evakool fridge/freezers

Submitted: Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 10:12
ThreadID: 31402 Views:25598 Replies:10 FollowUps:20
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does anyone have any experience with them, they look like a good sturdy unit. Looking for a reliable sturdy, economical fridge freezer for camping.
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Reply By: Mad Dog (Australia) - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 10:23

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 10:23
Do a search on here there should be lots of hits.
From accounts they are a good fridge with the common danfoss compressor, well built with a good amount of insulation.
AnswerID: 158498

Reply By: Shaker - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 10:26

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 10:26
"reliable sturdy, economical fridge freezer for camping."

= Engel.
AnswerID: 158499

Follow Up By: Mad Dog (Australia) - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 11:30

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 11:30
reliabilty to the extreme :)
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Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 13:54

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 13:54
There's no doubt they are reliable but economical?? Come on give me a break! 40 Litire Supercheap compressor fridge $299 on special or $400 normal retail, Waeco $850, the new repco brands are $600-700 and Engel $1200.
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Follow Up By: Shaker - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 14:35

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 14:35
........... and Autofridge $1800!

If you amortise the difference over the life of the fridge, it is peanuts.
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Follow Up By: Mad Dog (Australia) - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 14:50

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 14:50
I was happy to pay $1200 for a fridge where the reliabilty was second to none. I've given myself the least chance of this thing breaking down in the bush. In fact I'd pay double for a cold drink in the bush when it's 40ºC. I'm sure the old bushmen would have too if they'd had that option.
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Reply By: jp - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 10:48

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 10:48
HI,
Have had a 90 lt evakool for 6 years. Had to have a middle hinge put in whilst under warranty, as there was a slight bow in the lid. Fridge is on all the time, either in the car or house and has been all round SE Qld, no problems. Derek (forum advirtiser) from www.sidewinder.com.au sells them now.
Cheers.
JP
AnswerID: 158505

Reply By: 120scruiser - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 11:08

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 11:08
We have the ice boxs on both our fire trucks and stock them in summer with ice and cold drinks. They hold ice for a few days and bear in mind that is usually in the 40 degree temps around bush fires and we are in and out of them all the time. We reckon they are great. They sit on the back of the fire truck out in the weather and big bully blokes standing on top of them as well. We have had them since the 2001-2002 Sydney fires and we think they are the ducks guts.
As for the fridge, a club member has the big one and even when turned right down it freezes great and thats with no cover.
I was going to upgrade my engel but there is nothing wrong with the old engel so I couldn't justify replacing it.
Cheers
120scruiser
AnswerID: 158509

Reply By: ev700 - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 11:23

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 11:23
They are good units.
AnswerID: 158516

Follow Up By: brian - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 12:39

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 12:39
I have one ,the original compressor failed and was replaced, later the electronic box failed $500 to me,but was then given 2 year warrenty,

The idea of a small freezer and larger fridge is great for me no more frozen vegies BUT do not think that you can use all the fridge as a freezer by removing the partition in my case the fridge is totally incapable of this.To me this suggests the other major brands that can totally freeze everything must therefore have much greater cooling/freezing capacity.

As for reliability in my view all the major brands are unreliable it really is a lottery,just ask any repairer how many he fixes in a year.When i put mine in for repair at silverwater the workshop was innundated with fridges of many types in for repairs.

I feel that it should be said that essentially these fridgesare not financially viable to repair eg quote from everkool may 05 "normal price to replace a compressor is around the $900 mark"
Next time i will look at trailblazer etc.
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Reply By: Waynepd (NSW) - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 12:42

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 12:42
I have the 40l evaKool
Never had a problem with it in the 3 years i have had it. It serves as my beer fridge near the barby at home on 240v to save the walk into the house to get a beer. I have taken it over some very rough corrugated terrain and it just keeps on keeping on.
As for the engel vs anybody else thing.
My mate, also a member here, runs a 40l engel which is about 6 mths older than my evakool and he has had no problems either so its just a matter of whatever your prejudices are you are either an engel, waeco or evakool etc lover. no difference in performance in my experience. The purchase cost is about the only deciding factor.

It may be the insulation is superior in the evakool because i don't seem to need an insulation bag, if fact i don't know if evakool even make a bag whereas engel do. In practice i have never seen any performance difference between the two.
AnswerID: 158532

Reply By: Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 13:35

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 13:35
The new Evakool is very good and are great units and the new yellow ones are almost unbreakable.
(Downside is the 240V power supply must be bought loose)

The Engel Range is also very good and has built in 240v with auto switching.
(Downside heavier and more expensive)

Both are great and will suit many applications.

If I had to replace my own Waeco, I would be split between the two.

AnswerID: 158543

Follow Up By: FREEZER - Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 19:30

Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 19:30
Derek,

Do you have a price list for the evakools 50L - 100L

Cheers
freezer
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Follow Up By: Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 19:38

Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 19:38
Full Range is available.

You will need to contact me outside the forum.

