Aussie Batteries Giant Fridge / Solar Battery Kit

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scottm

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Location
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Hi All,

Decided I'm removing the tubliner and going to get a spray on Raptor kit tomorrow and then have a go at build a drawer system (much like sparras but using 16mm tube) with basically one draw, a fridge slide and some other compartments.

This is basically for touring with my wife (no kids), can't really decide whether the 80L is overkill and just going to chew unnecessary power / space. I'm definitely after the dual zone though. I guess it'll come down to space but just interested in what other couples get by with?

I'm considering buying either this 60L Fridge + 130W Solar Panel + 125ah AGM battery kit - $1389 or this 80L Dual Door fridge + 195W Solar Panel + 2 x 125 ah AGM battery kit - $1859.

They also have evakool stuff but frankly this system seems pretty good compared to paying $1500 just for a 65L Dual Zone Waeco.

I've already purchased a CTEKD250S so this will be charging everything etc. I think this means that because the batteries would be the same size and probably from the same batch they can be linked? (this is was I gathered vaguely from what Old.Tony mentioned in another thread). Has anybody that has wired / linked batteries like this ever had issues? Do you wire some device to one battery and then some to another or do you just hook up the fuse box to positive of one battery and negative of the other to ensure load is spread?

I kind of like the battery boxes that they come in because it keeps things neat and frankly I could probably just strap them into one of the compartments in the drawer system and not have too much of a need for wiring extra ports etc.. Has anybody used these battery boxes? What do you think?

Can anybody shed some advice on the Giant brand in general? Are there any products in their range that you would steer away from?

Do you think those system / kit represents good value for money? The compressor in the fridges are a Danfoss (which seem to be decent?)

Anybody had issues with the Aussie Batteries and Solar Company in general?

Warranty for the kit:
25 year solar panel
5 year battery - 12 mth replacement, 48 mth pro-rata replacement
2 year fridge

Looking forward to hearing thoughts from people, have done a bunch of searching but haven't found much on capacity planning for couples / quality and value of the giant stuff.

Cheers,

Scott
 
I had 2 identical batteries linked for 3 yrs with no issues
They were at each end of the car also
As far as fridges go you def get what you pay for but anything with a danfoss variable comp should be ok
 
I had 2 identical batteries linked for 3 yrs with no issues
They were at each end of the car also
As far as fridges go you def get what you pay for but anything with a danfoss variable comp should be ok


Thanks sparra, so you think even though the compressor can be good the fridges in general might be average in terms f build quality? And the $1500 - $2000 are not overpriced?

Was even considering a $500 Glacio off eBay as one of the guys on here said his has worked well but the dual zones are up around $700 anyway
 
Yeah I was looking at these, seems like a good price for a dual zone fridge with the danfoss compressor, which is what everyone recommends. You are making a saving just over $300 buying the kit rather than individually so that is a plus
 
Yeah I was looking at these, seems like a good price for a dual zone fridge with the danfoss compressor, which is what everyone recommends. You are making a saving just over $300 buying the kit rather than individually so that is a plus

Yep saving is enticing. $300 is not to be sneezed at. What sort of size are you looking at? You already have batteries / solar or considering that as well?

Video is indeed woeful.
 
I am not overly keen on solar (I don't camp for long enough to warrant it), but I am currently trying to figure out a battery/fridge option. I think I will go with an isolator and just manually charge the deeps cycle up every now and then. And I will probably buy 100-120Ah AGM battery, all depends what I can fit up front in my engine bay.
 
And yes tossing up the fridge option between the glacio and giant, giant seems like the better option due to the brand of compressor used (I cant find out what glacio use, but I doubt it's danfoss), and it has dual zone, not that I can see myself using the freezer much, but if I ever need it, it will be there
 
Hey guys,

I stumbled across this post, and I actually work for Aussie Batteries. Hopefully I can answer some of your questions!

Has anybody that has wired / linked batteries like this ever had issues? Do you wire some device to one battery and then some to another or do you just hook up the fuse box to positive of one battery and negative of the other to ensure load is spread?

I'm assuming you are talking about linking the 2x125AH batteries in the 80L kit here. The way the kit is set up is that each battery sits in its own battery box, and these two battery boxes are connected together by a cable from one anderson plug on top to an anderson plug on the other. This links the batteries in parallel.

When connecting devices, if you've got a positive and negative connection you'll want to connect it to the positive terminal on one battery box, and the negative terminal on the other (which will distribute the load as you said). For some devices of course this isn't possible though due to connecting via a single socket - in this scenario I'd recommend alternating which battery they are connected to every now and then.

Has anybody used these battery boxes? What do you think?

I can't actually think of a time when we've had one returned that has failed under warranty. We build these battery boxes ourselves in our own workshop. The volt meter is particularly useful - you can get a more exact idea of your battery level than is possible with some of the other powered boxes on the market that only have a "full, low, flat" LED indicator style.

