Engel on Battery & Generator Power

Submitted: Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 20:56
ThreadID: 44388 Views:7384 Replies:6 FollowUps:6
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GDay . thought I would contribute something for a change rather than pick everyone elses brains. Have just returned from camping at Poleys Place [Barrington] NSW over Easter [ Country Music Howdown] Facilities were very basic to say the least but I thought I would share my experiences wth running an Engel Fridge on a generator sometimes and a battery for the rest. I have an old Honda Generator { Barred as unsafe in WA] and my Sonnershiem 24 amp hr Gel battery from my golf buggy. [push type] I rigged up a cigarette lighter socket from Dick Smith to 2 battery clips to the battery and plugged in the 12v engel plug. I also connected the generater to the smart battery charger to charge the battery when the genny was running. I then connected the 240 v to the engel through the outlet on the caravan and the genny to the inlet point of the Van. The genny [500w] then ran about 5 hours a day usually in the evening. It charged the battery enough to run the engel the other 19 to 20 hours a day. The engel automatically senses the 240v and draws off that rather than 12v. This all happened over a week and worked very well. The thermostat was set to 2 and kept the meat frozen and the beer cold.
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Reply By: Trevor R (QLD) - Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 21:20

Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 21:20
I did some fridge testing of my own over Easter. We had 4 days (planned for 7 but bad weather stuffed it up!!) with two 4.2 Nissan's running both a Waeco 32lt and the other a 40lt Engel on FREEZE max settings for both fridges. The Waeco lasted almost two days on my deep cycle Aux battery while the Engel lasted a full 3 days on the other Nissan's starting battery (not deep cycle). Both fridges were mine but I know which one will be coming camping with me when I plan to be in one spot for a while. I have been useing the Waeco constantly for work but that is while I am on the move every day and I have always been curious as to which one is the bigger power pig but I think I can safely answer that question for myself now.

No matter what the bourban was still cold when I needed it to be.

Regards, Trevor.
AnswerID: 233884

Follow Up By: nowimnumberone - Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 21:35

Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 21:35
how many amps were the batterys.
ive seen an engel flatten a battery in one day and a weaco go for more than 2 days.
weaco conected to 80amp battery
engel conected to standard car battery
cheers
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Follow Up By: Trevor R (QLD) - Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 09:06

Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 09:06
Don't know the amps of the starting battery in the other Patrol but in mine (running the Waeco) it was a 10 month old deep cycle 105 a/hr fully charged before use. The Engel is my 12 yr old (approx) 40lt and the Waeco was my fairly new (2yr old approx) 32 lt. The main difference that may have contributed was the Engel was chock a block full and the Waeco was half full.
I might add the Honda EM650 gennie brought both batteries back to life in a few hrs of each charging. The deep cycle needed a bit more but the starting battery fired the other Patrol up in an hr then he took it for a long drive to really charge it. I let the Gennie do alll the hard work charging while I was fishing (and drinking).

Cheers Trevor.
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Follow Up By: obee - Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 21:55

Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 21:55
Not what you could call a fair test because we dont know how well the batteries were performing or how much gear was in each fridge or how often the lid was opened and how long. Too many variables.

owen
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FollowupID: 494982

Reply By: Auntie - Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 21:52

Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 21:52
What sort of genie. Steve? I've just inherited an old Honda EX 350 that appears to run real well. However I haven't put it to any practical use yet.
AnswerID: 233892

Reply By: Steve Ellis - Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 21:55

Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 21:55
The battery I used was a 24 ah deep cycle gel battery. The engel fridge is new 40 ltr and I am told they draw less current than older models. I dont know much about the tech. details of this whole issue [ retired coal miner] but I do know what happened.
AnswerID: 233894

Follow Up By: Steve Ellis - Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 22:05

Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 22:05
The genny is an old { about 25 years at best guess honda EM500.]They are barred in WA as being Dangerous. THEY ARE. Some poor bugger killed themselves, thats why its barred. If you have one they have a 12 and 240 v outlet and you can plug the supplied 12v plug connected to 2 battery clips directly to the 240v outlet. I have destroyed the 12v lead and selastiked the switch in place so it cant happen.
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Follow Up By: Go-N-Grey (WA) - Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 22:32

Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 22:32
EM500? are fine just throw away the 12 V plug. Mine had a different socket to the 250V outlet. Did several thousand hours with mine over 26 years running multiple engels on light load. Didn't like leaded petrol in the early days, kept causing the exhaust valve to stick - I got good at removing the head during the 80's.

Got $200 cask back even though it was worn out, and bought a EU2000 last year and now use a lot less fuel, and a less noise and ca run the aircon or microwave in the van when I want to.

Toured for weeks with old engel with frozen meat and vegies, well rugged up, 12v from car while travelling during the day. a couple of hours on gennie in the evening, all on freeze, and on the car battery on 2 during the night. Only had flat battery once in the morning but was comforting to know 1/2 hour on genie in the morning and start was assured. Happened after 12 day on the GRR at El Questro.
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Reply By: DIO - Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 23:01

Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 23:01
Steve, I've read and re-read your post but I'm darned if I can figure out how you managed to connect the 12 volt and 240 volt simultaneously to the Engel - so that it senses the 240v and draws off that rather than 12v. My Engel has a slider across the inlet (12 v and 240v) and I can only select one power source at a time.
AnswerID: 233909

Follow Up By: GerryP - Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 23:32

Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 23:32
Later models have auto sensing and are able to be plugged into both 240 and 12 volt at the same time. If 240 is available it automatically connects to that power source. Earlier models did not have that capability and in fact prevent you plugging both in at the same time as you have suggested, with the slider.
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FollowupID: 494825

Reply By: Steve Ellis - Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 07:22

Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 07:22
Yes Gerry is correct. The new ones have all the bells and whistles and so they should considering the price you pay. My mate has an old one and his was only $50 cheaper than mine. Shop around and get the bag for nothing.They are made in Thailand. The digital temperature readout is not accurate and they tell you it isnt so why install it? I put a cheapie thermometer inside. On a setting of 2 that is about? minus 2 centigrade at an ambient temperature of 22c. I have a travel bag thingo on mine and it has silver stuff on the inside so that probably helps.
AnswerID: 233922

Reply By: lifeisgood - Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 22:43

Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 22:43
I was testing my Waeco 35L today on my new BP80W solar panel .
When cycling on , the motor was drawing 3.9-4.1 amp according to the solar regulator display panel. Naturally this would reduce when expressed as an amp hr average over time. I was pleased the panel managed to deliver this and a little extra on a moderate Melbourne day.
It appears the approx 4.5A panel claim would be realistic when the sun is not shielded by any cloud.
AnswerID: 234097

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