Jackaroo 3 way fridge

I don't know anything about the Jackaroo fridge but....


IMO a $299 fridge will not do what you want. There's a good reason why Waeco's and Engels etc are over the $1000 mark.... For long term camping many people run 2 fridges, using one as a dedicated freezer and the other as a fridge.

To keep your meat when camping you are much better off getting it cryovaced. Then it will keep for a couple of weeks in a fridge with no need to freeze it.

From personal experience a 50 lt fridge is a good size if it's your only one. Any smaller and you can't get enough in it. That equates to about the same carrying capacity as your esky, minus the ice.

We have a 3 in 1 Jackaroo fridge, and even running it on gas, which is better than 12 volt, it wouldn't keep anything frozen unless outside temperature was very low.
We bought a 35 litre Waeco "second" from Waeco direct, with full warranty, and it was brilliant at freezing our food in April down Western NSW with daily ambient temps in the high 20's.
It cost around $500, but I would think a compressor style used/reconditioned/second etc from the batter named manufacturers worth the extra couple of hundred compared to ice added to a 3 in 1 which would soak everything in water as the ice melted.
The biggest benefit of the 3 in 1 is the ability to use gas instead of flattening batteries, but trying to use one as a freezer could end up in soggy disappointment.
Cheers
Ian

What temperature are you planning on using it in.

Those 3 ways, unless you get the blue freezer chescold types. only pull down 30 deg below ambient.
so if its over 30 deg, you wont be cooling as much as you would like to.
Ie temp in the 42 deg mark, your only going to cool to 12deg, not freezing.

We used a friends old brown chescold 32lt, and put white packing foam around it for extra insulation, and had good wiring to the fridge from the battery, as they pull a constant 10 amps on 12v, and had fitted 2 computer fans to the external cooling fins.
This would work well in temps up to 35 deg, on 12v, then would not cool sufficiently.

On our trip with it, we used it for over 3 weeks, and ran it on gas each night out of the vehicle, and on 12v during the day.
Had to disconect it if we stopped somewhere for a walk etc, as it would flatten the 2nd battery pretty quickly.
It was our first fridge we used, and it kept everything frozen under the evap plate, and enabled us to travel without needing ice.

I found that it worked, but you had to put in cold stuff, or only 1 or 2 beers the night before to cool down overnight, if you filled it with warm stuff, it would not pull down in 24hrs, so it was no good for putting in warm fresh meat, and expect it to cool, or fill it with fish, and expect it to freeze it.
They just dont do that.
However they do work well if you fill them with pre cooled contents, and only add small amounts of warm contents.
I would remove it from the vehicle each night, level it, and run it on gas.
We topped up the 2kg bottle about 2.5weeks of use, and it still had gas in it, but we were heading out, and needed to know it was full again.

Now we have a 47lt evakool. and a 20lt icecool esky as a crisper.

I fitted an agm deep cycle battery to the tub, and the fridge will run fridge freeer setting for over 3 days on a standard n70 starter battery if you dont want to spend large on an agm battery. Can get n70s for under 100 on special if your lucky.

I havent run the 120ah battery down to see how many days I get out of it yet, but expect it to be far better than the starter n70 battery.

I don't have to remove fridge from car overnight, nor keep it level.
It pulls down temp very quickly, and i can freeze, or refrigerate warm contents quickly.
I find the battery in the tray, easier than having a gas bottle in the back, and easier to refill, by just running the car, or putting it on charge when at a park with power.
Even on a 45deg day, it will still freeze, and work well.

Both work, but you have to learn how to work with them to get the best out of them, especially the 3 ways.

All depends on what you want to do.

We used a 3 way, enjoyed it, learned how to get the most out of it, but find the evakool 12v compressor fridge far easier, and more versatile for our camping needs.

Cheers

Trains

It depends on the type of camping you are doing. Are you just going to one place and staying there, or moving from point to point every few days?

Why don't you hire a gas fridge/Freezer I do when I go to fraser Is they are $80 for a week. Then you can try them out and see it's what you are after.


Geoff

Hi Rookie #1

I started goin camping with a esky (old steel one) then used to buy a 10kg block of dry ice from the local ice maker. This worked well for me for a couple of years. (dry ice evaporates leaving no water)

I used to have a block of polysterene cut to fit the esky. I would put the frozen stuff near the ice on the bottom, the polysterene on top, then the beer unfrozen stuff on top etc.

I could go for up to 2 weeks before I had to get more dry ice. (if esky opening was limited which rarely happened when you need a beer)lol

But I then went camping with a mate who had an Engel. The difference was chalk and cheese.

I splurged and got one

IMHO Engels/Waecos/Evakools etc are all pretty good and are generally tough enough for the majority of uses. My advise is to look around for a cheap 2nd hand one for around the $500 and go from there.

Engels, etc are not great for sitting at one location for a week. You then need solar or to run your car nearly everyday to power it.

Never used a gas esky but do have a 3 way fridge (common Dometic one) in camper and it runs fine on gas (and 240v). We run an Engel in the car as a drinks fridge.

Rookie,
I started with a 3 way. Just not good enough. Save your $ and buy a waeco or engel.
ian

Hi Rookie

I will save you a bit of grief. If buying a 3 way I would only go for a Chescold 3 way fridge/FREEZER. They will stay at -10 or more on even the hottest days. I am onto my 3rd now and would not consider anything else, although I have used them (including the fridge you are contemplating from Kmart) I have owned 6 x 3 way fridges so far including my current collection of a Chescold F40, F400 and RC1180. You would be far better using the $300 towards a chescold fridge/FREEZER even if 2nd hand. Just make sure you see it running on all power sources so you know it does not have any faults. If it is good the seller should be happy to oblige. The older brown F40 and green F400 are single compartment only so can only be used as one or the other. The newer RD1180 (Blue) have a seperate freezer and chiller compartment. Like you said it is very important that they be level. I did that by placing my fridge/FREEZER on a known flat concrete slab, placing a round spirit level with bluetack underneath onto the top of the fridge/FREEZER and then screwing it down ensuring the bubble was centred when finished. I found this the easiest way to guarantee a flat position when camping. Hope this has helped. Please note I also have a 12v compressor driven fridge in the car but for extended stays the 3 way is the best unless you have dual battery/ solar configurations ... and that costs dollars.

regards Kc

Hi mate

I had one of those Jackaroo 3 way fridges and I've also had quite a few other 3 way fridges.

Basically you get what you pay for and the Jackaroo, Repco and Waeco Finch fridges are all the same and will barely keep your beer cold and won't keep anyting frozen. These fridges won't even chill once the temperature get above 30, so are really pointless for camping in Australia.

If you want to do it on the cheap, buy a 2nd hand Chescold that says 'refrigerator/freezer' on it and you will find that this will freeze down to minus 10 in 30 degree weather. These are the old metal beige type that were made in Australia and can be picked up for around $200 - have a look on Ebay or your local trading post.

If you do get a 2nd hand Chescold, just be sure to get the one that says 'refrigerator/freezer' on it and not just 'refrigerator', as this won't freeze and won't be any better than the Jackaroo.

If you want a new 3 way fridge/freezer then there are only 2 that will freeze - The Dometic F400 and the Dometic RC1180. These start from $900, but none of the other brands will freeze.

Goodluck