About to buy a fridge...

[Ranga]

...and like most people, can't really decide on which one.

Most of our camping is short-term (2 to 3 days - at least in the one spot).

So far, I think I've narrowed it down to the ARB or a 70L Fridgemate. That way I can avoid the Engel vs Waeco ****fight!

For the money, the fridgemate seems excellent value, but a little bit bulky. Mind you, 70L is a great size, provided it stays in the back of the 110.

On the other hand, the ARB seems like a good unit also, and has a couple of little features like interior light and drain plug, which I think are good.

Anyway, I plan to stick to just over $1000 if I can.

So, any suggestions!

PS, I've done so much reading of this and other forums, it's all starting to swim in my head, so not sure what I'm still waiting to hear, but I thought I'd put it out there anyway.

[Milhouse]

I recently bought an Engel MR40F. Plastic body Engel so bit cheaper than the metal ones - came in at $900ish with some freebies thrown in after haggling. I am very happy with it. :)

[cal415]

ARB fridge for sure!

We baught one a few months ago and im extremely happy with it. It does a great job and seems to go well with the current draw side of things incomparison to another fridge we have. we got ours for a bargain price with the transit bag and slide, so far im not overly impressed with the slide as its clunks around a bit on the bumps but im going to fix that. You will also be supprised how much you can fit in them when you stack them well too, they dont look that big inside but actualy hold quite alot.

[vnx205]

This may not suit your situation, but a friend of mine came up with a setup that suited him very well.

He wanted a fridge big enough for family camping trips, so it needed to be fairly big.

He also wanted to be able to put it in the boot of the car to bring icecream and meat home safely from the supermarket, so it needed to be fairly small to fit in the car.

Since he couldn't afford two fridges, he bought one that was small enough to fit in the car and on camping trips, he used it to create ice to put in the Esky where he kept all his food except the frozen items.

It worked well for him.

So the question is, do you really need something as big as 70 litres or would you rather have greater flexibility?

[Pedro_The_Swift]

It sounds good Allan,,
but how long to create ice
ice cream container size??
or were they smaller?

and at what cost to the batt reserves?

lots of questions that way,,

[Armadillo]

We just bought a Bushman. Had an excellent writeup in 4X4 Action. For the price (we paid 1100) it also comes with a fridge bag, an additional lid and collar so you can have 35, 42, 45 or 55 litres. It also comes with additional baskets for the different sizes at no extra cost as well . So far, we have been happy with it.

[vnx205]

Unfortunately, I don't know all the details, I just know that it worked for him.

I'm pretty sure that he was traveling a good distance each day, so battery drain wouldn't have been a problem. I can see that it wouldn't work if you were stationary for some time and had no way to top up the battery.

I seem to remember that when I borrowed a 15 litre Engel, it took me a few days to figure out how far I had to set the thermostat back to stop everything freezing, so I must have created more than a couple of litres of ice in one day's driving with a little 15 litre fridge.

I'm sure that if you drove five or six hours each day, an Engel (or similar) would create enough ice to do the job.

[Ranga]

This may not suit your situation, but a friend of mine came up with a setup that suited him very well.

He wanted a fridge big enough for family camping trips, so it needed to be fairly big.

He also wanted to be able to put it in the boot of the car to bring icecream and meat home safely from the supermarket, so it needed to be fairly small to fit in the car.

Since he couldn't afford two fridges, he bought one that was small enough to fit in the car and on camping trips, he used it to create ice to put in the Esky where he kept all his food except the frozen items.

It worked well for him.

So the question is, do you really need something as big as 70 litres or would you rather have greater flexibility?

I know others who work that way - ice making in the freezer to transfer to the esky. They all swear by it.

The one thing that bothers me with that approach, and why I was thinking of going a fridge/freezer is the way things end up getting wet in an esky. In particular, you need to have food like meat very well sealed, or it has a nasty habit of ending up leaking causing "cross-contamination".

Still, that's part of the plan if I get an ARB - a bit more wieldy, and if need be I can always use it as an ice-maker. On the other hand, the fridgemate would be handy for parties and BBQs as a beer fridge.

[Ranga]

We just bought a Bushman. Had an excellent writeup in 4X4 Action. For the price (we paid 1100) it also comes with a fridge bag, an additional lid and collar so you can have 35, 42, 45 or 55 litres. It also comes with additional baskets for the different sizes at no extra cost as well . So far, we have been happy with it.

Hmmm... I had forgot about them! Definitely a fair competitor with the ARB. Now to find out how much they cost.

[loanrangie]

Isnt the ARB a rebadged engel ?

[weeds]

Isnt the ARB a rebadged engel ?

used to be but i think they have there own range now.......or another re-badge

[Armadillo]

Hmmm... I had forgot about them! Definitely a fair competitor with the ARB. Now to find out how much they cost.

The only Bushman stockist we found in QLD was

Gas and Portable Refrigeration
Unit 1, 1 Cahill Court
Burleigh Heads, Qld.
Ph: (07) 5593 4066
Fax: (07) 5593 5447

Helpful people and worth a call before buying anything else. The Bushman website provides details/specs. Good luck anyway.:)

[Ranga]

Isnt the ARB a rebadged engel ?

Not anymore.

