Turning the fridge off at night?

[nb Innisfree]

My fault didn't allow for nit picking, please include "for long periods of time" in my original post.

 

Wasn't meant as nit picking, just clearing up any confusion for benefit of others.

Edited November 24, 2009 by nb Innisfree

[madcat]

What fridge?

If I needed a fridge I too would prefer a gas one.

[Naughty Cal]

I starting to get concerns for you lot.

 

Warm Beer!!

[WotEver]

We always turn ours off. About 15 minutes after we switch the engine off, a light on the front of the fridge starts flashing...

I'd place quite a large wager that the cabling to your fridge is waaaayyy too small.

 

Tony

[sueb]

We have a similar arrangement on Fulbourne. We have a electronic timer circuit which starts to run when the engine is started and the fridge cuts in about 10 minutes later. This means the initial alternator output all goes to recharging the engine and house batteries, and we avoid the fridge drawing down the house battery when the engine is not running.

 

We tend to boat quite long days so the fridge is working for several hours a day. We don't find a particular problem with it warming up over night, even in hot weather. One limitation is that we can't keep frozen food frozen. It tends to defrost slowly in the fridge so has to be used within 2-3 days, but this is not a problem when boating.

 

The whole arrangement has been pretty satisfactory for a number of years. The only times it doesn't work is when we are static at a rally for 2-3 days.

That seems to make having a fridge a waste of time. How do you get ice for your drinks?

Sue

[luctor et emergo]

I starting to get concerns for you lot.

 

Warm Beer!!

 

 

Maybe that is the reason why Real Ale is so popular ...

 

[madcat]

Clay wine cooler does a good job on a bottle of homebrew,its only L*ger that needs chilling to tastelessness due to tasting vile anyway[appologies for the L word]

[Naughty Cal]

Clay wine cooler does a good job on a bottle of homebrew,its only L*ger that needs chilling to tastelessness due to tasting vile anyway[appologies for the L word]

 

Milk?

Wine?

Meat?

Cheese?

Fish?

Soft Drinks?

 

Think i will keep my fridge on and not risk a case of food poisoning

[tomsk]

Milk?

Wine?

Meat?

Cheese?

Fish?

Soft Drinks?

 

Think i will keep my fridge on and not risk a case of food poisoning

 

 

None of those products need refrigeration if bought and eaten daily, as all good food should be.

[Naughty Cal]

None of those products need refrigeration if bought and eaten daily, as all good food should be.

 

You only moor in towns with good access to shops?

 

We stock up enough for a two or three days at a time as you never know what may happen along your route. Nothing worse than being stuck with no food in the middle of nowhere and no pub to boot

[tomsk]

You only moor in towns with good access to shops?

 

We stock up enough for a two or three days at a time as you never know what may happen along your route. Nothing worse than being stuck with no food in the middle of nowhere and no pub to boot

 

 

How big is your fridge?

[Naughty Cal]

How big is your fridge?

 

Big enough fo a case of Bud, a couple of packets of bacon, sausages, butter, milk, orange juice, and fresh meat/fish (enough for a couple of days)

 

Or if you prefer 46 litres.

 

Its all about the stock rotation and stacking

[Guest]

None of those products need refrigeration if bought and eaten daily, as all good food should be.

 

 

Have to say that is a big challenge on the Ashby - shops where like hen's teeth

Edited November 26, 2009 by MJG

[Naughty Cal]

Have to say that is a big challenge on the Ashby - shops where like hen's teeth

 

It is a big challenge anywhere.

[Guest]

It is a big challenge anywhere.

 

It's just about possible to shop daily on the L&L between Nelson and Skipton, but the Ashby we had been warned about (On here actually) so we were well provisioned before we set off.

[Naughty Cal]

It's just about possible to shop daily on the L&L between Nelson and Skipton, but the Ashby we had been warned about (On here actually) so we were well provisioned before we set off.

 

It may well be, but you never know when you may break down, get stuck, meet a stoppage. It pays to have some reserves in stock. We do carry emergency rations of tinned food for such eventualities, however prefer fresh home cooked food to processed sh*t from cans.

[PhilR]

Big enough fo a case of Bud, a couple of packets of bacon, sausages, butter, milk, orange juice, and fresh meat/fish (enough for a couple of days)

 

Or if you prefer 46 litres.

 

Its all about the stock rotation and stacking

 

For anyone with a small capacity fridge, I reckon beer and wine is best stored by the traditional method:

Store in a cool cupboard and place in a bucket of canal/river water 30 minutes before drinking.

[Naughty Cal]

For anyone with a small capacity fridge, I reckon beer and wine is best stored by the traditional method:

Store in a cool cupboard and place in a bucket of canal/river water 30 minutes before drinking.

 

Knowing what goes into the water in the marina, no thanks.

