42L Fridges for $499.00

Jim, I have an Engel, I just posted this for people looking for a cheaper alternative.

Fine suggestion Shaker, I admire your motive.

There are alternatives for all people on all budgets.

And I reckon a cost effective alternative from a company that offers excellent back-up is a fine piece of advice.

Love your work.

Cheers,

Jim.

There were many sceptics when Waeco came on the scene ....... plus we all know that portable fridges are grossly overpriced, & not everyone can afford Engel or Autofridge, arguably the 2 best.
At least this may be a reasonable alternative, although if, in fact it has no basket, I would doubt it. Unless something could be adapted to fit.

Absoutely Shaker. I wasn't implying they are garbage but that they need to be proven. As Jim says above Super Cheap stand by their products but that's no good to me when in the bush with warm beer.

Or worse still, a week from anywhere, and your food has gone off......

Might be fine for day trips/weekends for that, but you only ever get what you pay for......

Yeah I think your on the money GO_OFFROAD, be a good weekender for those who like to camp over night just to get away from the big smoke then go home. If it crapped itself your not going to die. :-P

It would be harder going a week without liquid than food.

thats providing of course, it only stops working, ......

Funny how a bloke who continually brags about his wealth and tells the rest of us we are fools for buying value products, and constantly tells us "you only get what you pay for" cannot put his hand in his pocket to contribute fifty lousy dollars to support something he can obviously afford.

I'd be ashamed of myself.

Of course I'm not and don't judge anyone who may enjoy this fine forum but may find it a bit tough to find the cash. I've been through tough times and accept that they are making a great contribution albeit not financially.

I still buy my shirts at Target because I get exactly what I pay for; quality at a fair price and I don't need to be judged.

Jim.

Wow Jimbo, your a dead set liar again, who needs to be called out and who cant help but name call people who have what you wish you can afford it would seem...... show me where I ever bragged I was wealthy, I admit Im poor, and thats why I cant afford cheap things, and going for value for money over cost, but thats just common sense.

As for wether Im a member or not, well, you can pay your money and not opt to use the extra's, though you dont seem to have the capacity to consider this......

Maybe if you thought more before you acted you could actually get what others have, and stop feeding your green eyed monster.....

Funny, I didn't mention any names.

Hit a nerve did I?

ROTFLMAO

Your character is shallow enough, and your posts uninventive enough, we can see exactly what your thinking.......

Even your insults lack quality.

Still ROFLMAO.

If i wanted to insult you, I wouldnt be talking truthfully about what we see of your character, but making references about sleeping with your wife or mother.....

This should help you tell the difference......

I went into Supercheap today as I was passing, specifically to look at the fridges they had advertised. They are a Waeco fridge and was told they do have a Danfoss compressor.
Supercheap have more fridges coming in later in the week, and will go and have a look at them on arrival.
When you look at the prices of portable refrigeration, there is no valid reason why they should be so expensive - other than a monopoly by Engel and Danfoss on low voltage compressors.

Super Cheap knew what compressor is in the fridge...I'm impressed

It could be just an earlier model Danfoss. I know they have upgraded them over the years.

Both Supercheap , and Autopro , have pretty good return policies , so it might be well worth taking the plunge.

Can always take it back if it doesn't work.

G'day Billy,

I'm also buying a 3-way, but was going to shell out for a Dometic 40L freezer model. For $950 vs $399 though, I think I'll try the Repco job as well. I'm not expecting it to freeze stuff, just want to keep the milk etc cold and stuff from going off when camping.

Post back with how you go.

Cheers,

Smocky.

I recently fitted a 12V computer power supply fan to my 3 way Finch fridge and it's made a significant improvement to the fridge's performance when operating from 12V in the vehicle. I'm going to put a diode and socket in circuit with it next so I can also operate the fan from a 12V SLA battery when the fridge is running on gas on hot days.

Mike Harding

mike_harding@fastmail.fm

Smoky,

The $399 Repco 3 way is effective. It pulled down to 4 Dec C within 3 Hr's with a 6 pack and a wine bottle, down to 3 Deg after about 5 Hrs, all on 240. I then put it on gas, loaded it with soft drink bottles and ran it overnight. This morning, it was 2 Deg when I opened it and maintained 3 deg at the bottom and 5 deg at the top throughout the day. We have probably had low thirties here today and the fridge is outside on the hotter side of the house (although under cover). The cooling unit inside is frigid constantly and the ice tray on top of it frozen (comes with the unit). By the way, I discovered that even though it is not theromstatically controlled on gas, you can adjust the gas flame with the knob, it's just you need to do it manually. There is no reason why Mike's modification would not work with this fridge too since it is the same basic design. Only required if the cooling unit does not remain frigid of course.

The fridge comes with a 12 mth warranty.

So far so good.

Regds

Bill

With 3 way fridges, I would strongly suggest you buy one of those small round bubble levels to ensure you keep the fridge level when parked. If the fridge is not 99% to 100% level, they will not work.
If you bargain at Repco they will give you that fridge for $350.00 and have seen the exact same fridge down to $310.00

David, you are a hard b%$#ard, they already have $100 off it! Not doubting you though. I never thought I'd see a generator or compressor less than $300, let alone the $98 you can get them for now, so who knows where these fridges will end up.

I brought one of the repco fridges and i have tested it.

I performed the following:
1) Ran the fridge on gas for about 5 hours. in a very large room with no ventillation. (approx 25 deg), internal temp was about 8.5 deg, which is 4 deg higher than what the units documentation claims it can do.
2) Increased the room temperature to a constant 33 degrees.
3) Put 12 warm VB's in the fridge.
4) After 4.5 hours the beer was cold and the fridges temperature was about 6.5 deg.

When i ran the fridge at night on 240v (the ambient temp was approx 12 deg) the fridges temperature was 4 deg.

I have also noticed that when i run the fridge on 240v it gets a couple of degrees cooler than gas. The fridge is 100% level when running on gas. The documentation says that the fridge will run 2 deg cooler on gas than 240v, which is not what i am seeing.

It comes with an ice tray, i have not been able to produce ice, even at night when its been cold.

I am a little bit worried on how this unit may perform on hot days (35+), i am looking at insulation options to improve its cooling ability, as i think the unit may not be well insulated.

I am basically after a gas fridge for camping and i am not sure whether this unit is going to be good enough on hot days. I think a chescold freezer might be better for me.

Any advice ?.

Dolci

G'day Dolci,

I've got one too, after looking at the Chescold 40L.

Running on gas, it takes some time to pull down to the lower temp. Would be interested to see how you go if you leave it shut for a day or 2.

I've been able to make ice when running on gas.

Insulation might help a bit, but there has been a lot of discussion about adding a small computer fan blowing onto the absorbtion fins.

It's never going to be as nearly as good as the Chescold freezer unit though. At $399 vs $950 though, it's a good option.

Cheers,

Smocky.

Hi Smocky

Its currently running at home on gas, it has not been opened since last night. i will check the temperature at let you know.

When you made ice, where did you put the ice tray ?.

Also what performance are you seeing ?.

Do you think this fridge performs as good as a finch fridge ?.

I can return this unit back to the store and get a finch, i have to make my mind up pretty soon.

Regards

Dolci.

G'day Dolci,

interesting about the level. So a "little" unbalanced made quite a difference. I will be levelling the ass out of mine now.

Ice made quite easy sitting on top of the aluminium cooling unit.

I'm interested in the answer to your question about the fan, but I would assume blowing.

Cheers,

Smocky.