Engel 40l fridge / freezer combo- use without divider

[POD]

I've recently bought the new model engel 40l fridge with the moveable / removeable insulated partition that converts it from small freezer / larger fridge to small fridge / larger freezer to all fridge. Bought it as a replacement for an older 39l fridge that was stolen last year. I have not yet used it as a freezer.
When you want to use the whole compartment as a fridge, the insulating partition is removed. Problem with this is that this leaves the two baskets loose to rattle around unacceptably. I'm thinking I might have to come up with some sort of non-insulating divider to take the place of the insulator when it comes out. Has anyone else fond a solution to this?

[Markf]

I've recently bought the new model engel 40l fridge with the moveable / removeable insulated partition that converts it from small freezer / larger fridge to small fridge / larger freezer to all fridge. Bought it as a replacement for an older 39l fridge that was stolen last year. I have not yet used it as a freezer.
When you want to use the whole compartment as a fridge, the insulating partition is removed. Problem with this is that this leaves the two baskets loose to rattle around unacceptably. I'm thinking I might have to come up with some sort of non-insulating divider to take the place of the insulator when it comes out. Has anyone else fond a solution to this?

We use an offcut of one of these Wanderer Foam Mat - BCF Australia (http://www.bcf.com.au/Product/Wanderer-Foam-Mat/416577) whenever we use the fridge as all fridge or all freezer.

[POD]

Perfect Mark, I was thinking I'd need to procure some kind of non-insulating material to go in the slot, the perforated mat looks just the ticket. I emailed the engel tech support with this question (just after I posted it here), they replied very quickly saying that if the basket at the motor end of the cabinet is turned around it makes a snug fit. I'll experiment with that suggestion tomorrow but I don't think it sounds like an ideal solution.

[POD]

Well I tried the Engel customer support suggestion of turning the baskets around, it makes very little difference- the top rim of the baskets is a little closer together but definitely not snug, the baskets will still rattle around and destroy the interior of the cabinet when traveling over corrugations. Of course this also leaves the problem of storing the divider safely when travelling- the owners handbook emphasises the importance of not damaging the gasket on the divider- i.e. it can't just be chucked in the vehicle anywhere. I've suggested to the engel rep that the cabinet should have been designed so that the divider slots in at the far end of the cabinet when you want to use the whole compartment as a fridge. It's disappointing to have to make a jerry-rigged solution to use the thing as it is intended.

[POD]

Seems that the engel customer support people didn't like me saying that their solution was unsatisfactory. Their reply:

If the manufacturer [Sawafuji] felt there would be an issue with having the gap when the dividing wall was removed and that there could be damage to the interior / evaporator plate they would not have designed it that way and would have changed the design.

A lot of people remove the two baskets and fit a single basket, as much as we don’t recommend it, a lot of people do. The 45FB puts pressure on the ducting system in the wall of the fridge.

Possible a piece of foam between the basket on wall.

So I guess if the thing destroys itself on corrugated roads it will be a warranty issue.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Any chances of pics of the problem,,, [bigwhistle]

[POD]

Sure Pedro;
First photo shows the two baskets in place with the divider between. The divider is an insulator, the compartment colsest to the evaporator element can be set to freezing temps and the other end will be cold enough to refrigerate. The divider and baskets can be rearranged so that either the large or small basket is at the freezer end and the divider has 2 slots to go in.
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According to the sales and promotional info, the divider can be removed so the whole compartment becomes a fridge. Obviously this leaves a lot of empty space as the divider is about an inch thick.
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The first response I got from Engel customer support was that the baskets will be a snug fit if they are turned around thus
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The next photo shows that they are anything but snug, also there is a kind of 'tab and slot' locating setup at the top of the baskets and rotating them means that these don't line up.
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The engel designers should obviously be regarded as omniscient and if they didn't foresee it as a problem then it is not a problem. Or you can get a piece of foam and jam it in to fix the (non) problem. Or you can fit a single basket but don't do that.

Pretty disappointing from a company that has been supplying reliable gear for 50+ years.

[weeds]

My 60L evakool is the same design... I have the partition removed but don’t experience any rattle (fridge is right behind passenger head rest)

Can you hear the baskets rattling?

I’ve just done four days in the high country and don’t see any issue from them moving forward and back.

[weeds]

Will the partition slip down the non cooling end??

[POD]

It would have made perfect sense to me to have provision for the divider to fit at the non-cooling end, that would have provided clean, safe storage for the divider as well as preventing movement of the baskets, but no it can't fit there due to the rounded internal corners of the cabinet. I only bought the new fridge a few weeks ago to replace ours that got stolen, haven't had it under offroad conditions without the divider. The issue is not so much rattling / noise- the fridge lives in the rear canopy compartment so I wouldn't hear it anyway- I'm more concerned that that amount of movement over prolonged corrugations such as the Canning, Anne Beadell Hwy etc will result in the baskets destroying the inside of the cabinet. Like so many other things, the people supplying and providing customer support have no concept of what outback travel involves.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Yep,
but the product only has to survive warranty,,, sad but true.[bigsad]

[loanrangie]

What about a couple of cable ties to tie the baskets together ? , the perforated foam mat is a good idea. My waeco has 2 dividers to separate the freezer end and i generally just use 1 part , i also found some non slip matting that i cut to shape for the bottom.

[POD]

I think the first suggestion of an offcut of the perforated foam mat is a workable solution, it will occupy the space without insulating the two sections. Finding a solution to this problem is really not a challenge at all, it is just disappointing that the problem exists in the first place.