Engel copy the Waeco drawer fridge
Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 09:33
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Member - Phil G (SA)
The Chinese would be proud!
I've noticed Engel have just released a new 30L Drawer fridge for RV's. It looks almost exactly the same as the Waeco CD-30 I put under the bed in the Tvan a few years ago.
They changed the latch, and the compressor is an Engel sawafuji, but apart from that its hard to see any difference. Even the dimensions are the same and like the Waeco, the compressor can be remotely mounted. Our Waeco is very quiet - not sure about the Engel. The Waeco can't be used as a freezer - only goes down to minus 2, and again can't find out for the Engel.
We use ours for drinks and fresh fruit and veg but you can't stand up a carton of milk. Its something you could easily mount in the back of a 4wd too without the need for a fridge slide.
Link to Engel Website
And here's the Waeco CD-30:
Reply By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 09:58
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 09:58
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I'm sure about the "Engel's Sawafuji" compressor noise Phil.
I mounted one alongside the bed in a camper trailer. Like living in a beehive! The whole floor vibrated.
Setting it on rubber mounts helped but did not eliminate the noise.
Engel's are good fridges....... but not where you sleep..... unless you are a Rip Van Winkle. lol
The consideration with 'drawer' fridges is that unlike 'top-opening' fridges, the entire air content may expel when the drawer is opened thus requiring energy input to cool the admitted warm air.
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 18:02
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 18:02
On the old 1992 Engel I had the noise would wake me up when I was sleeping outside in a swag! Current series Engel is a bit better but like you I wouldn't want to sleep next to it.
I had the same concern when the fridge opens, but the drawer is actually a box, so not so bad. We don't put critical stuff in it anyway - that goes in teh engel in the Landcruiser. Power consumption has not been an issue in our Tvan - got no idea how much it really uses because the Tvan has solar permanently on the roof.
One thing I should have mentioned is these drawer fridge have the cooling plate at the top. So if you cram your veges in, the lettuce and brocolli sitting at the top will freeze because it is in contact with the plate.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 18:08
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 18:08
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Ah yes Phil, I take your point about the drawer being a "box".
My noisy Engel was 1984 vintage so I would hope and expect that they have improved a bit. Still a reciprocating armature and piston so bound to produce more vibration than a rotary compressor.
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Follow Up By: Dean K3 - Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 19:43
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 19:43
Allan I can assure you no difference between a 1984 variant and a newer engel. Folks have a 40+year old engel I have a newer 2010 32l and now in camper a upright 50litre or whatever size it is.
all the damn things keep me awake, i went off with folks on DPAW Birds aust survey out landor and yaringa in ex pastoral lease land I slept in tent folks in camper (think of jayco hawk windup minus bed extensions at ends) and the internal unit I could hear it in my tent and i was the far side of the camper.
Fridge inside 4wd is better option far as i am concerned furtehr away more insualtion better off I am for noise and sleeping
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 20:07
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 20:07
It's not just Acoustic noise.
My old Engel used to put out more RF than channel 2 ever manage!
They can really screw up AM and HF reception big time.
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Follow Up By: Member - Paul B (WA) - Thursday, Oct 20, 2016 at 21:24
Thursday, Oct 20, 2016 at 21:24
No lettuce or broccoli will ever be in any danger of freezing in my camping fridge! What were you thinking, Phil?
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Follow Up By: nickb - Saturday, Oct 22, 2016 at 14:26
Saturday, Oct 22, 2016 at 14:26
Haha you guys must be super light sleepers or have very good sleep hearing!! I have an upright Engel 57l right next to my bed. The first night after I first installed it it was noticeable but now I don't even notice it!!!!!!!
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Reply By: Notso - Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 14:31
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 14:31
What about this design, looks great!
EvaKool Drawer Fridge
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 18:05
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 18:05
Yeah, seen that - interesting design but wouldn't suit me - can't stand the wife's champagne bottles upright - she'd have to empty them in a single sitting and before the bottle got warm!
Its too big to go anywhere in our Tvan - the drawer fridge fits perfectly under the bed.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 18:12
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 18:12
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Besides, with a drawer fridge under the bed it is a simple matter to reach down for a coldie at any stage of the 'proceedings' so to speak. lol
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Follow Up By: Notso - Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 18:22
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 18:22
Yeah, your right, cna't contibute to the drunkeness of travellers can we! EvaKool once made the full drawer type as
well but obviously didn't sell enough. It was only a fidge too as I remember.
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Follow Up By: Batt's - Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 22:22
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016 at 22:22
That's the Ridge Ryder that Supercheap sell made by Evakool had a look at one in store a while ago it may suit some people.
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Follow Up By: vk1dx - Thursday, Oct 20, 2016 at 08:32
Thursday, Oct 20, 2016 at 08:32
There's a lot of wasted space with drawers. You can get heaps more in a chest type. We have two that we take on long trips or "with the grandkids". One (40Lt) is on a drop slide that brings it down to waste height. The other (20lt) as a freezer just sits on the drawers in the back of the car. We only open it once a day. We don't have the noise issue even when I sleep in the back right next to the fridges.
Neither have hickupped in 15 years and the 20Lt was 2nd hand back then. I reckon its got to be the better ride in the Toyota.
Phil
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, Oct 20, 2016 at 22:04
Thursday, Oct 20, 2016 at 22:04
Gday Phil,
I agree they lose a little bit of their 30L space, but with time you find what fits in them.
But drawer fridges fit in
places you never could fit a chest fridge. On the TVan, I've seen people spend many thousands of dollars modifying the front of their Tvan so they can add a chest fridge, and in doing so they increase the ball weight to
well over 200kgs. A drawer fridge is simply bolted to the floor under the bed and improves weight distribution.
Interesting the latest
Kimberley Kruiser E class uses one for the drinks at beer o'çlock - accessible from outside. I think they are slowly catching on.
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Reply By: Zippo - Thursday, Oct 20, 2016 at 15:39
Thursday, Oct 20, 2016 at 15:39
Not sure how different they could be - a drawer is a drawer.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Thursday, Oct 20, 2016 at 16:19
Thursday, Oct 20, 2016 at 16:19
No Zippo, sometimes on this
forum it is a "draw". lol
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Reply By: The Bantam - Saturday, Oct 22, 2016 at 01:25
Saturday, Oct 22, 2016 at 01:25
People should be aware that both Engel and Waeco have been offing fridges and fridge assemblies in a wider range of forms than we see in the camping and caravan market for many years.
A now defunct Marine Chandlery catalogue used to have some very interesting items from both ..... including compete ready to go fridge system assemblies that could be built into what ever box you wished to fabricate.
cheers
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Ups and Downs - Saturday, Oct 22, 2016 at 09:09
Saturday, Oct 22, 2016 at 09:09
'The Chinese would be proud!
I've noticed Engel have just released a new 30L Drawer fridge for RV's. It looks almost exactly the same as the Waeco CD-30 I put under the bed in the Tvan a few years ago.'
Yes, they are both the same shape, otherwise quite different to my eye. Hard to change the basic rectangular shape.
AnswerID:
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