MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Top.ender on September 27, 2011, 02:46:53 PM
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Hi all I,m sure this question has been asked before but I need some advice on the quality of Waeco,s.I,ve owned a 40l Engel for 10 years with no problems but need to purchase a larger fridge for the C/T.Due to size restritions the largest Engel I can fit in is a 60l,or I can a Waeco 80l that has a fridge ,freezer and dairy compartment.Any feedback on the Waeco or any other type of fridge would be appreciated.They cant be any bigger than 520mm high ,550mm wide. :cheers:
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ENGEL .......... just cause the box tells you it's 80L don't believe them. Measure it up your self and make your own calculations. Also the dairy compartment is useless :D
yogi
PS(do a search there are heaps of topics on this around the place)
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Have you considered the ARB one?
They have a drain which the others don't have.
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We just went down this which fridge road and ended up with a Waeco. Suits our budget and there are a lot of people on this forum who are happy with them and have even bought a second one. Remember that some of the people who will tell you that waeco are poor quality are still talking about the ones from 10 or so years ago.
Now I'd better go start a dc-dc vs alternator or 6B&S thread. >:D
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I have had my 50 LT Waeco for 10 + years :angel:
Still going strong. Purchased originally as it was the biggest fridge that could fit into my 4runner on the draw system and could still access inside. the removable and reversable lid was the selling point in my particular case as I would need to remove the fridge otherwise to access inside which would have been a pain in the #%$^.
Only real negatives or issues was the requirement to run a transformer for 240 volt (now built in) as the cigarette adapter could be easily knocked and stop the fridge from working. Wouldn't be an issue now.
The other is the clips on the fridge lid to hold the lid open have sort of broken but does not affect sealing etc.
question is would I buy again. YES in my experience.
FYI i also have 60 l Engel. I find this too big and cumbersome and bloody heavy before food or BEV :cheers: even goes in it so is rarely used.
Good luck with the decision. ;D
Cheers, Chris :cheers:
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Much of a muchness, just go and see who will give you the best deal - BTW ask youself if you actually really need the junk merchandise that they usually throw in to sweeten the deal. I bought a waeco CF50 for a few reasaons but the main one was they had a deal going at the time of cheaper price than RRP and had the cover thrown in. I have been more than happy with its performance - I also think the dairy comparment is great (I like to be able to spread my butter on fresh bread without tearing it to shreads ;D)
Cheers
James
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We have 3 Waecos, 25,40 and 50 lt. the 25 has lived in the back of ute 8 months of the year fpr 6 years and siil going strong.
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G'day Top.ender
We owned an 80L Waeco and whilst I can't recall the exact size, it worked a treat but it was bloody heavy (even when empty) and was thirsty on power. So if you are mounting this close to or on the A Frame, you need to consider tow ball weight. Power draw on the 80L was noticeably higher than on our 50L because of the different compressor - still a Danfoss but larger spec. If i had my time again i would have got another 50 or 60L.
Cheers, Rob
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Much of a muchness, just go and see who will give you the best deal
agree. or which comes with the longest warranty
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Don't forget service agents around the country.
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Damage after 5 years of using the Waeco CF50: new power cord, string which holds the lid open broken, light switch pin broken.
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I ended up getting a second hand Autofridge, but prior to that my investigations identified the Bushman fridge as a damn good option. Worth checking them out IMO.
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Oooohhh the pain, another Engel vs Waeco thread.
ps we have 2 Engels.
Hem
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We have two Waecos. The 80 we have had for about 7 yrs and the 50 for about 3 yrs. No problems with either of them. We camp alot, so both have had a lot of use. Might also mention that we bought both from Waeco Factory Seconds.
Peanut
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We have two Engels, a 40 (nearly 10 yo) and an 80 (about 4yo), no probs with either. About the time we bought our 80 nearly everyone I knew with a Waeco had tested out the warranty. From all reports the warranty was good and lately I have not heard of anyone with any problems so I guess they are all good now.
