Arb or Engle fridge

[VL400 Member Find all posts View Profile Close VL400]

Re: Arb or Engle fridge

i had a look at an evakool 60lt today. looks identical to a waeco . cheaper at $899 though

Power use seemed rather high in my testing of the 47lt, looking at around 7 amps dropping to 6 amps during run in normal mode. Its on for less time than my engel which was 2.5A so does even out a little.

Have ran it overnight twice (swapped current sensing equipment between fridges to reduce measurement errors) and looking at an average of 1.5AH vs the Engels 0.8AH with a fridge temp cycling between 1-3 deg and ambient 25deg. Will run the evakool on economy tonight and see how it goes.

Looking forward to the 4wd comparo results!


EDIT: Economy mode dropped the evaKool usage to 1.21AH, 3 tests and the Engel was 0.8AH each time.

[Geofft Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Geofft]

Re: Arb or Engle fridge

Thank you all for your replies I will let you know why I decide,(or should I say the wife!!!)
Geoff

[Geofft Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Geofft]

Re: Arb or Engle fridge

I am working through the same buying decision at the moment - differentiators for me are around weight, dimensions and the way the lid opens. Sounds a bit simplistic but like a lot of appliances these days, if they have a bad name - everyone will be making sure you know about it. So it boils down to what seems to work for you. Price obviously a big factor.

I'm also keen to wait for a 'limited offer bundle' from one of them that tips me their way ... Eg. a few years back ENGEL offered a mini fridge with the main one that also heated things. Great for flicking it over in the afternoon and warming up dinner! Having said that, I prefer Waeco for their dimensions and the way the lid opens.

You could probably go either way and be equally devoted

Benj Annaconda store has special on Waeco right now, I dont know where you live but the Bayswater store, Vic and I assume the rest, has a great special
Geoff

[William Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close William]

Re: Arb or Engle fridge

Benj Annaconda store has special on Waeco right now, I dont know where you live but the Bayswater store, Vic and I assume the rest, has a great special
Geoff

Is it the one on their online catalogue? Waeco cf50 with "free" bonus pack? and 41lt dune esky for $1049?

I can't say it's a great deal as anyone could get a cf50 that comes with a cover and Waeco 55lt esky for $989 delivered to their door from eBay.

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

Caught SWMBO out during a weak moment this morning. We're heading off camping this weekend and I reminded her how much of a nuisance it will be to get Ice for the esky where we're going which gave her the idea (after I have been leaving ARB & Engel fridge brochures strategically around the house) that perhaps we should get a fridge?........ POUNCE!!!

I ended up with a 60l ARB which ARB are doing Xmas deals at the moment and are throwing in the Transit bag ($188) and a Camp chair ($69). The Chair deal was'nt in the Xmas specials brochure and I thought it was an extra sweetner and that the ARB salesman was looking after me, but I saw the deal on a TV Ad tonight on Ch 7.

I now however have an issue from being greedy and getting the larger fridge as I originally only wanted to go the 47l but SWMBO wanted the 60l and it was my intention to build an "easily removable" single side drawer unit to house recovery gear etc... and put a platinum drop down fridge slide on top. This would enable me to keep 1 rear seat in situ and remove the unit quickly when required. I think the single drawer ends up being around 530mm (external) from the side to edge of rear seat. The DS40 drop slide's width is 525 (to suit most fridges "up to" 60l), which would of been perfect, however the 60l ARB requires the DS60 drop slide, which is 660mm!!! So, I will have to come up with another solution....It looks like I may have to ditch the drop slide idea. If anyone has a 60l installed in a single drawer unit, I'd love their input...


Craig

[kav Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close kav]

just think of how much more beer you can fit in it . correct fitment of said product will require extensive exhausting research which will usually require the input of several authorities on numerous occassions .

[Richoson Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Richoson]

Craig

Your dilemma is one that I would like to have, judicious placement of brochures and "benefit" selling are great tools. Or you could do what I do fit the aforementioned accessory and just cop the flack when SWMBO eventually finds out.

See ya on the tracks, Richo.

[gumboot Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close gumboot]

I ended up with a 60l ARB which ARB are doing Xmas deals at the moment and are throwing in the Transit bag ($188) and a Camp chair ($69). The Chair deal was'nt in the Xmas specials brochure and I thought it was an extra sweetner and that the ARB salesman was looking after me, but I saw the deal on a TV Ad tonight on Ch 7.

