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12v Fridge

Naughty Cal

By Naughty Cal
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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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Our Engel 12v compressor fridge decided to give up the ghost yesterday. The compressor has seized. By the time we buy a new compressor and gave the fridge regassed we may as well buy a new fridge.

 

The existing one is an Engel 47 litre.

 

The new version details at around £600. Not cheap.

 

So we are looking for alternatives.

 

Any suggestions greatly recieved. 

 

It has to be 12v and it has to be a compressor fridge.

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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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18 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

Our Engel 12v compressor fridge decided to give up the ghost yesterday. The compressor has seized. By the time we buy a new compressor and gave the fridge regassed we may as well buy a new fridge.

 

The existing one is an Engel 47 litre.

 

The new version details at around £600. Not cheap.

 

So we are looking for alternatives.

 

Any suggestions greatly recieved. 

 

It has to be 12v and it has to be a compressor fridge.

I'm very happy with my Waeco CR80 (about the same price)

I shopped around and found it a bit cheaper and eventually got Midland Chandlers to price match, 'lose the VAT' and do free-delivery so it worked out a bargain.

 

 

Waeco CR 80 manual.pdf

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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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1 minute ago, Naughty Cal said:

The Waeco 50 is one we are considering. 

Whilst your fridge is out just look at the wire size.

I found with the CR80 that it was running continuously and would only freeze with the engine running - I found the voltage drop was excessive (but had worked OK with the previous fridge)

Replaced the cable with a larger CSA and never had any problem again.

 

The CR50 is the 'same' internals as the CR80 just a smaller cabinet.

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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3 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Whilst your fridge is out just look at the wire size.

I found with the CR80 that it was running continuously and would only freeze with the engine running - I found the voltage drop was excessive (but had worked OK with the previous fridge)

Replaced the cable with a larger CSA and never had any problem again.

 

The CR50 is the 'same' internals as the CR80 just a smaller cabinet.

We did check the voltage drop on the cable today whilst tinkering with the fridge to find out what was wrong. 

 

It is quite considerable so we will be upgrading the wiring as part of fitting the new fridge!

 

 

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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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2 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

We did check the voltage drop on the cable today whilst tinkering with the fridge to find out what was wrong. 

 

It is quite considerable so we will be upgrading the wiring as part of fitting the new fridge!

 

 

The Waeco manual shows a graph of cable size vs distance.

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Richard10002 Veteran II

Richard10002

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41 minutes ago, Richard10002 said:

I bought a Waeco a few years ago.mits got a freezer compartment which can be removed to make either the whole fridge bigger, or it can all be a freezer, (I think). It’s very good. I think it’s a bit smaller than a 50.

Having seen the pics, mines the CRX

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Rebotco Rising Star

Rebotco

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2 hours ago, Robbo said:

What about a nice Frigoboat like http://www.penguinfrigo.co.uk/shop/product/351/ms42in-stainless-fridge-cabinet-with-hidden-evaporator/, okay it’s a little more expensive than others but it nice and shiney. :D 

You must be joking!!!!!

Nearly £2000 just for an insulated box!

Compressor another £600

Installation, probably around £500

= over £3K for a tiny fridge!

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Chewbacka Veteran

Chewbacka

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3 minutes ago, Robbo said:

Not sure where Rebotco got the 3K from as it's around £1900 and presume you have the skills to put a fridge in yourself.

Maybe the £3k was because it’s very small so you will need two.  One for keeping wine and beer at cellar temp in the summer, the other for food.

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Robbo Veteran II

Robbo

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4 minutes ago, Chewbacka said:

Maybe the £3k was because it’s very small so you will need two.  One for keeping wine and beer at cellar temp in the summer, the other for food.

It was similar size to what NC wanted.   Not sure where gets £500 to install.

Edited by Robbo
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Guest

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These are worth a look.

 

http://www.frigonautica.it/en/products/vertical-refrigerators-and-freezers/

 

Again not the cheapest but excellent quality (We had one on the Dog House). The freezer was the same make too) 

 

Available in a wide range of sizes. If you have the room the compressor can be externally mounted too, as it was on our boat, meaning higher fridge capacity.

 

 

Edited by MJG
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Robbo Veteran II

Robbo

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1 minute ago, Chewbacka said:

If she only needs one, where does she keep the food??

Chip shop

3 minutes ago, MJG said:

These are worth a look.

 

http://www.frigonautica.it/en/products/vertical-refrigerators-and-freezers/

 

Again not the cheapest but excellent quality (We had one on the Dog House). The freezer was the same make too) 

 

Available in a wide range of sizes. If you have the room the compressor can be externally mounted too, as it was on our boat, meaning higher fridge capacity.

 

 

That’s the one I linked too.  They shiney...

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4 minutes ago, Robbo said:

Chip shop

That’s the one I linked too.  They shiney...

Are Frigoboat and Frigonautica the same?? Similar name at least.

 

Yes they are shiny and expensive but as the saying goes you get what you pay for (Sometimes!)

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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23 hours ago, Chewbacka said:

If she only needs one, where does she keep the food??

We have managed for the last ten years with that size!!

 

Bottom two shelves for beer and the top shelf for food. Freezer for fast chilling a couple of cans.

 

And you can always slide a package of bacon in somewhere. Mind you shopping at a proper butchers helps as you don't end up with a fridge full of pointless plastic packaging.

 

Think we are settled on the Waeco fridge but we do need to find a way of attaching the fridge door to the moulding in the cockpit that covers the fridge. With the Engel there was a hole in the top of the door that a pin slotted through so that we only had to open the one door not the two to get into the fridge.

 

Doesn't look so easy with how the Waeco door operates.

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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Finally decided to go with the Waeco. Ordered it this lunchtime and on its way already.

 

Got the price to £519 and the mounting frame to £21 so not as bad as we had expected but still pricey for a little fridge.

 

On the plus side the power consumption is much lower than the Engel it will replace and the compressor is alleged to be very quiet which will be a bonus if true as the fridge is close to the bed!

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