Waecos

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Lyndon, just how "scary" depends on a few things.............

If the fridge is a reasonable size, say no more than 45 litres, and it is run as a fridge at say
plus 4 degrees, and you keep the fridge out of the sun, and you keep the kids out of the fridge......
then it may run half the time (50% duty cycle) and use only about 25Ah in 12 hours which is about half of your 100Ah battery capacity. Not too bad? You may even do better than that.
Some will even attest that their Super Dooper model that they've had for 45 years will run for 5 days and still keep the ice-cream frozen! lol

But if the same fridge is running as a freezer at -10 and you are "in the tropics" then it will run most of the time and use about 50Ah and exhaust your battery in 12 hours or less.

And of course, if the fridge is a 80 litre whopper the battery will only run it for half those times.

You may not even attain those time if your 100Ah battery is getting a little tired and only has 75Ah actual capacity.

Ive been using some basic common sense and keeping the fridge in the shade. I have a back up Yamaha inverter generator and smart charger, and now added a 200w solar panel with regulator to my two 135ah AGM batteries. Hopefully that will suffice even with two waecos. Cryovacing helps reduce the need for freezing too.

Hi Allan

Yep, that's pretty scary! We have friends that have one, they love it. Lives at the shack plugged into 240v, flawless, LOL.
A 40 litre is fine for a weekend but not really anything longer. 80 litre is around the norm in the top end or if going smaller people run multiple fridges.
We run a 40 litre engel and an 80 litre EvaKool.
Engel draws the same amount as the 80 litre and probably runs longer.
There is no way I can see a Waeco holding -10 in the top end.
A Tail Blazer, yes. Maybe a EvaKool but have yet to try that.
Why anyone today would buy a fridge that draws anywhere near that amount of power is beyond me.
Just my two bob's worth. I've met more than 1 person that has struggled to keep their power up to their Weaco.
Cheers
Lyndon

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Well Lyndon, consider our refrigeration needs and setup.

We go into very remote regions (including the Top End) and do not see "civilisation" for 3 or 4 weeks at a time. That's just a bit more than "a weekend".
We have an old 35 litre Waeco running as a fridge at about 6 degrees and an 11 litre Waeco running as a freezer at minus 10 degrees, and it does that without difficulty. We need to be fully self-supporting and everything is packed into the Troopy.... no trailer.

So it can be done with less than 120 litres. In fact, the Beadell's (Connie and Mick) who spend 5 months of every year leading tag-along trips in remote desert areas have no refrigeration at all.
Yep, NONE!!!

We "keep the power up" without trouble. We have but one 110Ah auxiliary battery, charged only by the vehicle alternator, no solar, no gennie, and no problems. Mind you, we only stop overnight and on the move each day.

It's more about "How you cut your suit" than "The amount of cloth you must have". lol

So whatever we are doing, it is clearly different to what you are doing. No?

Hi Allan

I will safely assume your beer intake is slightly less than the average Territorians :-)
Not to mention other cold drinks all going into the fridge at 35c.
On top of that are the greans and 10 Kg of Cryovac meat. Then we need room to put the Barra if we find one dumb enough to be caught by us.
We tend to sit in one place for at least a few days if not a couple of weeks. I think you will find most people (not all I'll admit, I have a mate that went to Lawn Hill for the arvo) Tend to camp like this.
Traveling with less is quite possible, I went around OZ 25 years ago with an old 3 way chescold with no auxiliary battery.
Cheers
Lyndon

Lyndon, EVERYONE'S beer intake is less than the "Average Territorian's". LOL

Not that Territorian's are all that average!...... lol again.

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Lyndon,

I have just discovered that you run a Christies Charger to support all that refrigeration.
You carry your own Power Station!!!!

Now Allan, you have been digging.............
Yes we have a 80A christies charger, still runs great Bought it back in the day when high amp 240/12v chargers where still a thing of the future.
Figured I'd rather make a lot of noise for 2 hours than a small amount all day.
Did have one fellow camper complain once, she was running a Honda 2Kva.
I pointed out that I could appreciate that it was giving her the --ITS for a couple of hours but also couldn't help pointing out that hers did the same for me but ALL day.
The Christies get run to keep it going but gets seldom used these days.
Did I mention we now have two Honda 2Kva's as well :-)
Just do that so I can run them in Parallel should we lose our power up here, gotta keep those beers cold!
Take one camping and run a 25A + 16A charger.
Still got a winge about that at Roper Bar a couple of years back.
HI NOEL

"or try something from Bunnings"

Some door seal might work, I'm thinking of one with a "P" cross section, which I know they have.

Clark Rubber may be a better bet for variety if you have a store within reach.