Chescold F400

good fridge - if you understand its peculiarities – Ours is an older mid-90's Chescold by Electrolux, now branded Dometic I believe. We've had it since new and still use it regularly in Western Qld. It's good within its' design parameters. It operates by a constant heat source that does not cycle on and off like a compressor fridge, and hence uses a lot of energy. It is the equivalent of a 120watt incandescent light globe running 24/7.

Yes it has to be level regardless of power source. No, it doesn't like being opened a lot. Yes it takes a fair while to pull down to temperature. And yes, they suck 12v batteries dry quick than a draining bathtub. And it also has an appetite for 240v heating elements. But it works well on 240v and brilliantly on gas, and if setup properly the 12v source will keep it ticking over whilst travelling but should not be relied on when stopped.

Don't even think about trying to run one off a normal car 12v cigarette socket which simply cant handle the power drain. At best it simply won't work, or the plug will melt and blow a fuse or worse. Since upgrading the 12v wiring to an Anderson plug with an inline 30A fuse on the back of our fridge, bypassing the fiddly original 12v plug, our F400 now works fine on 12v. But the 12v lead I made with Anderson plugs at each end is 8B&S (10mm sq of copper) twin cable which is much thicker than the recommended and inadequate 6mm often quoted. I also made the lead as short as possible and it plugs directly into a second battery that is connected by thicker 6B&S (13mm sq) cable to the cranking battery, so the fridge gets good power supply with minimal voltage drop. This is nearly always the reason for failure of 12v 3way fridges in caravans that people often complain about - simply not enough power getting through the inadequate cable to the fridge.

The 240v heating elements don't last forever either. I have replaced ours 3 or 4 times in the last 20+ years. For the last 5 years our fridge has been the drinks fridge on our back veranda at home & it often gets afternoon sun, but still works fine until that element eventually fails. I replace the elements myself, but they cost about $90-$100 each, so not cheap.

We also use an Engel fridge with solar panels when camping, but if we have room and will be camped in one spot for a while, I will take the Chescold and use it on gas for the food fridge which does not need to be as cold and wont be opened as often. The Engel drinks fridge will chill its contents quicker especially if replacing with warm contents.

Occasionally the Chescold will stop working regardless of power source. One simple trick that will often get the fridge going is to turn it upside down and agitate it a bit, then back upright again and let it settle then turn it on again. This re-distributes the contents of the cooling system which over time will contain crystallised chemicals that impede the flow of refrigerant within the system. That usually gets it going again.

So they're a great fridge in the right application, especially if camped in one spot and run on gas; a 4kg gas bottle lasts more than a week. It is possibly the most economical way for a first camping fridge. No solar panels or dual batteries, no generators & extra fuel; just a gas bottle, regulator and the fridge and away you go!

Superb – After years of Waeco and Engel compressor fridges I've gone to the dark side. What a revelation, no more rooting around with solar panels and generators to keep the dual battery charged. Unlike previous cheapie 3 ways I've used this thing has excellent temperature control, the thermostat works perfectly on gas and 240. I haven't bothered with 12 volt. It travels like a big esky and within an hour of hooking up the LPG the element has iced up. Bonus was I picked it up second hand in excellent nick for $200 and spent $35 on a new regulator and braided hose.

Great Fridge, Excellent for long stays – Works great regardless of the weather. Particularly good for longer camp stays - no need for solar gear or generators. Just a great simple option for refrigeration when camping. Simple and effective., Just spent 3 weeks up the Cape, Weipa, Bamaga, Chilli Beach etc. Used this fridge as a freezer for the whole trip, using 12 volt when traveling and gas in camp. Sat on -10 or colder for the time we were away, even maintaining the temp during travel time. A good option for campers.

Great if you understand the process & are handy with a tool – Had mine 10 yrs after buying it 2nd hand. Took it around Oz & on many a hot camping trip & is fantastic on gas & in car. In car need dedicated 6mm wire straight off battery. On gas needs to be level. Has required the odd upside down treatment to fix a gas airlock & also needed to unblock the gas line due to a spider web one time & another time the old gas hose was breaking down depositing tiny rubber pieces in the jet.

Great on electricity, rubbish on gas – Camping at Inskip Point over Easter all of our frozen food was spoiled. OK as a fridge only. Was in shade and down to temp with all frozen food. Don't kid yourself that this is a useful freezer. Buy a waeco + solar panels + deep cycle batteries. It is going back to the shop under warranty.....again.