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Car Forum / Australian Car Forums / 4x4 Cars (Australian group) / December 2005engel or waeco frij
looking at either an engel or waeco fridge approx 40 - 50 ltrs and would like peeples views and experiences with both please Must say that I like the addy on bit for the engel and also seems to use less power > looking at either an engel or waeco fridge approx 40 - 50 ltrs and would > like peeples views and experiences with both please > Must say that I like the addy on bit for the engel and also seems to use > less power I have a Waeco CF50 and have had no problems with it. I run mine off my car battery. One of the nice things about the Waeco is that it switches off the fridge when the battery drops to a set level so that you can still start the vehicle. It will run for over 24 hours on a single charge of a battery. (The Engel may also do this for all I know, but I've never used one) I froze two bottles of coke overnight when camping once. It wasn't overly cold there either. (We also had the luxury of others having fridges there, too, which was why mine was being used for drinks) I'd happily buy another Waeco. What is the "add on bit" for the Engel? We have a 39l Engel and exactly the same comments in the previous post relate to the Engel incl freezing bottles of drink. Not sure about the Waeco but the Engel has a metal case and we have to stand on ours from time to time as it is used as a step to the upper bed in our pop-top Troopy. No damage at all. The Engel will run off 230VAC or 12 VDC with auto switching to 230VAC if both are connected. Good for us when we are on a power site. Not sure about the Waeco. We do have a smaller Waeco non-compressor fridge (solid state) and it is useless as all solid state ones are in Queensland as they only cool to 20 degrees below ambient and use heaps of power all the time. A compressor fridge (Bigger Engels and Waeco's) only uses heaps of power when the compressor is running which most of the time is not much.. Stevesub We have a few friends who have bought Waeco, mainly due to price. They have found up here in the tropics that is just wont hold its cold and uses too much battery. Probably ok if you want to go to caravan parks and plug in, or have the constant drone of a generator. We chose an Evacool 70 lts. Use a duel battery system and have a solar panel. We recently went to the territory, used it as a freezer and never had a powered site. Away 5 weeks. Stayed in one spot for 7 days without starting the car and the solar panel maintained the battery. Caught a heap of fish there and froze them. No way could you have it on the highest setting as it would be colder than the Arctic snow.After owning 4 fridge/freezers in our lives (over 28 yrs) this is by far the best one. Each morning we take out the frozen meat for the night, take out a 1 lt bottle of frozen water and put it in a small good quality esky. In that esky we keep all our cool stuff, butter, milk, cheese etc etc. At about 2 or 3 pm put in your beers, or in my case a few ciders and bobs your uncle - freezing drinks by happy hour! Kathy > We have a 39l Engel and exactly the same comments in the previous post > relate to the Engel incl freezing bottles of drink. Not sure about the [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Stevesub >We have a few friends who have bought Waeco, mainly due to price. They have >found up here in the tropics that is just wont hold its cold and uses too >much battery. I'm in Darwin, just returned from a week and a bit in the Bungle Bungles, doesn't get more tropical than around here this time of year. .Waeco CF50, worked perfectly, only danger was even on a reasonably low setting it would freeze salads etc. I had it on the second lowest setting at night and third setting by day. Didn't use a generator, longest I went without starting the car was a bit of 24 hours, but for a couple of days there was only short trips made, and I was also using a HF radio extensively. No battery problems. >>We have a few friends who have bought Waeco, mainly due to price. They >>have [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > a couple of days there was only short trips made, and I was also using > a HF radio extensively. No battery problems. This time of the year I would of been sticking my head into the Waeco :)) Cheers Jim >>>We have a few friends who have bought Waeco, mainly due to price. They >>>have [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >This time of the year I would of been sticking my head into the Waeco :)) Yeah it was DAMM hot, way too hot to be enjoyable, and the worst was at night, not a breath of air and very humid. I should have gone a month earlier. Oh well, bungles were magnificent, worth the trip, but just the wrong time of year. > > looking at either an engel or waeco fridge approx 40 - 50 ltrs and would > > like peeples views and experiences with both please [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > What is the "add on bit" for the Engel? You can get a piece that sits on top to increase capacity and this become a semi two zone frij ie top frij bottom freezer 4wd monthly in the latest issue tested the Waeco CF40 it was best compact fridge and had the lowest power consumption. Theres a little on this on the Waeco website http://www.waeco.com.au/news.asp?id=147 The latest Waeco CF40 has