Food safety and frige temp

Brodie Allen · Guru

Food safety and frige temp

laurieoz · Senior Member

had them for years in three way fridge

Don't know how anyone can run and set temperature without one

Laurie

Cuppa · Guru

We are well aware of the variation in temperature inside most, if not all 12v chest fridges. We rely on the temperature readout on the fridge (& the freezer) control panels only as a relative figure to let us know if anything is amiss. We run them using their temp outputs that we set based upon measured internal temperatures (having used our multimeter to do so.

We are cautious, some may say overly so but it works for us. We have never had food go off in either fridge or freezer with the exception of some frozen has browns at the top of the freezer, which whilst still frozen did go mouldy.

All meat/fish etc in the freezer is cryovac'd.

Having an external remote readout of fridge or freezer temperature is only ever going to be 'indicative' just as the readout on the fridge itself is, because the sensor of either is only measuring the temperature at a single position inside the fridge. The advantage of the aftermarket monitors is that the sensor can be placed at the top of the fridge or freezer where it will be warmest. But as we have already know what the warmest ours get is relative to the readout on the front of the fridge we don't really need anything else.

We run our fridge at between 0 deg C & 3 deg C - the lower figure in hotter weather..
Our freezer we run at it's coldest (minus 18) when driving or camped with good solar input, & drop it to minus 12 to minus 14 at night.

Works for us.

For fridges without a temperature readout on the fridge the external monitors I would agree are an essential, just so long as the user recognises that the fridge interior will still vary in temperature, generally warmer at the top. When we had an upright Vitrifigo fridge/freezer (never again) a battery operated fan inside was helpful in evening out the cabinet temperatures a bit. But my belief is that a separate fridge & freezer is a better option than a combined one.

-- Edited by Cuppa on Saturday 23rd of September 2023 12:08:38 PM

Whenarewethere · Guru

We run our esky fridge/freezer as a fridge in general, have enjoyed ice cream in the outback & use it for frozen food when shopping at home. As a fridge at 5°C.

As a freezer in the coldest part it gets down to -26°C, the rest of the locations around the fridge will get down to -22°C.

Clean out the condenser & fan with air gun at least after major trips. The dust blanket on the condenser doesn't take long to get out of hand. No different to fans & heatsinks in computers, frightening stuff!

Also I replaced OME fan with Noctua industrial fan, a lot quieter than I expected, but then the fridge has acoustic insulation.

Also added a filter so I could wash filter rather than the condenser, saves pulling the fridge apart so often.

A bit more information in this thread:

https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t65059593/extra-fridge-insulation-wattage-test/

Cupie · Guru

Brodie Allen wrote:
A timely warning with summer nearly here - your frige temps need to be monitored throughout.

a very simple and cheap system is available on e-Bay that has a battery sender unit to pop into
the frige compartment and a monitoring and alarm unit for your kitchen. The one that I use comes
as a package of 2 senders and a wireless monitor for around $25.

Lots better than smelly stuff and possible food poisoning!!!

You would be amazed how quickly your main compartment temp drops in hot weather and with
continual opening of the door. keep that compartment around 3 deg. for safety.

B

B...

Can you please give us a link to he one that you purchased.

I use an old wired one that got at least a decade ago.

It would be nice to have one that could be used with my 20YO Engel too.

EDIT ... Found this one .. Is it the one you have

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/134566573432?ha

-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 23rd of September 2023 02:43:17 PM

laurieoz · Senior Member

That is the one I have

You will be surprised what the temperature in your three way fridge is compared to what you think you have been running especially in summer

Laurie

kgarnett · Senior Member

Here is a link to a Frozen Foods Handling and Storage Manual which discusses storage temperatures and periods for various food groups. It may be of some interest.

https://www.gcca.org/legacy-system/WFLO-Commodity-Storage-Manual-2018Frozen_Foods_Handling_and_Storage[1].pdf

Ken

StormCamper · Member

Smart work beats hard work. I see guys putting fans in their fridges, such fans that can draw 1/3 the actual 24hr power consumption of my whole fridge in 35deg heat which is bone stock. Some like to mod, I just like to use my fridge the way it should work in today's chaotic age. The problem with uprights is the cold air easily falls out each time you access it, that's principley why I'd never use one. Chest fridges don't have this problem, you open the door continuously throughout the day and they just chug along. Of course this assumes the chest fridge is actually good and not mass produced popular rubbish. Added insulation??? Added fans??? Added covers??? Nope, not an issue around here. In 40 degree heat my fridges are set 1degree and I access them dozens of times a day with the lid held open long each time and the can of coke and cheese sitting at the top near lid is almost as perfect chilled as the cans on the bottom. I put my hand inside against the wall and its bitter cold all around the entire cabinet. Do that with Engel and Waeco and your cheese will be almost melted. And the bigger the chest gets, the more it doesn't care about you constantly opening it. My big stainless (beautiful looking) fridges are a chic magnet. Lol Both my big fridges i use in 40degree heat real world conditions, will cool liquids (starting out at near 50degrees-sitting in sun) down to 1 degree just ~30minutes slower than what is physically fastest possible. Yep, we are spoilt in today's tech. Lol, those poor caravaners and RVers with that great burden of beast...

Scubadoo · Veteran Member

I guess we can't really compare watermelons with peanuts.

In the meantime we will continue enjoying our $700 230VAC 2 door 255l Samsung Digital Inverter silver fridge freezer powered via a dedicated 300W PSW inverter.
1°C and -18°C. ±2°C ever. Auto defrost. No external venting necessary.

9 years of full-time travel and it all still operates perfectly.

Whenarewethere · Guru

DIY fridges for yachts use top opening & have 200mm of insulation.

Dick0 · Guru

laurieoz wrote:
That is the one I have
You will be surprised what the temperature in your three way fridge is compared to what you think you have been running especially in summer
Laurie

These are very good. Run these at home fridge and three way in van. Accurate readings and they use readily available batteries.