Fridge Issues

I had to get extended sides of my CT to fit the Fridge in.

Standard size is 17 inch (in most cases), mine went to 22 inch sides.

Just goes to show what a job these poor buggers have trying to design a fridge that suits us all. I bought our 60ltr waeco because it is high and has a relatively small footprint. Floorspace is at a premium in the back of our patrol.

Paul

I totally agree re the Autofridge. I've had one in my OKA for the past eight years and that too never fails to perform.

Re consumption my own data-logged tests show that it draws about 20 Ah/day in our typical Kimberley 34 -36 degrees if used in pump-down mode (and run about two hours morning and night), and about 35 Ah/day in used on a thermostat setting - ie as any other fridge.
Collyn Rivers

Ray
I'm sorry but I do not know the answer to that one (except that I think so). Perhaps others could help?

Just a note re this - people often become concerned that the voltage at which the cutout operates is below that to which the battery should not be discharged.

In practice the fridge's load (especially when the battery is gettying low) will drop the battery voltage considerably. Once the cut-out has operated the battery will climb back up to a high voltage. The cut-out however has a so-called hysterisis that precludes it cutting back in until the voltage is a fair bit higher than that at which it cut out.

Thus, if for example the cut-out operated at (say) 10.8 volts, the true settled battery voltage is likely to be a 11.6-11.8 volts.

The major pupose of these cut-outs is to protect the compressor motor from overheating. This happens because most are fan cooled and the air blown by a fan falls off hugely as its speed drops.
Collyn Rivers

Ray,

I've a 29l engel with the olive lid and cream base, which I'm guessing you're referring to. It harks back from around 1980 if I remember. Cost me a fortune back then $600, but let me have icecream on the Birdsville track in my EH Holden wagon running two batteries recharged via the car generator - predating alternators.

Anyway, no they do not have a low voltage cutout. These babies will suck the juice from the battery until there ain't nothing left to suck. Collyn will have a much more professional description :-)

Collyn, one of the frustrating things with cutouts and fridges is the compressor starting drain needed often pulls the volts down enough to trip the cutout, when in fact there is still plenty of capacity left in the battery. They trip very quickly. Are there any with a timer that will trip if the voltage is low for say 10 seconds?

Regards
Tim