Fuses for Engel MT40F Eclipse

Submitted: Friday, Jun 23, 2017 at 19:19

ThreadID: 135139 Views:11439 Replies:6 FollowUps:8

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Member - WBS

I'd like to pose a technical question about Engel fridge cables and fuses if thats ok?

I have dedicated cable from the auxiliary battery to my fridge. Rather than terminate the fridge end of that cable with a female cigarette lighter plug I would prefer to fit an Anderson plug to provide a much more efficient and positive connection and then cut the lighter plug off my fridge cable and fit an Anderson plug to that too. The cable from the battery to the Anderson plug has a 10 amp fuse at the battery end and the fridge has a 10 amp fuse in it as well. Does anyone think it unwise to dispense with the cigarette plug from the fridge and its associated fuse?

Oh and as an added extra, I will be fitting an anderson plug to the cut bit of cable that has the cigarette lighter plug attached so in reality, apart from having a couple of anderson plugs at one end of the Engel cable it it could be used as originally intended.

I'm thinking of doing this because I don't like the cigarette style plugs as they can work themselves loose from my experience. I'm of the opinion that Anderson plugs are more reliable.

Thanks

WBS

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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Jun 23, 2017 at 20:12

Reply By: IvanTheTerrible - Friday, Jun 23, 2017 at 20:26

Friday, Jun 23, 2017 at 20:26

The fuse in the cig plug is a thermal fuse. It's to stop the cig plug from melting. Anderson plug is a better way to go The other way is fiddly and more expensive. Pretty much every fridge we have through our shop we fit anderson plugs to. Rugged and dont come apart

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Follow Up By: Member - WBS - Friday, Jun 23, 2017 at 23:14

Friday, Jun 23, 2017 at 23:14

Thanks for your response.

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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Saturday, Jun 24, 2017 at 00:06

Saturday, Jun 24, 2017 at 00:06

I agree with Ivan. Use an anderson plug, do away with the thermal fuse. Amp draw on an Engel is only 2.8A when cycling anyway.

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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Saturday, Jun 24, 2017 at 09:24

Saturday, Jun 24, 2017 at 09:24

Hi Phil

Are you aware that you can unscrew the cig plug at the end on the lead and thus do away with the thermal fuse?

Why ruin a good $60 lead and what happens if you transfer the fridge to a vehicle that does not have an Anderson plug?

The ASPAN and NPAN type fittings do the very same thing as the Anderson plug, but better, and when the collar is screwed up into the fitting, it is impossible for them to part, not unless you unscrew the collar.

Change to a vehicle that does not have that fitting, just simply screw back the cig fitting and you can use your fridge in the standard socket......something that you can not do with an Anderson plug.

Cheers

Stephen

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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Saturday, Jun 24, 2017 at 20:57

Saturday, Jun 24, 2017 at 20:57

Hi Stephen,
Sorry I should have explained it better.
I don't ruin the lead. I cut it at whatever length is suitable for the fridge installation, then fit an anderson plug to both cut ends.
I then have the anderson plug lead plus an adaptor lead for cig sockets. I take the adaptor lead "just in case".

Anderson plug adaptor lead for engel

Cheers
Phil

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Reply By: rumpig - Saturday, Jun 24, 2017 at 08:39

Saturday, Jun 24, 2017 at 08:39

Why bother with an anderson plug when the Engel lead already has a screw in fitting on it?...all you have to do is unscrew the ciggie lighter connection off of it. You just need to install the other connection onto you power lead from the battery (assuming it is fused and of the required size), no altering off the fridge power lead required. ENGEL PLUG
I have been running one of these plugs in my vehicles for 11 years now and never once had an issue with them. If you are planning on removing the fridge from your vehicle to run off a battery elsewhere then there may be an advantage in having an anderson plug connection on it, but if just running it full time n the vehicle i'd use the plug it comes with

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Follow Up By: Member - WBS - Saturday, Jun 24, 2017 at 09:09

Saturday, Jun 24, 2017 at 09:09

I'll confess that I only realised you could unscrew the cigar plug bit after the responses to my original post. Its not that I'm slow on the uptake or anything, I've only owned an Engel for 10 years or more and lived in blissful ignorance for all that time.

I just bought myself another Engel yesterday after having got thoroughly cheesed of with my Waeco CF50. The Waeco is a good fridge and does exactly what its supposed to but being a fridge/freezer I assumed that I could use it as a fridge or a freezer but I was wrong, it works best when used as both with the plastic partitions in place. It doesn't cope as a full freezer and if I remove the plastic partition to use it as just a fridge then one half has to be freezing for the other half to be cool enough. That will be the last time I buy a fridge/freezer combo where there are not separate thermostats for the fridge and the freezer parts. Lesson learnt.

Thanks for all the contributions. I'm a wiser man because of them. I'll be getting the Engel female end asap.

WBS

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Follow Up By: Member - Blue M - Sunday, Jun 25, 2017 at 00:09

Sunday, Jun 25, 2017 at 00:09

WBS, you are not alone in there. I tried to explain this to a mate of mine and he thought I was mad. I actually had to show him how the plug unscrewed. He had been an Engel owner for many years as well.
Cheers