Camp fridges

wombat

wombat

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Joined
Nov 22, 2011
Messages
131
Location
Forster, NSW, Australia
Hi all, i have the opportunity to pick up this fridge for $250:
https://www.bcf.com.au/online-store...er-35-Litre-CA-35.aspx?pid=121620#Description
Was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with asorption cooler fridges before and if i would be wasting my money on one, i can't justify spending $1000 on a decent sized one with a compressor.

I would only be using it for camping trips on the coast, so no extreme temps or climates.

Opinions?
 
G'day wombat I'm a Fridgie by trade and to be honest I wouldn't waste my time with them. I have no specific knowledge of the BCf one however I suggest you buy a good esky and ice or lay out the hard earned on a unit with a danfoss comp or splurge on an engle. Gum tree will find you a second hand waeco for $350 odd and maybe $600 for a near new engle.

It's important to check the lid will open in the back of your car. The engle eclipse lid opens along the long edge meaning you can open it in the back of a fox. My 32l won't but that is my only gripe with it.

An esky with ice can last almost a week and it will never flatten your battery!
 
Yep, good advice stilson! Until I started doing extended trips I got by with an Evakool 60L ice box; then purchased an Evakool fridge (danfoss). That was 2005 and it's been great.
 
Yeah i've got an 80L Techni Ice icebox, cost me $300, it does a great job, ice lasts a few days with frequent beer retrieval openings.
I wouldn't be using the fridge from inside the car i sleep in the back of it, the fridge would be running on gas at the campsite, but i think i'll head your advice and stay away from the cheap absorption fridge and keep my icebox until i plan on going somewhere extended, thanks:)
 
I've got one of those little engel thermo 8's. Great for travelling with to keep your drinks cold etc. Problems are:

1) what ever you're putting in this type of fridge it needs to already be cold otherwise it can take up to three hours to cool a couple of cans from room temp.

2) They'll only cool to a certain temp below ambient

3) There's a warning on the packaging saying that the unit should not be run for more than 10 hours as damage could result - as in it could possibly over cool or something, I don't know really but I've never driven for long enough to find out anyway!

Cheers

Bennie
 
I could add....DON"T BUY ONE!!!!!!
As said, save your money and get a compressor portable. These things are good with gas (as in...they work good on gas but will chew it up) but will kill a battery in no time flat. Once they get cold they are ok but really are not much chop otherwise.
You will always get the never ending argument...Engel vs Waeco vs something else but i will add my two bobs worth.
I have had 2 Waeco 50ltr fridges over the last 6 years and have had no problems whatsoever. I used one up north for 3 months non stop as a house fridge and the latest (digital) one was 2 1/2 months on my last trip.
I went to a boat show up here and Waeco usually have a stand and i got the CF50 for $900 with a cover and a 55ltr ice box which i sold for $150.
So all up $750 for a new CF50 with cover. The CF50 has 2 cords,one for 12v and one for 240v and is digital.
The weak point is the lid hinges. Be careful with opening the lid.
 
wombat said:
I bit the bullet and bought a Finch Fridge, $200 secondhand:
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/tar...nch-electrolux-3-way-camping-fridge/340427483
Read alot of reviews on google and they seem to get alot of praise, compared to other absorption coolers they work good, get a month out of it on a bottle of gas too, sticking a fridge on the back works wonders apparently:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/260959510660?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Click to expand...

They're not bad: excellent on gas, pretty good on 240V, OK on 12 v. Really on 12 V all they do is keep it cool, but not actually drop the temperature.

The fan might help, But I don't think you'll need it when its running on gas.

Whatever you do, DO NOT run it on gas when inside the vehicle. A vehicle caught fire and was destroyed when on the way home from an ORS trip a few years ago, and this was the most likely cause.

I do think you got a very good price.
 
