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Krankin
Guest
From the wonderful world of EGAY.....
whats the verdict????
NEW 80L PORTABLE FREEZER FRIDGE caravan camping fishing | eBay
whats the verdict????
NEW 80L PORTABLE FREEZER FRIDGE caravan camping fishing | eBay
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raywise
Member
Mmm, looks alright. I was a bit concerned at the 3.5amp power draw, considering some of the other Danfoss compressor fridges pull an average of 2amps once cooled. I'll be keeping an eye on this one as paying over $1000.00 on a fridge to take camping is way out of our budget, especially when we need to replace the 23 year old fridge at home first, 
The OzExplorer initial review seemed favourable.
The OzExplorer initial review seemed favourable.
For an 80L fridge that's not too bad. The motor should last a while being brushless, but I'm concerned about the insulation. If that - and the seal around the lid - is okay then no problems at all. It will cool to 56C below ambient - so that's pretty much good for anywhere in Australia.
It's also cheaper than an Engel. I wonder how noisy the compressor is - would you want to keep some distance between it and your sleeping area? Let us know, Jim!
It's also cheaper than an Engel. I wonder how noisy the compressor is - would you want to keep some distance between it and your sleeping area? Let us know, Jim!
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KraftyPg
Guest
Several things I would note.
As ray says the 3.5amp draw might be a little high given that is says it's 3.5 continuous. My fridge (which is only 50L) draws about 2 amps during each cycle and our bench testing has shown us that at around 30 ambient in the old mans shed the fridge will average about 3 cycles per hour once cooled. So 6A per hour is a lot different to 3.5A continuous. Not sure if that's just bad wording but to me it reads it's a constant drain not a drain per cycle.
The max operating temp could be a worth consideration if you plan on a lot of hot trips. I have no idea what mine is capable of anymore but I know mine has kept beer frosty cold in 45 degree ambient heat, but I also know that on that day the heat inside the canopy would been somewhat over 45, so canopy heat might be a consideration given that 56 below ambient could possibly still be 5 degrees in the canopy which is not good for long term milk storage or if you plan to use it as a freezer in such conditions.
The brushless motor might well last longer (but really that's just like saying a Commodore will last longer than a Ford when we all know anything manufactured could have problems), but will you be able to get parts for it or any other part of the fridge if they fail. Going with mainstream brands might well be beneficial if you're on a long trip and something goes wrong.
For me I wouldn't buy it, but that's not to say it wont work, I'd just prefer to by something tried and tested and something my mind would atleast pretend would be easily fixed if there was any problems.
As ray says the 3.5amp draw might be a little high given that is says it's 3.5 continuous. My fridge (which is only 50L) draws about 2 amps during each cycle and our bench testing has shown us that at around 30 ambient in the old mans shed the fridge will average about 3 cycles per hour once cooled. So 6A per hour is a lot different to 3.5A continuous. Not sure if that's just bad wording but to me it reads it's a constant drain not a drain per cycle.
The max operating temp could be a worth consideration if you plan on a lot of hot trips. I have no idea what mine is capable of anymore but I know mine has kept beer frosty cold in 45 degree ambient heat, but I also know that on that day the heat inside the canopy would been somewhat over 45, so canopy heat might be a consideration given that 56 below ambient could possibly still be 5 degrees in the canopy which is not good for long term milk storage or if you plan to use it as a freezer in such conditions.
The brushless motor might well last longer (but really that's just like saying a Commodore will last longer than a Ford when we all know anything manufactured could have problems), but will you be able to get parts for it or any other part of the fridge if they fail. Going with mainstream brands might well be beneficial if you're on a long trip and something goes wrong.
For me I wouldn't buy it, but that's not to say it wont work, I'd just prefer to by something tried and tested and something my mind would atleast pretend would be easily fixed if there was any problems.
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Krankin
Guest
it has 1 year warranty.
then we get to the age old argument.....
Warn v all the other noname winches..
GW v yota, nissan, mazda......
someone gots to be a pioneer.