I now however have an issue from being greedy and getting the larger fridge as I originally only wanted to go the 47l but SWMBO wanted the 60l and it was my intention to build an "easily removable" single side drawer unit to house recovery gear etc... and put a platinum drop down fridge slide on top. This would enable me to keep 1 rear seat in situ and remove the unit quickly when required. I think the single drawer ends up being around 530mm (external) from the side to edge of rear seat. The DS40 drop slide's width is 525 (to suit most fridges "up to" 60l), which would of been perfect, however the 60l ARB requires the DS60 drop slide, which is 660mm!!! So, I will have to come up with another solution....It looks like I may have to ditch the drop slide idea. If anyone has a 60l installed in a single drawer unit, I'd love their input...


Craig

Hi Craig,
I am in exaclty the same dilema. Looking at 47 and 60 litre ARB fridges at the moment. I want to be able to keep one of the rear seats in place and run the fridge sometimes. How did you go with the solution? I do like the 60 litre as it seems wide and shallow so you can see all the items in there unlike the 47 where they are packed more vertically. But if you cant fit the 60 litre, it forces me to the 47 litre option.

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

Gumboot
The fridge was certainly tested well over the weekend and perform as expected. I'm now confident I made the right decision by going up one size to the ARB 60l. As you said, all items are much easier to access than the 47l with the larger footprint inside and shallower depth. The Platinum drop slide is definitely out if I am only to go down the single sided drawer system path, but one avenue I will investigate which was suggested by AJ120 was to have a fridge slide mounted at floor level and have a drawer above. This will enable the fridge to stay free of luggage etc from falling against the fridge and impeding it from sliding in/out. It will also allow me to stack on top of the drawer should the need arise. Just need to check how high the drawer will be and if I can access kit from out of it easily enough.

Craig

[gumboot Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close gumboot]

Craig,
Good idea about the draws above.
I am leaning to this over the 47 litre and its only $150 more.
It's bigger but just seems so much more useable re space than the 47 with a family of 4.
cheers

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

Just make sure you do your homework re making it all fit (It "just" fits in....) The Fridge is 845mm long x 450 Wide x 428 High. An ARB Fridge slide as an example is 850 x 533! So that wouldn't go in a single drawer system with the other rear seat in place. So DIY Fridge slide will need to be the go. Still working on my design and will troll through the DIY drawer thread for much needed ideas...

Craig

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Seems to me the easiest thing to do would be remove both back seats and sell a kid

Cheers Andrew

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

I wonder if I could get enough from the sale of my 1st born for front & rear lockers!

[Lazy Eye'd Mike Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Lazy Eye'd Mike]

Mate,

Have had the ARB 47L for a few months now. I'm not an Engel hater.

Chose the ARB because:
Price
drain plug
lid pulls off real easy
digital control, set and forget
great handles that you can use for tie downs
and mainly because the evaporator is integral to the housing of the fridge and you cant get food scraps and stuff stuck behind it, making it more hygienic (which is pretty important on long camping trips) and easier to clean.
Auto battery protection, and no thermal fuse.

I talked to a few truckies before buying and they reckon the older style Engles are unbreakable, but the newer and cheaper model ones have yet to be proven, (ARB have not been around that long either).

Best let your missus choose though mate.

PS. you can barter with ARB!

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

Mate,

Have had the ARB 47L for a few months now. I'm not an Engel hater.

Chose the ARB because:
Price
drain plug
lid pulls off real easy
digital control, set and forget
great handles that you can use for tie downs
and mainly because the evaporator is integral to the housing of the fridge and you cant get food scraps and stuff stuck behind it, making it more hygienic (which is pretty important on long camping trips) and easier to clean.
Auto battery protection, and no thermal fuse.

I talked to a few truckies before buying and they reckon the older style Engles are unbreakable, but the newer and cheaper model ones have yet to be proven, (ARB have not been around that long either).

Best let your missus choose though mate.

PS. you can barter with ARB!

I bought a 60L ARB a few weeks ago because of all the reasons above also.
It's a very light unit too so is easily lifted in and out. It just seemed a lot better unit that both the waeco and engel.