:cheers:
Dave
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Hi all I,m sure this question has been asked before but I need some advice on the quality of Waeco,s.I,ve owned a 40l Engel for 10 years with no problems but need to purchase a larger fridge for the C/T.Due to size restritions the largest Engel I can fit in is a 60l,or I can a Waeco 80l that has a fridge ,freezer and dairy compartment.Any feedback on the Waeco or any other type of fridge would be appreciated.They cant be any bigger than 520mm high ,550mm wide. :cheers:
Hey Topender, we also have a similiar scenario at the moment i have 50 litre Waeco that is 10 or 12 years old and hasnt missed a beat except for it some how got the emergency switch turned on and it run flat out freezing everything couldn't work what the hell was going on until I spoke to somone else that had the same problem. :-[
I have researched both Engel 60 litre and Waeco 80 litre units then add in the ARB fridges who seem to be producing a good product as well it may well come down to the best deal on the day!
There are also the dual compartment fridge/freezers which is what we think is a good idea for the camper (50 litre will be in the car) but then i also hear people say they are no good so i havent got anywhere fast....... ???
I'm leaning towards the Engel 60 litre Combo but then the dollars come into play as they are the most expensive, then there is the power supply as we only have 1 x 105ah battery in the camper but whilst we travel it will charge from the car so that should be ok I hope bit of trial and error here.
Then we were just about to buy an 80W solar panel off flea bay but got told it wont provide enough charge to the battery to sustain the bigger fridge overnight so were more than confused now!!
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We also had the dreaded dimensions to work around which can limit your choices. 60L Engel, 80L Waeco or (to throw some sand in the butter) a 60L Evakool ... we went with the Evakool. Working a treat!
Kit_e
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The Waeco warranty is excellent, we've had ours fixed two times and now it's stopped again, We're so lucky it's within the warranty time.
I think I'll pay extra for the Tailblazer next time. The reliability is apparently very good and can be ordered with either 3 Inch or 5 Inch insulation.
Regards
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We just went down this which fridge road and ended up with a Waeco. Suits our budget and there are a lot of people on this forum who are happy with them and have even bought a second one. Remember that some of the people who will tell you that waeco are poor quality are still talking about the ones from 10 or so years ago.
Now I'd better go start a dc-dc vs alternator or 6B&S thread. >:D
I did the same, bought a Waeco 50l and then bought a 30L for a freezer. I used to have an Engel but was hard to clean with the open cooler tube on the inside, the Waeco is much smoother to mop out.
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http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=16824.msg259559 (http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=16824.msg259559)
fridge spreadsheet
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/cremo1/sizes.jpg)
few measurements etc to give you some more options
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We have a 40l Waeco, nearly 10 years old and a 2 yo 80l Engel. Waeco was purchased based on price, Engel was purchased based on the true 2 zone between freezer and fridge.
Cannot fault either of them, after 10 years only issue with the Waeco has been the light has blown.
Depending what you are actually looking for let price/deal be the decider, other than that there isn't that much between them.
:cheers: Cracka
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I've had a 40L Engel and Waeco but neither caught my fancy. Next time i'll get an Evakool or Trailblazer.
cheers
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No its not we use the dairy all the time
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710a using Tapatalk
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I have 2 Waecos. Do they work as intended and up to my expectation, and would I buy Waecos again, yes on both counts
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We have one of each, Id only buy another Engel.
My reason is that the Engel does not interfere with the HF radio where as anything with a Danfoss compressor does.
Due to my forgetfulness we end up with warm/off food after using the HF with the Wacko turned off. :angel:
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We have a 50L Waeco DZ (should be called tri-zone). Set on -10c and all zones work perfectly.
Also 12v solar power only with a 120 AGM. Never had any problems, even on a cloudy day.
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We run a 8yr old + CF-45 and it has never missed a beat. It is amazing how much you can fit in.
