12 volt car fridge

[Big dave Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Big dave]

Hey guys looking at buying a fridge for the prado wats best brand and size to get??

Cheers big dave

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

Big dave here's some reading to get you started. There are heaps of threads already on Fridges, just need to pay a visit to the search function and take your pic!
The issue with starting a thread mate when there's already a bevvy of threads on the subject is now we have another thread to search through (perhaps the mods can merge this into one of the others?)

anyhow..

I personally have a ARB 60l and it's great. It does however have a fairly large footprint, but it's not too high so the missus can easily access what she needs out of it so it's a big thumbs up from us...

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...l=1#post160492

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...l=1#post277660

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...l=1#post234097

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...l=1#post358625

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...l=1#post294377

Good luck...

[squish Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close squish]

I have an ARB 60l as well, absolutely brilliant!

[Big dave Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Big dave]

Really need it for a trip around Australia And small trips awell!
How bout the engel 60 litre any gd at all

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

The Engel fridge is very good, just bought a new one, even though my old 'green' one is still going strong after 25 years....

[ScOzzieBok Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close ScOzzieBok]

I also have a 40L Engel, it really was a toss up between it & the ARB. Most my mates have the same Engel and good old Malcolm Douglas was their best endorsement dragging it accross Oz. Everyone's circumstances are different so I'll outline why I chose the Engel. I have a family of 4 so needed to decide if needed bigger than 40L or not. Given the big change in size to the next model up and generally 3 to 4 days supplies was enough before re-stocking etc. Also I have dual batt setup with 105Ah, the power consumption jumps dramatically from 40L to 60L etc, we can go 2 to 3 days with not running the engine no dramas at all. I also bought Panel socket 4m wiring so it is powered straight from the batt and it has the screw connection so it wont pop out like the cigar can, which can be disastrous, especially the tinnies. Talking about tinnies, if you get the vertical divider, you can fit 12 up the front just where they should be, and the rest for food. We live in the Pilbara and even with the heat, in the peak of summer, no probs at all. What is worth a mention is if you can attend a 4wd/camping show, generally you can get a better bargain, we managed get some extra goodies but the main one is the cover worth approx. $180. Well hopefully I have added some confusion to the discussion, good luck. BTW the fridge must be one of my best buys ever.

[Big dave Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Big dave]

Kool thanks scOzzieBok will hav to got to that and try and get a great bargain!
By the way who is goin to the Perth 4th show!

[SandRunner Member Find all posts View Profile Close SandRunner]

Engel 40L - The classic

[ondaboat Coopers Pale Ale Find all posts View Profile Close ondaboat]

I have 2 x 40L Engel's but my next fridge will be a 60L ARB

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

A couple of other points.
I suggest you look at the intended usage, IE how many people does it need to supply for and how long you go away for to help determine the size
Also what else you will carry in the back of the Prado as that may limit your physcial size. .For me I have some space limitaitons, due to rear drawers, cargo barrier, shelf, divider, water and other stuff. So for me the 47 litre ARB was perfect size as I could not actualy fit a 60 litre ARB. Once you have the fridge, you will never go with out one!
Cheers
Robert

[Mark from Brisbane Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark from Brisbane]

Yes what fits is important...I have Black Widow drawers in the back of my 150, and there were only three that would fit.

The ARB 47
The Engel 50
The Waeco 50

I chose the last one as it had a Fridge / Freezer combo (which in my opinion works a treat)...the others didn't have that when I purchased but I now hear that Engle has that option (no doubt as gaziliions of Waeco's were being sold).

If you don't have drawers in you could probably fit a bigger fridge in BUT I can tell you my wife and I have done several big trips and managed to pack enough meat for 3 weeks in the Freezer (just for 2 of course and I am not suggesting T Bone steaks every night) and the fridge section holds her Yogurt, our milk, our cheese and my beer (plus other stuff as well).

Once you have a fridge you'd never go back to an esky (although nothing like a coldie fresh from the ice)

[Wombat1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Wombat1]

Hi all,

I know this will be classed as a double post however, you need to look at the current draw as well. It is all well and good to draw power from your starter battery, but if you do not have an auxillary, you may be up shut creek without a paddle, if you go out for long enough. ( There are other posts that cover this topic)

"Original Response/Post"

I can only say from experience, I have an Evakool Fridgemate 55ltr and had it now for 6 years with little trouble. It can run as either fridge or freezer by removing the divider. It can also run in combination being a Fridge and Freezer.

I have recently done a 5 day trip with the ambient temp at 40 dec at times and running it on both the eco setting and normal settings, the freezer did not drop below -8.9 dec and the fridge was got no hotter than +2.7 dec or better. ( Nothing got hot or spoilt over this period)

Overall it is dependent on how many people you need to look after, I carried enough frozen food and other, for the five days with little trouble for 2 - 4 people. If I was to buy another fridge I'd probably by a 95ltr Evakool Fridgemate for that longer trip.


The original reason I bought this fridge freezer combo was the efficiencies compared with others that were available then. I will not get into the debate of whether one manufactures fridge/freezer is better than an others, because that is each ones own opinion.

Have a look at their website and have look at their products. http://www.evakool.com.au/home

I can recommend the Evakool Fridgemate fridge and freezer combo, just from my experiences, but as they say each to their own.

One thing to remember and a lot of people will not tell you this, air will kill a fridges (also Eskies) capacity to run efficiently, so if you take something out e.g. drink - replace it with another. (Saying this though, just before going away tested the unit with nothing inside running full bore - the freezer got to -27.7 dec with the ambient temp no lower than 24.5dec)

"In addition to the previous reply on another thread. Size in this instance will matter expecially if you have a draw system. If you have the space perhaps try the Evakool fridge mate in different sizes or the fibreglass jobbie. From experience with the fridgemate (FM55) I was running full throttle was drawing no more than 4 amps an hour, running eco about was about 2.5 amps per hour to 3.1 amp an hour. The measuring tool was a Baintech power distribution unit. It still stayed within the previously mentioned specs.

This being said a 105 amp hour fullriver agm battery mounted under the bonnet (Dual Battery/Second), with a ctek d 250s charger cooped with the trip. Admit-tingly driving at least 1 hour per day.

Remember doing the job once and properly may save you years of heartache and additional dollars.

I hope this has helped a little.