Fridge / Esky Advice

[Stewie]

I have a 2000 Disco II TD5 ES and I'm looking at building some storage in the tail gate of the car for when I go bush camping with the family. I am planning on removing the 3rd row of seats in the tail gate to make for more storage as we have two small kids that seem to require heaps of stuff when going bush. Can someone please offer any advice on the sizes of fridges / Eskies that will fit comfortably in the back of the Disco. I'd like to have them on rails so that they can be easily slid in and out. I also have a Milford cargo cage fitted so fridge / Eskey also needs to fit insdie the dimensions of this.

[colrospeake]

I have a set up in the disco . I took the box out of the side seat area and installed a battery in it.
I run a 60 litre weaco in a self made frame.
Private messaage me with a phone number and I will talk to you . Where are you?.

[Chucaro]

In my Disco1 1998 I have the cargo barrier fitted (Original for $5.00 from the tip)
and I made a frame using 2 school desk (from the tip $ 5.00 ea) In this frame I carry at the top a Waeco 50 lts, and the seond battery (glass mat fully closed)
On the bottom of the fridge a have a drawer and the folding table. On the bottom of the battery shelf I have a 70 lts plastic box. There is plenty room left on both sides to place plenty gear.
I strongly recommending you to not get a Waeco. Compressor and box are excellent the temperature switch is very delicate. I replaced it with a nob.
Get a Evercool fridge, same compressor, better box, have a adjusting nob and is made in Oz. cost the same as the Waeco.
Cheers
Chucaro

[dmdigital]

40L Engle fits in a D2 with room behind the Cargo Barrier.

[Vinnie]

Look at the outback drawer systems or similar brand if you have the money to spend (they are expensive). Otherwise look on EBay for a set of 100kg rated drawer sliders and you should be able to pick them up delivered for well under $100, get either marine or outdoor ply and make a false floor, make your own fridge slide to sit on top of the false floor and that way you can have all your recovery etc under the false floor for easy access and have plenty of storage on top and next to the fridge for the rest of your gear. It would be advisable to get a cargo barrier as well.

Cheers

Chris V

[Blknight.aus]

if your in brissy I have 2 different sized engles and one of those cheapy peltier cooler jobbies that you can have a temporary loan of to experiment with setting up your load space.

[Yorkshire_Jon]

Here in the UK many people do this with their Disco's.

Most people use a 40L ENGEL on an ENGEL slide-tray (steel tray and roller bearing slide arrangement). Around the slide tray a wooden shelving arrangement is built so that when you pull the fridge out, stuff doesnt fall into the void behind the fridge.

As I say the 40L is the common size although you can put a 60L on a slide tray, but they are BIG.

If you decide to go down the ENGEL route then external sizes are available in the Engel section on our website.

For the sake of clarity and so I dont upset people, I have no commercial interest in Aus, but if anything on our website is of use (i.e. Engel dimensions), then I see no reason why I shouldnt mention it.

Now a question - Whats an Esky fridge? Here in the UK the Engels are considered to be the best available for overland travel - Are the Esky's considered superior in Aus?

[dmdigital]

What thew topic means is Fridge or Esky. Esky is a brand name but is also a generic aussie term for a cooler box. e.g. Esky Product Catalogue - Nylex - Tough products for a tough country (http://www.nylex.com.au/esky.php)

[Yorkshire_Jon]

I see!! Thanks for the enlightenment.

We have cool boxes here in the UK, albeit not esky ones. Generally (over here) they tend to be heavy on power consumption (anywhere between 4-15A) and will only cool to maybe 15 degrees C below ambient and therefore are not considered as good as the compressor type which will freeze to -18 degrees in +40 degrees ambient and use much less power. Is it the same over there?

[Tango51]

I see!! Thanks for the enlightenment.

We have cool boxes here in the UK, albeit not esky ones. Generally (over here) they tend to be heavy on power consumption (anywhere between 4-15A) and will only cool to maybe 15 degrees C below ambient and therefore are not considered as good as the compressor type which will freeze to -18 degrees in +40 degrees ambient and use much less power. Is it the same over there?

Eskies are the type you put ice into.
They are insulated to keep the ice for as long as possible, and are not powered, obviously.
For long campstays we often use them in tandem, the powered fridges make ice blocks which we transfer to the 'eskies'.
This is essential as the main staple in camping conditions is beer.
The duration of the stay is measured by how long your ability lasts in keeping the beer cold, or the need to break camp in order to drive to buy more beer, this is a matter of survival logistics as the trip must be calculated based on the remaining.........beer .

[Yorkshire_Jon]

Eskies are the type you put ice into.
They are insulated to keep the ice for as long as possible, and are not powered, obviously.
For long campstays we often use them in tandem, the powered fridges make ice blocks which we transfer to the 'eskies'.
This is essential as the main staple in camping conditions is beer.
The duration of the stay is measured by how long your ability lasts in keeping the beer cold, or the need to break camp in order to drive to buy more beer, this is a matter of survival logistics as the trip must be calculated based on the remaining.........beer .


Cool (if you'll pardon the pun)... I could fit right into your camping culture! Make my cooling requirements 2 x 80L Engels and the token Esky!!

[dirtdawg]

i carry an 80l eva kool esky in thw back or my disco when i go away and still have enough room to pack for 2ppl and a boxer on the back seat, i need to get a roof basket for my racks though

[Rastas000]

I currently run a Trailblaza 60l fridge and they are huge. (but I want the energy efficieny and insulation they offer) (My Fridge) (http://www.norcoast.com.au/platinum/pattern%20fridge%20_img.jpg)

I do not have much room after the fridge is in place apart from top loading the unit with larger light stuff...

I have a shelf built off the cargo barrier to give me access to the fridge. However, if I built a slide out unit for it, I would get another heap of usable space above the fridge...

Still, here I would not swap the fridge for the world. There is nothing like taking food out of the cold box that is not wet and droopy!!!

Bob