MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: grafy82 on May 23, 2015, 12:14:44 AM
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I know the 'which fridge is best' question has been done to death already but I'm more looking for info just on this fridge. I have just sold my 40L Engel so we can buy something with a bit more capacity as the family has outgrown the small fridge. I have been looking at the Ridge Ryder fridges in supercheap for a while and the 60L is on sale now for only $799. They are made by EvaKool and still have an EvaKool sticker on them and national EvaKool warranty. Has anyone got one of these and or had any good/bad experience with them? I would love the Engel in this size but at $1600 ish, its out of the question.
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I've checked them out in store and they seem well built enough. Just can't find much info on the net about them.
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You would have to think if they are built and still carry all the Evakool stickers / warranty that its just badge branding and the components should be the same quality .
Would Ridge Ryder be one of the super groups own brand , would do a nation wide deal for bulk orders to get a decent cost reduction and have x many units rebadged .. my thoughts on it, good price though ..
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How long is the warranty Grafy? SuperCrap used to extend their warranty on items if you were a member, not sure if they still do it.
65 litres is much better than 40, me and the Mrs fill our 95 litre Evacool whether it's a two week trip or a three day trip.
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My understanding is that they aren't "made" by EvaKool....
I was looking a while ago, and EvaKool told me that they have varying ranges, that they have made to specs they provide, in line with the market (price, type) they want to sell for.
The only ones they make are the fibreglass.
MarkVS
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more on the whole fridge selection, i sold a 60ltr trailblazer and bought 2 40ltr evakool fridges cause needed more room, best decision i ever made as 2 seperate fridges easier to move and when you run one low you can combine into 1 and shut one off saving power, and easier for day trips to lug a 40ltr around too.
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They are covered by a 2 year nation wide EvaKool warranty. Went to the camping expo in Townsville today and couldn't find any good deals, so I'm off to supercheap to buy one right now. Nothing else comes close for the price. Wish me luck I suppose ;D
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If you give EVAKOOL a ring or go on to their web page, the often have FACTORY SECOND/RECONDITIONED fridges going fairly cheap. I bought one of the FACTORY SECOND/RECONDITIONED 100 Litre Koolmate Dual-Compartment Fridge/Freezer and still comes with the Evakool no fuss 5 year warranty . Saved over $300 and there is only a couple of small dents in the lid.
I have attached a link to the EVAKOOL FACTORY SECOND/RECONDITIONED fridges
http://www.evakool.com/factory-seconds?gclid=COftuteY18UCFVJvvAodzj4AXQ (http://www.evakool.com/factory-seconds?gclid=COftuteY18UCFVJvvAodzj4AXQ)
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Bugger, didn't see your post straight away Duggie. I bought the fridge already. I had a look at those seconds just now and there's some really good prices. Oh well, I'll take one for the team in the name of product testing and keep you all up to date on any issues or otherwise.
Cheers
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As already said above.
They are made by Evakool and carry a full 2 year Evakool warrenty.
Bill
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Crikey grafy82... 21 hrs from post to purchase?
Has to be a record in that effort, hey?
No doubt the Engel arguments have been done to death.
Fact is they use a swing/sling compressor with permanent magnets.
Max rating is 50watts.
They do break, believe.
And are poorly insulated compared to what can be done with little extra cost at manufacture.
EvaCool (and others) use a conventional variable speed low start torque compressor rated out to 150watts in varying configs.
Reported on the EvaCool website they are still marketing some imported generics under their badge. From my experience those Italian made units were very good value.
Both comoressors are built to a market and both require aome astute
fridge management, as is the way with it when moving off the lounge
to a hammock.
You likely fluked a wise buy... good luck with it all.
And remember.. in Agri areas, come clean leave clean.
HooRoo
Shad....
-- ridin de desert ship wif no saddle
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21 hours is a record for me. Usually once I want something, I've purchased it with 30 minutes (providing funds can be redistributed) ;D
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Ahhhh.. the life of the contempory single.
/sighs
... more luck to ya :-)
Shad....
