Bongo Fury

Hi,
My bongo has a leisure battery and a 240volt hook up and at the moment it has a dual voltage coolbox. The problem is it is very noisy and the Mrs can't sleep when it's running, it also drains the leisure battery really quickly. I've read that 3 way fridges running on gas are silent but I'm a bit concerned about ventilation with the kids in the van.
Can anyone recommend a quiet fridge that will run for at least a weekend on a 12v supply?
Cheers in advance
Ben

I have a Waeco (the CDF26 I think) and it is near silent. When the compressor kicks in, you can sort of hear it but even the lightest sleep (my OH!) can sleep through it!

Definitely go for a compressor fridge - expensive but worth it - mine is like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waeco-Coolmat ... SwmmxW1mdH - it will easily last a weekend on your leisure battery, especially if switched on at the start of your journey, whilst your battery is being charged.

We have this type installed, you can hear it - just, but it certainly doesn't wake me up or anything http://www.vitrifrigofridges.co.uk/c42lfridge.htm

Sickleft wrote:Hi,
My bongo has a leisure battery and a 240volt hook up and at the moment it has a dual voltage coolbox. The problem is it is very noisy and the Mrs can't sleep when it's running, it also drains the leisure battery really quickly. I've read that 3 way fridges running on gas are silent but I'm a bit concerned about ventilation with the kids in the van.
Can anyone recommend a quiet fridge that will run for at least a weekend on a 12v supply?
Cheers in advance
Ben

An absorption fridge is the 3 way type used in caravans etc, they are totally silent but won't run for more than 12 hours or so on a battery but if installed correctly with the correct outside vents they run for weeks on gas.
Any compressor fridge will make a noise, firstly I would check how the current fridge is installed as it may be vibrating and rattling on some other component making the noise worse.
If yours is just a plastic cool box type they are noisy as they are very cheaply put together, but just have a good look at it first as it may well just be a noisy fan that could be replaced but they are never as quiet as a compressor fridge or an absorption fridge.

The quietest fridge is one you can place outside the Bongo wherever possible. It might also be the most frugal on electricity if that means it can be placed in a cooler environment, such as an awning at night.

mikeonb4c wrote:The quietest fridge is one you can place outside the Bongo wherever possible. It might also be the most frugal on electricity if that means it can be placed in a cooler environment, such as an awning at night.

As long as you bring it back in as soon as the sun comes up!

Jillygumbo wrote:

mikeonb4c wrote:The quietest fridge is one you can place outside the Bongo wherever possible. It might also be the most frugal on electricity if that means it can be placed in a cooler environment, such as an awning at night.

As long as you bring it back in as soon as the sun comes up!

Ah well, even then if you keep it in the shade and where a cool breeze can pass it by, it should do better than in a baking Bongo. I generally opt for the back of the awning tunnel, where any wind usually gets concentrated as it passes the coolbox. Best through is probably inside a blacked out Bongo with front windows cracked open and roof vents open to create a chimney effect.

The key point though is we can't be having this conversation unless the fridge is moveable

We also have a Waeco compressor fridge which has a small freezer compartment and it is very quiet (but not silent).

During the day, we freeze picnic cool box freezer packs (flexible type, not the solid blue plastic blocks), then take them out and place them amongst the food in the fridge when I switch it off at bedtime.

I keep a cooks thermometer in the Bongo to check the fridge temperature - it has never been higher than 6 degrees by morning, when I switch on again (even during the recent scorching hot spells in July). The freezer packs go back in the freezer each morning and are ready again at bedtime.

Doing this saves battery when not on hook-up and keeps the fridge cool enough but, for you, doing this would give you a silent fridge when sleeping.

scootmonkee wrote:We also have a Waeco compressor fridge which has a small freezer compartment and it is very quiet (but not silent).

During the day, we freeze picnic cool box freezer packs (flexible type, not the solid blue plastic blocks), then take them out and place them amongst the food in the fridge when I switch it off at bedtime.

I keep a cooks thermometer in the Bongo to check the fridge temperature - it has never been higher than 6 degrees by morning, when I switch on again (even during the recent scorching hot spells in July). The freezer packs go back in the freezer each morning and are ready again at bedtime.

Doing this saves battery when not on hook-up and keeps the fridge cool enough but, for you, doing this would give you a silent fridge when sleeping.

Excellent strategy.

g8dhe wrote:We have this type installed, you can hear it - just, but it certainly doesn't wake me up or anything http://www.vitrifrigofridges.co.uk/c42lfridge.htm

Wotcha.

Same as mine - I occasionally hear it, but it isn't loud enough to cause a problem.

I have the Vitrifrigo C39i again not silent but still very quiet, you can notice it cutting in but not bad enough to wake you up.
Just been away Friday night to Sunday morning running on the leisure battery from around 11am on the Friday to 2pm on the sunday (I did run the engine for 10 minutes on the Saturday morning just to give a little top up to the LB but would probably been fine. It was switched on the day before going away to pre cool it.

Hi folks.
We have a Waeco compressor fridge, and I can hear it at night! My solution is to put a couple of ice packs in the freezer, and let them freeze during the day. At night I turn off the fridge (which has an on/off switch in the circuit), and let the ice packs keep the fridge cool overnight. All is well, and quiet! In the morning the fridge is turned back on, ready for another day's cooling.
Cheers from Leon