ham Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 We are thinking of taking the ferry to Santander in September. How do you manage to keep the fridge going ?. Do they allow you to run your fridge on gas whilst they are sailing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 If its the economy class ferry check if there is a berth. we looked a week or so ago and it appeared they were well booked. Gas has to be turned off. The fridge has a rest. Why bother taking food from home when supermarkets offer the same goods in most countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 ham - 2014-07-04 6:53 PM We are thinking of taking the ferry to Santander in September. How do you manage to keep the fridge going ?. Do they allow you to run your fridge on gas whilst they are sailing? No you are not allowed to run the fridge on gas while sailing. We have been on a few long distance ferries - up to 26 hours - and have never had a problem with the fridge. We freeze bottles of water / milk , and squeeze in a few ice packs, which have always done the trick. But then we don't like the idea of going shopping as soon as we get off - but some people may choose to do that. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 Went on the economy service a couple of months ago. No problems at all, very good. Crossing the bay in any size and type of ship can be rough at times but the staff are very quick to respond to any sickness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 Hi Just back from n Spain using this ferry. No you can't leave gas on but we freeze clover, sausages, etc and pack fridge with cold packs. Also take vacuum packs of food. That being said we don't take any foods likely to be highly adversely effected by getting warmer. We just visit a supermarket ASAP for milk, chicken and the like. Supermarkets are good with good range of foods. Enjoy your trip. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 rolandrat - 2014-07-04 7:53 PM Went on the economy service a couple of months ago. No problems at all, very good. Crossing the bay in any size and type of ship can be rough at times but the staff are very quick to respond to any sickness. You mean they duck? :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 ham - 2014-07-04 6:53 PM We are thinking of taking the ferry to Santander in September. How do you manage to keep the fridge going ?. Do they allow you to run your fridge on gas whilst they are sailing? Are you able to run the fridge off the leisure battery? Personally I don't bother as chilled goods remain chilled with the fridge off. PM me if you require a discount code for your booking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 It also helps if you can get the fridge really ' frozen ' before you go. We usually have ours running for at least 24 hours before we get to the ferry - hooked up to mains. That may not be possible if your van is in storage somewhere and / or there is no hook up available. . :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Mike88 - 2014-07-05 9:28 AM ham - 2014-07-04 6:53 PM We are thinking of taking the ferry to Santander in September. How do you manage to keep the fridge going ?. Do they allow you to run your fridge on gas whilst they are sailing? Are you able to run the fridge off the leisure battery? Personally I don't bother as chilled goods remain chilled with the fridge off. PM me if you require a discount code for your booking. It should only be possible to run a three way fridge on 12V when the engine is actually running. Bear in mind this supply would be from the starter battery (the default source where the supply would otherwise be the generator), and not the habitation battery. This is a 24 hour crossing, and the battery would be completely flat after about 8 hours, possibly less. If a three way fridge does run on 12V when the engine is off (not that easy to verify), the possibility is that a vital relay has failed. This should be checked and if necessary remedied urgently, or starting problems will arise. This is not relevant to those PVCs where a compressor fridge is installed, and is connected to the leisure battery. However, even with these it would be worth checking battery capacity against fridge demand, bearing in mind that to avoid damage batteries should not, generally, be discharged below 50%, and should then be fully re-charged without delay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacock312 Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 We travel to Bilbao or Santander by Brittany up three times every year,have done so for seven years,always turn off the gas as Brittany recomend,but two years ago I noticed I seemed to be the only one doing it!so,I asked one of the senior loaders,he said it was up to me,saying that this type of ferry was open at each end so didn't matter,surprise!last winter I did quick poll amongst a group of regulars,in Spain they all said, wait for it,We all leave our fridges on GAS,on the ferry!!! This year I have been to Spain,Germany, France so far and haven't switched off once! Confused,so am !!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ham Posted July 5, 2014 Author Share Posted July 5, 2014 Thanks for all the replies. Yes it is confusing as i have had been told no problem. keep the gas on. I left it on the trip to the hook of Holland this year after one of the loaders said its ok.. My fridge will run off the haditation battery and there are 2 160 amp. We are both diabetic so We need to keep the fridge cool as we carry our medication in the fridge along with some food. So thanks again Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Phillip, are you sure your fridge runs from the habitation battery on 12V? Forgive me, and I know you'll know you van far better than I do, but I'm asking because your reliance on the fridge would appear to make this critical. It is an unusual arrangement. I believe you may have a 2008 Trigano Tribute 650 PVC? I accept that dealers aren't always that clued up on what they sell, but of those presently on offer all are described as having mains/12V/gas fridge-freezers. I assume this will be a Dometic model. Normal installation would take fridge 12V power from the altarnator only, and would cut this once the engine is stopped. If an AES model, the fridge will then seek either mains or gas, and run on that when available. There is always 12V power to the fridge, to run the interior light and the controls, but not, AFAIK, for cooling (unless specifically modified). I understand the consumption on 12V is at least 10A (some up to 14A), and that the fridge will not not be thermostatically controlled on 12V. Britanny Ferries list Portsmouth-Santander as 24 hours, and Plymouth-Santander as 20 hours. The fridge will consume 10Ah of electricity for every hour it is on 12V. That equals at least 200/240Ah consumed during the crossing, depending on which, not counting times during embarction/disembarcation when the negine will not be running. You have two 160Ah batteries installed giving you 320Ah total. If you had the batteries fitted at/soon after purchase, I would expect them to a) be a bit below their peak by now, and b) possibly not to be true 160Ah batteries (manufacturers often overstate the true Ah). Be that as it may, if you don't want to damage them it would be unwise to discharge them below 50% of their true capacity. Even from Plymouth at the quoted 20 hours duration you would be consuming over 60%, and from Portsmouth consumpton would be at least 75% (always assuming my various guesses correct-ish :-)). So, if not into battery injury time, perilously close, and requiring a good long spell on charge ASAP to mitigate. Under the circumstances, might it be worth asking the loaders if the fridge can be run on gas in view of your need to store drugs in it? Alternatively, they may have a cold storage facility where the drugs can be kept for the duration on these long crossings. Worth asking? Apologies for poking my nose in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 ham - 2014-07-05 5:59 PM Thanks for all the replies. Yes it is confusing as i have had been told no problem. keep the gas on. I left it on the trip to the hook of Holland this year after one of the loaders said its ok.. My fridge will run off the haditation battery and there are 2 160 amp. We are both diabetic so We need to keep the fridge cool as we carry our medication in the fridge along with some food. So thanks again Phil If you can't leave fridge on Gas, as you won't be opening it up while on ferry, it should keep cool, especially if you get it really cold first.. You could always wrap your insulin in foil while in fridge, it does not need freezing , only keeping cool. You could ask (in advance of your boarding) to put in a fridge on board, (hotels will always do this for you), BUT you must remember to collect it, before leaving. I have kept insulin in a wardrode in hot weather for three weeks, no problem Don't worry, just enjoy your holiday, I would advise you to take a copy of your prescrptions with you, PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ham Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 Brian you are correct. How ever a modification was made with another change over switch. But I normally leave fridge on alternator whilst travelling. When I first had the van the Manufacture had incorrectly wired the AES on a number of Tributes, So a recall was done. We had planned to meet up with our daughter down in the Pyrennees.but it looks like thats out off the window due to her work commitments. So Its most likely we will go to the French Alps. Thanks again For your input very much appreciated..... Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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