What type of fridge

Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 10:13
ThreadID: 43682 Views:2416 Replies:8 FollowUps:5
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Hi. I have just installed a 120ampHr deep cycle battery & charger in my off road camper and I was reading somewhere (can't remember where) that Engel fridges with their swing compressors do not work as efficiently as models with rotary compressors. Has anyone got any thoughts on which is the most effective for this type of battery set up?
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Reply By: Member No 1- Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 10:15

Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 10:15
the engels are as good as the danfoss...i personally dont like cos they are too expensive to fix
AnswerID: 229984

Reply By: Geoff (Newcastle, NSW) - Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 10:31

Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 10:31
Hi Pop,
I own an Engel and a Waeco. They both work very well as either a fridge or a freezer.

My 29 litre Engel is probably pushing 25 years old by now and hasn't given me an ounce of trouble.
The 110 litre Waeco is about 2 years old and as would be expected it too hasn't given any grief.

If purchased from the Fridge Shop in Qld as a factory refurbished or a seconds unit the Waeco's come in quite cost competitive.

The Waeco has a slight edge on power consumption, it just a fraction less than the Engel. But as I stated there are 20 years difference in the units.

I'd go with Member No.1's comment of the repair costs between the two, the Waeco should be cheaper but then again after 25 years and an initial outlay of $250 the Engel owes me nothing.

Geoff
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AnswerID: 229988

Reply By: PoppyG - Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 10:55

Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 10:55
Any thoughts about the bushman fridges? It would seem the WAECO has potential but I need to be convinced that its reliability problems have been sorted as we intend doing the Canning Stock Route with a couple of friends.
AnswerID: 229989

Follow Up By: dj Patrol - Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 12:18

Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 12:18
I have a Bushman but it has gets some problems with the control panel and I was just Quoted $200 for the panel to be replaced + frieght $100 it hasen,t had a lot of usage and I recon nearly $300 is too much to spend on it.So I bit the Bullet the other day and got a 50ltr Waeco (second) for $800.

Arrived yesterday and It looks OK and works fine so far so im happy.

djpatrol
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Follow Up By: dj Patrol - Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 12:21

Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 12:21
At the fridge shop Waeco.Seconds
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Follow Up By: PoppyG - Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 14:41

Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 14:41
...and I thought it was going to be easy to pick a reliable fridge but by the sounds of it...its a bit of hit & miss if you get a good one or not. Thanks for the advice.
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FollowupID: 490834

Reply By: Robin - Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 11:26

Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 11:26
Hi Poppyg

No significant difference in the compressor fridges - I'd concentrate my efforts at installation which keeps fridge away from heat and provides good ventilation.

Robin MIller
AnswerID: 229994

Reply By: Tony - Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 15:04

Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 15:04
I have had two 40lt Engel's one is about 28yo now used by my son and still going great. The other is 17yo and never given an ounce of trouble.
AnswerID: 230035

Reply By: michael & lisa - Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 17:16

Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 17:16
I have had 2 Trailblazer fridges for over 10 years with no problem them, 1 sits in the back of the wagon or on the ute. The other 1 sits in a box on the draw bar of the camper trailer as a freezer.
AnswerID: 230058

Reply By: Member - lyndon K (SA) - Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 20:55

Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 20:55
We have a 40ltr engle and a 73ltr auto fridge. If i could only have just 1 it would be the auto fridge, easy to clean and use the lest amount of power of any fridge.
The auto fridge is also 1 of the dearest around. The auto fridge will run on aprox 25-30amps/day, the engle 40-50amps/day.
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AnswerID: 230103

Follow Up By: D-Jack - Wednesday, Mar 28, 2007 at 01:09

Wednesday, Mar 28, 2007 at 01:09
If my 40L Engel used 40-50 Amps per day, my 70 amp/hr AGM aux battery would drop below useable amperage every day. It lasts at least 48 hrs days with no extra charge in 25 degree weather, and that's not dropping below 11 volts, which I would estimate to be about 60% of it's capacity, with a little to spare. You must be quoting in very hot weather.
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Follow Up By: PoppyG - Wednesday, Mar 28, 2007 at 11:35

Wednesday, Mar 28, 2007 at 11:35
Lydon K I havent heard of the auto fridge, so is that the make and if so do you know of a website?
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Reply By: Kumunara (NT) - Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 23:11

Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007 at 23:11
PoppyG

It depends on what you are going to use the fridge for?

The most robust fridge that I know of is the trailblaza and that is what I purchased. You get what you pay for and they are more expensive than some other brands.

Tjilpi

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