Things to Consider Before Buying an Upright Fridge for Your Canopy
Before buying a 12V/240V upright fridge for your canopy, there are a few things worth considering.
Check the height and size
The height of your canopy dictates what size upright fridge you can fit. For instance, a Bushman DC85L HD is 630 mm high and 480 mm wide, whereas a Bushman 130L HD is 755 mm high and 530 mm wide. That gives you around 45 litres of extra fridge space for an additional 125 mm in height, providing a much bigger fridge capacity without a great deal more cost.
Allow enough room for the fridge door to open
Another thing to consider is that many canopies have a lip that the canopy door seals against. This is generally an inch or so higher than the canopy floor where the fridge sits. That may not sound like much, but it is quite often enough to stop the fridge door from opening. You may need to raise the fridge an extra 25 mm or so above the canopy floor to allow the door to open. Also, check that the gas struts on your canopy doors won’t interfere with the fridge door when you open it.
Think about floor space
The good thing about an upright fridge is that it uses the height of your canopy rather than taking up as much floor space. An 80-litre portable chest fridge can take up more floor space than a 130-litre upright fridge, so an upright can leave you with more usable floor space.
Consider access, extra weight and cost
Depending on the height of your 4WD or truck, the canopy floor can be quite high. This can make it difficult to see inside a chest-style camping fridge. That often means needing a drop-down fridge slide, which takes up even more floor space. It can also add up to 45 kg of extra weight, which can create problems with your vehicle’s GVM limit. Depending on the size of your fridge, a drop-down slide can also add more than $1,000 to the cost.
Advice from my own experience
I hope these tips help you out. I’m speaking from my own camping and caravanning experience, as well as having owned 4WDs with canopies for many years. They’re just a few things to consider before choosing your fridge.
I stock a couple of different Bushman fridge models. For questions or pricing, don’t hesitate to call me on 0400 744 219.
Andrew, The Fridge Whisperer
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