Yeah ive been reading up on them, stuck a bullseye spirit level on the top to get it level for gas etc, turned it on about 3 hours ago its starting to build up frost on the bar inside it, at least it works:P
 
I love my little finchie fridge!
Had it running outside on gas the last 4 days, filled it with a carton of beer after a day, checked the temp of one that i opened before i filled it, 2.1c.
Came out the next day and measured one at midday and it was 0.2c!
Overnight the fridge got down to -2.8c stoked with it, runs like a champ on gas next time i go to my favourite spot(30kms from the nearest town and power, along a beach that can only be driven on at low tide) i wont need to worry about getting ice for my esky hooray:)
 
Yes, gas fridges work well in 'base camp' situations, where they can be set up level so they do their thing correctly.
 
I think gas fridges are fine but for me they are too much of a hassle and end up costing much more than a compressor fridge. Also the saftey factor is involved and accidents do happen with gas.
My waeco CF50 will be ready to go after 20 mins,can work up to an angle of 45 degrees and except for the price of a battery costs nothing to run.
I paid $180 for a 100amphr AGM battery which should last 3-5 years. It can (has) run the fridge for up to 4 days, in real life 3 days, and worked great on my 2 1/2 month trip down south.
If i had solar panels it would have been good but because i was pretty much on the move every 3/4 days i could charge the battery through my car smart charger with the wiring i had set up.
My book on the fridge in the van i bought tells me the fridge will use about 250gms of gas every 24hrs but Jayco say to expect 28 days from a 9kg gas bottle but my mate tells me that 21 days is much more realistic.
In remote places you can pay around $40 to fill a 9kg bottle so it adds up.
I paid $24.50 to fill a 4kg bottle that i used only for cooking at Tathra on the South Coast of NSW.
I know budgets come into it but in the long run i reckon compressor fridges are cheaper.
 
silver said:
I think gas fridges are fine but for me they are too much of a hassle and end up costing much more than a compressor fridge. Also the saftey factor is involved and accidents do happen with gas.
My waeco CF50 will be ready to go after 20 mins,can work up to an angle of 45 degrees and except for the price of a battery costs nothing to run.
I paid $180 for a 100amphr AGM battery which should last 3-5 years. It can (has) run the fridge for up to 4 days, in real life 3 days, and worked great on my 2 1/2 month trip down south.
If i had solar panels it would have been good but because i was pretty much on the move every 3/4 days i could charge the battery through my car smart charger with the wiring i had set up.
My book on the fridge in the van i bought tells me the fridge will use about 250gms of gas every 24hrs but Jayco say to expect 28 days from a 9kg gas bottle but my mate tells me that 21 days is much more realistic.
In remote places you can pay around $40 to fill a 9kg bottle so it adds up.
I paid $24.50 to fill a 4kg bottle that i used only for cooking at Tathra on the South Coast of NSW.
I know budgets come into it but in the long run i reckon compressor fridges are cheaper.
Click to expand...

Yeah i woulda saved the money and bought a compressor fridge but i get the time to camp about 4-5 times a year if that, and most trips are for only 2-3 days sometimes a week, sometimes the icebox will be enough but for the week trips the fridge will do the job, not really worth spending $1000 on a fridge+ battery and charger etc just yet, when i get more time and wanna do a serious roadtrip around ill be buying a decked out cruiser with dual batteries etc beforehand.
 
silver said:
ANNNNDDDDDD............whatever fridge you get.....nothing beats a beer straight from the ice :bananatoast:
Click to expand...
Too right, think i'll make a compromise and use my icebox for the beer and use the fridge for food, at least ill have icey beers for a few days before i have to load them into the fridge.
 
bought our 44lt Primus 3 way for our trip out west.
worked a treat, only ran it off 12 vlt when in transit, went away for 3 weeks never had a hassel finding a level place to set it up, most people camp in a fairly level place anyway.
9kg lasted 2 1/2 weeks while running a light and our webber off it.
friends who came with us have a large Engel 12 vlt had to use a battery charger a few times and muck around with solar panels.
my fridge just seemed less trouble
i am happy with it suits our kind of travel , drive no more than a day stay put for a couple of days then move on
our set up,
IMG_4345.jpg
 
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