lennyhb Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Have to agree only take tea bags for the duration and enough milk & ground coffee for the first morning. Did have a panic with our fridge in France last month got woken up in the middle of the night with the darn thing beeping, so I turned it, by the time I'd sussed what had gone wrong it had been off for 14 hours and outside temperature was 30 deg. Everything in the freezer was still frozen and fridge contents cold. It was something stupid, just needed to tweak the steel blade that operates the micro switch on the door alarm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Billggski - 2014-10-21 3:25 PM The hypermarket trip is always the start of the holiday, avoiding the now obligatory British Food section. Wine, cheese, bread, fruit, salad. Why transport food to the continent when you can buy it fresh, and cheaper? To look at it from another angle - why go shopping when you could be outside enjoying the sunshine ? Just a matter of choice. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 malc d - 2014-10-21 4:43 PM Billggski - 2014-10-21 3:25 PM The hypermarket trip is always the start of the holiday, avoiding the now obligatory British Food section. Wine, cheese, bread, fruit, salad. Why transport food to the continent when you can buy it fresh, and cheaper? To look at it from another angle - why go shopping when you could be outside enjoying the sunshine ? Just a matter of choice. ;-) ..and presumably folk don't bother taking any clothes on holiday either...seeing as they could just go straight out shopping and buy some when they get there.. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElCotto Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 So why can't the fridge/freezer run on 12 volt during the trip (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Battery capacity / fridge consumption * duration of crossing = seriously damaged battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElCotto Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 New to all this but when buying M/Home had ab extra domestic battery insralled thinking it would give me the capacity to deal with fridge. Crossing to Bilbao next week and crossing is said to be 24 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 ElCotto, IF you had sufficient battery capacity to cope with the length of crossing then you would need to get your fridge re-wired to run with the engine off as currently it will almost certainly only work with the engine running. However, as Brian has already said, I doubt very much that your batteries will cope with a 24 hour crossing without being seriously damaged. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElCotto Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Thanks Brian, Keith. Learning all the time. Assumed batteries covered ALL electrics when parked up. Didn't realise that fridge excluded. So presumably we must rely on gas whenever stopped unless there is a 240v power supply (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 ElCotto - 2014-10-25 7:06 PM So presumably we must rely on gas whenever stopped unless there is a 240v power supply (?) Correct! Except you will not be allowed to use gas when on a ferry :-( hence the original comments about getting a 230v hook up on the ferry. There is one proviso, you do have a 3 way fridge don't you? (12v, 230v and Gas) And not a 12v only compressor fridge. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 ElCotto - 2014-10-25 6:05 PM New to all this but when buying M/Home had ab extra domestic battery insralled thinking it would give me the capacity to deal with fridge. Crossing to Bilbao next week and crossing is said to be 24 hours. Sorry, my reply was a bit cryptic. :-) Asssume your fridge draws about 10A (this will vary according to fridge type). AFAIK, three way fridges are not generally under control of their thermostat when run on 12V, so the Amps drawn will be more or less constant. You are to be on the ferry 24 hours (to which add booking in time, pre loading wait, and the usual delay between loading and actual departure, but say just 24 hours because it is a known), so the potential consumption during the crossing will be 24 x 10 = 240Ah. Assuming reasonaly good gel or AGM type batteries, in good condition, the total discharge should not exceed 60% (possibly 80%, but that is absolute top whack) of their true capacity (which may in any case be less than that claimed by their maker). So you should arrive with 40% of the capacity still available. This is to prevent potentially irreversible damage to the battery. If the batteries are old, or if more than approximately one year different in age, and/or not AGM/gel type, you would need to be yet more conservative in the extent to which they will be discharged. But, assuming good, reasonably new gel/AGM of reputable make, to be able to meet the demand of the fridge for the full 24 hours of the crossing without discharging the batteries below 60%, you would need around 400Ah of battery capacity installed, and fully charged, at the point of departure. My guess is that you will probably have about half that, quite possibly less. You would then need to put back what was used on the crossing, and ideally keep doing so continuously until again fully charged. They must not be left discharged to that extent, nor should they be part recharged, and then further discharged. That would take an awful lot of driving, and/or a long period on EHU, to achieve. BTW, don't be fooled into thinking that the fridge is working on 12V just because the interior light comes on. The 12V supply is split. The controls and the light are permanently live unless the fridge is acutally turned off. However, the supply to the cooling circuit is not, and is only available, as Keith says, when the engine is running (at least, this is true for the vast majority of vans). I'd therefore contact the ferry company a.s.a.p. and enquire about using a hook up lead while on board. If you can't get one, get the fridge down as low as possible before leaving home, possibly freeze a couple of litres of milk to carry in the fridge itself, and avoid carrying anything such as fresh fruit or salad stuff that could be "nipped" by the low temperatures the fridge is liable to reach. The vehicle decks won't be that warm, and the weather is now coolish, so you should be OK providing the fridge doors stay tight shut until your first stop in Spain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElCotto Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Brian, thanks for such detailed info which is really useful. I'm asking the ferry operators if I can hook up failing that I will fill fridge/freezer full and keep it closed for as long as possiblr. Thanks for going into as much detail. it's appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacock312 Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Sorry to upset you anyone by the following comment! We cross to Bilbao and back at least once every year, we have been told by loaders that it is ok to leave fridge on gas during crossing,we always have for last three years, I did a straw poll in Spain last year amongst regulars,90per cent claim that they too leave fridge on gas, What is this big risk mentioned on here? Modern ferries all seem to be well vented. