3 Seater Beach question, where to put fridge / pod?

[Roc1]

Looking at a 3 seater Beach and like the look of a Slidepod, but can't work out where a fridge would go and all of the heaps of other camping stuff when away on holidays in it (as the pod would take up a fair bit of space)? Most fridges I've seen here on the forums look too wide to fit between the front seats.

Does anyone have a slidepod (or other rear kitchen set up) and can shed light on what works well?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[kave]

Hello and Welcome. We have a 3 seater beach. The available floor space is quite limited when the lower bed is lowered so no internal pod for us. Some people mount their fridge on the internal pod at night. I am going to make a small pod with water and keep it in the boot. We use a Waeco CFX 28, while travelling it stays in the boot, but at night we move it to behind the left front seat otherwise we would hear the compressor start all night long.

 

[MattBW]

We have a CF40 probably slightly too large if I am honest (but good capacity) but it goes behind the passenger seat for us fixed down to rails, and will fit under the table when up. It also fits when the bed is out.
We pondered a little flat cushion to go on top so it can be used as a foot rest when the seats are swivelled. (we tend to put our feet on it anyway).

We don't find the compressor fires up that much unless its really baking hot outside.

I will see if I have any internal pics of the van, if not I will take some sometime.

 

[Rich20]

We have a CF 35 which sits behind the front seats when travelling and then goes in the awning at night. For day trips we use a small waeko that sits between the front seats out of the way.

 

[MattBW]

I'm yet to get my slidepod though, but hopefully within the next month or so I will start to learn. Thankfully much of our stuff that goes under the rear shelf is, cookers, pans, plates etc) much of it we won't need anymore, the rest should go in the slidepod so I wont need the space for them.

That leaves clothes and such which I will probably put on the parcel shelf when travelling and in the front footwells or up in the roof when camped. We alway found even with a full camper that it involved the "camper shuffle" where you move things around as you use the living space.

 

[MattBW]

We have a CF 35 which sits behind the front seats when travelling and then goes in the awning at night. For day trips we use a small waeko that sits between the front seats out of the way.

How do you power it in the awning out of interest? We are pondering a drive away too.

 

[blondebier]

We've got a slidepod and a Dometic RC 1205 GC.

It fits on top of the multiflex board or inside it makes a good foot rest.

We've got a Vango Galli and both set up pretty well inside if you're staying somewhere for a few days.

The GC (gas can) part of the dometic is a stroke of genius.

Mains, 12V or gas. We're very happy with it.

 

[Romke]

We have the Waeco CFX 28 mounted with the dedicated brackets on a board which is fixed to the floor rails. It fits nicely between the LH seat and the lower bed, and under the table.

 

[Rich20]

How do you power it in the awning out of interest? We are pondering a drive away too.

I have one of those camping extension leads from Go Outdoors with built in RCD. I have adapted it so that power goes in and comes out the other side and onto the EHU socket on the van. This way we have power in the awning and in the van without needing cables through windows etc. I will post a picture.

 

[Rich20]

I'm yet to get my slidepod though, but hopefully within the next month or so I will start to learn. Thankfully much of our stuff that goes under the rear shelf is, cookers, pans, plates etc) much of it we won't need anymore, the rest should go in the slidepod so I wont need the space for them.

That leaves clothes and such which I will probably put on the parcel shelf when travelling and in the front footwells or up in the roof when camped. We alway found even with a full camper that it involved the "camper shuffle" where you move things around as you use the living space.

Which Slidepod have you chosen Matt? Love the quality but prefer the flexibility of not having one if that makes sense.

 

[MattBW]

I've gone for the multipod after discussion with Jonny on options. The multi replaces the multiflex board and thus allows a slightly larger pod for more storage.

Not built yet but on order For me it is something that can come in and out of the van. I am still hoping for an "in-slidepod" someday I would probably leave one of those in all the time.

