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Old 08-07-2012, 11:06 PM   #1
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Re: refridgerators

Question? how old? The friges from the '40's and before used Sulfer Dioxide as a refrigerant--a refrigerant which can't be had anymore (it's poison). The next generation used Freon as a refrigerant and that is nearly imposible to get these days and requires a license to work with it. You could stuff the inards of a present day frige into an old one but why not just adapt the door to a new frig and have the best of both?

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Old 08-08-2012, 03:36 AM   #2
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Re: refridgerators

What are you asking exactly?

You want to convert a standard refrigerator with a compressor to a unit that uses a flame to make things cold?

Or

did you plan to use propane as the refrigerant in a standard refrigerator?

The latter is much easier than the former!

You could just get a cool old refrigerator that already works and simply plug it into an inverter, depending on how you plan to use your bus. This arrangement is not well suited to boon docking, but will work well if you plan to use fridge when driving or when connected to shore power.
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Old 08-08-2012, 07:59 AM   #3
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Re: refridgerators

Quote:
Originally Posted by lapeer20m

You could just get a cool old refrigerator that already works and simply plug it into an inverter, depending on how you plan to use your bus. This arrangement is not well suited to boon docking, but will work well if you plan to use fridge when driving or when connected to shore power.
Best idea for an old fridge....
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Old 08-08-2012, 03:03 PM   #4
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Re: refridgerators

how about a new retro refrigerator? You can easily drop $4K on a retro refrigerator. Or buy a refrigeration cold plate from a marine outfit. You will spend about $500 to $1K to build one. OR you can acquire an old refrigerator, remove the door and attach the old door to a new refrigerator. Or build a custom door.
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Old 08-08-2012, 10:02 PM   #5
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Re: refridgerators

Yup---Then the SO2 is for you HA HA!
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Old 08-09-2012, 08:14 AM   #6
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Re: refridgerators

Sulpher Dioxide--an old school refrigerant that you can't get anymore. I was just kidding about it anyway. It is nasty stuff you wouldn't want to use. But being a fellow SKOOLIE I thought I'd recommend the hardest way for you to fab your retro frig
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Old 08-09-2012, 03:59 PM   #7
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Re: refridgerators

The SO2 frigs are great. Last one i bought for $100, painted it red and added coke decals and sold it on eBay for $1800. Had to clean the switch contacts to make it work...
I would like to have about 50 more of them to redo...
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Old 08-09-2012, 10:02 PM   #8
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Re: refridgerators

for the ultimate in complexity, it would be fun to add a belt driven air conditioning compressor to your bus engine that is used to cool the fridge when driving.

Chrysler does this in some of their cars.

I'm just being silly.....although it would be possible, it's not really worth the money, hassle or headache for most.
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Old 10-16-2012, 12:49 PM   #9
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Re: refridgerators

The answer to your question is, not really. It could be done, but you would have to strip out all the workings and fab in the complete refrigeration unit from an absorption refrigerator. The absorption unit is totally different and as mentioned before, does not use a compressor. It uses ammonia as a refrigerant and boils the ammonia using either a gas flame or heating coil (which makes it very inefficient for use on electricity).
In my experience with absorption refrigerators, they use an unbelievable amount of gas, especially here in the hot South. I have developed a preference for standard compressor-type refrigerators. In fact, although I have a Norcold AC/DC refrigerator, it is quite loud on DC and offers no protection against battery depletion; so I think the best arrangement is a 110-only fridge and a good inverter. The money you save by forgoing an expensive specialty RV fridge can be spent on more batteries, solar panels, or both.
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