 

Our rotation plan works quite well (until we get tipsey and forget to restock )

[Phil Ambrose]

None of those products need refrigeration if bought and eaten daily, as all good food should be.

 

Sorry Tomsk but this is complete nonsense, refridgeration IS necessary and good food and wine does not need to be purchased daily. I as chef know of all the dangers associated with poorly stored food, remind me never to have a meal that you have prepared.

[David Schweizer]

Since installing the new batteries over four years ago, we have operated exactly the same regime as recommended by Gibbo, and it works extreemly well. Apart from the fidge, our overnight power consumption is pretty, low usually just the cd player, a couple of low wattage lights, and (when we can be bothered) an hour or so of TV. So with the fridge turned down to low once the engine is turned off after a days' cruising, there is normally plenty of alternator power available almost straight away in the morning, and the fridge is turned back up to full about 30 minutes after we have set off for the day.

 

Slightl As many will have observed in the past, much of my understanding of electrical affairs is anecdotal and based upon observation rather than any real knowledge, so it will not surprise anyone to learn that I, paradoxily, based my theories on the power consumption used by immersion heaters when switched off for most opf the day and only turned on when hot water is required. These tests were conducted by properly trained electical reaserchers in my past employrers R&D workshop, which was located next to our furniture design workshop. The results of those tests demonstrated that it was more economical to leave the immersion heater on all the time (controlled by a thermostat) than to operate from a time switch. The life expectancy of the element was also apparently improved by being switched on all the time.

Edited November 27, 2009 by David Schweizer

[Bobbybass]

Who needs a fridge ?

 

Tinned potatos....tinned frankfurters...tinned carrots.....condensed milk...

 

I enjoy good food....

 

Bob

[Naughty Cal]

Who needs a fridge ?

 

Tinned potatos....tinned frankfurters...tinned carrots.....condensed milk...

 

I enjoy good food....

 

Bob

 

Anything food from a can is the stuff of nightmares. Fresh vegetables are far superior to their tinned counterparts and dont need to go in the fridge and taste better and are not full of salt and other nasty additives pumped into tinned food to preserve it.

[David Schweizer]

Anything food from a can is the stuff of nightmares. Fresh vegetables are far superior to their tinned counterparts and dont need to go in the fridge and taste better and are not full of salt and other nasty additives pumped into tinned food to preserve it.

 

Are you sure about that statement? Surely it is packaged and chilled foods which can contain large amounts of additives which need to be checked before purchasing. Canned fruits and vegetables are naturally preserved, and contain no preservatives or artificial ingredients. Canned products are preservative-free because the canning process eliminates enzymes which causes the food to go off. The canning process itself preserves the food's natural nutrients, sealing in the freshness, flavor as well as the natural juices. In the canning process no preservatives are needed. Salt and sugar are often added to "improve" the flavour, but these days both salt and sugar free alternatives are easily available.

 

Having said that, home made from fresh ingredients is always best, but sometimes when cruising one has to get what one can find in local shops, and good fresh fruit and veg will keep for several days in a cool locker for several days. we use a small forward cupboard which is below the water line and it seems to work quite well. Keeps the beer and wine quite cool as well!!

Edited to add:- The only canned veg we would normally use are Tinned Tomatoes, and Red Kidney beans, We would never use any tinned green veg or potatoes as they will store quite happily in a cool locker, Most tinned fruits are Ok, but we always try to use fresh fruit or as an alternative, dried wherever possible. We also freeze or preserve quite a lot of hedgerow and orchard fruit, Jan's Apple chutney is much sought after by friends and family.

Edited November 27, 2009 by David Schweizer

[Naughty Cal]

I still stand by my statement.

 

Fresh vegetables are always best and doesnt need keeping in the fridge. Personally i really cant stand tinned veg, it is dull, coulourless and tasteless (other than the sickly salty briney flavour it picks up from the brine). Plus on top of that it is no easier than preparing fresh veg anyway, or certainly not with our tin opener.

[David Schweizer]

I still stand by my statement.

 

Fresh vegetables are always best and doesnt need keeping in the fridge. Personally i really cant stand tinned veg, it is dull, coulourless and tasteless (other than the sickly salty briney flavour it picks up from the brine). Plus on top of that it is no easier than preparing fresh veg anyway, or certainly not with our tin opener.

You need to read my post again together with my edit, which was added whilst you were posting, we are not disagreeing. There are no cans in our cupboard which contain either salt or sugar, the only additives are either natural juice or water.

 

I agree that canned tomatoes do not taste anything like fresh tomatoes, but as we only use them for cooking they end up tasting the same, and as fresh Kidney beans have to be cooked for several hours before they can be eaten, there is little point in wasting energy doing what the canners do befor canning.

Edited November 27, 2009 by David Schweizer