Brass Monkey Fridges - what are they like?

[John_D4]

Has anyone had anything to do with the Bread Monkey Fridges that Jaycar sell? They’re a decent price with a 3 year warranty.

Looking for a new one to live in the back of the D4 and I was thinking of one of these.

50L Brass Monkey Dual Zone Fridge / Freezer | Jaycar Electronics (https://www.jaycar.com.au/50l-brass-monkey-dual-zone-fridge-freezer/p/GH1642)

[V8Ian]

I've got a Brass Monkey and a Waeco, neither is better than the other. The only disadvantage with the BM is 240V power adapter is not standard.

[John_D4]

I've got a Brass Monkey and a Waeco, neither is better than the other. The only disadvantage with the BM is 240V power adapter is not standard.

That’s ok, I’ve still got the 12/240v Waeco cigarette adapter that came with the old fridge that got thrown out the other day.

[V8Ian]

You may need to change the plug, at least check polarity.

[John_D4]

Actually I’m pretty sure that the new ones come with 240v. At least that’s what the ad lists

[Hoges]

I bought a Brass Monkey 15L version with the high lid option about 6m ago from Jaycar, for situations where our ever reliable 12 yr old 35-52L Bushman is either too big or too heavy[bighmmm]. We used the BM for a road trip to Cairns to visit family last Oct and since then it has been in active use for trips to supermarket for storing frozen food on hot days. It holds its temp quite well. So far quite happy.

[V8Ian]

My BM lives in the car, permanently on. I only use the Waeco for extended trips.
I bought the BM when they were first released, although advertised, the extention was a special order. When it arrived, ten months later I was so disappointed with the size and price, that I declined.

[Gav 110]

I have “invested” in a BM 15 litre in the work van a year ago
I carry a few bottles of water, lunch, a couple of apples and a couple of roadies for the way home
I reckon it’s saved me at least a grand over the year not stopping in to the local servos to buy a $4 can of sugar and a $5 lump of pastry full of lips and arse holes every day

The dual battery setup seems to handle it and the inverter for charging the tool batteries without to much down time if I turn it off over the weekend
Hot days I pull out a 80 watt solar panel to keep things ticking along

Insulation isn’t as good as the EvaKool fibreglass fridge but good enough for keeping the beers cold for the way home
[emoji481][emoji481][emoji481]

[John_D4]

So from what I’m hearing:

1) might use a bit more power than other better insulated models
2) probably won’t stop working while it’s full of food and we’re on a remote area
3) it’s worth considering as no one mentioned anything bad about it

Thanks guys [emoji4]

[Gav 110]

So from what I’m hearing:

1) might use a bit more power than other better insulated models
2) probably won’t stop working while it’s full of food and we’re on a remote area
3) it’s worth considering as no one mentioned anything bad about it

Thanks guys [emoji4]

1) if you were to make get the extra travel bag or better still make your own box it will help with power consumption

I’ll put my inline power analyser on today and let you know how the 15 litre baby goes

2) once your food is down to temp it should cycle dependent on the ambient temperature and how well insulated it is

3) for the price and from my experience so far, if you are looking for a car fridge for the occasional camping trip at a reasonable price the BM fridges tick the boxes

I’d recommend you invest in a camping solar panel 120watts or more if you are planning on setting up camp for a while

[emoji1531][emoji1531][emoji481]

[Slunnie]

So from what I’m hearing:

1) might use a bit more power than other better insulated models
2) probably won’t stop working while it’s full of food and we’re on a remote area
3) it’s worth considering as no one mentioned anything bad about it

Thanks guys [emoji4]

I'd never heard of them and was a but dubious but it sounds like they may be good for a small throw in the back car fridge/freezer. I guess like all fridge/freezers, just put a proper power plug on in.

[Corgie Carrier]

To those that own then...How do you tie them down?

On the Jaycar site it doesn't show any handles that you can use to secure the fridge.

Am I missing something?

[John_D4]

I’d thought of using an Anderson plug anyway. I’ve been camping a couple of times to find the fridge has vibrating its way loose.

[Gav 110]

To those that own then...How do you tie them down?

On the Jaycar site it doesn't show any handles that you can use to secure the fridge.

Am I missing something?

I have mine “secured” by resting against the cargo barrier on some artificial lawn
The weight of the supplies inside keeps it in place[emoji12]
It’s never moved since it’s been there and if I did decide that the VW transporter needed to be turned upside down the cargo barrier will stop it colliding with my skull

3.5 amp current draw set at 1 degree used 19ah over a 7 hour period
Mild day (32 degrees)
Was in the direct sun for a while as my helper (10 year old son) left the van sliding door open
Lid got opened and closed more times than the brides legs on her honeymoon as we had some extra sweeties in there for the boy
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[DeanoH]

Got to love the specs ...............

Average power consumption over 24 hours is 0.2kWh

So, given that your average 4WD battery is 100 ah capacity or 12v X 100ah = 1200 watt hours or 1.2 kWh this means that the brass monkey fridge will run for a full 6 days without re-charging the battery, wow, [bigrolf] beware of flying pigs or the most efficient compressor fridge of all time [bigwhistle]

Sorry I'm not convinced.

Deano :)

[John_D4]

Got to love the specs ...............

Average power consumption over 24 hours is 0.2kWh

So, given that your average 4WD battery is 100 ah capacity or 12v X 100ah = 1200 watt hours or 1.2 kWh this means that the brass monkey fridge will run for a full 6 days without re-charging the battery, wow, [bigrolf] beware of flying pigs or the most efficient compressor fridge of all time [bigwhistle]

Sorry I'm not convinced.

Deano :)

A bit like how car manufacturers somehow obtain spectacular fuel consumption figures.

