Fridge use whilst travelling

should be a setting on fridge to use battery when connected to car as I think cannot use fridge on battery without car. don't know about ferries but I would freeze a couple of bottles of water and place in fridge to keep temp down while on ferry travels.

Good advice about using frozen water to help keep the fridge cool on the ferry. Some people use frozen bottles of milk for that purpose.

If you set your fridge to the 12v battery position the fridge will run from the car battery when connected to the car and when the car's engine is running. Therefore, the fridge will work while you are driving but not on the ferry.

It's worth noting that you cannot use gas to run the fridge whilst on the ferry, or when travelling, no matter what gas system you have and the gas must be turned off on board the ferry.

If you can chill your fridge down before you load and set off. Fill every inch, using frozen milk, cartons of juice and water as well as your contents. Try not to pen the door. Most of us arrive and find 1st nights dinner is still frozen despite being in the fridge rather than the freezer! It's a large insulated cool box once it's been cooled down.

Not a caravanner but I believe the fridge will be maintained in 12v whilst towing but would probably drain your battery on the crossing.

Sorry, Bakers, the fridge will only work on 12v when the car engine is running. Motorhomes are generally the same and without the engine running the fridge will be disconnected from the vehicle battery.

Whoops you're right Tinwheeler, I said when you're towing meaning moving 😉. Wasn't certain if there was an additional option on the ferry.

No, if there was such an option, Bakers, the draw of the fridge would very quickly flatten the vehicle battery. That’s not what you want when having to disembark the ferry. 😀

NB. The leisure battery never powers the cooling element of the fridge but runs the control panel and, usually, the interior light. 

Even on an eight hour crossing, if you have chilled it all down before departure, the biggest problem is thawing it out upon arrival.

Also, can we run our fridge whilst driving for long distances?

As everyone above has said, but we are assuming that your tow vehicle is wired to run the fridge when towing, not every car is.

Good point, Metheven. I should not have assumed. 🙂

On the Harwich/Hook ferry I always disconnect the hitch electric cable, just in case and habit really. 

We usually carry a couple of ice blocks and a frozen bottle of milk in the fridge which keeps everything cool during the crossing.

On arrival at port reconnect the hitch electric cable, make sure the fridge is set to battery and as soon as the car is started fridge will activate.