Having a look around for a fridge/freezer....weaco,engle...had alook at the new arb ones wondering if someone has one and has some feedback...not sure which way to go will be setup with duel batt, slide and cover will be used for little trips and left on stocked for day to day use with my work as im running around.
i know its a merc vrs yam vrs etec holden vrs ford deal but just after that little push one way or the other
..Greg...."Termites pay the bills"..... Trailcraft 475...75 Hp E-Tec
Like you said its holden vs ford. There has heaps of fridge tests in the 4wd magazines. The 2 usual standouts are waeco and engel. Im a waeco man as I have a 35L and a 80Litre with no dramas in 7 years. Youd just be wanting a 35litre with a thermo cover?? Depending on the size you want. Waeco have a huge scratch and dint sale twice a year and you can get a bargain there.
Just make sure its set up propperly. Dual batt with battery isolator. The correct size fused insulated cable for the length your fridge is from your batt. And I recomend 1 of these.
http://www.baintech.com.au/sockets/b...oard-left-drop
Its a little company in cleveland who make great stuff.
I have an old mobicool (made by waeco) 40 litre 12v fridge, similar to the ones that BCF sell now as a three way fridge. The thing has copped a hard life, gets knocked around in the back of my ute, looks like crap, but still works like a beauty. If I were buying new I think I would go Engel, only because A fridge tech told me Waeco are changing all their motors to ones made in China, I think I would just sit it out to see whether that is a good move or a bad move. I have just made a custom 150l stainless fridge for a coffee van using 2 engel motors and evap plates, so hopefully they will prove their reliabilty for me!
WHAT!!!! They are going away from the danfoss compressor?
there is one and only
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN8GY1yCdNI&feature=related
juju I voted for the Engle only because I have been living out of two fridges while caravanning for a year and a half , Ive got a 50l Downunder with danfoss comp which is great fridge - freezer but a bit finicky on twelve volt and I have a 38L plastic Engle that we use as a freezer and this thing is faultless.
I have swapped the around from fridge to freezer and the Engle holds -17 to -18 better than the Downunder.
My dad has a 60L waeco and it has give him some trouble using twelve volt as well .
I think the ARB,s use danfoss compressors as well , they also advertise they fit 72 cans , which has to be a good thing !!!!.
wamjam
Evacool - fibreglass, tough, simple, proven.
Meat blood etc in the bottom - just hose it out and go again.
I always find the choice of fridge comes down to the space it has to fit into because the external dimensions for similar volume change so much across brands.
I'm not sure waeco are moving away from danfoss. They do have a few of their cheaper fridges using non-danfoss "chinese" compressors but I'd be surprised if they switched the CF50/60 etc to something else.
That said, evakool are now selling travelmate fridges which are cheap but I don't think they use the danfoss.
Interesting also that bcf no longer stock most of the evakool range - just a couple. Is there any other mainstream place to buy an evakool? I reckon they might struggle without bcf support.
I have a waeco which was cheap ($750 for brand new CF50 at a factory sale) but the thermistor stuffed up after 2 years so it has cost me $850 all up now (only 1 yr warranty on factory sales). I'm not sure what I'd get if I bought again now. Engels are obviously very solid/reliable but bloody heavy, and bloody expensive.
Hey GBC have you got one of the evacools with the compresor set ups hanging of the end of an escky ???
wamjam
Haven't answered because I don't know.
But what I DO know is that my 40l Engel Fridge/Freezer bought from ARB for $1,100 5 years ago has just crapped itself, and needs a complete new refrigeration unit at $550.
Won't be an Engel again.
Cheers,
Tim
Carbon Really Ain't Pollution.
I have been speaking with Jamie from Dynamic Solar Solutions about the same subject. He and his family have recently done a cross country trip along with a few other vehicles specifically for the purpose of testing 4WD products.
The stand outs as far a refrigeration goes was the ARB closely followed by the Bushman, a cheap but respectible alternative.
The reasoning was ease of cleaning, the componentry, the rugged plastic outer, and most importantly, its ability to hold its temperature when the outside temps got to extreme.
The way the dials/button/controls functioned too were really impressive and the risk of any over charge etc were eliminated.
It was also highly efficient. It was his pick for sure, which says something as it was not one of the products which he sells as he isn't a ARB re-seller.
They are not a re-badged Engel but are made by, I think, Dometic.
Hope this helps.
Tim
Originally Posted by wamjam
Yes, I've got an RF60.
Chisel,
I believe the plastic superkools run the same danfoss setup as the fibreglass ones - at least they did last I looked a couple of years back.
Evakool has been around a lot longer than BCF. I heard BCF wanted complete control over the product line - ie no more factory sales or other distributors (tentworld etc). Evakool told them to jam it. Third hand info so don't know how true it is.
I have had my 40lt Engel for about 15 years and it has never missed a beat. I leave it in the car all the time as I am on the road every day (great to keep cold drinks on hand and lunch)
I am just about to buy another 21lt to use as a freezer on longer camping trips (keeping the power up to them will be the problem)
But, in answer to your question.... I couldnt recommend my Engel enough!!
have the 95lt Evakool, been great so far, only 4 years old, but gets a fair flogging in the back of the hunting ute and in the boat, pretty easy to maintain as well,
only time will tell how things hold up
I have a 45 LT engel, 60 LT waeco, both been flogged in a salt environment for 10 hrs, both going with no problems.
Both being used constantly on 12 volt, had them in the cab of the boat, -12 deg in 45 deg cabin temp, no issues
Both are good fridges
Cheers
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