Brass Monkey Fridge Review
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condor22
Mike
:sunny: :sunny: :fire: :fire: :sunny: :sunny: 
oop:
About says it all, lol. I normally set my Engel as a fridge at 2 C. Yesterday would have required it to operate 60 C below the internal car temperature.
I have previously tested it on a 40 C day and it will do this, but it never cycles off in this kind of heat, pulling 3.0 to 3.2 amps. As the overnight was roughly 25 C and probably a short time my estimate is, 15 hours @ 3.0 A = 45 AH, 5 hours @ 50% cycle = 7.5 AH and 4 hours at 30% cycle = 4 AH for a total of 56.5 AH.
That would be minimum, so 60 AH is probably a good estimate.
This then shows that my 100 AH AGM/110 W panel probably won't cut it in the heat for total consumption replacement. I might get 2-3 days if lucky, which means operating the vehicle at times. Data shows at this time of year Adelaide gets 7.5 sun hours re solar panels - Panel is roughly 6 A output so 45 AH of input.
oop: About says it all, lol. I normally set my Engel as a fridge at 2 C. Yesterday would have required it to operate 60 C below the internal car temperature.
I have previously tested it on a 40 C day and it will do this, but it never cycles off in this kind of heat, pulling 3.0 to 3.2 amps. As the overnight was roughly 25 C and probably a short time my estimate is, 15 hours @ 3.0 A = 45 AH, 5 hours @ 50% cycle = 7.5 AH and 4 hours at 30% cycle = 4 AH for a total of 56.5 AH.
That would be minimum, so 60 AH is probably a good estimate.
This then shows that my 100 AH AGM/110 W panel probably won't cut it in the heat for total consumption replacement. I might get 2-3 days if lucky, which means operating the vehicle at times. Data shows at this time of year Adelaide gets 7.5 sun hours re solar panels - Panel is roughly 6 A output so 45 AH of input.
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condor22 said::sunny: :sunny: :fire: :fire: :sunny: :sunny:
About says it all, lol. I normally set my Engel as a fridge at 2 C. Yesterday would have required it to operate 60 C below the internal car temperature.
I have previously tested it on a 40 C day and it will do this, but it never cycles off in this kind of heat, pulling 3.0 to 3.2 amps. As the overnight was roughly 25 C and probably a short time my estimate is, 15 hours @ 3.0 A = 45 AH, 5 hours @ 50% cycle = 7.5 AH and 4 hours at 30% cycle = 4 AH for a total of 56.5 AH.
That would be minimum, so 60 AH is probably a good estimate.
This then shows that my 100 AH AGM/110 W panel probably won't cut it in the heat for total consumption replacement. I might get 2-3 days if lucky, which means operating the vehicle at times. Data shows at this time of year Adelaide gets 7.5 sun hours re solar panels - Panel is roughly 6 A output so 45 AH of input.
Your going to need another Battery to give you a longer run time so you can play catch up or get a lithium pack which will charge faster, ?
Using 50 to 60Ah a day is going to be hard to put back in the limited daylight time, I would hate to think what bigger fridges would use in those Temps,
:8 :8 :8
Need a bigger solar panel or two.
Had a brass Monkey since early December .
Used it on 12volts and 240 havent and really had it off for more than a couple of days since it arrived and its going strong.
The freezer sits at -16 and the fridge section at 0.4 hasnt missed a beat ..when we got home from camping We left frozen fish and hamburger patties in the freezer and other items in the ref. Its just like a regular refrigerator , bonus is I used it as a drinks fridge over Christmas , new year and even now .. perfect couldnt be happier..
Used it on 12volts and 240 havent and really had it off for more than a couple of days since it arrived and its going strong.
The freezer sits at -16 and the fridge section at 0.4 hasnt missed a beat ..when we got home from camping We left frozen fish and hamburger patties in the freezer and other items in the ref. Its just like a regular refrigerator , bonus is I used it as a drinks fridge over Christmas , new year and even now .. perfect couldnt be happier..
