Sleeper suggestions

there are a few questions. Are you buying an AC fridge and running off inverter or are you installing a DC compressor fridge or a dc cooler fridge.

Even a samll mini fridge is generaly to big for a truck. truck stops sell dc fridges that plug into cigarette lighter and cool to 40 under room temp. They are cheep, but not supper reliable, especially for things like milk in the summer time. They cost under 100 bucks though. The best option is a DC compressor fridge. These generally need to be hard wired in since they pull more then 10-15 amps. They cost around 500 bucks, but you can find them custom fitted to your truck and they have a freeezer.

Confirm your closet width, but this should work http://www.truckfridge.com/tf49.html

Built in dc fridges (as linked) dont need much air room around them. Portable (dc cooler type) and ac do.

 

Are you sure it doesn't have a factory fridge? The new 386 has a nice overhead spot for a small factory fridge.

Pete's have cabinets made out of separate wall panels bolted together. Dorm fridges are about an inch too wide to fit inside. Companies don't like you modifying the inside of trucks without their permission. But I did it anyway without damaging anything.

What I did on the cabinet behind the driver was remove the door and the one panel behind the drivers seat. I left the panel by the bunk to help support the upper cabinet. It was also bolted to the wall and is plenty strong by itself. It's like 4 bolts each and then I stored that stuff at home so it wouldn't get damaged. The company already had 2500 watt inverters installed on the floor behind the drivers seat. Perfect location as it is right above the batteries and next to my fridge/microwave install.

With that panel removed there was plenty of room for a cheaper more durable dorm fridge. I bought an Emerson at Target and still have the same fridge today. I bought it in 2007 and has an easy 400,000 miles on her. Two features I liked on that fridge is a separate freezer and the doors lock. Fridges full of food tend to kick the door open going down the road. The lock stopped that. I still see a modified version of that fridge for sale. It's around $185 but Target randomly puts it on sale for $130 like when I bought it. That's almost as cheap as them plastic type coolers and 100X better.

After the fridge was installed I put my microwave on top of it. I had a GE 700 watt that did an okay job for a low watt fridge. It cooked TV dinners just fine and I got use to Folgers instant coffee heating the water in the microwave. I strapped the microwave across the fridge with a decorative 3' bungee cord that you hardly noticed. The whole outfit was a perfect fit and looked good.

I wish I took pictures but at the time I didn't know about this forum. I'll dig through my discs I still might have one. My laptop went on the blink and I lost many photos.

I had the truck in the company shop and they even complimented the install instead of getting mad at me. When I quit I simply reinstalled the wall and door and nobody knew any different.

Fridges use very little wattage. Mine took 150 watts to start the compressor and quickly cruised on 70 watts. It might come on 2-3 times an hour for a few minutes.

The microwave on the other hand is a wattage hog. You need an inverter 2 times the wattage. A 700 watt needs at least a 1500 watt inverter. A 2500 watt inverter is perfect for a trucker, I also had a TV, DVD player, laptop, crockpot and a hot plate I used for a frying pan. The inverter handled my uses fine but I had an APU to keep the batteries charged. A coffee pot I just didn't have room and they are your other wattage hog. It takes a lot of wattage to make instant hot water. For power on the TV side I ran a 12' extension cord behind the fridge, across but tucked under the front of the mattress and up the other side.

Just an idea to keep in mind. I liked my setup after years of playing around.

 

Remove the passenger seat, and put your fridge there. Put one of those tree frog pads on top of it and it doubles as a desk, as nothing will slide off of it now.