Never buying ice again and how that's going

[Raptor 429]

The bane of rv life is having to purchase ice and firewood.

Two years ago I decided no more ice. I bought a
small icemaker and a large domestic ice chest. It can be rerigerator or freezer. Two sides can have one freezer and one frigerator. Anyway I have not purchased ice since. BUT

It turns out to be very heavy when full. It only goes through the porch door one way. It's difficult to keep powered while in transit.

As time goes by I just want to move it the least possible as all the drink bins have to come out before it goes through the door.

It was expensive (Around $1k) and it's hard to say if I'm close to paying it off with ice savings or not. What I don't do is use it as much as I thought I would. Back of the truck for kids sports etc. Mainly because it's hard to move. I would never go back to ice buckets but does anybody really get their use out of smaller easier to move electric domestic coolers?

I guess I'm in search of a better system of electrified cooler. We either have the cfx3 75dz or the 95dz. Can't remember and I left it in the trailer....

[sourdough]

Is this what you are talking about?

https://www.campingworld.com/dometic...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

That seems like a lot of money and trouble to do what the fridge in the RV does. Do you have kids and activities that go through lots of ice and drinks?

I used a portable icemaker for several years and it worked fine...but there are only 2 of us (and puppy). We stored the ice in the freezer in freezer bags to have "extra". The current fridge has an icemaker and it makes more than we use so that's good.

The unit linked shows that it runs off of either 120vac or 12vdc. Is powering it a problem or just the size/bulk of it? They make smaller units I believe but don't know they would do what you need.

[Raptor 429]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Is this what you are talking about?

https://www.campingworld.com/dometic...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

That seems like a lot of money and trouble to do what the fridge in the RV does. Do you have kids and activities that go through lots of ice and drinks?

I used a portable icemaker for several years and it worked fine...but there are only 2 of us (and puppy). We stored the ice in the freezer in freezer bags to have "extra". The current fridge has an icemaker and it makes more than we use so that's good.

The unit linked shows that it runs off of either 120vac or 12vdc. Is powering it a problem or just the size/bulk of it? They make smaller units I believe but don't know they would do what you need.

Yes that's the unit. First I'm impressed your trailer freezer has an ice maker. That would be great. Yes we have two teenage boys and I use the full capacity of two house refrigerator ice machines during hot sports season in Kansas City this time of year.

We tend to take very extended trips. It's not uncommon for us to be gone multiple weeks sometimes more than a month. So the fridge and freezer are packed full of food. I've used the dometic as a freezer for more food but usually it's just beverages now. It's very convenient once it's setup, either in kids garage area or as outdoor cooler on the porch. Then we are not leaking AC when it's hot to get a water a million times a day.

Problems are moving it everytime we stop so wondering if people with smaller units have the same problem. Also keeping it electrified while on the move. It does have DC adapter so maybe I should wire a 12 v plug back in the garage.

Back in our bumper pull days the fridge was just not large enough for longer hauls. We tend to get very remote at times and know not to underestimate how much teenage boys can eat in a day. It's not uncommon on first and last day legs to drive 8 to 10 hours or be at a quite hour park with depleted battery after 8 hours. It's still better than finding ice but far from perfect yet.