Type, age, (mis)treatment and problems with your 12v fridge.

[Tim - Stratford]

After all the recent posts about this fridge and that fridge and some possibly valid points about fridge longevity - I'd like to hear about your fridge and the life it's had, good or bad, and the conditions it's worked in keeping your beer cold. Any problems and/or fixes might be handy to know too.

Mines a 40 litre Engle, kept in cover since new. 4.5 years in the back of a DC Hilux and 6.5 in the back of the 100 Series. No probs so far.

Tim

[gec]

Only problem I have with my Engel is I don't get to take it away often enough  :'(

[AussieBob]

40 ltr Engel, have had for 22yrs and paid $745 in 1989, originally in back of 60 series and now 80 series, been to Cape and nearly every where else, have added a 12 volt computer fan to case to help air circulation.
Never seen the inside of a bag, just put reflecting sun shade on the rear side car windows to keep out sun/heat.
Still going strong...good value for your $$$

[jwb]

I bought my trailblaza 2nd hand in 97. it was 10 + years old then.
It has spent most it's time strapped down in the back of the GQ
1 trip to the Outback Challenge in a std trailer in 2002 and a Vic High Country trip in 06 in the back of a ute.
I've had a couple of stoppages, all of which were fuse/power supply related.
a couple of years ago those issues raised there head after the annual major trip.
about august Last year it went back to them and they advised it was an ( known ) intermitent electronic unit
failure in the motor controller. Of course getting a new controller was out of the question due to its age/design.
I had 3 choices.
1. Toss it and start / buy again = $$$$
2. keep using it but have no reliability =  
3. Get them to remove the "old Unit" and fit up with their current range of compressor = $$

I went with option 3 as the cabinet unit is still in good condition

$800 bucks later it's like a new fridge, On the inside  

Cheers

 

[speewa158]

!st Engel saved from a big bin after some Bonehead flung it .Ran it for 16 years as beer fridge & on trips . Never missed a beat . Sold it then got 2 Engel ecilips with cover . Get back to me in 15 years for more indepth product report . Most inportant to have a strong hinges as they do get a beating .

[SteveandViv]

Another *How good is my fridge thread* 
 

[speewa158]

Must be a slow day in Stratford .

[darren]

39l engel, done about 200000k, been in a roll over, spent 2 days being doused in salt water while crossing the desert. The capillary tube broke once and it lost its gas. The knob cracked and i replaced it. It now has a groove in  the tub from the lid seal from thousands of corrugations...
Couldn't be happier.

[Tim - Stratford]

Must be a slow day in Stratford .

Yep....look at the post time 

[davo69 and the Nurse]

I have an Engel 40 which is 4 years old.
Body wise - perfect condition, as it has lived its life inside the Engel transit bag
Temp wise - its froze our beers on our overnighter Easter getaway, and Davo69 has been known to take ice-cream camping too!

The only thing we have done to the fridge -
* changed over the standard cigarette lighter plug as it kept coming out of the battery outlet
* yesterday I replaced the battery behind the digital temperature display

the Nurse

[StevenM]

29ltr Engel. First C Model. About the 22 years old as well.

Been in more utes and cars than I can remember. I average about 50 - 60,000 km a year. All over Qld,Had it regassed about 3-4 years ago. Semi retired it at Christmas. Now on 240V in shed as second RUM fridge. What did I get to replace it?

A Luna. Doing the job as another Rum Fridge for the last 2 weeks since change in company vehicles. Too big for it to stay in the new wheels. Bugger all room for a secondary battery, still trying to work something out. Will more than likely jam the Engel back in.

[peteandkyles]

Had one of the original Waeco 40L (bought it in 2001).

It lived for 9 years in the back of the Hilux tray stuck between sets of draws (not even tied down). Then when I put it in the Prado, it decided that luxury is not right for such an old fridge and it failed. We replaced it with a 60L Waeco, but that was too small for 3 kids so now we have an 80L dual zone Engel. Ask me in 10 years how it's going, but so far so good.

Some things I noticed between the two.
Weaco compressor is much quieter than the Engel. It cools down quicker, but the Engel is much better insulated (both I use without the transit bags - didn't have one with the Waeco and Engel only just fits in without the bag) and therefore we use less power. I think both are good and work well.

Why did we change from Waeco to Engel? We wanted both a fridge and a small freezer as we travel often on 40C+ days from home and the kids like icypoles. Breaks the trip up. The Waeco dual zone is not truly controlled and if we freeze we can't control the fridge. The dual zone system in the Engel is much better designed.

[Moto Mech]

Engel(badged ARB) 60lt fridge, 4yrs old. Only thing thats happened is I crushed the 12v plug in the fridge slide. STill works but have a new one on order.
Before that Engel(badged ARB) 40lt fridge, it was 7yrs old when it was sold for the 60lt. Never gave a problem either.

[gruesome]

Engel 1986 model, has never missed a beat and still going strong, inheritted of the father inlaw when he stopped using it and have never looked back since,
cheers Andy

[speewa158]

Tim greatt thread next time your bored try ,,,,Ummmm ,,,, Things I have done that I havent been lumbered for ,,,,,, . That should keep you busy . Not that I have anything to add , No really 

[Jon]

spent 2 days being doused in salt water while crossing the desert.

Newsflash-
Mr Walker discovers the fabled Australian inland sea then drives his 100series through it with the back door open.

[darren]

Close
 It was back in 98 i think, the desert was flooded then, and i drove a rolled 110 with no glass across a flodded simpson. And remember, When you plunge through water and the bow wave comes over the bonnet if there is no windscreen it lands on your lap....

[speewa158]

That sounds a bit messy did you open the back door to drain the rig on the uphill sections or just revel in the goo 

[darren]

they have no footwells so you just open the doors. The fridge was between the drivers seats and never stopped.

[Tim - Stratford]

Tim greatt thread next time your bored try ,,,,Ummmm ,,,, Things I have done that I havent been lumbered for ,,,,,, . That should keep you busy . Not that I have anything to add , No really 

They say confessions are good for the sole......and my pay packet!!! 

...are you sure you haven't got something to share.......

[speewa158]

If I did tell you , would you tell anbody else  ? I am a clean Iiving chap of temperate habits     
Moust of the time Imas jober as a sudge  Thats my story & I am sticking to it 

[Tim - Stratford]

If I did tell you , would you tell anbody else  ?

Trust me!
 

[GU Rich]

I have a n engel that would be close to 8 years old. It has never let us down.
The only issue was when I "launched" my hilux on the dunes in Robe and the handle bent down because that's what I was using at the time to fit the rachet staps too.