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KraftyPg
Guest
You're right and I don't have a problem with being that pioneer in many cases but I wouldn't do it in this case, more so due to the figures of current draw than anything else. But then if I've read those current figures wrong and the word continuous is not meant in the context I took it them I'm happy to stand corrected.
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Krankin
Guest
if that current draw is a downer to you, each to their own reason,
it prolly wouldnt worry me at this stage as long as the fridge worked right and for the price some difference must be expected, though I put it up on here to get everyones opinions good or bad.
according to the supposed review,
it prolly wouldnt worry me at this stage as long as the fridge worked right and for the price some difference must be expected, though I put it up on here to get everyones opinions good or bad.
according to the supposed review,
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KraftyPg
Guest
Is that suggesting 29 Amps per hour?
I must be reading something wrong, sounds like Chinese English to me which makes me wonder about their QLD location.
I must be reading something wrong, sounds like Chinese English to me which makes me wonder about their QLD location.
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KraftyPg
Guest
Also take into account that review seems to be suggesting that the current draw is during the cool down phase, which is obviously going to be high especially if you want the thing to get to -13.
I would suggest most people would do that stage on 240V anyway and therefore cool down current drain wouldn't be an issue, but to me it still comes back to the 3.5Amp continuous and what they actually mean by that.
I would suggest most people would do that stage on 240V anyway and therefore cool down current drain wouldn't be an issue, but to me it still comes back to the 3.5Amp continuous and what they actually mean by that.
joshman
Member
I think it means that the fridge, set at -4c will draw down 29 Ah from your battery per 24 hour period to maintain -4c, with an ambient temp of 25c.
So from my 100Ah gel, I'd safely get 2 days.
My understanding of that "3.5amp" rating is that, while there are variances in running current draw, when the compressor does run, it will only draw on average 3.5amp.
So from my 100Ah gel, I'd safely get 2 days.
My understanding of that "3.5amp" rating is that, while there are variances in running current draw, when the compressor does run, it will only draw on average 3.5amp.
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KraftyPg
Guest
Given they have sold similar for $550 and with the $104 and 8 day delivery fee to get it to my place I'd be considering the worth especially if I had to send it back for repairs.
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KraftyPg
Guest
You don't use 29 amp hours per 24 hours, 29 amp hours is exactly that 29 amp per hour.
This is why I suggest their maths doesn't work, if it's 29 amps over 24 hours that's just over 1amp hour which makes it a bloody efficient fridge.
However 3.5 amp per hour over the 8.4 hour day they suggest is close to 29 amps per day, but who works on an 8.4 hour day?
Like I've said i could be reading it wrong but that's my take on it and for the extra it makes Ironman fridges a very viable alternative.
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Krankin
Guest
I'm going with joshman....
8.4 is the hours per day compressor run time for that temp setting and a total usage per 24 hour period of 29Ahrs.
8.4 is the hours per day compressor run time for that temp setting and a total usage per 24 hour period of 29Ahrs.
raywise
Member
I have seen those Ironman fridges advertised in one of the 4by mags, and the pricing looked excellent compared to Waeco etc. Very low current draw as well, they do look good. They only go to 50ltr I think, which would not be enough for us, 60 ltr min is what we need. The poor old 80ltr Evakool esky is always packed tight when we go away, (ice/food/drinks etc)
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Krankin
Guest
what i think would be up for debate more is how ridgy didge the review is???
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KraftyPg
Guest
Atleast the greys online ad is written in better english.
But it still quotes Amps and not Amp Hours and we all should know that the two can be very different.
But it still quotes Amps and not Amp Hours and we all should know that the two can be very different.
I think the review could have been written better, but as I read it, it says that at the chosen temperature, it drew 3.5A for 8.5 minutes then went idle for 25 minutes, meaning over a 24 hour period it would cycle 24*60/(25+8.5)= 42.98 times (say 43 times). 43*3.5*8.5/60 = 21Ah. You could also say that it's running for 43*8.5/60 = 6 hours a day = about a 25% duty cycle. Just to verify my figures, 6 * 3.5A = 21A.
