CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

[IRON-PAWW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close IRON-PAWW]

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

Pretty much everyone I've spoken to strongly suggests upgrading the wiring to the existing power socket in the cargo area. It's difficult to really know when chatting to the sales desk at ARB because of course they say you need a whole raft of upgrades which all cost nicely. However, I'm sure I saw a pic of some very light duty wiring to that socket somewhere here so I had mine upgraded when I had the Dual Batt put in at ARB here in Perth. Also had a much more heavy duty plug installed which I now use exclusively for the Engel. I think you could get away with using the existing wiring but long term use would be questionable to say the least.

I think you really can't go past a dual batt setup if for nothing more than piece of mind. The Waeco fridges have voltage drop protection but my Engel certainly does not have this. I can rest easy at night knowing the D4D will crank in the morning. If you only had a few hours in mind for each fridge running period then you could probably get away with it. ARB told me that I could get maybe 7 hours running time with an Engel set low to mid before getting into the danger zone.

[Spurio Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Spurio]

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

... but performance is slipping is there anywhere you can get these things re gassed or are they a throw away item

Depends on the make/model but most of the better built fridges run generic parts and can be serviced by any good refrig/air con service centre.

With all the bouncing around off road, I take my two 50 and 70 lt Liemacks to get a service (compressor check) and regas roughly about every 5 years. They still appeared to work OK but if you're in the centre or up northern aust you will really notice the difference as they come back like new and run heaps better.

Service cost range quite a bit it's probably best to do a ring around.

[Hitam 2 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Hitam 2]

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

I've been using the 50lt Liemack for the last 10years and has not miss a beat and VERY powerful.

The only problem with this fridge, it SUCKS A LOT of juice and require a direct and thick cable from your battery to the fridge.
Other than that, no worries at all.

Cheers,

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

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

We are about to buy a mobile fridge for our 4wd to complement the Dometic 3-way we have in our camper. Say an Engel but probably a Waeco. We are interested in the opinions of owners of the dual zone type versus the single zone fridge OR freezer. Are you happy with the dual zone if you have one? Do you wish you had a single zone? If you have a single zone type, do you ever wish for a dual zone model?

[dustie Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dustie]

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

Hi DB,

I prefer the dual zone because you don't want all the food stuff frozen. I use a "Downunder" 50L fridge/freezer. Works well, bought for $1,000 with the bag.

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

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

Hi DB,

I prefer the dual zone because you don't want all the food stuff frozen. I use a "Downunder" 50L fridge/freezer. Works well, bought for $1,000 with the bag.

Hey Dustie, I am thinking of a Downunder myself a 51 litre. HOw long have you had yours and what sort of current draw does it have?

[dustie Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dustie]

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

Hey Dustie, I am thinking of a Downunder myself a 51 litre. HOw long have you had yours and what sort of current draw does it have?

nearly 3 years, runs 24x7 as a second fridge/freezer. The current draw from memory is 2.5amp.

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

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

i have been thinking of getting a fridge for a while now, have got one of these
behind the passenger seat and it's great if you prepare, i.e. put some ice blocks in there and fire it up a bit before you need it and it will hold mid to high single digits quite easily as long as it has power. but on short trips or if you forget to prep, it doesn't get the chance to get cold...

about 1am last night i stumbled across a post in overlander that said these guys http://www.getawaeco.com.au/ were having a clearance sale. i thought given they were already a clearance centre it'd be worth a look!

got down there at 9am to find people every bloody where. cars parked in all sorts of places in about a hundred yard radius all crowded around the gate waiting for it to open. i got excited.

they had CF-40's for $650, CF-50's for 700, CF-60's for 800 and plenty of others that had special markdowns (i think i saw a 140L (or something like that) for $2500 down to $1000 but most were anywhere between 40-70% off.

i ended up walking out with a CF-50 (current model), and a bag for $800 which i was pretty happy with. no visible marks on it that i can see and if their are some i missed then they are under the bag now anyway.

also picked up a Waeco Coolpower 36, which is basically at 36Ah portable battery pack. The sales guys claim the CF-50 uses around 0.8-0.9Ah when cooling and 1.5-2Ah when freezing so should get through an overnight camping trip without any probs!

Plug the CP 36 into the existing ciggie socket in the back, and the fridge into the CP36 and we're away!

they apparently have these sales twice a year if anyone's keen to buy but not in a hurry.

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

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

actually, just had another look at the site and they've still got some of the cf-50's left over (3) according to the site and are selling at today's sale price...

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

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

actually, just had another look at the site and they've still got some of the cf-50's left over (3) according to the site and are selling at today's sale price...

Very tempted to do the same as yourself there McBain. So I guess they did not include the summer special pack, I guess that would be asking a bit much. How much was the power pack?

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

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

actually, just had another look at the site and they've still got some of the cf-50's left over (3) according to the site and are selling at today's sale price...

Very tempted to do the same as yourself there McBain. So I guess they did not include the summer special pack, I guess that would be asking a bit much. How much was the power pack?

power pack was not a "seconds" it was new in box with plastic wrapping, $335 down to $299.

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

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

i have been thinking of getting a fridge for a while now

Me too.

http://www.getawaeco.com.au/ were having a clearance sale.

Just looked at this site and there seems to be some really great deals - some items at half price. Looks too good to go past. Will visit a local store tomorrow to see these fridges first hand... looks like I know what I might now be getting for Xmas :wink:

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

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

New Waeco fridge/freezer now on order.

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

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

Hey Dustie, I am thinking of a Downunder myself a 51 litre. HOw long have you had yours and what sort of current draw does it have?

nearly 3 years, runs 24x7 as a second fridge/freezer. The current draw from memory is 2.5amp.

Well it is done and dusted Dustie. :lol:

I just bought a 51 Litre Downunder $680 delivered to my holiday house in Corlette, comes complete with 240VAC power point lead, 12VDC cigarette lighter lead, hard wire kit with isolation switch, fuse, lighter socket, etc forthe rear of the vehicle. Also has a Danfoss BD35F compressor.

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

Re: CAR FRIDGE, WHICH IS BEST

Re my question about pros and cons of single and dual zone fridges; Thanks to all who responded with their experiences and advice. After thinking through the advice, our setup and needs and looking carefully at the optional models (Engel too long to fit) we settled in favour of the Waeco CF60 which had a much larger heat exchange surface in the fridge chest than the competing dual zone CF50DZ. We felt this ought to be more efficient at heat exchange. We reasoned on long trips we would best run the Waeco as a freezer and we could use an existing coolbox chilled with ice packs frozen in the Waeco for fruit & veg & beer. On short trips we would use the Waeco as a fridge. Too late to get one of Getawaeco's latest bargains but we can wait for the new year bargains.