We use it as a two zone. Stuff down the bottom freezes while everything at the top stays nice a cold :)
Haven't even replaced the light globe :)
I think as others have said there is not much in it between all the reputable brands, will come down to price and throw ins!!
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http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=16824.msg259559 (http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=16824.msg259559)
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/cremo1/sizes.jpg)
few measurements etc to give you some more options
:cheers:
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Don't forget the Evakool........... i'm loving mine.
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I've got an 80 litre and a 32 litre Waeco's. To be honest if I had my time again I'd get two forty litres, one as a freezer and one as a fridge.
As for brands - well whichever one works for you. Any of the major brands now days are good and will do the job. I think the current ARB fridge is probably the cream of the crop, but there really isn't much in it.
And I'll second that the 80 litre is power hungry. I need to recharge everyday when it's in the car.
Cheers
Chris
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Just out of interest, how do the waeco's hold up in the weather. My mate has an 80l engel strapped Down on the tray of his cruiser permanently, and it has been through some hectic rain and even when the car is washed the fridge gets drowned but has never missed a beat. I'm looking to buy a 60 CFX but I do like the fact the Engels are bit tougher ?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=16824.msg259559 (http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=16824.msg259559)
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/cremo1/sizes.jpg)
few measurements etc to give you some more options
Hi we have 3 CFX Waeco fridges, this chart is a little out of date, but ok for a Ref.
our Waeco's are going great one in ute, one in camper trailer & one spare for cmaper tent.
For us they work perfectly and there are some good deals out there.
http://www.seabreeze-industries.com.au/products/Waeco-CFX-Range-Portable-Fridge-Freezers-147 (http://www.seabreeze-industries.com.au/products/Waeco-CFX-Range-Portable-Fridge-Freezers-147)
Cheers
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Just out of interest, how do the waeco's hold up in the weather. My mate has an 80l engel strapped Down on the tray of his cruiser permanently, and it has been through some hectic rain and even when the car is washed the fridge gets drowned but has never missed a beat. I'm looking to buy a 60 CFX but I do like the fact the Engels are bit tougher ?
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I've had both engel and waeco strapped in the back of the ute. I just made sure that the control panel was covered with some plastic under the insulating bag. Over the years both probably spent the equivalent of three years on the back of my work ute each running constantly, rain hail or shine. No problems with either waeco cf50 and engel eclipse. I personally prefer the engel as power usage is lower 2.3amps running. The waeco used more, around 4ish amps. I believe that the new waeco's are much better these days with variable speed compressors etc. So it really comes down to the deal you can get. Don't forget to have a look at the evakool range too.
Cheers john
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Has anyone tried the plastic Engels? I haven't heard much about them but $$$ compare with Waeco.
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Has anyone tried the plastic Engels? I haven't heard much about them but $$$ compare with Waeco.
I have one and buying another. They have the same insides as the metal Engels. Same compressor the works. They don't have a temp readout either. I just bought an engel temp gauge which tells you the outside temp aswell for $35 and stuck it to the side.
I know quite a few people around that have the Eclipse (plastic) Engels and have had no problems with them.
Works like a charm!
Sent from my Ring-a-ding-a-ling
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it makes me laugh when people go..." Get a Waeco, we've had plenty of waecos over the years...." Hello... If they are that good, you should have only bought the one :cheers:
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it makes me laugh when people go..." Get a Waeco, we've had plenty of waecos over the years...." Hello... If they are that good, you should have only bought the one :cheers:
X2
My waeco I have gave me problems all the time. But it was a gift so I didn't complain.
Look in any truck on the highway and a majority of them will have Engels.
Sent from my Ring-a-ding-a-ling
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I've got a few different fridges in my collection.
Some used for work and some for pleasure.
Engel 45 litre- great fridge that's in the back off the 200 and never gets turned off.
Eutectic Autofridge 75 litre - my old man picked it up at an auction for $300. It rides on the back off my work ute in the summer and a beer fridge at home in the cooler months. Very happy with this one
EvaCool RF60- it come with the Trackabout and I must admit I was a little concerned about how it would go. I was worried for nothing, it works brillantly.