inbuilt 240 AC and a digital display/ thermometer. I have a CF40 and have been happy with it. Its also around $300 cheaper than the 40 litre engel. Dan > looking at either an engel or waeco fridge approx 40 - 50 ltrs and would > like peeples views and experiences with both please > Must say that I like the addy on bit for the engel and also seems to use > less power I bought a Waeco at supacrap on their Boxing Day special. Very happy with it inside its cooler bag, freezes and battery consumption is less than 4 amps when its on the consumption cycle. Generates a bit of hash on the HF but that's easy to fix. Was a heck of a lot cheaper than an Engel, solid as a rock, backup service from the factory second to none. I could buy another and still be ahead of the cost of Engel. Cheers Jim > looking at either an engel or waeco fridge approx 40 - 50 ltrs and would > like peeples views and experiences with both please > Must say that I like the addy on bit for the engel and also seems to use > less power >Generates a bit of hash on the HF but >that's easy to fix. Jim, I have the same problem, particularly bad on 80m & 40m, but creates hash on most other bands as well. My solution is to turn it right down or off when I want to use the radio. I havn't experimented with ferrites on the power cords etc yet. I had read about someone who effectively rebuilt his fridge heavy sheilding around the compressor motor, sounds like a lot of work. How did you fix it? >>Generates a bit of hash on the HF but >>that's easy to fix. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > effectively rebuilt his fridge heavy sheilding around the compressor > motor, sounds like a lot of work. How did you fix it? Craig, basically follow the usual procedure (remember I haven't opened it up yet). Earthing anything not earthed. (Motor ?) Caps on compressor and a 12v line filter should get rid of most of it I'd guess. Since my radio is on 24/7 when I'm away I have used the "turn it off" method, but the food didn't like that much :)) Cheers Jim Cheers Jim >>>Generates a bit of hash on the HF but >>>that's easy to fix. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >Since my radio is on 24/7 when I'm away I have used the "turn it off" >method, but the food didn't like that much :)) I'll give it a crack, although I don't know how much of the noise is coming through the power system, as I've also had problems with a radio about 15 feet away on a seperate power source (short wave hand held actually), but I guess the power cord may also be radiating. Cheers Craig VK8HCT > looking at either an engel or waeco fridge approx 40 - 50 ltrs and would > like peeples views and experiences with both please > Must say that I like the addy on bit for the engel and also seems to use > less power Further to this, has anyone used a Trailblaza from Norcoast Refigeration Company (http://www.norcoast.com.au/)? I know that most QDPI stock inspectors used the Trailblazas for carrying vaccines and blood samples. I note that they had the same units for many years, which suggested they lasted well. All of the installs I saw were bolted into the rear tray of a Landcruiser ute, and performed well despite the ahrsh conditions. They are ugly as sin, but I'm not buying a portable fridge for looks! I like the option to get the 125mm foam insualtion, in addition to the standard 75mm insulation. Anyone?? Good? Bad? Indifferent?? Price-wise, they would have to be a bit better value than an engel, and certainly at least as rugged. Cheers, Rod.......Out Back I can concir Rod A mate on mine has a Trailblaza 70lt model and it works a treat. It comes with us on piggin trips out st george on a friend property. It travels in the tray of mine or the mates cruiser. Recently did a fraser trip and the mate suprised me by takin some home made icecream/sorbet(1 mango/1 lemon his sister made) Bless her soul :) and we had it up the tip of sandy cape while others sweltered in the sun LOL Fig >> looking at either an engel or waeco fridge approx 40 - 50 ltrs and would >> like peeples views and experiences with both please [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Rod.......Out Back > Further to this, has anyone used a Trailblaza from Norcoast Refigeration > Company (http://www.norcoast.com.au/)? [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Rod.......Out Back Yes, I had a 60L trailblazer with the 125mm insulation (I think) and it was excellent. Very rugged, kept things extremely cold, even when chockas, and good with power...we ran it off solar fed into a battery and never had a problem. Our only problem with it was capacity, as we have 6 when camping, so I found myself constantly organising and rearranging it. We now have a 100L waeco. It is the same dimensions as the 60L trailblazer, but we have also made a box out of insulation foam that it sits in, as we didn't feel it worked as well as the trailblazer. We also now have a 2 solar panel/2 battery setup. I don't think the waeco is nearly as rugged, either inside or out, as the trailblazer, and don't think it will have the longevity either. If you only need 60L, and have the space and the money, I would say go for the trailblazer. You may be able to pick one up 2nd hand; I found it hard to sell (they are not pretty or sleek), and ended up selling mine quite cheaply. N |
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