Can anybody shed some advice on the Giant brand in general?

The products in the Giant Power brand are all sourced directly from top tier manufacturers (for example, the fridges are made in the same factory as the EvaKool IB70 fridge), and are customised to the best specifications for Australia. The goal is not to try and compete with the cheapest of the cheap in the market, but to offer the best value (combination of great price and great product specs). For example, choosing to use the superior Danfoss compressor over substantially cheaper versions (such as what the other fridge mentioned almost certainly uses). Why? Because it's better, and almost never fails.

----

I hope this has answered your questions. If you have any others, feel free to get in touch - we can also create a custom kit to suit your needs.

Also, apologies about the fridge video - it's definitely a bit cheesy, we're currently in the process of redoing our existing videos and creating new videos.
 
Thanks sparra, so you think even though the compressor can be good the fridges in general might be average in terms f build quality? And the $1500 - $2000 are not overpriced?

Was even considering a $500 Glacio off eBay as one of the guys on here said his has worked well but the dual zones are up around $700 anyway

I bought a Glacio and I have been pretty happy with it. Unsure on the brand of the compressor on it, but i seriously doubt its a danfoss. I haven't put it through what i would consider serious abuse, but it has been knocked about a bit in the tray and it hasn't skipped a beat.

My setup cost me just over 1k (fridge, battery, battery box and 100w solar) and it has suited my needs pretty well.
 
Hey guys,

I stumbled across this post, and I actually work for Aussie Batteries. Hopefully I can answer some of your questions!



I'm assuming you are talking about linking the 2x125AH batteries in the 80L kit here. The way the kit is set up is that each battery sits in its own battery box, and these two battery boxes are connected together by a cable from one anderson plug on top to an anderson plug on the other. This links the batteries in parallel.

When connecting devices, if you've got a positive and negative connection you'll want to connect it to the positive terminal on one battery box, and the negative terminal on the other (which will distribute the load as you said). For some devices of course this isn't possible though due to connecting via a single socket - in this scenario I'd recommend alternating which battery they are connected to every now and then.



I can't actually think of a time when we've had one returned that has failed under warranty. We build these battery boxes ourselves in our own workshop. The volt meter is particularly useful - you can get a more exact idea of your battery level than is possible with some of the other powered boxes on the market that only have a "full, low, flat" LED indicator style.



The products in the Giant Power brand are all sourced directly from top tier manufacturers (for example, the fridges are made in the same factory as the EvaKool IB70 fridge), and are customised to the best specifications for Australia. The goal is not to try and compete with the cheapest of the cheap in the market, but to offer the best value (combination of great price and great product specs). For example, choosing to use the superior Danfoss compressor over substantially cheaper versions (such as what the other fridge mentioned almost certainly uses). Why? Because it's better, and almost never fails.

----

I hope this has answered your questions. If you have any others, feel free to get in touch - we can also create a custom kit to suit your needs.

Also, apologies about the fridge video - it's definitely a bit cheesy, we're currently in the process of redoing our existing videos and creating new videos.



Hey Matt,

Thanks so much for your reply and info regarding the battery boxes and Giant brand of fridges / panels etc.

I'm going to do some measurements of the tub and overlay the size of batteries / fridge footprint and see what I can fit and weigh this all up. Still tossing up between 60 - 80L package. Do you sell / can you recommend a fridge slide suitable for the 60 or 80 litre fridges?

In terms of the package(s) you've put together (60L / 80L) could you let me know how long you would realistically expect to run the fridge on these batteries? And then with a conservative amount of sunlight (say 6 hours) how long with the panels it would take to recharge the batteries? Just trying to work out the thresholds and whether it's worth just running 1 bigger battery with the larger fridge or if it indeed needs 2 (making 3 in total including my cranker).

As I'm going to be using already owned CTEKD250S for charging (from alternator and solar) can you confirm that I don't need the regulator that comes with the package? If this is the case would this impact(lower) the cost?

What are your thoughts when comparing the Giant fridges to the EvaKool?

With Warranty would it need to be shipped back to QLD (I'm in VIC) or is their a local Giant outlet fridges / batteries could be returned to?

Thanks again for your time,

-Scott

P.S: I was going to call and ask all this but I thought it'd be awesome to have the information on the forum for future.
 
Matt at Aussie batteries was a big help the me when I fitted that front terminal AGM behind the seat, as it was an unusual install but he honestly helped me despite unusual questions and had the product at my door for a great price the next day.
 
Matt at Aussie batteries was a big help the me when I fitted that front terminal AGM behind the seat, as it was an unusual install but he honestly helped me despite unusual questions and had the product at my door for a great price the next day.

G'day HJ,

Thanks for your comments. I considered that space for the thinner batteries but decided it was better used for rifle storage. (discreet / hidden)

I am however considering the space in the tub on the left and right hand sides towards the tub door (ie forward of the wheel arches) for a tall thin battery but will have to measure and see, seems at the moment like it would be a better use of that space (which is now usable since I gave the tubliner the flick for a spray on job).