[Disco44]

Check out the Queensland Made Evacool.I've Had one now for 6 years all over OZ with temps up to 53c fridge still under 5c in fridge section,freezer remained frozen.Also very economical and reputed to have the best insulation on the market.To some they might not like the outer as it's fibreglass but as tough as old boot leather.
Cheers,
John ( disco 44 )

[Disco44]

Check out the Queensland made Evacool( Made in Caloundra) My 60litre fridge/freezer is 6 years old now with not a problem.Across the Nullabor last year the temp outside was 53c the fridge compartment 5c. They can be run as a full freezer or fridge/freezer. They are reputed to have the best insulation on the market but have a fibre glass body but it is as tough as old boot leather .Mine has been to the cape twice and nearly around the whole of Oz .They have the danfoss motor and are very economical.
John Disco 44

[Hoges]

Got a bushman about 18m ago @ the Bris Tackle and tinnie show...paid $950 for the full works...collar/high set lid/bag etc expands from 35 -52L depending on the lid/collar combination...which means I can also put it in the boot of the ASTRA or Commodore set on feeeeeezing :eek:(-20 degC) in a 35degC ambient - when I go to the supermarket for buy up on frozen foods... no heat shock on way home...:p

I've examined the compressor in depth on the Bushman...its performance can be altered by a computer app. and it will power a fridge up to 200L apparently...so 52 L is no great shakes...

It spent last summer on the back deck running off the 240V /12V transformer...the beer was ALWAYS cold;)

[Ranga]

Bit of a worry when the QLD Bushman distributor doesn't answer the phone :eek:

I spoke to the head office, and they sound like a genuine mob. I think the Bushman has become a genuine contender for my hard-earned!

[Signal1]

Bit of a worry when the QLD Bushman distributor doesn't answer the phone :eek:

I spoke to the head office, and they sound like a genuine mob. I think the Bushman has become a genuine contender for my hard-earned!

After three National 4x4 Shows and research, I've decided to go with the Bushman. I think the compressor is proven and you can't argue with the power consumption figures and duty cycles in the 4WD Action comparo. Only downside I see is the bag isn't setup correctly needing most of it to be unzipped to get to the lid. Note however at the Nat 4x4 Show in September, they said they were designing a new bag; see if it's available.

Not to complicate things...:p

[Ranga]

I'm 90% convinced on the Bushman also. It seems a good product, comes with the extra collar and lid, bag, 240V adapter all well under $1200.

The 70L Fridgemate is just too big to lug around, and won't fit a conventional Fridge slide (particluarly not the Fridge Slide (http://www.platinumgear.com.au/) slide, which I like).

I have a good quality esky, and agree that it's easy enough to make ice on the run and use the esky for 'wet' items like drinks, and use the Bushman as a freezer on longer journeys.

Thanks everyone for the info - I'll let you know how I go.

BTW, the other option is still an ARB.

[Disco44]

Check out the Queensland Made Evacool.I've Had one now for 6 years all over OZ with temps up to 53c fridge still under 5c in fridge section,freezer remained frozen.Also very economical and reputed to have the best insulation on the market.To some they might not like the outer as it's fibreglass but as tough as old boot leather.
Cheers,
John ( disco 44 )
Sorry for the double post I thought this one was removed ...cumputers ???
Disco 44

[Signal1]

I'm 90% convinced on the Bushman also. It seems a good product, comes with the extra collar and lid, bag, 240V adapter all well under $1200.
<SNIP>
Thanks everyone for the info - I'll let you know how I go. BTW, the other option is still an ARB.

So you got the Bushman? Used it yet? Thoughts?

[eddomak]

I know others who work that way - ice making in the freezer to transfer to the esky. They all swear by it.

The one thing that bothers me with that approach, and why I was thinking of going a fridge/freezer is the way things end up getting wet in an esky.

I know this thread is a bit old, but one solution to the "wet factor" is to get something like Techni Ice. It's quite affordable, and resuable (especially the HDR version) and it saves you from needing to have more and more water that you just throw out. I don't know how long it takes to freeze though.

[Cannon]

We used to use techni-ice but moved to disposable nappies:eek:

Get them nice & wet....with water;) , chuck 'em in the freezer & voila:)

Nice & cold with no water leakage.

[Ranga]

So you got the Bushman? Used it yet? Thoughts?

Excellent fridge, very versatile with the extra lid and collar, and keeps things cold very efficiently.

Been away twice now for 72 hour stretches. Ambient temp about high 20s, fridge temp set to 2 degrees and never went above 3 degrees, and the 120Ah deep cycle battery running it went from 12.8V to about 12.4V.

[woody]

Check out the Queensland made Evacool( Made in Caloundra) My 60litre fridge/freezer is 6 years old now with not a problem.Across the Nullabor last year the temp outside was 53c the fridge compartment 5c. They can be run as a full freezer or fridge/freezer. They are reputed to have the best insulation on the market but have a fibre glass body but it is as tough as old boot leather .Mine has been to the cape twice and nearly around the whole of Oz .They have the danfoss motor and are very economical.
John Disco 44

G'day Evacool make the Fridgemate, I've just been down this same road and narrowed my choice down to the exact same fridges.

Fridgemate is physically larger but also has larger cold space.

ARB can work as fridge or freezer not both at once Fridgemate can

I bought the Fridgemate on that alone and have found it to be brilliant.

I don't know current draw exactly but I got 2 days @ -18 degrees on the freezer side and + 1.5 degrees on the fridge side with the ambient during the day of 35 degrees on a 100 amp deep cycle battery.

If running all fridge I've found a power setting of 2 out of 10 keeps the beer between 1 - 2 degrees.

At all freezer about 16 hours to freeze a 15 lt water bottle

It keeps the meat frozen and the beer cold, so I'm a happy little camper :p

both are good fridges so it comes down to your preference

[Dorko]

I got a 60L waeco a few months back... i must admit bloody top fridge freezer.!

Fridges/Freezers have come a long way!

Dorko