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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 6:04 am Post subject: |
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Wish I was ready to buy one but still have to sell SsWWs first and then onto a picked out Vanagon diesel. _________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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tclark Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2005 Posts: 926
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 8:12 am Post subject: |
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Yah I am going to buy one but thought I'd go for the
63Q Outside Dimensions: 20.7"h x 28.1"w x 17.9"d, 6.25 Amps @ 12V DC
http://www.edgestar.com/products/fridgefreeze/fp630.asp
vs
43Q External Dimensions: 20.8"h x 24.7"w x 17.7"d, 5.4 Amps @ 12V DC
http://www.edgestar.com/products/fridgefreeze/fp430.asp
I dont think that extra 4 inches would be that much of an issue & the diff in price is 423-476=47
but almost another amp how do you calc battery time based on amp draw ?
I assume it will do the full 6.25 draw until it hits the the set temp then it will cycle on/off & I wonder what the practical draw/hr would be fully loaded at 70F..
Is the reality you only need to have on while driving then when ya park at the camp spot you can turn it off for the night & it will stay cool enuff till the AM? _________________ 89 Westy with TDI AHU 1.9 manual lots of mods
85 GL 1.9, auto (for sold) |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 8:39 am Post subject: |
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tclark wrote: |
Is the reality you only need to have on while driving then when ya park at the camp spot you can turn it off for the night & it will stay cool enuff till the AM? |
Int he comments a guy says he does that and it warms up about 10* overnight.
For battery life you need to know that AH rating of your battery NOT the CCA. A typical battery is around 70 AH, if for example the fridge draws 7 amps and never stopped running the battery would be dead in 10 hours.
If this fridge is like an engel it runs very little, my buddies engel only runs about once an hour for ~5 minutes (at 70* F outside). That is, the engel runs WAY WAY less than my vitrofrigo. Based on the comments for this fridge my hunch is that it has the same swing motor that the engel has so it too should be quite efficient overall. _________________
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crazyvwvanman Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008 Posts: 9895 Location: Orbiting San Diego
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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Your buddy may be exaggerating by some margin. According to the Engel factory test data their 43 QT similar unit runs about 25% of the time when set to it's warmest setting in a 75 degree F ambient location. It runs about 50% of the time in 95 F.
http://www.engel-usa.com/engel/MT45F%20curve.jpg
Mark
jackbombay wrote: |
If this fridge is like an engel it runs very little, my buddies engel only runs about once an hour for ~5 minutes (at 70* F outside). That is, the engel runs WAY WAY less than my vitrofrigo. Based on the comments for this fridge my hunch is that it has the same swing motor that the engel has so it too should be quite efficient overall. |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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crazyvwvanman wrote: |
Your buddy may be exaggerating by some margin. |
I actually slept (about 6" from it) next to/lived by his engel on his boat for 3 days and 2 nights, the observations were mine. I didn't log run times, but I do know that engel ran way way less than the VF in my westy under similar conditions. _________________
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crazyvwvanman Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008 Posts: 9895 Location: Orbiting San Diego
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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Engel gives temperature perfomance curves for several of their fridges and all show minimum run times of 10-15 minutes per hour, at the warmest setting in 75 F air. The run times all about double in 95 F air to 20-30 min per hour. That does not seem too far from how my Vitrifrigo does but I haven't timed mine either. I wonder how well the cheaper unit in this thread does? It takes more amps than the Engels do so I have to wonder if it then runs less or what.
Here is a clearer link to a factory chart of the shortest running 1 of 6 Engel models they give test data for. Shows about 10 minutes per hour at warmest setting in 75F air, doubling to 20 minutes in 95F air, not bad at all.
http://www.engel-usa.com/engel/MT60F%20curve.gif
Mark
jackbombay wrote: |
crazyvwvanman wrote: |
Your buddy may be exaggerating by some margin. |
I actually slept (about 6" from it) next to/lived by his engel on his boat for 3 days and 2 nights, the observations were mine. I didn't log run times, but I do know that engel ran way way less than the VF in my westy under similar conditions. |
Last edited by crazyvwvanman on Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:25 am; edited 1 time in total |
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:57 am Post subject: |
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just a wee thought. The boat being in the water keeps inside the hull somewhat cooler. AND so much depends on the insulation job. This I know. _________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 7:55 am Post subject: |
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Simba'sWestyWings wrote: |
just a wee thought. The boat being in the water keeps inside the hull somewhat cooler. |
The temp inside the boat was the same as outside, mid 70's F, there was no air conditioning effect from the hull of the boat being in water. I've spent a fair bit of time on boats and have never noticed any air conditioning effect from the hull being in water.
I have owned a VF for a couple years, and I've spent over 200 nights/days in my westy so I am quite familiar with how much the VF runs and having spent 3 days with the engel I was amazed at how much less it ran compared to my VF, ymmv. _________________
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MarkWard Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005 Posts: 17014 Location: Retired South Florida
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:44 am Post subject: |
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Jack, do you think because it is top loaded it retains the cooler temperature better than a side loaded one? Most deep freezers are top loaded for some reason I think and the sail boats I have chartered are also top loading. I am still using my original fridge, but have been thinking of adding the Edgestar 43 to replace the coleman cooler we always end up bringing. I like the propane feature of the stock fridge even though overall it is a mediocore refrigerator. It would have to die though before I swap it out. I also noticed tha Edgestar sells portable air conditioners. Handy in the south. I wonder if the compact one would fit between the front seats when camping. I need to measure. _________________ ☮️
Last edited by MarkWard on Mon Mar 29, 2010 9:01 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Vanagon Nut Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008 Posts: 10347 Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:41 am Post subject: |
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rsxsr wrote: |
Jack, do you think because it is top loaded it retains the cooler temperature better than a side loaded one? |
I ran some rough calculations on that a while back, based on $50 full fridge and %70 air exchange when the door opens. When you open the door of a front loader and close it is roughly the equivalent of putting 1/4 ounce of 70* F water in the fridge, as far as how much extra work the fridge has to do. That is also assuming zero air exchange with a top loader, which isn't the case as there will always be some air exchange.
I think a bunch of it is that the engel is just better insulated, and the low current draw super quiet compressor motor is just icing on the cake. _________________
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:46 am Post subject: |
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I sure am tempted to get one after reading that through review!
jfarsang wrote: |
With the fridge full, I could only hear it cycle maybe 6 times yesterday throughout the day. Barely sips any mah from the house battery.
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Sounds just like my experience with the Engel. _________________
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Vanagon Nut Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008 Posts: 10347 Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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jackbombay wrote: |
I sure am tempted to get one after reading that through review!
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Yah a compressor type fridge is tempting. Every year I "threaten" to upgrade. Obviously depends on ones camping lifestyle, but at the very least, I would need a larger aux. battery or solar supplement.
I wonder if it would fit in place of Dometic? So what if the food spills out when opened. Who cares?
Pre-scrambled eggs. Way easier to make.
Neil. _________________ 1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
1988 West DIY 50º ABA
VE7TBN |
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 2:01 pm Post subject: |
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I had 2 sailboats (not at the same time) the wooden one was slightly cooler (well probably damp) but the fibreglass one I had built was much cooler inside than outside (as long as there was a breeze of any sort). _________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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