Reduce the Ambient Temperature of the Canopy or Camper
If you are putting a Bushman Fridge in a canopy, make sure the canopy itself has enough airflow in and out. Adding a couple of Bolt-on Canopy Vents like these, will greatly improve airflow and reduce the ambient temperature of the canopy, which will help the compressor to stay cool.
The positioning of the vents on the canopy makes a big difference, having vents on both the front and back of the canopy will give the best performance as it will allow cool air to flow in and exhaust out the back while moving.
Better ventilation will also reduce canopy sweating, which happens when moisture gets trapped inside the canopy on a hot or humid day.
Photo: Bolt-on Canopy Vent with Filter (available in a bolt-on kit)
Free Airflow to the Compressor
If mounting the fridge in an enclosed space or cavity, make sure you have adequate cutouts / holes for ventilation. Free air flow to the compressor is critical to get rid of the heat it produces, it requires air in and out.
If you are putting your fridge in a canopy, then having perforated internal walls will let the air flow around the canopy and out through your vents and stop the warm air from becoming trapped in one section.
Packing your Fridge for the Best Performance
When packing your Bushman Fridge, it can be tempting to play Tetris with the contents and try to get the most stuff you can crammed in tightly together but doing this prevents the cool air from circulating. Try leaving just a little bit of space between things here and there and putting different shaped items together where possible to allow the cool air to move around the fridge and the contents better, especially on the top shelf.
The Thermostat Setting
Start with a low Thermostat setting. Bushman have found that the best results they see are on 2 or 3, or 4 for a 130L in really hot weather. They have a super low power cooling unit, so it needs time to equalize when you first turn it on or pack it with warm items. A higher thermostat setting creates more ice and the fridge will actually get warmer.
Checking the Door and Seal
If you swap the door handle or hinges, make sure the door is square with the fridge cabinet and the door latch is snug under the catch when closed.
We have also noticed a lot of people mounting things to the front of the fridge door, such as cutlery sets and chopping boards. While this is a handy location to store these items, adding extra weight to the door can cause the door to sag and misalign to the fridge cabinet.