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Fridges - what do you have?

^Yeah that makes sense to me. Further away from fridge = less heat transferred to fridge also not being below fridge helps as less heat rises...
 
^ I agree. My Evakool model has the compressor built into the box and the section above the compressor is never as cold as the rest of the fridge - good for storing chocolate though!
 
My option is a bit left field. I wanted the convenience of an upright fridge so back in January I bought a Waeco CR1050. It's really designed to be mounted in a cabinet such as in a campervan or caravan but is quite ok as it is just strapped down in the back of the Forester. No need for a slider and is easily accessible without having to unpack other gear.
 
I've got a waeco cf35. pretty affordable gets the job down I've used it for up to 3 days straight off the standard battery without issue.
 
Got my fridge the other day and worked out how to tie it down today :ebiggrin:
I ended up going for the evakool fridge mate 55L, seems to have good reviews and I got a factory second which was $350 below new price because some of the outer surfaces are slightly rippled. This has no effect on the functionality and I am not at all fussed with looks.

10356182943_6d27f7d524.jpg


Fits exactly as I was expecting which is good. Here is the inside;
10355979586_18b0543427.jpg


Because the forester is quite low and the fridge is not that tall it can be opened plenty wide enough to get stuff in and out whilst in the car which means no need for a fridge slide :ebiggrin:

Not enough room for 2 to sleep in the back with it though....

On a side note, when removing all of the foam in the boot I discovered many old syringes (fortunately all with covers on)... Either the previous owner was in the medical trade or was addicted to some pretty hard core sh@t....
 
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Looks like a terrific unit, DM :cool:.

Something like that will probably suit me when I decide on what sort of new trailer I'm going to get ....

Add a jump start battery and solar panel to charge it from when you're camped somewhere for days and Bob's your Uncle (or my brother in law, as it turns out ;) ).
 
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You'd have to be happy with that :ebiggrin:

Sounds like you got a pretty good deal on the fridge mate :raz:

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
What's everyone got against fridge slides? I'm curious as I can't wait to get one!

I've got a 41L Engel - I was sussing out what I thought I wanted, then the decision was made for me/us when we got married. I "blame" the boys for this unit, but can't complain! I'm just thankful I could fit it in the back of the L series:

dsc1425lseriescampcargo.jpg


Got a dual battery system to run it - but I feel that I need to upgrade my alternator, I've got one but still have to rewire and install.

The setup in the above pic has been further refined since that was taken - just now I can fit more crap in there... which is a good AND a bad thing!

Although everyone's mainly EJ vehicles around here, this is how/where the battery fits in my equation:

dsc2480lseriesdualbatt.jpg


I used to watch the battery voltage like a hawk - last trip I didn't stress about it and everything ran perfect as usual. I'm now running a sealed Delco battery of some description (can't remember) and if anything the main battery and alternator drags it down :( Gotta upgrade both of these!

Cheers

Bennie
 
I was planning on incorporating a fridge slide into my draw system, just seems easier to get into a fridge with a slide.

Not sure what fridge i'll get atm but i was thinking of only going with a 30lt one, everyone seems to have bigger models, i know it fits more but is the extra space really more useful? I've always coped for 1-2 weeks with an esky.

Dam el freddo, l series just has so much more space, wish i had found one at the right price when i bought my forester.
 
El Freddo, is that extinguisher at the back actually mounted to something?

idw: I'm with you on the size of a fridge. In fact I'm considering the EvaKool IB31 (28l capacity) or TravelMate BCD30. In the Waeco line it would probably be the CFX35. I know cold drinks are nice and all, but I can live with UHT milk and the only things that need to be kept cold are medicines and some foodstuffs. It's a trade-off against the space consumed, especially as I'd like to preserve the option to sleep down one side (and that's hard enough as it is with all the other crap I carry :)).
 
An advantage of a large fridge is it holds the temperature better. If you add a heap of chill packs (freeze these 1st at home), then less temp is lost everytime the lid is opened. It acts as a heat store in reverse.

Having said that, I have a small cheapo fridge plus an esky & that's been fine for me :iconwink:
 
What's everyone got against fridge slides?

I dont have a problem with them at all but there was two reasons why I was happy I didnt need one:
- Extra cost
- would have to work out how to hold it down well which would be hard in the foam fill forester boot and it is another thing I would then have to unbolt/remove to get to the spare tyre.
 
Everyone seems to have bigger models, i know it fits more but is the extra space really more useful?

Mine is slightly bigger than I need but I wanted the freezer section as well for meat and maybe Ice cream if I am feeling really soft... Its one of the smallest on the market with both fridge and freezer
 
Gidday Dedman

I reckon the one you have got is a ripper. Would suit me as well, for similar reasons ... :iconwink: :biggrin:.

Seeing as how I will be dragging a (camper) trailer with a capacity of around 1400L, I will have room in the car for a fridge, and an Esky for all my medications and such like stuff that needs to be kept reasonably cool. The ability to re-freeze freezer blocks wouldn't hurt, either.

@ NL - good point there too, mate.
 
Dam el freddo, l series just has so much more space, wish i had found one at the right price when i bought my forester.

Yeah, I found this out the hard way last winter when we headed up the snow - we transferred into a mate's liberty but the gear didn't fit in as well :( It was interesting and touch and go for a while there!

El Freddo, is that extinguisher at the back actually mounted to something?

Yep - it's got a holder with a latch that's bolted to the frame behind it.

Got to keep the girlfriend happy some how...

It shouldn't take icecream mate! :poke:

Cheers

Bennie
 
Got my fridge the other day and worked out how to tie it down today :ebiggrin:
I ended up going for the evakool fridge mate 55L, seems to have good reviews and I got a factory second which was $350 below new price because some of the outer surfaces are slightly rippled. This has no effect on the functionality and I am not at all fussed with looks.

10356182943_6d27f7d524.jpg


Fits exactly as I was expecting which is good. Here is the inside;
10355979586_18b0543427.jpg


Because the forester is quite low and the fridge is not that tall it can be opened plenty wide enough to get stuff in and out whilst in the car which means no need for a fridge slide :ebiggrin:

Not enough room for 2 to sleep in the back with it though....

On a side note, when removing all of the foam in the boot I discovered many old syringes (fortunately all with covers on)... Either the previous owner was in the medical trade or was addicted to some pretty hard core sh@t....

Interested to know what you tied off the tie down to...


On another note, you can increase the useable space in your cargo area by transferring the fridge to the left hand side. The strut tower has a recessed corner into it which allows the fridge to sit further to the side than on the right. the difference in the strut towers is becuase of the fuel filler pipe being on the right hand side.

recently changed sides for the fridge in my car, and it means I can accommodate tow drawers next to the fridge whereas previously I could only fit one.
 
Interested to know what you tied off the tie down to...

I attached a bracket to the body in the spare wheel well for the rear strap and a bracket just behind the the drivers side fuel tank access port. I cut a slot through the foam for the front stap that comes through the umbrella storage space. Both brackets just have a loop of strap permanently attached that just sit in the umbrella spot and spare wheel well when not in uses. A ratchet straps go between these loops and the fridge handles at each end. Solid as a rock.

On another note, you can increase the useable space in your cargo area by transferring the fridge to the left hand side.

You cant really see it in the pictures but the compressor on the back of the fridge is narrower than the rest of the fridge. If on the other side I have to have it the otherway around so I can open the lid. This means the narrow compressor is towards the rear so the fridge has to be further to the drivers side taking up more space than it currently does.
 
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