To fridge or not to fridge, that is the question.......

[mkpatrol]

Well my poor old Chescold gave up the ghost on Sunday just as we pulled into the camp at Brogo Dam. 35 deg, 3 days to go & no bloody fridge to keep the beer cold let alone the food.

It still tries to cool on all three ways but it just doesn't get cold inside. Rang a fridge bloke today & he said its not worth fixing, so now I have a quandary.

We don't camp a massive amount, we usually vary our holidays & when we do camp its usually only for a couple of days over a weekend although a big Queensland trip is on the cards.

The question is, do I replace the fridge given a reasonable size one is 1000 bucks or more, or do I go for a good ice box like an EvaKool or something similar?

Who does what & how do they fare after a few days?

Bearing in mind, if I do go the icebox option I will be using block ice rather than bag ice as it will last longer.

Let me know your constructive thoughts please

[bogged]

If you rarely use one, why not hire one? Got a few mates that do that each yr, they only camp 2-3 times a yr..

but if you do buy a new engel/wako, they dont depreciate much, so you can flog for good bux in few yrs time if you dont think you are using it enough...

how long did you have your Chescold?? Work it out what you paid, and how many yrs, and how much per mth it cost you over time.. they do work out cheap for how long they work.

[mkpatrol]

how long did you have your Chescold?? Work it out what you paid, and how many yrs, and how much per mth it cost you over time.. they do work out cheap for how long they work.

Bit hard to work this out, the old man bought it before they went north in 93, it was second hand then & he cannot remember exactly what he paid for it, then when he bought a proper caravan again he didnt use it & lent it to me (5 years ago roughly). So the poor thing has done well & I am guessing it is about 20 years old.

[bogged]

So the poor thing has done well & I am guessing it is about 20 years old.

so 20yr fridge works out at $50 per yr... not bad value

even better if you can score one a few yrs old used, may save you couple of hunge... with bag and slide etc.

[mkpatrol]

Yeah, looking in all the ususal places but still want to find out peoples experiences as well till I make the decision.

[greybeard]

try inverting the fridge for a few minutes then try it again.
if the elements still get hot from 12/240/gas then it can only be a few other options.
it's lost it's coolant gas, it's got an 'air lock' in the cooling gas system and/or it's been overheated and the coolant now has little crystals in it that can block up the system.
inverting the fridge can sometimes clear the above.
it may or may not work but it's a pretty cheap thing to try
my 20+ year old three way took several years to die until the inverted fridge fixup failed to work.
occassionally i had to leave it inverted for several hours and even overnight.

[Bush Dave]

I've done both over the years (esky and fridge) and you just can't beat a good fridge. I've got an old engel 80 ltr and it does a family of five no problems for a 4-5 days with room for plenty of beer (just top up each day).
We camp and m'bike at least once a month so we get good use. A worthwhile investment and it will hold value.

[Emo]

I reckon once you've had a decent compressor fridge, you'll never be without one.

[philhod]

My 40 Litre Engel has been one of the best investments I have ever made. It gets used all the time, I hardly ever turn it off.

Even if you won't use it in the bush that much they come in very handy at home. No reason why you cant use it as a bar fridge to store the beer in. It also comes in handy to have a second fridge at times when the kitchen fridge is full like at Xmas. You can even use them as a freezer if you want to defrost your main fridge freezer or maybe you just don't have enough room.

The best part is, you don't have to buy ice and your sausages will never be floating in the water again, and oh yeah no more warm beer

[GRINCH]

when you add up the cost of buying ice all the time plus the food you throw out after its been floating in the water the fridge will work out cheaper in the long term, and to buy a decent esky isnt very cheap now days. i would stick to a compressor fridge now days as the are a lot more economical on the battery.

[-Scott-]

I reckon once you've had a decent compressor fridge, you'll never be without one.

I agree. I did the esky for years, then mucked around with a thermo-electric Waeco, and a decent compressor fridge is just so much nicer. Did duty as a drinks fridge at mum's on Christmas day, too.

Three ways are great if you do a lot of standing camping, but I believe you can't beat a compressor fridge for touring.

[BundyRumandCoke]

I have both, a 3 way, and an old Engel.

First, before throwing away the 3way, invert it as has already been suggested. leave it inverted for 24 hrs. I was told that rust can form inside the tubing, and sometimes a piece can break off and block a jet. Dunno if its the correct explaination, but I have salvaged a few 3 ways by using the inversion method. You would know if its a loss of coolant, as the ammonia smell is overpowering. If it works again, modify it by adding 12V computer fans to the back, to blow air over the condensor, makes it work on 12V much better. Our 3 way is on all the time, used as a drinks fridge at home, and has to be a good 20 plus years old.