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nucopia said:
From what we have seen with the BM fridges they are a top shelf fridge right up there with 2 other well known brands, :Y:
condor22
Mike
RR Won't need another panel or bigger battery. I rarely go way in the summer, the most I use it for is Fridge shopping and on occasion to visit for a BBQ etc. In those circumstances, I have plenty for a few hours.
It's main use is when I go Prospecting. Apart from my stuff up a couple of years ago with the oven, I've never exceeded 30% DOC and for many years had no solar only the DC-DC.
My main reason for the temp posts was to point out to those using a 40 AH AGM battery pack etc will not get very long in an OZ summer.
It's main use is when I go Prospecting. Apart from my stuff up a couple of years ago with the oven, I've never exceeded 30% DOC and for many years had no solar only the DC-DC.
My main reason for the temp posts was to point out to those using a 40 AH AGM battery pack etc will not get very long in an OZ summer.
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One thing for sure if you use a fast acting thermometer you will drive your self nuts when testing a fridge and you will see temp variation that go lower and higher than normal seeing Temp swings of up to 7 or 8 degrees "C", The Sensor in all fridges are slow acting which is why you sometimes see a different temp on the fridge display compared to what you get by adding a thermometer inside the main compartment.
RR,
I'm curious, do you enjoy the outdoors/camping etc or do you spend all your free time fiddling with settings and fridge/solar operation?
Do realise it is each for their own but when we are away in the bush we have to have our machine beeping just after sun up or swmbo gets cranky. :inlove:
No time to waste time fiddling, if the fridge is cold all's good, if the freezer's frozen, again all good.
I'm curious, do you enjoy the outdoors/camping etc or do you spend all your free time fiddling with settings and fridge/solar operation?
Do realise it is each for their own but when we are away in the bush we have to have our machine beeping just after sun up or swmbo gets cranky. :inlove:
No time to waste time fiddling, if the fridge is cold all's good, if the freezer's frozen, again all good.
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Nightjar said:RR,
I'm curious, do you enjoy the outdoors/camping etc or do you spend all your free time fiddling with settings and fridge/solar operation?
Do realise it is each for their own but when we are away in the bush we have to have our machine beeping just after sun up or swmbo gets cranky. :inlove:
No time to waste time fiddling, if the fridge is cold all's good, if the freezer's frozen, again all good.
Yeah I do, I was raised on the farm and always lived out of town so going camping is the closest I can get to it.
To be honest because they have not lifted the lockdown yet I am Stuck indoors fiddling and have been for over 13 months now, and between playing around with this stuff I have to keep Cycling Batteries and Charging them at leased once a month, I got so feed up of charging out in the Cold I bought them all indoors, and the number of batteries has turned it in to a 3 or 4 day Job, All this buggerizing about is just to kill time,
At the moment I am using the fridges to Cycle the batteries so I can charge them correctly instead of just topping them off, otherwise I will lose them.
The Van is still loaded with 3 weeks worth of food and fuel for the stove and all the cooking gear and BBQ gear and Gerry Cans of fuel etc. Mate I am ready but the GOV are not,
As of tomorrow groups of up to 6 people can meet in an open area, But still no traveling is allowed, Still can't visit family etc. It's beyond a joke now, Ay.
shakergt
Moderating Team
condor22 said::sunny: :sunny: :fire: :fire: :sunny: :sunny:
About says it all, lol. I normally set my Engel as a fridge at 2 C. Yesterday would have required it to operate 60 C below the internal car temperature.
I have previously tested it on a 40 C day and it will do this, but it never cycles off in this kind of heat, pulling 3.0 to 3.2 amps. As the overnight was roughly 25 C and probably a short time my estimate is, 15 hours @ 3.0 A = 45 AH, 5 hours @ 50% cycle = 7.5 AH and 4 hours at 30% cycle = 4 AH for a total of 56.5 AH.
That would be minimum, so 60 AH is probably a good estimate.
