My New Fridge

[Redfin]

You can buy a cryovac machine for $100.
A vacuum sealer will set you back many thousands.

The difference is explained here = https://www.vacuumsealersunlimited.com/Which_vacuum_sealer_is_best.html

Even tho I bush camp, it is unlikely that am not in the vicinity of some shops every 7 days or so.
I don't bother running my fridge as a freezer, there is no point when even cryovaced meat will keep for a month just refrigerated.
unless you want to have ice cream etc.

 

[Dog Ranger]

You can buy a cryovac machine for $100.
A vacuum sealer will set you back many thousands.

The difference is explained here = https://www.vacuumsealersunlimited.com/Which_vacuum_sealer_is_best.html

Even tho I bush camp, it is unlikely that am not in the vicinity of some shops every 7 days or so.
I don't bother running my fridge as a freezer, there is no point when even cryovaced meat will keep for a month just refrigerated.
unless you want to have ice cream etc.

Agreed and a good example of where one really needs to have the set up to suit their individual needs :Y:
I'm time poor, so whilst I am away securing up camp and going to shop would cost me a half day each time that's two days in a month the coils not on the ground :/
When I become a grey nomad I'm sure that will change

 

[Ridge Runner]

You can buy a cryovac machine for $100.
A vacuum sealer will set you back many thousands.

The difference is explained here = https://www.vacuumsealersunlimited.com/Which_vacuum_sealer_is_best.html

Even tho I bush camp, it is unlikely that am not in the vicinity of some shops every 7 days or so.
I don't bother running my fridge as a freezer, there is no point when even cryovaced meat will keep for a month just refrigerated.
unless you want to have ice cream etc.

Thanks mate, So it's a cryovac machine I need then Yes ?, that would work well because I am getting some really good duty cycles out of this big fridge when set at 2*c, which means it would only cycle a few times a day, One thing I have learned is if you put milk cartons and those cardboard juice cartons in the middle and not round the edge it cuts the run time by about 35/40% because the element can do it's job way better IE with them against the walls the run time was 23m 37s, Then I moved them near to the middle either side of the basket divider and the New Run Time was 16m 01 seconds which is a saving of 7 mins 36 seconds and on a big fridge that is a saving on the battery.

Thanks again RF,

John.

 

[Nightjar]

We used to get our butcher to vacuum our bush meat supply divided into separate meals. 50cents per pak.
We then bought our own cryovac machine, which worked perfectly.
Moving on from there, we now use "old yella" (39L Engel) as a permanent freezer and stopped using cryovac.
The 80L Combo Engel is packed with non freeze & freeze items, as the freezer section empties we transfer from Old Yella until it's empty and we turn it off. (Obviously saving battery)
Both these fridges run effortlessly powered by a 110AH deep cycle topped up with vehicle alternator + permanent solar + portable solar when stationary and out detecting. In the event of continued cloud cover portable generator is sparked up.

The caravan has a three way fridge/freezer so when the 80L Engel is empty it is turned off and the van fridge empties we go home.........

 

[Jaros]

Too easy NJ.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Been testing out this fridge since it turned up and it is very impressive, It gets mega cold, Being the biggest model in the range it is the only one that comes with the bigger BD50 compressor and it is a really nice feature to have, Thermally it is incredible, I set it to -12*c and it was using less than 1.6 Amps per hour, And when I had it set to 2*c it ran for 23.5 minutes during it's cycle but it never came back on until 5 hours 33 minutes later, which makes it give an Amperage return of about 0.45 Amps per hour for a 24 hour period and those run time got to below 16 minutes which was really impressive, Testing the accuracy of the dial because a few folks have said their fridges were out by a couple of degrees, When I set it to 2*c my Digital thermometer said 1.9 to 2.1*c and it shut off bang on 2*c, And according to it's own Dial it would drop to 1* and 0" as the cold Air settled according to the dial which was confirmed by my Own Digetal thermometer,

Personally I am glad I went for the 78L Over the 60L because the 60L uses the same compressor as the 35/47L models which means the compressor in the 78 is not having to work as hard, pretty much like towing with a 4 cylinder, Of coarse it will do it but a V8 will do the job better in the long run and promote engine longevity and because of that extra power and overall mass it retains the cold longer So the 78L does not chew up the power so that's another good thing.

