ice availability Cape York

Never been to the cape but $2500 is a heap of money. You could do it for half that or less.

Mine was setup over a number of years but would have cost about

Waeco CF-80 fridge/freezer $970
Second battery $120 (mine was actually free. Is a big crank battery N70??)
Tray $100 fitted
Isolater $20? I just used some old spotlight relays wired to isolate when ignition was off. Have a Redarc now but haven't fitted it. Cost $89.

All new gear.

So long as you run the car every day it works fine without solar/generator.

I'd find it painful to go back to using eskies.

Couple of ways to look at it.

Until recently , I did all my camping with an esky. Trying to keep enough food and drinks cold in an esky/icebox for a family of 6 , involved 2 large eskies , and then a 65l Waeco Icebox , and a small (about 30l) esky. Its a PITA because approx 1/3 of the available space is taken up by ice.

It IS achievable as I froze my own ice , either by freezing icecream containers to get good block ice , and or to freeze Cordial/Milk Bottles to act like an ice brick.

Also the advantage of having a supply of Cold Fresh Water. You CAN add things like salt etc to the ice to make it last longer , but , its no longer usable , and the gain is questionable (IMO).

Getting hold of a good quality Icebox , EvaKool, Waeco , etc , or the Tropical, IceKool , Downunder varieties , and using good ice , should see you right for at least a week , but, of course more ice will be needed.

Whats available ? Sorry dont know.

I have seen a few people use both a Fridge Freezer , and small esky/icebox.

Use the fridge for food , and freeze these milk/cordial bottles , which then get transfered to the Drink Esky/Icebox. I use that idea to a small degree.

IMO , a Fridge is a long term investment , that , over time , WILL pay for itself , in terms of buying ice etc.

Sure , its a steep start up , but , having the ability to keep all your food cold/frozen , and , for a family , the occassional treat of icecream , is not to be overlooked.

Buying a fridge from somewhere like the fridge shop (waeco 2nds) should see your intial price reduced quite a bit.

Depending on length of stays , a Gas fridge may be an option ?

G'day Willow,

I currently have 2 fridges but when I did my first trip to the Cape in 1994 I had 1 esky and 2 kids. Somehow (still can't imagine how) we managed, we did this mainly because we bought all frozen bread and milk while travelling up there. This was about the only way it was sold then. It kept the whole show cool. I guess it will depend on your travelling style (like are you moving every day or 2nd day) and the route. What I don't know is if they still sell milk and bread this way up there these days.

Kind regards

G'day

Suggestion. Cryovac all meat and any other food stuff suitable ( see you local butcher)

With a family of five a fridge is (IMOP) going to be needed. Ice, even if readily available would not suffice. (You are probably going to have about 5 -7 days without ice being available).

Rec retail on a 60 litre engel fridge freezer is $1639.00 ( a similar WAECO is cheaper). A good auto electrician should be able to supply and fit a suitable dual battery system for your vehicle for a max $500.00. More like around the $300.00 mark. All up $2000.00 should set you up with a fridge and dual batteries. This will enable you to run the fridge for about two days with out charging the battery.

Using a 40 litre fridge would allow one more day using the second battery and reduce you costs a great deal.

Note. Your alternator will need to be at least 60amps capacity. The battery should not be discharged more than 50% of its capacity. The alternator will only charge the second battery to around 75% of its capacity. I would recommend that you carry at least a 10amp 3 stage smart, 240volt battery charger. Add about $100.00 to total cost for this. I am not a fan of 3 way fridges 9 unless staying in the one spot for a week or more) due to there excessive power consumption on 12 volts and the need to allow settling time and have them level on gas. BUT many people are happy with them.

or Buy an engel and sell it when you get back. You may only lose about 3-4 hundred dollars. Also look at hiring your fridge?

