Battery for Waeco Fridge

We've owned one for five years.

Firstly get a bag, they add important insulation.

As for a battery, at least one 100 amp AGM (I'd recommend REMCO, I've also had a more expensive Lifeline which didn't last). The best you will get out of it is 24 hours. The CF 80 is a big fridge and draws big power.

The beauty of the AGM batts is that you can top them up quickly by idling the car. They accept a lot of charge.

Solar, well we have a 64 watt Unisolar Panel which helps but unless it is very sunny and cool, it won't cope. I'd suggest more like 140 watts and two batts. Even then you're buggered if the Sun doesn't shine.

Sorry, but there is no definitive answer. Be prepared to run your car and alternator to keep the power up. We also have a generator and battery charger, but I've given up taking it away, it's easier to run the car.

Jim.

Best 'performance' battery is definitely an *AGM Deep Cycle battery*

I would recommend at least 200 ah battery capacity
( 2 x 100ah batteries in parallel )

I use 120 Watts Solar & 200ah AGM DC battery system, powering 70 Lt Reefer premier Fridge/Freezer, lights & radio etc without hassles

Maîneÿ . . .

I have always used MRV70 105ah batteries in the LC100. I owned a Waeco CF80 for about 5 years and sold it to a member here that is very happy with it.

I would get about 40 hours on a full charge and found if I drove for 1 - 2 hours per day I never ran out of power. I did a 4 week trip with no mains power and never had a problem.

The MRV70's last for about 3 years with this work load, fridge was never switched off in 5 years of ownership.

I charge the battery with a ABR charger when I get home and the new Prado running the ABR fridge is wired the same.

Regards

Derek from ABR

The 80lt Waeco will use an avg of 64 amp hrs per 24 hrs when used as freezer and fridge , 6 yrs of watching the Steca 2020 solar controller tells me so , you want more than a 100amp hrs batt capacity if you are stopped for more than 1day and if using solar panels my own experience is as follows ,, 1x 64 Unisolar + 1x 120 Kycera panel was NOT quite enough to run the 80lt Waeco + 15lt Engle for more than 3/4 days even through 400 amp hrs of battery [ 5x 80 Fullriver AGM HGL ,,, The Waeco is a great fridge freezer but it is a hungry beast.

I run a 55amp hour AGM in the Prado and carry a 120 amp hour AGM, to run the 80 ltr waeco.

The trick is to remove the baskets and freezer divider and run it as a straight fridge (set on about the third lowest setting) This keeps the fridge at about 4 degrees. I then get over 24 to 36 hours with the 55amphour and about 3 days with the other.

We cyiavac our meat rather than freeze it.

Of course if the weather is really hot this all goes pair shaped

Hi burry,
I had and emphasise had a CF110 Waeco. Never again.

That Danfoss BD50 compressor fitted to the CF80 and CF110 Waeco's is a serious power sucker. The oher bit that now days concerns me is any fridge that requires a supplemental bag to "improve" the factory insulation hasn't been designed properly to start with.

I have two Lifeline AGM 105 AHr batteries and at best got 24 to 36 hours run time for the CF110 (read mid winter in the shade) without continuous trickle charging for them.

What I mean by continuous trickle charge is either a mains connected battery charger, solar panels, the engine running quite regularly or generator connected battery charger.

My recommendation is use the biggest battery bank you can afford and have the room to fit. Then look for a means to continually feed power to the battery bank.

Beyond that you're better off with an Evakool or like esky.

Geoff