The 47L is an Awesome piece of kit, But this 78L is a bruiser and is as good as it gets when it comes to fridges, I just can't fault it, and I have looked trust me on that score, And I must admit I was worried about it's power consumption before I ordered it but So far I am very Impressed,

More to follow, Hope that helps,

John.

 

[Nightjar]

Your results look good RR, however were you running the fridge indoors or simulating what to expect when you're out bush? ie: vehicle interior, back of ute, under a canopy out in the sun?

 

[Tathradj]

You need fridges over there. ?

 

[Ridge Runner]

Your results look good RR, however were you running the fridge indoors or simulating what to expect when you're out bush? ie: vehicle interior, back of ute, under a canopy out in the sun?

Yeah It's a little hard to take it out side and test it coz I can't lift anything at the moment and it's Freezing out there, I tested the 47 back in the summer between 27 and 33/34*c ambient temp in the back of the truck behind the glass in surface temps of 45 to 53*c before I went to hospital, but now I can't get the house above 27/28*c because the Oxygen sensors shut down the heating system.

I will do the 4x4 tests when summer returns, So seeing as I can't carry them out side I decided to start comparing these two to a smallish Domestic fridge freezer under the same conditions they both out perform a domestic fridge by a mile, IE the 47 will use 221/225 watts per 24hrs and the house fridge uses 595/700watts per 24hrs and in freezer mode the 47 will use 349watts per 24hrs and the house fridge freezer will use up to 1068watts per 24hrs @ ambient temps between 24 to 28*c
forgetting their intended 4x4 use it makes them a much better prospect for off grid living,

Couple of things I learned is regardless of the Ambient temp the surface temps get mega Cold, and while cleaning the 47 I almost stuck my hand to the inside and don't attempt to wipe the inside dry while they are below freezing because no matter if it is cloth or sponge or kitchen roll it will stick to the inside leaving bits stuck every where and then you will have more cleaning to do.

RR

 

[Ridge Runner]

I just tested my 47L fridge on 12v and it uses between 0.398 Amps to 0.404 Amps per hour, recording just over 9.5 Amps Also I did a battery test to see how long it would run before the Battery shut Off kicked and it went well past 6 days and if I had put it on the medium setting or the low setting it would of gone for another 3 or 4 days, But not want to destroy a battery I set it to high and left it at that.

 

[Rockhunter62]

I just tested my 47L fridge on 12v and it uses between 0.398 Amps to 0.404 Amps per hour, recording just over 9.5 Amps Also I did a battery test to see how long it would run before the Battery shut Off kicked and it went well past 6 days and if I had put it on the medium setting or the low setting it would of gone for another 3 or 4 days, But not want to destroy a battery I set it to high and left it at that.

Probably get a different outcome if the ambient temp was higher like here in Aust.

Cheers

Doug

 

[Goldchaser1]

put 4 slabs in it,get ya mates over till there gone,lid will be open every thirty seconds,real world test......

 

[Jaros]

How many fridges do you have RR.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I just tested my 47L fridge on 12v and it uses between 0.398 Amps to 0.404 Amps per hour, recording just over 9.5 Amps Also I did a battery test to see how long it would run before the Battery shut Off kicked and it went well past 6 days and if I had put it on the medium setting or the low setting it would of gone for another 3 or 4 days, But not want to destroy a battery I set it to high and left it at that.

Probably get a different outcome if the ambient temp was higher like here in Aust.

Cheers

Doug

I have seen the weather here go over 35*c and 37*c and 39*c here a few times, It does get pretty hot here just not as often as it does back home, The Weather here is more than suitable for testing Fridges,

The weather here has extremes where it can go down to -28+/- and as high 39*c +/-, Last week we had temps down in to single digits and below and now we got temps between 22 and 27*c +. the weather here is totally nuts.

 

[Ridge Runner]

How many fridges do you have RR.

I have 2 ARB's and 4 Esky's and one cheap 12v Cooler and I gave away the 12v/240v Dometic 35L Cooler because a family member needed one that was up to the task, That Dometic Cooler was as good as they come for temps under 35*, They claim that it will go 30* below the Ambient temp, In 27.5*c I saw it go below -0.5*c and they are set to shut off at 0*c so I believe that if it was 30* it would go down to 0*. And a damn sight easier to lug around and it cycles like a fridge.