Cheers,

-Scott
 
They do but hard to find, they do them in the 40's. I was going to use that slimline in the spot you were thinking of it conceals well. Thieves are the only other concern mate.

Yep, will do that measurements and see how we go. I'll have a canopy on so hopefully that's enough to deter thieves...
 
Do you sell / can you recommend a fridge slide suitable for the 60 or 80 litre fridges?

We don't sell fridge slides at the moment, and I'm afraid I can't recommend one. I believe one of the other guys in the office has a list of suitable ones, but he's not working today so I can't ask. Our website has fridge footprint sizes listed on each model if you want to see if you can find one that will fit.


In terms of the package(s) you've put together (60L / 80L) could you let me know how long you would realistically expect to run the fridge on these batteries? And then with a conservative amount of sunlight (say 6 hours) how long with the panels it would take to recharge the batteries?

There's quite a lot of variables needed to work this accurately, such as
- What time of year you go away (summer will produce more solar than winter, even on a sunny day in both)
- Where you travel to
- What temperature the fridge is on
- etc

I'll try to give you a basic answer taking into account real values you might get, but the best bet is to call one of our experts and have a chat, they'll quickly work out what will suit your situation best. With solar we work on 5 peak sun hours a day (where the sun will be producing the best amount of power).

Average estimate of 60L Package, running as a fridge, with good weather for solar
- Fridge draw approx 1.2amp/hr (28.8amps over 24 hours)
- 130W Solar Panel approx 5.8amp/hr (29 amps with 5 peak sun hours)
- Would run just about indefinitely with good weather

Average estimate of 60L Package, running as full freezer, with good weather for solar
- Fridge draw approx 3.5amp/hr (84amps over 24 hours)
- 130W Solar Panel approx 5.8amp/hr (29 amps with 5 peak sun hours)
- Battery would lose about 50 amps/day running as a full fridge, so only a couple days before the battery is very low

Average estimate of 80L Package, running as a fridge with good weather for solar
- Fridge draw approx 1.3amp/hr (31.2amps over 24 hours)
- 195W Solar Panel Approx 8.6amp/hr (43 amps with 5 peak sun hours)

Average estimate of 80L Package, running as full freezer with good weather for solar
- Fridge draw approx 3.5amp/hr (84amps over 24 hours)
- 195W Solar Panel Approx 8.6amp/hr (43 amps with 5 peak sun hours)
- Battery would lose about 40amps/day with this, so you'd get about 6 days before the battery is very low

Most users would be somewhere inbetween the two values, particularly if setting one side to fridge and the other to freezer. As I said previously though there are a lot of assumptions in these numbers, to get a more exact answer I'd recommend giving us a call and having a chat to one of our experts.


As I'm going to be using already owned CTEKD250S for charging (from alternator and solar) can you confirm that I don't need the regulator that comes with the package? If this is the case would this impact(lower) the cost?

Yes, by running the solar through the CTEK you won't need a regulator (and in fact it won't work if you try to run the solar through 2 regulators). You've got two options here - remove the regulator which will save you about $40, or what I would recommend is a regulator bypass.

Typical regulator is:
Solar Panel -> Hardwired cable -> Regulator -> 7M cable with anderson

Regulator Bypass is:
Solar Panel -> Short Cable with Anderson -> Anderson and short cable -> Regulator -> 7m cable

What this allows you to do is either connect the two short cables and use the regulator on the back of the panel, or disconnect them and connect straight to the solar panel (such as when you would use your CTEK). I recommend this because it gives you extra options - you can run directly to the battery or through CTEK. Also handy if you want to lend it to a mate who doesn't have another solar regulator/CTEK.


What are your thoughts when comparing the Giant fridges to the EvaKool?

This really dependings on which EvaKool line you are looking at, they are all very different. The main lines are:

Travelmate and similar - manufactured in China with Chinese compressor. Budget range.

IB70 & IB100 - built in the same factory as Giant fridges, comparable quality, both use Danfoss compressor

RF Series - still made in Australia at EvaKool factory, exceptional insulation, use Danfoss compressor. Perform better than Giant fridges, but are about twice as expensive.


With Warranty would it need to be shipped back to QLD (I'm in VIC) or is their a local Giant outlet fridges / batteries could be returned to?

Giant Power fridges have an Australia wide repair network. In Victoria our repair agent is located in Braeside, though if this isn't convenient we can sometimes arrange with the customer to use a repair agent closer by.


-----

Let me know if you have any other questions, or feel free to give us a call. Keep in mind we can always customise a kit with your choice of battery/solar/fridge etc. to best suit your requirements.

On a side note, we've just run out of stock of the 60L fridges, and our next shipment isn't due for a few weeks. However, we've discounted our 80L version (same footprint, just taller) to be the same price in the interim.
 

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