Waeco CF40- I purchased this one for our Prime Mover about 8 years ago. We have taken it away up north a couple of times camping and it has failed every time. It has been back to Waeco 6 times and is pharrrrked again and only working on 240v. Biggest POS I have ever purchased.
I have been kicking around the idea of getting another Evacool, RF47 for the Kenworth.
IMO they are a great fridge for the money and although I have no proven data , it seems to use less power than the Engel when camping.
:cheers:
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it makes me laugh when people go..." Get a Waeco, we've had plenty of waecos over the years...." Hello... If they are that good, you should have only bought the one :cheers:
Mmmm! Good thought as my 40 litre Engel is coming up to its 30th. I'm going to strip it down & use a rust primer on it in the near future & hopefully get another 30 years ;D
Steve
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Has anyone tried the plastic Engels? I haven't heard much about them but $$$ compare with Waeco.
Some years ago l sold my steel Engal then upgraded to one of the 1st Eclipse ( plastis ) Engals . ran it for 12 months asa a chiller then got my 2nd unit . When we go away 1 is the food fridge/freezer the other is a dedicated beer fridge . Easy on the power set & forget ( not the beer fridge though ) Cannot fault them , though the cant take the full 2 slabs so when loading have to drink 2 cans so they don't get left behind :cheers:
l payed $699 & $799 respectively , great investment :cheers:
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you must be stacking it wrong Speewa lol
Specifications
External Dimensions: H483 x W636 x D366
Internal Dimensions: H360 x W386 x D266
Net Weight: 22kg
Capacity: 38 Litre (50x375ml cans)
DC Power Consumption: Variable from 0.5 - 2.75 AMPS
Power: Built-in 240V AC/12V/24V DC
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EVAKOOL ... ;D
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you must be stacking it wrong Speewa lol
Specifications
External Dimensions: H483 x W636 x D366
Internal Dimensions: H360 x W386 x D266
Net Weight: 22kg
Capacity: 38 Litre (50x375ml cans)
DC Power Consumption: Variable from 0.5 - 2.75 AMPS
Power: Built-in 240V AC/12V/24V DC
Shhhh. Don't let his wife find out. It's a great excuse to down a couple.
Sent from my Ring-a-ding-a-ling
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Why not just buy another 40l fridge? Use one to freeze, one to refridge and on short trips leave one at home. I did this, i have to metal Engels. I would consider the Eclipse next time.
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When everyone talks about the Evacools are they referring to the yellow esky type fridge models or the more Engel looking metal models?
Rays have them on special at the moment.
http://www.raysoutdoors.com.au/online-store/camping/camp-fridges/fridges.aspx?id=1021966 (http://www.raysoutdoors.com.au/online-store/camping/camp-fridges/fridges.aspx?id=1021966)
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Engle all day every day.
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you must be stacking it wrong Speewa lol
Specifications
External Dimensions: H483 x W636 x D366
Internal Dimensions: H360 x W386 x D266
Net Weight: 22kg
Capacity: 38 Litre (50x375ml cans)
DC Power Consumption: Variable from 0.5 - 2.75 AMPS
Power: Built-in 240V AC/12V/24V DC
Handeling all those cans brings on a thrust that could drown a camel , l stack it the best way known :cheers:
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Waeco CF40- I purchased this one for our Prime Mover about 8 years ago. We have taken it away up north a couple of times camping and it has failed every time. It has been back to Waeco 6 times and is pharrrrked again and only working on 240v. Biggest POS I have ever purchased.
There's your answer
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Why not just buy another 40l fridge? Use one to freeze, one to refridge and on short trips leave one at home. I did this, i have to metal Engels. I would consider the Eclipse next time.
Did you read reply 39 or what ??? cold :cheers: :cup:
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Jeeeze, you blokes and ya fridges.