Regards Derek.
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Reply By: ACDC - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 15:13

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 15:13
I thought you were going out to buy a Downunder fridge!
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Follow Up By: FREEZER - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 17:36

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 17:36
AKKA DAKKA
Yeah was, but as i said in the thread about the down under, I was all go friday, but after doing some research, discovered they are the same as reefer fridges, just different badges, which are the same as Ruey Shing. I think you told me that. But after reading some old forums on fridges, i discovered that in a review of 10 or so fridges by 4WD Monthly Mag the Reefer fridges rated the worst by a mile when it came to power usage on 12V. How much weight that reveiw holds is debateable, but it was enough to dampen my enthuisiam to just run out and buy it(albiet the great price)
So now i am scratching my head even harder than i was when i first started. These things are so damn dear, you gotta wonder how they justify the prices of them. That in mind if you are gonna get one, I would rather be 100% about my purcase.

Freezer
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Follow Up By: ACDC - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 18:31

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 18:31
But the Reefer fridges they tested was'nt the Ruey Shing models it was the inverter/rotary compressor models they make themself,why they never submitted a RueyShing model i will never know!! i have no doubts it would of come out on top!
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Follow Up By: Mad Dog (Australia) - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 18:37

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 18:37
That's true Freezer, the Reefer rotary models are power pigs but they are a different fridge.

Go get it and good luck.
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Follow Up By: FREEZER - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 19:57

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 19:57
Mad dog and ACDC

You two guys definately are the biggest supporters of these fridges, I wish there were more people giving the downunder fridges such a wrap, it would make my decision easier.
Do either of you guys have a link to that survey so i can give it a read?
Cheers
Freezer
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Follow Up By: Mad Dog (Australia) - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 20:24

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 20:24
I'm an Engel man actually Freezer but I give anything a fair go. What is disapointing me at the moment is all the Waeco problems. I'm not aware of that report being on the web.

Really, if you can scrape together a few more dollars or wait a bit longer the Engel is the way to go.
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Follow Up By: ACDC - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 20:45

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 20:45
I don't know of the report on the web,the copy of 4wd monthly i had with the report i sent to RueyShing for them to look at.

I agree with mad dog there seems to be a lot of Waecoo faults cropping up on this site.
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Follow Up By: FREEZER - Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 21:32

Saturday, Mar 04, 2006 at 21:32
ACDC

So your a Reefer man, you sell them (not it) So can you give me reasons why these downunder/reefer fridges are better than a waeco or evakool or even Engel. I would be very interested in your reply.

After closer inspection after going back to repco, i noticed the moulding is not fibreglass like i had thought, but plastic (poly carbonate) a bit iffy on that one. Everkool has same compressor, fibreglass mould, which i thought would be a better insulator.

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Follow Up By: ACDC - Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 00:03

Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 00:03
more efficient evaporator. stainless steel and copper.
easier to clean stainless and no smells.
fridge contents can't rub through causing leaks.
poly carbonate unbreakable! does'nt crack or rust.
more insulation than most.
lids don't buckle.
strong handles to tie down with.
no gimmicky electronics that pack up!
Danfoss compressor any fridge mechanic can fix!
low power consumption!!
fan cooled condenser.
Don't need a insulation bag!!
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Reply By: GEG - Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 18:30

Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 18:30
which brand of fridge has the capability of only needing to be plugged into the power socket of your car for 2 hours in every 6? That's the one I want. They are around $1500 but every one that I know who have them, just say they would never consider anything else...Im saving up for one...They are supa cold too, even in the hot heat of STH East Qld in the summer.
AnswerID: 158743

Follow Up By: FREEZER - Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 19:24

Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 19:24
GEG
Which fridge are you talking about ?
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Follow Up By: Mad Dog (Australia) - Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 19:53

Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 19:53
Autofridge I think you're talking about, around $1800
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Follow Up By: Mad Dog (Australia) - Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 19:57

Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 19:57
All the info is here

http://www.quirks.com.au/autofrdg.htm
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Follow Up By: FREEZER - Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 21:03

Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 21:03
Auto fridge hey,
heard a bit about them, very expensive. For the supa hardcore campers. For that price it would want to mix your drinks as well. No doubt must be a good unit though, people are buying them. Bit to dear for me. The evakool is very similiar minus the liquid behind the walls and the spring housed compressor
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Follow Up By: GEG - Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 22:33

Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 22:33
sorry I cannot remember the name of the fridge/esky. I think it was a gold or yellow color. A lot of my friends have them, but if you go to an ARB shop they will have them. I know it wasnt a WAECO, and I didnt think it was called an autofridge...too dear for me too, but one day I would really like to have one. Much better to have your fridge needing to drain your car battery for 3 to 4 hours a day than all day like the cheaper versions...

In the meantime, dry ice is cool...
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Reply By: darbi - Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 18:40

Sunday, Mar 05, 2006 at 18:40
g'day,

had an Evakook 60 L F/F about 2 years. Part time use 4by and van, usually 50/50 freezer/fridge. Very 12v economical, and very effective unit. No problems, and don't anticipate any.

darbi
AnswerID: 158747

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