Keep a 12V fridge cold without flattening the battery
Plain notes on how much power a 12V camping fridge uses and what changes it. Each page is a short checklist with the sources behind it. Start with the numbers on the label, then move on to airflow, packing and battery settings.
- How much power a 12V fridge really uses
What the amps and watts on a 12V fridge label mean, and how to turn the maker's figures into a realistic number for a whole day.
- Why a fridge's power use changes from day to day
Heat, door opening, load and temperature settings all change how much energy a 12V camping fridge uses in a day. Here is what each one does.
- Compressor, absorption and icebox: how the three compare
How compressor fridges, absorption fridges and plain iceboxes differ in power use, noise and upkeep when you're camping off the grid.
- Ventilation and placement for a 12V fridge
How much air space a portable fridge needs, and where to put it in a vehicle, van or camp so it doesn't have to work harder than it should.
- Pre-cooling and packing a fridge to save power
How to pre-cool a portable fridge and pack it so the compressor runs less and you open the lid less often on a trip.
- Low-voltage cut-off settings explained
What the Low, Medium and High battery protection settings on a 12V fridge do, and how to match the setting to the battery that powers it.
- How long a battery will run a 12V fridge
A step-by-step way to work out how many hours a battery will run a 12V fridge, using usable amp-hours and the fridge's hourly use.
- Measuring your own fridge's daily use
How to find what your own 12V fridge uses in a day, with a plug-in energy meter, a battery monitor or the fridge's own display.