Ok, here we go. The old Waeco vs Engal. Mmmmmm not really, but if it comes to that, i don't care, its all helpful information in my eyes. I was going to start a thread on Waeco fridges and their faults, as there are many. But i've decided to take a broader look at my lifespan with Portable Fridges and perhaps the lesson i have learnt. And the money i could of saved, IN THE LONG RUN!!!!

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The story begins. 22 years ago i did my first Solo trip (with GF) up FNQ, i borrowed a car fridge from a mates father, it was just one of the inductive things, but i thought 'this is going to be great'.

It lasted 3 days!!! From home in SW Vic to Cairns. It just died.

Great i thought, how typical, i borrow something and now not only DON'T i have a fridge, but i have to buy my friends father a new one, plus buy myself one!!! So into a Cairns 4WD and Camping shop i go. I remember all the beautiful but expensive Engal fridges, they were around $945 or $1045 at the time (yep, prices haven't moved much). I gulp at the prices and settled for what i thought was the best value for money, a Chescold 50litre 3-way for $535 or $600. The purchase hurt, as i was on a budget and only 3 days into my month long holiday!!!! Being a sparky, i bought the correct cable and wired it up to my vehicle battery (yes yes. You can see whats coming).

Great i thought, i have this enormous fridge, i can fit all this stuff in it. How good is this!!! Well after some driving and parking, believe it or not, my battery was almost flat!!! Not to mention the fridge was more like a cooler, than a fridge. It was VERY susceptible to direct sunlight, even through vehicle windows, so i had to use a towel to protect and shade it.

I opted for the 50Litre at the substitute of side wall thickness. Yep, i went for 'Bang for Buck'.

When i got to my destination (Port Douglas) it went inside and was plugged into 240volts. Unit worked great. On leaving Port Douglas, we were driving pretty much all day, making our way home down the east coast, i thought this should be enough driving to keep the battery charged. So i stopped at the next town and bought the LPG gas fitting for the fridge, that suited my small LPG bottle (2Kg i think) It wasn't my first option, but there i was, running the unit on gas, in the vehicle!!!! (before everyone jumps up and down. I know, i know. And believe it or not, i left it parked at the Movie World car park on a 38 degree day, on the hot black bitumen, with the gas fridge running, while i went into Movie World.

I remember looking back at my van thinking to myself, i expected to see a huge 'Ka Boom' coming from the car park today!!!) All was well, and i ran with this system for the next 15 years!!! But always being in awe of those with Engals, Waecos and their icy cold beer!!!! Their ease of use, digital displays, slide out racks. Finally the Chescold just didn't preform like it used too and it got retired, amazingly still in near new condition. In the market for a new fridge replacement, i looked at the Engals and cried at the prices, even though i have friends that have owned them for 25 years, they are beat up, tossed in utes, used as fridges in the home over summer, in the shed. Just used and used like a cattle dog! And they still preform!

My budget stretched to a second hand Waeco CF-40 (with temp bar display). First thing i noticed when plugging it in after making the purchase, is it was cold in around 15minutes!!! Wow, the Chescold would never do that!!! Then all the little niggles started, the error light.

After lots of reading, i find out how sensitive these units are to voltage. Adjust the Voltage Cut-Off and things are a little better. Although the problem was never properly resolved until i wired it in directly from the Battery. Since then its been happy days. It used to last over night, all day and over night on my 'cranking' battery, with enough juice left to start the vehicle. This time span has been reigned in as the Battery is not preforming like it once was.