I cant really address your question other than to say that in order for
the fridge to work there has to be a heat source. There are three for the
fridge; Propane, 110 and 12 volts. There is a BIG bottle of propane; a HUGE
supply of 110 (if you have access to it at all) but very little supply of 12
volts; coming as it does from your battery.(unless, of course, you crank
your engine).
   Electrically speaking, there is nothing, absolutely nothing in the world
that draws more current than resistance wire, which is what you have in
there making the heat for the fridge (It's the same stuff you wiill find in
a toaster). This is not much of a problem with 110 but a LARGE hazard with
12. A 12 volt circuit that would keep your fridge as cool as 110 or propane
would suck your battery dry in no time so they don't even try.
  In practice I use the 12 only on the road between 110 sources if I can get
them or propane if I can't.

BTW: What do you mean by "Incredibly well"?  Mine is not so much a fridge as
it is a "self-propelled" cooler. Works about as well as your average ice
chest but without the need to add ice. I haven't seen many that do much
better than this. Maby you lucked out.

-----Original Message-----
From: Gregg Scharff <scharff@ENG.KNS.COM>
To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM <Vanagon@VANAGON.COM>
Date: Tuesday, May 26, 1998 4:23 PM
Subject: Westy fridge efficiency in 12v mode

>My Westy refrigerator works incredibly well in both the propane and the
>110 volt ac mode, but not so well in the 12 volt dc mode. Is this
>typical?
>
>Gregg (Conshohocken, Pa)
>'85 Westy