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markh1 Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Just go onto Brittany Ferries on twitter with your booking ref. and they'll add a hook up to your booking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 peacock312 - 2014-10-27 10:20 AM Sorry to upset you anyone by the following comment! We cross to Bilbao and back at least once every year, we have been told by loaders that it is ok to leave fridge on gas during crossing,we always have for last three years, I did a straw poll in Spain last year amongst regulars,90per cent claim that they too leave fridge on gas, What is this big risk mentioned on here? Modern ferries all seem to be well vented. I'm a mite surprised that this question needs to be asked. The risk is a fire on the car deck. The likelihood is low. The consequences, however, should it happen, are potentially catastrophic. The last person to ask how any risk should be managed, is someone who doesn't properly understand the risk. Turning off the gas to the fridge is a common sense precaution. If planned for, it causes no more than minor inconvenience. Fire on a ship is far more than a minor inconvenience. Isn't that obvious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElCotto Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Can't believe people would run gas on a ferry!! That's madness!! I wrote to Brittany Ferries for electrical hook up. This is their reply today :- "Thank you for your email. I am sorry but we cannot provide hook up for motor homes these are reserved for freight vehicles only" We are going to pack our Fridge & Freezer tight and keep door closed. Should be OK for the 26 hours or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 ....I'm not sure how you can run your fridge on gas onboard, and conform to Brittany Ferries' conditions of carriage, viz: "When travelling in a vehicle, a maximum of three 15kg gas cylinders may be carried. All cylinders should be adequately secured against the movement of the ship and the cylinders must be switched off during the crossing." ....which are there for very good reason, as Brian outlines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Does it never occur to the "jump in with both feet" merchants, that are some folk out there who have needs that have to be met? Those needs can take any shape or form but an obvious one to me would be medication, doubtless there's others. Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 ...I can't see what that comment is aimed at, Martyn. As far as I can see, no-one on this thread has questioned that there might be some reasons why having a working fridge on a long crossing might be desirable, more about the practicalities of achieving it, or alleviating any issues of not being able to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markh1 Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 There really is no problem, hook ups are available, your motorhome will be on the deck with the commercial vehicles and you can plug in, been there and done it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 LordThornber - 2014-10-27 6:21 PM Does it never occur to the "jump in with both feet" merchants, that are some folk out there who have needs that have to be met? Those needs can take any shape or form but an obvious one to me would be medication, doubtless there's others. Martyn Nothing justifies putting the life of hundreds of passengers & crew at risk, any sensible person would ask the ships crew to store their medication in an on board fridge if required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Robinhood, I was referring to the 'can you not buy fresh food in Spain ' comments. Lenny, I wasn't suggesting any irresponsible use, like gas, nor do I know what made you thought I was. My point is simple. Different folk have different needs. One size never has and never will fit all. Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesspark Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Have emailed brittany ferries today to see if I could have a hook up on the Portsmouth Santander Ferry in Feb and they say not, ( ferry club member) don,t know what to believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacock312 Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 ElCotto - 2014-10-27 4:50 PM Can't believe people would run gas on a ferry!! That's madness!! I wrote to Brittany Ferries for electrical hook up. This is their reply today :- "Thank you for your email. I am sorry but we cannot provide hook up for motor homes these are reserved for freight vehicles only" We are going to pack our Fridge & Freezer tight and keep door closed. Should be OK for the 26 hours or so. Quite agree,but how many people stop at fillings stations with vans with fridges running on gas? Especially caravans,some vans only run mains or gas. A few years mobile telephones were banned on garage forecourts because of huge fire risk, today nobody bothers!same in hospitals, I will go back to switching off gas next time as comments on here have pricked my conscience, but when Brittany loaders say it's ok,and believe you me many people do not switch off I wonder what's the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 .....as per my Scandinavian Road Trip thread re: out Silja line crossing from Stockholm to Turku: On checking in, we were pulled to one side to check the gas - On confirming it was turned off at the cylinders, the "loadmaster" retorted, "are you sure? People lie you know! I tell them, I don't care, I'm not going on the boat with them". ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 The novel mentioned here http://www.demonoid.ph/files/details/3069646/008985801750/ may be of interest. I vaguely remember reading it years ago and thinking it wasn’t much cop, but I’m pretty sure the accident that sunk the ship began as something minor, involved LPG cylinders and then escalated into a major disaster. I’m startled that Brittany Ferries loaders would give motorcaravanners approval to run gas-fridges during a sea-crossing. I’ll contact Brittany Ferries and ask if they are happy with their staff providing such advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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