Dorm Style Fridge question

[Brewster_440]

I have a 1993 Jayco 1006 pop up trailer. It has an ice box under the sink/stove. Just a built in cooler, no pwer - you add ice. The door is broken at the hinge and duct tapped. Well I could JB Weld it and paint it white, but i'm thinking why not pull it out and replace it with a dorm style fridge - and build it in.  I know it's not going to run untill i get to the campsite and plug into 110 volts, but that's OK with me - just looking to keeping milk and cold cuts cold during the weekend. I plan to also have a cooler with block ice (frozen soda bottles filled with water, see living through hurricanes teaches you something, ha ha).

Anyone have this kind of set-up? what are the pros and cons?

TIA,
Bruce Bennett
Ormond Beach, Florida

[tlhdoc]

Welcome to PUT!  Many people use a dorm fridge in their PU.  You do need to have it vented and it will put heat into the camper if it is vented into the inside.  Good luck with the mod.

[luvourjayco]

We did this.  Mounted its own plug in there also.  Since we never camped without hook ups it worked great for us.  We have now moved up but our son is using our set up and loves it.
Here is a link to the picture

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1037466876036624075cCMxVT

[Jeremy]

here's a link to my dorm fridge install on my 85 Palomino.  I plug in the night before we leave for a trip and unplug right before we leave (with the fridge loaded).  We usually camp about 1.5 to 3 hours away from home and the fridge stays cool during transit.  If we do a longer trip than that, I have a 110 power inverter in the truck and could run an extension cord from the camper into the TV.
 
 I got the fridge for an xmas present, but it was only about $65 at Menards. The nice thing is you don't have to go through all the trouble of being absolute level for the fridge to work efficently.  With my fan setup behind, I'm usually having to turn down the fridge as it's very effective at cooling.

[Brewster_440]

here's a link to my dorm fridge install on my 85 Palomino.  I plug in the night before we leave for a trip and unplug right before we leave (with the fridge loaded).  We usually camp about 1.5 to 3 hours away from home and the fridge stays cool during transit.  If we do a longer trip than that, I have a 110 power inverter in the truck and could run an extension cord from the camper into the TV.
 
 I got the fridge for an xmas present, but it was only about $65 at Menards. The nice thing is you don't have to go through all the trouble of being absolute level for the fridge to work efficently.  With my fan setup behind, I'm usually having to turn down the fridge as it's very effective at cooling.

Thanks for the info - what you wrote was exactly what I was thinking. I thought about the power inverter trick also.

[Brewster_440]

We did this.  Mounted its own plug in there also.  Since we never camped without hook ups it worked great for us.  We have now moved up but our son is using our set up and loves it.
Here is a link to the picture

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1037466876036624075cCMxVT

Yep! i plan to mount a plug in there behind the fridge. The inside of your Jayco looks like ours, but we have the green interior (we bought used)  ---  Love that hanging shelf ! - I have two 4 foot sections of that shelving in my garage right now, been asking people if they want it before i toss it - ha ha, better hold on to it now!! I have an AC unit where you have your vent, so I need to take that into account.  I guess you need to take the stuff down when you close up the camper.

Thanks, Bruce

[luvourjayco]

The shelf is held up by lengths of chain and s hooks with eye screws into drywall anchors in the ceiling. (hope that made sense!)   Mount the shelf so that the lip of it is too the back to avoid having stuff fall on your head.  It is taken down and stowed in the aisle of the PU and totes put on top of it for travel.  The shelf allows us to store the bread and chips (really light stuff) up out of the way and leaves the counter space for other things.  Ours was a 1991 1006 and we loved it.  We have moved up to a 5ver and the PU has been taken over by our son and grandkids and they use it and love it also.

[Brewster_440]

Thanks to everyone who answered. Here are two shots of the install. Going out this weekend for the first time. I had this fridge in the house and it cooled down in about 15 minuets. We will see how it works out in the real world - ha ha.