 

[rackind]

We've gone for a CFX-28 with the Waeco quick release plate fixed to the multiflex. The plate is only about 20mm high so sits under the mattress with the fridge in the van when sleeping. Fridge is mounted transversely so the multiflex can be folded down if necessary and fridge can be accessed from inside the van or via the taligate

 

[Roc1]

This is a great forum and thanks for the great replies! A slidepod would work well for us and so it's good to see what folks do with the fridge. I like the idea of attaching it via the plate to the shelf and then once at the campsite to relocate it to the living area for handy access.

 

[MattBW]

If you are in the UK, I think Campermart will have slidepods there if you wanted to take a look.

We actually weren't convinced at first weridly but the more we thought about it and actually tried one they started to make more and more sense. For us it was a very considered decision hence for us we think its right.

 

[zeratul]

As you can see in this topic, The fridge (a Waeco CF35) can fit in behind the kitchen pod and be left in place with the table up (still accessible), the bed made up (nicely folds on top - though you cannot take anything out in this mode). After a lot of thinking and experimenting this is the best setup for us. No need to move it around (very heavy), no loss of trunk space (we really need it), space left behind the other seat for a Porta Potti, very practical also in cold weather or winter (no need to go outside to make coffee and get the milk)... imo the biggest downside of a Slidepod.
We're sleeping and travelling with 5.

 

[cleve]

We have the waeco cf28 and it fits nicely next to the reimo pantry unit leaving enough space for a Thetford 335 porta potti too. We rely heavily on the space under the multiflex for storage and don't need to take an awning to enclose our pod if camping in poor weather.


https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/cali-beach-kitchen-cooker-pod-options.11811/

 

[kave]

We have the Waeco CFX 28 mounted with the dedicated brackets on a board which is fixed to the floor rails. It fits nicely between the LH seat and the lower bed, and under the table.
View attachment 18293

I have tried different ways of mounting our Waeco but it seems impossible to do that behind the left front seat. The rails dont go as long forward as I would. It seems you have only attached the rear part of your board in the rails? I wonder how it will stay there in the event of a crash?

 

[Romke]

It seems you have only attached the rear part of your board in the rails? I wonder how it will stay there in the event of a crash?

That's how I did it. Most third-party kitchen pods have the same fixing. I'm not worried about crash problems. The unit sits low on the floor and near-flush to the LH seat base.

 

[1ten]

If you want the fridge out of the way, a cooker and sink + lots of storage try one of these. It also gets rid of the multi flex board.

http://www.vanessa-mobilcamping.de/...short-wheelbase-300/kitchen-system-caravelle/

 

[kave]

I am most likely building something similar, but I dont like to have the fridge directly under my head when sleeping, therefore I store it behind front seats at night.

 

[1ten]

Even when it was stupidly hot in Croatia last summer we have never had a problem with the fridge under our heads. Maybe the cheap beer helped!

 

[jackster]

We've gone for a CFX-28 with the Waeco quick release plate fixed to the multiflex. The plate is only about 20mm high so sits under the mattress with the fridge in the van when sleeping. Fridge is mounted transversely so the multiflex can be folded down if necessary and fridge can be accessed from inside the van or via the taligate

View attachment 18297

View attachment 18299

Very late response, great idea having access from inside and out but i wondered, where do you keep your comfort mattress?

 

[Baronardup]

Looking at a 3 seater Beach and like the look of a Slidepod, but can't work out where a fridge would go and all of the heaps of other camping stuff when away on holidays in it (as the pod would take up a fair bit of space)? Most fridges I've seen here on the forums look too wide to fit between the front seats.

Does anyone have a slidepod (or other rear kitchen set up) and can shed light on what works well?

Thanks for any advice!

Hi, noticed this on Youtube; it's from Australia but maybe there's someone selling these in UK? Has space for fridge, water tank etc.

 

[Tarquers]

Hi, noticed this on Youtube; it's from Australia but maybe there's someone selling these in UK? Has space for fridge, water tank etc.

its the Vanessa Campingküche from Germany. link here

 

[jackster]

No access from inside though, great if you live in Oz sunshine... But not so much the lake District in April. I'd love a solution that's accessible from inside but doesn't sit on the floor in the cabin... Wishful thinking!