Gooday, I have a new Dune 45L camping fridge. Set at 3°C in our caravan running on 12V. (No problem with the battery,running on solar ) Over 35°C the temp increases to 12°C and eventually stops.Is this normal ? At what ambient temp do other fridges fail ?
Our 10+ year old 60 litre ARB fridge can maintain the 2 degrees we set it on in ambient temps of 35. Our same age 35 litre ARB fridge, used as a freezer cannot maintain more than about minus 14 in those temps, I think we've seen it drop to minus 12 on occasions. Those temps are on the fridge readout & we know that things like frozen hash browns at the top of the freezer haven't fared too well (gone mouldy),but we get all our meat cryovaced & have never had any go off.
It may or may not be an issue, but voltage drop in inadequate supply wiring is a common cause of poor fridge performance. If you have a multimeter check the voltage at the fridge end whilst the fridge is running.
-- Edited by Cuppa on Friday 12th of January 2024 06:39:43 PM
My Engel lives in the back of the wagon when travelling. Even in 40deg ambient outside temps (hotter inside when parked up) it maintained it's set temp. So I'd say that no it's not normal.
My two fridges can maintain freezing temperatures internally, and they are both in the back of my vehicle, which is sometimes parked in the sun, so internal ambient temperatures can be very high.
I suggest the Dune fridge is faulty and would recommend you return it and get some other brand.
From your initial comment I didn't think it was a plug issue. I replaced the cigarette lighter with Anderson plug (photos below with my modifications without drilling an extra hole in the car).
(Burnt contact)
P.S. I also rewired the actual fridge as the manufacturer's wiring was under sized.
(Multiple cooling if keen. I use Noctura fans)
You probably gathered from earlier photo, the manufacturer's 2 metre lead was also under sized, thus Anderson plug on the fridge (you can just see the panel 7amp circus breaker in the photo, from Jaycar). 0.17 volts returned to the circuit. Doesn't seem a lot but all adds up here & there.
P.S. If you are soldering iron is not large enough for Anderson plugs, a heat gun works brilliantly.