Their maths sucks, unless they're missing things.
There will be a small amount of current used in the 25 minutes per cycle when it's not running the compressor - it has to consume some power while it is measuring the temperature and deciding whether or not to start the compressor. It isn't going to be a lot of power. My Engel is lucky to draw 0.1A during this stage. My Waeco 140L draws similar (about 0.1A) during idle but I've seen it draw up to 7.5A and averages 5.5A.
For this fridge, if you said 25Ah for a day's operation you'd have to be reasonably happy. My Engel uses 1.5A and if you say a 50% duty cycle (double the amount of compressor "on" time) it's going to draw 12*1.5 = 18A per day. That's what I paid nearly $1800 for.
Their maths sucks, unless they're missing things.
There will be a small amount of current used in the 25 minutes per cycle when it's not running the compressor - it has to consume some power while it is measuring the temperature and deciding whether or not to start the compressor. It isn't going to be a lot of power. My Engel is lucky to draw 0.1A during this stage. My Waeco 140L draws similar (about 0.1A) during idle but I've seen it draw up to 7.5A and averages 5.5A.
For this fridge, if you said 25Ah for a day's operation you'd have to be reasonably happy. My Engel uses 1.5A and if you say a 50% duty cycle (double the amount of compressor "on" time) it's going to draw 12*1.5 = 18A per day. That's what I paid nearly $1800 for.
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KraftyPg
Guest
According to the greys website the power consumption is 50 Watt, therefore to run at 3.5 Amps the battery would have to be putting out 14.2 V, or under charge, with the engine off or at very worst getting towards the 10.8 cut off that current draw goes up.
Of course it's the same for all appliances but it shows their figures really are ideal situation figures because there wouldn't be many of us willing to run engines over night just to keep the current draw of our fridges at their ideal level. It doesn't make them liars or misleading but it does mean that some people could end up with flat batteries and a warm fridge if they don't take everything into account.
Overall the maki compressors don't get bad reviews, nothing really glowing but nothing really bad either, unlike Danfoss that usually get glowing references. the current draw is a bit airy fairy and some using the same fridge with a different brand name (from the same supplier) claim up to 6.6amps but all fridges will do that for atleast a small time. There is also some reports that they use an older style refrigerant, I am not up on that stuff so I can't be certain of that but the same people seem to think the older stuff is more likely to not need replacing than the new stuff.
Price is definitely inviting but apparently BCF have been known to also sell these fridges for a similar cost with a different brand name so this mob isn't the only one doing it, but they might be the only ones charging $100 to deliver to Vic.
Of course it's the same for all appliances but it shows their figures really are ideal situation figures because there wouldn't be many of us willing to run engines over night just to keep the current draw of our fridges at their ideal level. It doesn't make them liars or misleading but it does mean that some people could end up with flat batteries and a warm fridge if they don't take everything into account.
Overall the maki compressors don't get bad reviews, nothing really glowing but nothing really bad either, unlike Danfoss that usually get glowing references. the current draw is a bit airy fairy and some using the same fridge with a different brand name (from the same supplier) claim up to 6.6amps but all fridges will do that for atleast a small time. There is also some reports that they use an older style refrigerant, I am not up on that stuff so I can't be certain of that but the same people seem to think the older stuff is more likely to not need replacing than the new stuff.
Price is definitely inviting but apparently BCF have been known to also sell these fridges for a similar cost with a different brand name so this mob isn't the only one doing it, but they might be the only ones charging $100 to deliver to Vic.
terryc
Member
terryc
Member
Err, Krafty, you'd better knock off the prune juice. It is the other way around.
"29 amp per hour" is bullshit and meaningless.
29 amphours is a quantity. It could be 2.9 amps for 10 hours or 29 amps for 1 hour or 1.208 Amps for 24 hours.
Amps are a measure of the electron flow, i.e the RATE at which current is flowing.
