Fridge Vs Fridge

Why not keep the Engel and use it as a freezer and get an evaKool www.evakool.com to use as a fridge (or vice versa). This gives you the flexibility of taking one or the other, and makes for substantially easier moving due to physical size and weight.

The insulation on the evaKool is top dog, along with the quality of manufacture.Check out their weight empty compared to a lot of the others. In the fridge controlled chamber tests, the evaKool was tops.

Thanks Rhyldon, I really wanted to get some first hand experience on the Waeco and it sounds like you've had a good run with it. Searching around for advice/experience both on the net and around town, I think sometimes it's like the old Cruiser/Patrol thing "Always been an Engle man". I get some people swearing by a brand and others say it's absolute bovine generated garden enhancer (bogge for short). You're in the "Waeco Good" column now.

Cheers,
Ian

Thanks for your response Paul. I'll check out the site. It was the separate compartments that attracted my attention to the Waeco. The Explorer sounds good and an internal lid on the freezer section does make an awful lot of sense.

Cheers,
Ian

The Explorer is gaining points, thanks Colin. You go in the Waeco not so good column. Might add up to a clear answer eventually. I wonder if a university somewhere would sponser me to do an Australia wide study. Mmm.

Cheers,
Ian

Thanks Nigel. It's good to see you can still have friends with different fridges. Even when opinion seems so divided.

Evacool just got another point.

Cheers,
Ian

Thanks Nigel. It's good to see you can still have friends with different fridges. Even when opinion seems so divided.

Evacool just got another point.

Cheers,
Ian

Thanks Nigel, I check it out at the library.

Cheers,
Ian

Actually the tests ran for 48 hours not 24 and the ambient temp was cycled from 15 to 55 and back to 15 in each 24 hour period. If that's not a good comparison of current draw then I don't know what is. The only factor not considered (as it was inside a test lab) is the effect of direct sunlight - but it's best to protect any fridge from that anyway.

Paul you are not a physicist!!! Wind chill factor does not turn -18C air into -30C air and from an earlier post, hot air does not flood into a cold fridge especially if it is top opening as the cold air stays in the fridge and is not replaced by warm as warm air rises. (Air expands when heated and therefore makes heated air less dense than cold air) Consider two things
1. Top loading freezers in supermarkets are often open and the goods remain frozen.
2. The hottest part of a room is near the ceiling and /or a two storey house is always hotter in the top storey.
Sorry to have to put you right but it just annoys me so much to see absolute nonsense presented as facts!!

All the aussie made units except Liemack, use the danfoss compressor, so the only real difference is the insulation and construction quality of the box. So are you saying the odd one out was tweaked?

I got an EvaKool because of the reputation of their iceboxes (the compressor is the same as all others so that's fairly irrelevant) and I run it for months at a time and have no problems so far. It's 12 months old now.

I live in Far North Queensland and rarely have to turn the fridge above 2 and usually run it on 1.5 (out of 7). It cycles between 1 and 4 degrees.

Rockhopping are you insinuating they let Waeco (the only fridge brand with a 'W' in the tests) to use many fridges or to find a 'good' fridge?
There is absolutely nothing whatsoever in the article to suggest what you are saying.

I would suggest you are making insinuations which are just not true or statements of fact. Considering that the Australian made units used only two compressors, the Liemack a Mitsubishi and the evaKool, Autofridge, Bush Boy, Explorer all use the Danfoss BD35 compressor. To even suggest that one of the Australian units was tweaked to get the results, is rank stupidity, as to be in business in Australia and survive, you really need to produce an excellent quality reasonably priced product. The only Australian manufacturer missing from the market place now, is Liemack, which was the poorest performer in the tests in many areas. Liemack has now been re-badged into a Reefer and taken over/sold to/bought/etc. by a mob called Refrigeration Research.

I have personally owned more fridges than I can remember. The only fridge I have had break downs with has been Engel, and have had three compressors replaced.

Presently I have an ED50 evaKool because of the high quality of their case, and the excellent track record they have with their ice-boxes and Esky's.
I also had a Chescold Freezer 3 way, that was a T-terrific unit. Not that great bouncing around in the back of vehicle, but once you got to camp and setup, it was a magic unit. You did have to make sure it was level, but besides that, could not fault it. Even worked perfectly in the tropics in summer.

The only reason compressor failure could be attributed to the make of fridge would be if the way a particular manufacturer mounts the compressor contributed to the failure. Not that I know of anyone who's every had a compressor die - I would personally think that abuse would be a bigger factor.

Ian KC check out the evaKool, as they have a great new two compartment fridge/freezer which is not yet on their website. You can move the partition inside to vary the size of each. www.evakool.com.au

Greater insulation quality, does not mean increased dimensions, it is dependent on how the insulation is put in place, or if they are buying sheets and cutting to size, or pour in foam to make the fridge.
Pressure injected foam is the most superior form of insulation available in portable fridges. Pressure injected foam produces the most dense and best thermal properties, for less bulk. All completely square fridges would normally use sheet or poured in foam. A bit of a generalist statement, but pretty well on the money.
What I have proved provides around 3 to 5% overall power saving, is putting a tiny 40mm 12vDC fan inside the fridge. Part number Y8496 from DSE (D*ck Smith Electronics). Connect it up to the thermostat.
I have mine held on with cable ties onto the basket.

I have had 3 Engel compressor failures, and the repair shop I had my second compressor done, was doing a *great* business repairing Engel fridges. To date, I have not had one Danfoss failure.