-- ridin de desert ship wif no saddle
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Hahahahaha, contemporary single???, I'm married with three kids, 2 dogs and a mortgage, hahaha. Everything I buy, another bill gets put on the back burner. If I was single I could have forked out the $1699 for the equivalent 60L Engel. ;D
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> equivalent 60L Engel
..... now that, THAT woulda been a *total* misuse of funds!!!
If ur ever flush and looking to buy wisely check out the Trailblazer range.
www.norcoast.com.au/
I was building boxes in that way long before that guy started.
He obviously paid attention to what works.
Yeh, they aint pretty :-)
-- ridin de desert ship wif no saddle
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Any reviews of the fridge yet Grafy? I know you have got it plugged in already
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Yep, had it set up that night on 240v. Got cool nice and quick, reasonably quite and build quality looks good so far. Just wish they sold a transit bag for them. I was having a look on the evakool website and they have an RV62 model that looks very similar in shape and size. They have a bag to suit it so I'll have to give them a call to see if it will fit mine.
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> equivalent 60L Engel
..... now that, THAT woulda been a *total* misuse of funds!!!
If ur ever flush and looking to buy wisely check out the Trailblazer range.
www.norcoast.com.au/ (http://www.norcoast.com.au/)
I was building boxes in that way long before that guy started.
He obviously paid attention to what works.
Yeh, they aint pretty :-)
-- ridin de desert ship wif no saddle
Norcoast Refrigeration Company has been making special purpose, high energy efficient, battery powered refrigerators and freezers for 32 Years.
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> equivalent 60L Engel
..... now that, THAT woulda been a *total* misuse of funds!!!
If ur ever flush and looking to buy wisely check out the Trailblazer range.
www.norcoast.com.au/ (http://www.norcoast.com.au/)
I was building boxes in that way long before that guy started.
He obviously paid attention to what works.
Yeh, they aint pretty :-)
-- ridin de desert ship wif no saddle
The trailblazers are great units ....if you have the $$. They are a big lump though.
My funniest memory was in a work truck out between Lawn Hill Station & Doom City.
It was a Patrol GU1 that had that stupid rear door lock assembly with no built out surround...so after many kms of rough road, the Trailblazer was wedged up against the door lock. I had to take off & build up speed.... & then hit the brakes to make the heavy bugger slide forward enough to unlock the rear doors. That took a few attempts. I was getting a few strange looks from the cows. ;D
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The trailblazers are great units ....if you have the $ $....
Unless it is something "throwaway" - xmpl, plastic tarp - I
know we often do ourselves a great disservice in considering only
upfront bucks.
In looking at TB boxes and others of like build it is the long term
gain in battery and charge input values which *save* a lot of
bucks 'n' angst that then bring reward for the outlay, especially
with the FC* ... who must be obeyed at all times :-D
But yeh, if a box only has a life for use of a year or so and
gets "recycled"...?... lowest bucks is maybe the wise route, as long
as the jobbee gets done and no tears doing it.
When next looking at box investment ask the shop what the
"U factor" for their product construction is.
Lowest number wins.
I understand these forums are not 'technical' as such, but
for those explorers of deeper (?) understanding my comment
is considering the thermodynamics of transportable "chilly bins".
On K and U factors an explanation is here:
http://www.prefoam.com/prod1.htm
I was getting a few strange looks from the cows. ;D
You musta been well out beyond the Black Stump ;-)
*Financial Comptrollor
-- ridin de desert ship wif no saddle
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any more comments on how well the fridge runs Grafy now you've had it more than 21h
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Haha. It hasn't been turned on again since that first night. But we are going away this weekend so it should get a good shakedown. I ordered a pair of 227kg runners and they just rocked up so I'll be making a new fridge slide for it too.
For anyone interested in buying one of these, I was worried that you couldn't buy a transit bag for them. But I jumped on EvaKool's website and found their RV62 fridge was very similar in shape to the Ridge Ryder (pretty obvious copies). I ordered the bag to suit the RV62 and it just came today and fits perfectly.
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Was the case zippered properly for the long side hinge..or incorrectly for short side hinge like my BCF ' special'
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Luckily zippered properly along the long side.