Almost as bad as you blokes and ya d#cks. >:D >:D >:D (refer advert.)
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Jeeeze, you blokes and ya fridges.
Almost as bad as you blokes and ya d#cks. >:D >:D >:D (refer advert.)
Works for me :-* & cold :cheers:
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I have an Autofridge 76 litres? And a Waeco 80. I would never buy a Waeco again. I use the over-ride switch on 12 volts 24/7. I have a large 12 volt computer fan between the 2 baskets to disperse air (coolness) evenly. I turn the 12 volts on and off to both the fan and compressor using a relay that is switched by a cheap Chinese thermostat. Not pretty but turns a useless piece of junk into a usable fridge.
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I have an Autofridge 76 litres? And a Waeco 80. I would never buy a Waeco again. I use the over-ride switch on 12 volts 24/7. I have a large 12 volt computer fan between the 2 baskets to disperse air (coolness) evenly. I turn the 12 volts on and off to both the fan and compressor using a relay that is switched by a cheap Chinese thermostat. Not pretty but turns a useless piece of junk into a usable fridge.
I have the waeco 80 and apart from using a bit of juice have had no problems up till now. I think the thermostat has gone as the compressor runs all day cause the readout thinks it is 50 degrees in the fridge
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how much power does a waeco chew compared to an engel? I realise this is probably "how long is a piece of string", but
I have an 80 Ltr dual zone, when the compressor is on, it is consuming high 3.x to low 4.x amps. when not cooling, its chewing 0.01
So when the compressor is "cooling" on an engel, whats the consumption
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lf it makes cold , chilled :cheers: & food , then it can eat generators for all l care . Sitting at home crapping on about how much power it eats on paper , not out there where it counts . Thing are not all on paper after all .
Sometimes its not in the budget to run the most efficient unit as it is run in a controlled situation as in the shed .
lf it works remember there will always be something better , for next time ;D :cheers:
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Hmmm... Imported fridge or Australian made fridge...
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
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Come on after 55 posts its about time this thread is decided . By either $ or reputation . Pick 1 & go for it , or repost in a few months to start it all again . Your Call 8) :cheers:
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I'd say they've made up their minds already Speewah, about evenly I'd say.
Never gunna be an answer here.
It comes down to, "If it works then don't fix it."
Or sumfin like dat.
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does anyone know how the engal fridge freezers work the 57 L one.
Do you use the dial for your freezer temp and it is kind of spill over for the fridge like the waeco 80l
Even though it is a fridge freezer can you run it as all fridge or all freezer ???
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does anyone know how the engal fridge freezers work the 57 L one.
Do you use the dial for your freezer temp and it is kind of spill over for the fridge like the waeco 80l
Even though it is a fridge freezer can you run it as all fridge or all freezer ???
I have the very same fridge/freezer, the short answer is now you cant use it as a stand alone fridge. Well I never have anyway.
The freezer side of the fridge is insulated with a lid, and sides, and has a small fan which sends cool air into the fridge compartment, thus cooling the fridge. Works well.
I have mine set on 2.5/3 on the dial and it seems to keep the frozen stuff frozen with ease, and the fridge stuff nice cool, you could change the dial setting during cooler temps and still have it work with no probs, same as for hotter temps I think.
Swanny
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Thanks swannie
Now im not sure which way to go as i do like the waeco 80L how you can take the baffles out and use it as a giant fridge which has come in handy for weekends away with a heap of kids and even entertaining in the back yard
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Thanks swannie
Now im not sure which way to go as i do like the waeco 80L how you can take the baffles out and use it as a giant fridge which has come in handy for weekends away with a heap of kids and even entertaining in the back yard
My thoughts would be if you have times when you can use it as you say then prob that's the way to go, you just have to ask yourself if the Waeco is value for money.
For me NO, I have seen to many probs with them, but as you have read others on here have had them for years and no dramas, im an Engle fridge man, ive had my first one for years and years and still going strong, touch wood.... ;D.
:cheers: Swanny