Waeco CF 50 DC fridge - need your advice

[wartim]

Hi All,

I am the highest bidder at our local Tender Centre on a clean Waeco CF 50 DC fridge in what appears to be in good condition (hardly used or well looked after).  If the seller excepts my offer the fridge will cost me $347.00 in total.  The seller may have a higher reserve and request I increase my offer as well?

1 - Is there anyone out there who has one of these fridges or knows someone with one?
2 - How does it perform - power use wise and chilling performance?
3 - Is the Dairy Compartment useable?
4- Approx how old would this model be?
5 - Can the fridge be connected to 240 volt, my reseach so far says it is only a 12 - 24 Volt hence the DC at the end of the model number, although there maybe an adaptor available?
6 - What are your thoughts on price?
7  - I have heard some people have had problems with the electronics / thermostat on this model?
8 - Maybe I would be better putting the money towards a new ARB fridge although I would have trouble justifying the outlay fro something I will only really use a couple of times a year?

Any advice is appreciated.

Cheers

Wartim

[jimsiron]

I would put your money into a new one, these are now older generation electrics but same compressor unit. New ones have inbuilt 240 so no need to have the converter. I have had a 40 ltr and a 60ltr Waeco, small has been brilliant, large one a bit of a lemon but then this can happen with any make.
regards
Jimsiron

[RebsWA]

Wartim, I have had a CF50 since April 04.
It has been bounced around in the back of my 4wd's for many kms since, or operates in a (hot) tent annually for 4-6 weeks when on fishing trips up north.
Best beer/drinks fridge I have ever had and is OK as a freezer.
It came with a transformer so it can run on mains voltage. Learnt early in the piece to set the low voltage cutout to LOW especially when on mains power in caravan parks.
Dairy compartment does what one would expect although small.
Only problems I have had is a blade broke off the plastic condenser fan and jammed it so the beer got hot that day and I melted the 12v plug when I fitted Merrit type sockets to my last 4wd. Usless plugs IMO, did it to both my Waeco leads!
Just try it first to make sure it works to the point of seeing that it actually cuts out having reached varying temperatures and that the touch control panel responds accordingly.
No idea of second hand pricing.
I have two Waecos and would buy another tomorrow if I needed one.
Regards

[gadgetman]

Hi All,

I am the highest bidder at our local Tender Centre on a clean Waeco CF 50 DC fridge in what appears to be in good condition (hardly used or well looked after).  If the seller excepts my offer the fridge will cost me $347.00 in total.  The seller may have a higher reserve and request I increase my offer as well?

1 - Is there anyone out there who has one of these fridges or knows someone with one?
2 - How does it perform - power use wise and chilling performance?
3 - Is the Dairy Compartment useable?
4- Approx how old would this model be?
5 - Can the fridge be connected to 240 volt, my reseach so far says it is only a 12 - 24 Volt hence the DC at the end of the model number, although there maybe an adaptor available?
6 - What are your thoughts on price?
7  - I have heard some people have had problems with the electronics / thermostat on this model?
8 - Maybe I would be better putting the money towards a new ARB fridge although I would have trouble justifying the outlay fro something I will only really use a couple of times a year?

Any advice is appreciated.

Cheers

Wartim

I have had one of these for 5 years.  Never had a problem.  Cools well (sometimes too well).  The dairy compartment works well too.  You can get the 240v adaptor at most places at BCF or similar places.  $347 Second hand is a good price IMO. They are usually 500-600 s/hand but for this price you would get the 240v adaptor and most times the transit bag which I reckon is essential.   

[Stormchaser]

I bought one about 10 years ago and it is still going strong.
It has the mobitronic which you need to plug it into 240V, it cools great even straight on 12V from room temperature (just to see how it would perform and how long it would take to cool).
Im not sure on current draw but we get about 3 days on our battery in the camper (105AH) in normal 25 deg temp days constantly in and out of the fridge but couldnt stay any longer to see if it would go further. Bloody work!
The only trouble I have had (touch wood) is somehow the emergency switch got turned on and it run flat out constantly freezing everything, for the life of me I couldnt work out why this was happening until I asked on another forum......dummy!

[Desert lover]

We've had one since 2005 and still going strong.  Have run it in the back of the (then) Jeep, now it the Patrol, and in the boat.  Also on 240 volt through the transformer at Caravan parks and at home when we've needed extra fridge space.   Just purchased a 40 ltr one for specific boat use.   

Have merit plug outlets in camper and we run our waeco through the lead they provide into a cigarette lighter plug adapter which has a merit plug on the other end....no problems.

Desert Lover