kayak or 2 on the roof so don't want to permanently mount cheaper solid solar, and there seem to be some issues with overheating anyway.....

In the worst case scenario I will be away from the car for up to 3 days, The fridge will be in the closed up car, so ambient will be quite high and will obviously need power to keep stuff at least cool.

From what I understand a single battery, even lithium wont give me this sort of capabality.

Engle state that a blanket can plug straight into the fridge.....????   goodoh,  but what happens at night when im not there, does the fridge power off and restart on the resumption of a power feed with sunrise (or a bit later)  - or do I need some sort of control hub....or do I need the battery in the middle of the chain to keep the feed going thru the night till the blanket starts to feed again.

All my research....i'm leaning towards lithium120 battery and a solar blanket 90......suggest these will be the most practical all round.......however many $$$$$$$ later.

so, if I can delay the purchase of one of these till a bit later, would be good.  

Engle promote a range of blankets from the US that read well....and there is an chance of a saving there if I move on it..

So my question is,  can I just use the blanket when I'm not there to monitor it (forget security for now) or do I need them both.....

bit of a rant I know....but its my intro as well as a querie.....

thanks peter, I agree with your suggestion re the folding panel & AGM battery.

but..carrying the stuff around is a really big part of the issue, large solar panels would completely cover my bed area during transit,  if I had an overnight layover I would have to move them outside to sleep, inconvenient and irksome with a high risk of damage to them and me, lower back doesn't like that bent over lift position.

Also I don't want to spend on wiring up this xtrail, when in a couple of years I will have to redo it all with a more dedicated vehicle, though not a nice truck like you have....

In theory the money I save on not needing to double up at the auto elec will help to offset the more expensive cost....just a little bit...I've still to compile a comparison budget on the different types available, I know this choice is the most expensive....

But the question remains, what happens at night when i'm not there to fick the switch or whatever is required.....will my fridge restart in the morning from solar alone, or do I definitely need the battery and some controller thingy to keep it chugging thru the nite.....

thanks for your reply....happy trails.....nuby

thanks aus-kiwi  for your comments......a generator is not for me......the roof mount is out, cause of the kayak and Ive got a sun roof on the car....the folding panels are too big and unwieldy for my current set up.....but I will double check my requirements,  fridge and laptop charging are the only things that I will need. Lighting is independent solar, hot water is solar bag, cooking is gas....its a very basic, no frills setup....for me its all about the getting away, not so much about taking it with me....

thanks for your reply....happy trails....nuby

Surf bars for canoe?.

How much room behind sliding roof? on surfbars.

2 lengths of angle aluminium, across roof of car. behind sunroof
Panel fits between them. with 2 locking pins at rear to stop sliding right out.

2 x Caravan shop Extending legs. length to suit, with fittings at top to clip/pin/bolt onto outer end of panel.
Legs extended to height req'd. Having panel standing out at side (either side)
not fr or back of car.
and behind drivers door so no obstruction to.

You'll have canoe on top. sunroof usable.
Panel slides out from under rails and extended legs on ground,
support the panel at whatever angle to suit.

SImple, easy and under 1\2 day work.

Somebody here will probably volunteer. for a coupla coffee's or a drink?.
Coupla women together will sort it real quick. hey.

I will if you anywhere near Yeppoon QLD.
All us old farts have plenty of spare time.

Wouldn't bother with Lithium or any fancy battery, till you established with whatever.
and KNOW what size.power you need and can fit.
You could end up with wrong one/size
98% of us use Wet or gel/AGM at most.
But temporary. I'd think twice.
Wet cells fine....

Just put in rear. and have an ELECTRONIC unit between them to charge it from car.
The solenoid units do NOT fully charge. only equalise at most.

IF NOT using that battery as a second charger.

You do NOT need heavy starter cable to it.

I only have 8mm wire to my two in tub. and use long jumper leads if need starting power.

and a micro sw on dash, to activate charging from when car starts out.
not when car battery at set charge.

Fridge insulation.
Find an insulation merchants. and buy a mtr or so of 17mm Duct insulation.
solid grey with Silver ally outer coating.
Cut and fold to fit round Engel.
Wrapping with duct tape.(Nothing sticks to outer face)
and have one end/side cut to form a flap over top of fridge
as a lid.

My Waeco 80ltr. up in top end. with flap down in rear of Patrol.
When lifted it has a full coating of condensation over complete fridge/freezer lid.
IN rear of car at DARWIN.

That... is insulation. Magic stuff.
Just cut hole where fan/s are to let it out.

Hi nuby,

If I understand correctly you may be away from your vehicle for up to 3 days at a time so I would think that any solar panels (portable, fixed or solar blanket type) set up with the vehicle would not still be there on your return. A decent well made icebox capable of holding 6-10 litres  of frozen block ice (frozen in 2 litre milk containers) + what you want to keep at  refrigeration temperature would remain suitably cold for up to 7 days or more if the icebox is left  unopened in the vehicle - this may be an option for you to consider & you could sell your fridge, have money left over & not have any more  expenses other than the cost of freezing your ice block containers each trip.

Regards,

David.

Hi Ruby

Here are my thoughts for your thought

Very expensive to do what you are proposing for some small gain. But that is your call. The items you propose to consider, a solar blanket and lithium battery, are very expensive too but again if you see the value that is your call. The RR solution to a mini minor problem IMHO.

If I wanted to do what you propose, and looking for 3 days, I might consider this for a budget solution. Forget the solar as it does not suit you to carry or set up and the theft risk is high. Go for a couple of AGM batterys of sufficient capacity to get the 3 days at 50% capacity drop. They would sit OK in the rear floor wells and are sealed. Then charge them from the car alternator during the trip there(assume a couple of hours drive). Use a VSR to handle the charging through some good cables. The fridge should have a seperate voltage cut out to switch it off so it does not kill the batteries just in case you paddle slow, as the inbuilt one is set too low.

With this setup you can park in the shade to keep the car cool and the cost will be reasonable. Not much work to get done for setup either. Put some water bottles in the fridge to take as much space as is left so that will help, and some extra insulation(blankets) over the outside too.

Cheers Jaahn

PS Terry I guess your 10AH battery should be 100 ?

Hello nuby

I would just like to say, welcome to the forum

I am not a techie but I can see some of your problem, so it is a pity that you do not have anyone to wire up a system for you.
Perhaps some members from your area, could assist when you decide what your requirements are

As daffyfrancis has already said, due to room constraints, an icebox may be the way to go, as you will not require a battery or solar panel

Regardless of what you do/buy/use.

Get that 17mm ducting insulation hard sheeting. Stanley knife and roll of duct tape.

It really does insulate. fridge or ice box, Then sort out what you doing.

Go on net and ask/look.

We basically, in relation to. only have a few old farts on here,

that in general, are only wondering about things themselves.
Me included.
And I've been vanning and solar for over 50 yrs.

The knowledge on net is amazing.
Just ask.
Fridge forums. solar forums. Engel forums. car solar etc.

Whirlpool, and Caravaners forums are /have a lot of good. old info on them.
Just ignore all the b/s in van forum.