My thoughts

Regards

Paul

I agree that a fridge is the preferred option but I do know it is possible to do this trip with the right icebox. My brother-in-law and sister travelled with me a couple of years back with a home made esky on the back of the LUX (full width of the tray and about 2ft high x 2ft wide). Set out from Mossman with matured block ice and this lasted for about 6 days and was replenished in New Mapoon (the fishing tackle/boat hire shop near Seisia). Block ice is also available in Cooktown and Weipa - but I just can't remember the shops now.

I used an EvaKool ice box when I went over to Kunnunnurra and back to Broome via the GRR in 2003/4, would never travel without a fridge again....

The ice did last about four days, however as it melted it became part of the fridge food contents as you can't get an ice bag 100% water tight L0L, and the water and the vegies and food don't taste that well when warm and wet.
You will have to remove the water daily, yes actually remove the esky from the vehicle and open the drain plug allowing the excess water to drain out. The esky is heavy when full of food and is a bugga of a job when done daily, and you tend to loose (your) cool as well.

David, have you concidered buying a second hand fridge, and a new battery and wiring the battery in parallel with your existing starter battery without a solenoid, and having a fridge disconnect switch set at about 12.2v (adjustable lower voltage with experience) so you can always start your vehicle.
As you will be traveling most days it will not be a big drain on the battery system.

It would be better than having warm & wet food.

You could then sell the fridge when you get back and use the battery as a new starter battery... hence the overall $$ cost would be minimal, just the cable price, a battery and a small loss on the fridge, probably only $200 to $400 overall max.

The benefits are, you have cold food daily that's not contaminated with bad algie :-(

Thanks for all your responses. I guess the idea of fitting a dual battery system into and old (370,000kms) 80 series put me off. I know the frustration of having to empty water and the soggy food thing is annoying after a week, let alone weeks away.

I might have another talk to the fridge sellers and see what they can do.

Thanks again for all your responses. David

Get a Waeco hahaha

I reckon the idea of buying and selling on return os a good one

Willow,

From my experience - 22 years in the Army + camping etc. Until recently we never had fridges etc to take field with us when we went out on our training exercises etc, some of these would go for weeks. We had to improvise and live off of hard rations - ie tin food etc.

If you are going to take fresh food my advice to you is to prepare and plan your meals weeks in advance and then freeze the meat etc for as long as you can before leaving (weeks if possible) - also if you can either get your meat cryovaced either by a butcher or buy your own machine. Have the meat cryovaced into the serves that you are going to use at the time.

Freeze water in two litre cordial bottles etc and as they thaw out then you use this water for drinking etc.

For the first week or so live on your fresh rations and then change to hard rations - tin food and vegies - a with a little bit of experimentation and imagination you can make some amazing dishes.

Carry powdered milk, most fresh vegies should be bought the day before you leave and replinished along the way. Try making your own bread (damper) etc. Go fishing and eat fresh fish.

Try and get some dry ice for your esky it will last for well over a week. I to am like you - I can not see the sense of spending a lot of money to buy a fridge that is only going to be used a couple of times a year; however, if you do want to go down that path - that is using a fridge - then my sugestion would to to get the dual battery set up fitted (can in most cases be transferred from vehicle to vehicle) and hire a fridge from a camping shop.

Hope this helps.

Karl

Have a look at www.fridgeshop.com.au - they have ex-demo and second hand Waeco fridges. I bought an 80 litre for $990 and haven't had any problems with it. If you can't go the dual battery way have a look at the Outback power supply (again bought mine second hand from Fridgeshop). I run the fridge off the Outback and then have the Outback plugged into the cigarette lighter, giving me a virtual dual battery system. All up cost was around $1500 which includes the 240 volt charger and the fridge cover. The Waeco has an economy option incorporated so if the power supply is having trouble keeping up when stopped just switch to economy then we the vehicle has been started switch it back to normal.
I've been to Cape York 4 times and wouldn't rely on reliable ice supplies.

Willow dont panic you can get ice at most road houses.
We have many people that travell with eskies as long as it is a good brand one.
As said above get your meat cryovac in cairns and get enought to the top and at seisia you can get another load cryovaced at the meat works just after the turn of to loyalty beach on the right.

All the best
Eric

Ps do what your happy with.