For constant travelling, a compressor fridge really is the way to go, but if camped for a number of days in one spot, without 240V power, you cannot beat a 3 way on gas.

[frp88]

how big was it they sell the 35L 3way at Kmart for 399 I think that unit is going under all sort of names.Next year when we want to do the sand Islands I'll be looking to add to my 40L waeco. I only payed 715 new

[mkpatrol]

Thanks guys, I did notice it was a bit hot in the back of the car the night before but I put it down to the fact it was 35 degrees. I could still touch it but it seemed warmer than normal.

It doesnt seem to have lost its ammonia then as there is no smell, just a slight hissing noise that was not there before.

So I guess I will chuck it upside down for a little while then put it right way up & see how it goes after it has all settled.

Someone told me to also shake the shit out of it but I thought this was an old wives tale, maybe not , maybe I will do both as the price will be right

[BundyRumandCoke]

Turn upside down/shake the shit out of it, both intended to achieve the same result.

[mkpatrol]

Well the inversion method worked a treat. Turned it upside down & shook the shit out of it, left it upside down for a couple of hours. turned it right way up & left it for a nother couple of hours.

Plugged it in & voila, 1/2 hour later the fins were starting to feeze on high so she's back baby (for how long I dont know but she is back).

Gives us time to look at options anyway.

The other brother in law is a sheetie & he is going to make us a gal ice box as well so we will have both

[greybeard]

glad to hear it worked ok for you.
just send cold beer i'll pm the address

[RoldIT]

Good job.

Now put a tenna away each week from now on, so when it packs it in for good, you should be most of the way to buying a new fridge.

[mkpatrol]

Having a dinner partee tonight so that where the beer will be


Anybody have one of those Evakool fridges?

Thye are one of their ice boxes with a compressor on the side.

[Loanrangie]

I have both, a 3 way, and an old Engel.

First, before throwing away the 3way, invert it as has already been suggested. leave it inverted for 24 hrs. I was told that rust can form inside the tubing, and sometimes a piece can break off and block a jet. Dunno if its the correct explaination, but I have salvaged a few 3 ways by using the inversion method. You would know if its a loss of coolant, as the ammonia smell is overpowering. If it works again, modify it by adding 12V computer fans to the back, to blow air over the condensor, makes it work on 12V much better. Our 3 way is on all the time, used as a drinks fridge at home, and has to be a good 20 plus years old.

For constant travelling, a compressor fridge really is the way to go, but if camped for a number of days in one spot, without 240V power, you cannot beat a 3 way on gas.

Hi mate, can explain how you went about adding the PC fabs to yout fridge ? i was given a 3 way that works great but on 12v i know they struggle badly.

thanks,
Nick.

[grimbo]

friends of ours hired a new Engel from Anaconda over Xmas. $100 for a week. If you are only going to use a fridge occasionally this is a great option I reckon

[BundyRumandCoke]

Loanrangie

Easy mod, measure the height of the ventilation vents on the back of the fridge, as close as possible to the condensor. Now go to somewhere that supplies computer fans, you want the same size as the vents, but make sure they are 12V, not 240V. I mounted mine directly onto the back of the fridge, over the vents. ID the 12 V supply wires to the fridge. Wire up the fans to the supply so the fans blow air over the condensor fins. Easy job. If you have the room, and want to take the extra effort, you may be able to fit the fans inside the fridge case, between vents and fins. This means the outside size of the fridge doesnt change. I sourced my fans out of old computer power supplies, from our local tip recycling shop. Cost, virtually nil.

If you have a look at the newer Engels, that feature "turbo cool" all it is is a 12v computer fan ventilating the outer fridge case around the compressor workings.

[grimbo]

I think I might try that on my little cooler/heater fridge I use as my centre console to help it cool better

[shakes]

friends of ours hired a new Engel from Anaconda over Xmas. $100 for a week. If you are only going to use a fridge occasionally this is a great option I reckon

10 week trips over 3 year's = the cost of a fridge?

depends what ya mean by occaisonally

[mkpatrol]

friends of ours hired a new Engel from Anaconda over Xmas. $100 for a week. If you are only going to use a fridge occasionally this is a great option I reckon

10 week trips over 3 year's = the cost of a fridge?

depends what ya mean by occaisonally

I was thinking that as well but I now use it to keep the beer cold in the shed so it comes in more handy than just for camping trips. Mind you beer fridges are cheap.....

[Potter]

I have a 110L evacool it cost about $550 when i bought it, i wish i had spent the extra cash and got a fridge, will all the ice and dry ice you need for a couple of weeks away i would have payed for an 80L fridge by now

[midi73]

Having a dinner partee tonight so that where the beer will be


Anybody have one of those Evakool fridges?

Thye are one of their ice boxes with a compressor on the side.

The evacool fridges are a great fridge. Well worth the coin.