[Hoges]

Got to love the specs ...............

Average power consumption over 24 hours is 0.2kWh

So, given that your average 4WD battery is 100 ah capacity or 12v X 100ah = 1200 watt hours or 1.2 kWh this means that the brass monkey fridge will run for a full 6 days without re-charging the battery, wow, [bigrolf] beware of flying pigs or the most efficient compressor fridge of all time [bigwhistle]

Sorry I'm not convinced.

Deano :)

Indeed...the claim of 0.2KWH does seem at first to be optimistic.
However that's claimed as an average not an absolute figure. Also we are not told of the measurement conditions
Gav110 has 'hard data' showing 19AH or 228 WH used over 7 hrs. If the fridge compressor was operating continuously over those 7 hrs it would have consumed 7 x 3.5 =24.5 AH or 294 WH. It was set at 1 deg C in 32 deg C ambient and underwent constant opening/closing of the lid. Even then, the fridge actually only operated at approx 78% duty cycle... equivalent to 781WH in 24 hrs.

Supposing that the fridge was filled with cans of beer to its capacity, then stabilised at 4 deg C and ambient temp is 22 deg C and the fridge has the advertised insulated cover attached. It is then switched to battery power. The lid is opened say once per hr to withdraw one or two cans. We know that the fridge draws 3.5 amps max or 42Wh (0.042KWH). At 20% duty cycle over 24hrs equates to 42WH x 24 x 20% = 0.202KWH. Leaving the fridge unopened for 24hrs with a full capacity and at same or less ambient temp could mean that an even lower duty cycle reduces the total power consumption further.
...you can bet the test conditions were "optimal"for the best result![wink11]

[trout1105]

I only started using 12v fridges about 8 years ago so I am by No means an expert on them But in that time I have bought 4 of them all different brands.
The first on I bought was a 40l Primus that is still running perfectly and I have had absolutely No issues with the fridge.
The second one I bought was an 80l Waco that runs fine But the clasps that hold the lid down are Crap and I replaced 5 or 6 of them before I resorted to fitting a pair of stainless clasp hitches to replace the useless plastic ones and the temp control buttons fell out when the stick on cover peeled back so now I have to use a screwdriver/biro to adjust the temp settings.
The third fridge I bought is a 38l Engel that is working perfectly still without issue.
The Last fridge I bought is a fairly cheap dual zone Pro Power unit that now only the 80l side works and not the 40l side and it comes with only a 12v inlet that you have to plug in a 240v adaptor to run off mains power.

I have No idea what the Brass Monkey units are like But at that price I wouldn't expect it the be a World Beater of a fridge and in the longer term will it actually be value for money.
$500 for a BM fridge that even IF it lasts the 3 years will end up costing you better than $160 a year for ownership or a $800 Engel that will easily last 10 years which works out at half the price at $80 a year of use.
Then there is the reliability factor and lets face it Nobody want hot beer at the end of the day.

Regardless of how often or how long you want to use the fridge for it HAS to be reliable, it HAS to be economical and it HAS to be as frugal as possible as far as power usage goes.

Now ask yourself, does this Brass monkey fridge tic ALL the boxes??

Buy Well and only buy once applies to many things, 12v are one of these things [biggrin][thumbsupbig]

[oka374]

I have one of the little 9L Brass Monkey fridges which cost a whole $129 just for cool drinks and lunch in the ute when out and about. Sits in the passengers footwell or on the passengers seat when I'm by myself or in the tray with a ratchet strap over it when I have a passenger.
Ute has a 45ah AGM auxilary battery and a Renogy DC to DC charger to keep the battery charged. Have never run out of power and fridge easily maintains 4 degrees C in all conditions when at the beach for the day or off MTB riding.

[ramblingboy42]

9 or 15 litre sounds very small , I think mine is small

I have a 42litre...but I dont think there 42litres of useable space....Evakool Ridge Ryder that I bought from Supercheap around 10yrs ago on one of their stupidly rediculous specials .

It has been fantastic, in the D2 I had a voltmeter/ammeter which showed almost negligible battery drain in operation, unless I put it on turbo cooling.

the last five years of big bush trips it has sat out exposed in the back of my Ranger 130 over 1000's of km of the worst corrugations , tied down by small SS turnbuckles and is such a good thing....it did its domestic duty xmas eve chilling down party drinks again

guess it'll really get tested at Lake Gairdener in the 40+ heat in a few weeks.

have no idea how long it would take to flatten the battery , but I always run the engine for while each day.

[V8Ian]

Dennis, 15 litres is ideal for an "within reach" day fridge, to keep a drink and lunch in.

[Gav 110]

Dennis, 15 litres is ideal for an "within reach" day fridge, to keep a drink and lunch in.

I had the 40 litre iron man in the van during summer before I bought the BM
It was just too bulky and a pain in the arse every time I had to reach over it

It was never full (unless I loaded it with a few extra ales) and even though it was only a cheap fridge ($700), it was copping a hammering in the back of the van and serves me better in the camper as a fridge and the evakool ed50 as a freezer

Now with the boys getting older (and hungrier) I am looking at a bigger freezer
No I’m not going down to Jaycar for another BM, the evakool has been a great fridge/freezer for the past 15 odd years, I’ll be saving the empty beer bottles (we now get 10c back) for the 85litre fibreglass model

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[Blknight.aus]

Ive got the 36l one, came with the bag and the power adaptor for 240v use.

fits perfectly between the front seats of a 6x6 and does the business well.

its got handles and the bag has tiedown points on it too.

[Arapiles]

Does anyone have any experience with using these with the built in Li-Ion battery? (or the Companion one, or maybe the ARB magnetic battery?)

I don't have a dual battery in the D4 so the internal battery could be a good thing for when the car is parked ....