This then shows that my 100 AH AGM/110 W panel probably won't cut it in the heat for total consumption replacement. I might get 2-3 days if lucky, which means operating the vehicle at times. Data shows at this time of year Adelaide gets 7.5 sun hours re solar panels - Panel is roughly 6 A output so 45 AH of input.
Heck your pulling some power. I am quite surprised at the amount of amps you use. I set my ARB fridge at 0 C all the time. Going of mine I only use 1.12A/hr.
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shakergt said:
At what Ambient Temp does it do that SGT ??
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On the weekend I took the little Dometic CDF-18 with me and the Ambient temp was around 32*c and the fridge was set to around 2*c, The temp in the Van hit 43.4 *c and the little dometic managed to chew 1.01Ah over a 24hr period, I ran the Dometic from the Dometic PLB-40 Lithium Pack for 26 and a half hours and it used 67% of the PLB's power which is equal to 26.8Ah so then On my way home I plugged it in to the Cigar Socket and it was fully charged in just around 3 hours which is pretty quick really, I figure that if I only used the PLB to power the fridge while stopped over night it would take less than an hour to charge it back up.
During the time away I opened the fridge a few times in the day and night but even with the heat in the van It was really cold in the fridge and when set to around 2*c it will start to get Ice about half way up the inner walls and it still did that even in the Van. I never had to make any adjustment to the Dial So I think it would work normally in 50 to 60* Van Temp without batting an eye,erfect:
During the time away I opened the fridge a few times in the day and night but even with the heat in the van It was really cold in the fridge and when set to around 2*c it will start to get Ice about half way up the inner walls and it still did that even in the Van. I never had to make any adjustment to the Dial So I think it would work normally in 50 to 60* Van Temp without batting an eye,
erfect:
condor22
Mike
Nice to see you out and about after such a long lockdown. 32 must be a heat wave over there, went down to around 4 C in Adelaide last night, brrrrr.
We are locked down in NSW VIC n SA so going nowhere lol.
We are locked down in NSW VIC n SA so going nowhere lol.
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condor22 said:
Yeah it was good to get out and I got to test the fridge in real world temps I covered about 880kms and the van still averaged 5.1L/100km which is not too bad seeing as I did about 300ks of Town driving as well,
I might go off again somewhere soon now they have eased the lockdown, :Y:
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brendomac said:
It's a Ford Grand Tourneo Connect Titanium which is the poeple carrier version of the Transit Connect,
Looks like this.
condor22
Mike
RR Your van might be great for Pomland, but it looks a little low, for a lot of the bush bashing we do over here. I'd be worried about gravel rash on the a**e. However, the economy is great and given our distances a great thing to achieve. My home away from home weighs 1800kg, so I need an efficient and economical tug to move it.
I'm looking at a new ride later this year, the one I'm favouring is the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and before you tell me lol, my sister (lives in U.K.) reminded me of the Spanish translation of the word Pajero. For those that don't know it's slang in Spanish for w****r - fill in the blanks, I don't want to raise the ire of Jaros, lol.
The biggest issue with a new car at the moment, it's a 6 month order wait due to Covid and microchip shortages. Which in turn reduces the bargain chip with dealers.
I have a few reasons for this choice as I've done a fair bit of pro/con research v my wants and needs.
However, the economy is great and given our distances a great thing to achieve. My home away from home weighs 1800kg, so I need an efficient and economical tug to move it.I'm looking at a new ride later this year, the one I'm favouring is the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and before you tell me lol, my sister (lives in U.K.) reminded me of the Spanish translation of the word Pajero. For those that don't know it's slang in Spanish for w****r - fill in the blanks, I don't want to raise the ire of Jaros, lol.
The biggest issue with a new car at the moment, it's a 6 month order wait due to Covid and microchip shortages. Which in turn reduces the bargain chip with dealers.
I have a few reasons for this choice as I've done a fair bit of pro/con research v my wants and needs.
