ENGEL - extra 12v fan

wasting time and effort on something that ain't broke

Maybe it would be better rigged up to circulate air in and out of your vehicle instead? That's if you just HAD to build something with it :-)

Seen a solar doodad that was a small solar panel and a fan designed to either blow outside air into, or suck hot air out of, a parked car - you wound your window down a little, stuck this in the gap at the top, then wound the window back up to keep it in place. If you leave your fridge in the back of the vehicle, having outside-temperature air (say max 40-something degrees) coming into the vehicle would be better than recirculating the same 60-something degrees air around the fridge in a locked car. Surprised that such systems are not more common, but I guess they increase the ability of people to break in through a window etc.

Howie, fitting a fan to the older Engels is a good thing to do but it isn't all that simple if you want it to come on and off with the fridge motor.
Definately reduces the run time of the motor though and that is a saving on current from the battery. I have one of the real old yelloe green 39 litre Engels and the motor run time is about 30-40% less than without the fan. In this Engel the swing motor runs on approx 21v which is generated on board when running on 12 or 240 volts. The kit I have came from Shane at Procomp in Melb. It taps the motor voltage and uses it to run the fan. This allows the fan to cycle automatically with the Engel motor.
In any type of fridge the better the heat transfer from it the more efficient it can operate. The very small additional currnet the fan needs to operate [ a few milliamps ] saves considerable motor run time where the motor is drawing 4 - 5 amps.
Is this mod worthwhile ? Very much up to you, if your fridge already has a fan don't bother I reckon you will have the benefit of better air circulation already. For the older Engels which draw more current it is certainly worth it in my view.

Ken