Engel as freezer

ironhore · Member

Engel as freezer

grahamg · Senior Member

if the sun shines you would have no problems.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

The insulation of portable fridge/freezers is typically not great (nor for that matter are most RV fridges).

The colder you run the temperature, the more power it will require.
The warmer the outside temperature, the more power it will require.
The poorer the ventilation, the more power it will require.

If any those aspects are too bad, it will simply be unable to maintain the temperatures you require, even if you have enough power.
Adding extra insulation all around while providing good ventilation for the compressor and condenser and keeping the unit away from the heat will all help.
Close it up in the back of a vehicle full of other stuff and you will have no hope.

Cheers,
Peter

oldtrack123 · Guru

ironhore wrote:
Was hoping to find out from this learned forum if a 240 watt solar panel and 130 ah battery will be able to supply a45lt engel as a stand alone freezer without having to use mains power or genie ??? Thanks in advance mick (we are about to start our big lap on Thursday )

Hi

It will depend on:

the Actual freezer thermostat setting

The ambient temp around the fridge

Warm loading

Engels In freeze mode can draw between 50Ahrs per 24hrs up to 100Ahrs

Without Solar input [bad weather

IF you are at the low level of power usage[50Ahrs [somewhat unlikely]your battery will last 24hrs before it reaches around 50% SOC, that is as low as normal flooded LA batteries should be taken for reasonable, long life

In high ambient temps, Warm loading , thermostat set to max freeze you ,could be out of luck

With normal solar input & Fridge just set to low freeze[not near max]you may just be able to manage almost indefinately

I regularly used such an ENgel as freezer with 200 W of panels & 200Ahrs of battery, the only other load was small flouro lights &a small tv

WE were usually ok but did run into troulbe on a few occassions & had to transfer frozens to the 3way

What I did do was watch the solar reg & when the batterries were fully charged,turn the Engel to MAX freeze, then when the solar input dropped down to 4A [late aternoon] , turned the Enget "OFF" until morning

Much off our camping was in NPs were generators are banned

ps I putThe fridge in a box with one end open [the compressor end ] with 25mm of styrofoam underneanth, the each sides, the closed end & on the lid

Then covered with some old blankets so it was far better insulated than standard

-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Saturday 3rd of January 2015 02:36:55 PM

-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Saturday 3rd of January 2015 02:40:11 PM

mr glassies · Guru

my mum used a 35 yr old engel as her freezer on her veranda for 10 yrs without a hitch i now have it in the back of the ute still works fine uses a bit more power than newer ones but its got a bit ov sentimental value to me so it will be there forever .

dibs

Glenelg · Guru

I have engal on freeze with 240 of solar and 220 in two battery's it was 42 at greens fri & sat this week. The engal is under awning works great. Would love to put another 120 of solar on top rather more than less.

snapper49 · Senior Member

re "Engels In freeze mode can draw between 50Ahrs per 24hrs up to 100Ahrs"

Must be an older model

new ones draw max 2.6 amps so max use would be approx. 50 amps over 25 hours and that would be absolute max more than likely half that

mine overnight running freeze mode max took battery fro 13.4 to 12.8 volts very happy wit that

Waeco I had would flatten battery over the same period

http://www.engelaustralia.com.au/2products_details.asp?pid=11&productid=21614

oldtrack123 · Guru

snapper49 wrote:
re "Engels In freeze mode can draw between 50Ahrs per 24hrs up to 100Ahrs"

Must be an older model
new ones draw max 2.6 amps so max use would be approx. 50 amps over 25 hours and that would be absolute max more than likely half that
mine overnight running freeze mode max took battery fro 13.4 to 12.8 volts very happy wit that
Waeco I had would flatten battery over the same period
http://www.engelaustralia.com.au/2products_details.asp?pid=11&productid=21614

HI

It is model dependent BUT Specs fo MT60FP

"Engel MT60FP (60 litre)

Despite this models large capacity it is still light

enough to carry. Great for group excursions, fishing

trips and extended touring. Twin storage baskets offer

very easy access.

The Engel 60 litre is a must for all serious fishermen.

Capacity: 60 LITRE (80x375ml cans)

Internal Dimensions (mm): H310 W510 D390

External Dimensions (mm): H441 W790 D490

Net Weight: 33KG

DC Power Consumption:Variable from 0.5-4.2 AMPS

Power: Built-in 240[end quote ]

Note 4.2 Amps, because the swing motor is around 50W

If it runs continiously 24 x4.2A =100Ahr [Due to high ambients & in MAX freeze mode ] NOTE: I DID SAY UP TO smile ]

The old models had a 48W[@12v inpu]t motor as standard for all sizes

I believe the OP has an old model smile ;

PeterQ

--

-

-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Tuesday 6th of January 2015 01:22:30 AM

snapper49 · Senior Member

re It is model dependent BUT Specs fo MT60FP

he did ask for 45 liutre
and as per my link power consumption for 45 litre DC Power Consumption: Variable from 0.5 to 2.6 AMPS Maximum

oldtrack123 · Guru

ironhore wrote:
Was hoping to find out from this learned forum if a 240 watt solar panel and 130 ah battery will be able to supply a45lt engel as a stand alone freezer without having to use mains power or genie ??? Thanks in advance mick (we are about to start our big lap on Thursday )

Hi

Why not simply do your own test smile

Fully charge the battery

Turn of the charger & or solar

Record the time

Set up the fridge where/ how you intend to use it

Start the fridge on MAX freeze with some goodies in tbest early morning so you get a full day plus night cycle at least

Check the battery voltage regularly

.When the voltage drops to about 12.1V you have used around 50% of battery capacity

That is as low as a fLOODED deep cycle battery should be taken if you want long life.

You will now have an indication of what you can expect with little or no solar input

You could repeat the exercise with the solar connected.again starting with the battery fully charged,

but this time using the fridge as you intend, opening putting in warm goodies &/ or replacing used

That will give you a good guide of what to expect with YOUR fridge during summer & using it as you expect[ in normal use ].

Do you have alternator charging of the deep cycle bat while driving ?

Just one point

I would suggest you ensure you have a battery low voltage cut out installed

One that cuts out @ no lower than11.8<11.9V

Other wise you may have short battery life

The latest 45L model has a 33W motor,if it runs continiously,due to high ambient temps, warm loadings, set to max freeze, it will draw 66Ahrs over 24hrs,

with no battery charging ,would be down to 50%SOC

PeterQ

-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Tuesday 6th of January 2015 02:10:17 PM

ironhore · Member

Nearly ten months now and everything is working perfectly never had to touch it since putting a larger solar controller (30 amps ) has been on the back of a twincab iveco the whole time just need to keep window slightly open when parked for any length of time

-- Edited by ironhore on Friday 30th of October 2015 12:30:25 PM

hako · Guru

Sounds like you had a great trip.
We had similar experience - did the big lap last year with a 50l Waeco Chinese copy set on minus 20C with an 80watt solar panel and an old car battery (9 years old!) as storage in the back of the Territory. This mean't we could carry frozen meal, meat and fish with no worries about it going 'off'. We free-camped 50% of the trip. Never once did the temp drop below -20.
Good luck.

Gam · Member

Hi everyone, I am starting to set up my ute which is an Isuzu Dmax tray back with full canopy. I am looking to buy a freezer to put in the canopy and I like the look of the Engel 95 ltr upright freezer. I am wondering if any of my future friends out there are running one and how it is performing. I'm a single woman and am not tall enough to reach into a chest style freezer. This way it would save the cost of a drop down slide and make for easier access. Looking forward to some great advise, thanks, Gam