Portable Fridges

**weeds** · 7th November 2005, 12:39 PM

vlad wrote
[/quote]it appears to me the Engels aren't as 'solid' as they once were. ?[quote]

I have two engles one purchased this year and the other about 7 years ago and reckon they are as solid as each other. Over this time they have made some improvements - the hinge setup (although a circlip to stop it sliding sideways would be good), temp gauge (currently the gauge stays on 24hr as it has its own internal battery, apparently this is being changed so that it flashes every few seconds to extend the battery life, just changed my battery after 10 months easy but annoying) and auto voltage sensing (i.e. can have both 12V and 240V connected at once and will automatically switch to 240V when available, the instructions says to turn the thermostat off prior to connect 240V than turn back on, Britz don't tell the customers this so it doesn't seem to bother the fridge).

I was in at Springers (12V Shop) at Brendale on Friday quizzing them about my solar setup and they indicated the Engles are no longer made in Japan, must check mine to see if it says what country it is made in. I wonder when they will reduce the prices if they are now using slave labour to build them.

GO THE ENGLE

**crump** · 7th November 2005, 01:16 PM

Bought a Waeco 40L 3 years ago because it was cheap and gave me a couple of hundred spare to spend on other stuff in the shop, over the Engel.Its sat behind the drivers seat on the floor now for 30000kms, mainly on trips(ie dirt roads) and had no dramas with it, dont know how that casing will hold up long term though.

**weeds** · 7th November 2005, 01:41 PM

Yep, must agree the waeco is value for money and a mate snapped one up off there web site 'a factory second' 12 months ago. if i was a first time fridge buyer i would probably buy a waeco, I brought my second engle as my first 32L has been trouble free for six years and I wanted the narrowist for my draw setup..

**VladTepes** · 7th November 2005, 02:58 PM

weeds I THINK both the Waeco and Engel are made in China these days.

as is almost everything else.

**DEFENDERZOOK** · 7th November 2005, 06:08 PM

Originally posted by weeds
- the hinge setup (although a circlip to stop it sliding sideways would be good),
GO THE ENGLE

<span style="color:blue">
go to your nearest engel dealer and enquire about a hinge lock clip...
they are available and they are bloody fantastic......
you just need to press on it to remove the lid.....

its just a plastic spacer for one hinge and a clip for the other....
i got mine for nothing from the engel guys at the last 4wd show....</span>

**weeds** · 7th November 2005, 08:51 PM

thanks zook, I will have to chase a hinge clip down, the latch might survive a little longer as the better half can never work out why yhr latch does not line up

**DEFENDERZOOK** · 7th November 2005, 09:53 PM

<span style="color:blue">i got sick of having to refit the lid every time my handbrake or the tin lids opened the fridge....

with the emphasis on EVERY......</span>

**RoverOne** · 7th November 2005, 10:08 PM

Originally posted by Maggot4x4+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Maggot4x4)</div><div class='quotemain'>

Originally posted by VladTepes@

Newer versions of both brands are coming out with inbuilt 240V transformers, but older ones will need an external t/former to run on 240V.

Engels have had this for as long as I can remember.

<!--QuoteBegin-RoverOne
I doubt any other on the maket would function this way in full exposed sun & still have frozen stuff at the end of the day 8)

A mate of mine has had his 60L Engel fixed to the back of his Cruiser tray back for the last 10-15 years, he's a builder so it's on all day every, completely uncovered and exposed to the elements. Never had a problem with stuff not being cold or frozen, and he has done the simpson and canning more than once..[/b][/quote]

Thats great, confirms then that Engel are probably overall the best fridge going then, as I've seen the "plastic" ones go out of shape under too much direct sun.

Cheers
Bryce

**Rosco** · 7th November 2005, 10:16 PM

They're both great jobs IMHO ... it's just that the Engels are way way over priced.

Also, as I understand it ... and of course I may well have it wrong.

Waeco has been around a lot longer than Engel, just not in Oz.

Cheers

**RoverOne** · 8th November 2005, 09:05 PM

Originally posted by Rosco
They're both great jobs IMHO ... it's just that the Engels are way way over priced.

Also, as I understand it ... and of course I may well have it wrong.

Waeco has been around a lot longer than Engel, just not in Oz.

Cheers

Waeco fridges was established in 1974 in Germany for mobile truck refrigeration, then "years" later making air conditioning & auto mobile refrigeration (12 volt car fridges). I must say though looking at their 2004 catalogue a much more diverse range of product but not all available in Australia unlike Engel what they make you can buy here.

Engel in 2004 celebrated their 40th year in Australia (1964) my first was 1971, the company trace their origins to WW2.

I am glad that you are wrong though [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img] :wink:

Yes Engel are more expensive but looking at construction techniques I can understand why, Autofridge is that much dearer again & Limack & Trailblazer that much dear than Autofridge but you get what you pay for.

Cheers
Bryce

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