Waeco questions (CF50)

Two other questions

Do different sections in the fridge have different temperatures? there's a grey raised section on the right that looks like it might be different.

If the power goes off, any guestimate how long will the unit keep foods cold for/ it take for the unit to lose it's temperature (assuming inside initially 2 degrees, outside 20 degrees C).

Thanks

Hi Frodge Questions, (soz lol),

IMHO I'd installed a dual battery system. I'd use a deep cycle agm battery (100ah). It would use the main battery to start then once running would charge both. When not running the fridge would only draw from the deep cycle battery.

Today if you dont want to spend a lot more money today I'd buy a Lead acid deep cycle and use it to power the fridge.

Regards Wilko

I'm no expert on this but am answering as all the fridgies seem to be asleep :-)

I think that the Waeco will shut down automatically once the battery drops below 11.6 volts. This may take up to 48 hours to occur depending on the size of the battery and whether it is a cranking battery or deep cycle.

Most 4x4 tourers in Oz run a dual battery set-up with a battery isolator. Some have deep cycle batteries and others run cranking batteries. It depends on the type of application they need it for. And yes...it costs money

I have 3 car fridges acquired over the years. They are only switched on and used when needed. ATM I am running all three off Mains Power as the visitors are coming and going and beer has to be kept cold :-)

Hope you get some better scientific responses !

Cheers

Hi mate I have been running a CF50 for years, reckon its a great fridge, but I too recommend a dual battery system, now I think if you start your car daily you may get away with one battery but I think better safe than sorry so go for two. Spend the money once, do it right the first time and have years of trouble free service.

Cheers Steve

I have a CF50 and it has a user manual which answers all of your questions .

It runs at 3.6 amps - so it should drain a car battery in 8-10 hours .

Yes it does have auto cutout - switch on the front has 3 settings Low / Med / High - 10.4 , 11.4 and 12 volt cutout points .

Yes some kind of extra battery is the best - connected to either the alternator ( dual battery setup) or as I have connected to a dedicated Solar Panel on the roof of my Jeep .

Rgds

Mandrake

G'day Mate

I own a CF50 which lives behind the passenger seat of my 04 rodeo which DOES NOT have a dual battery. I drive approx 50 to 70 ks a day and have no problems with the fridge which is now 4 years old. There is a switch on the side of the fridge with 3 settings - I run mine on med which cuts the fridge out at approx 11.6 volts. The fridge stops cooling (red error light flashes) after about a day and a half depending on outside temp when the car is not used and even after 6 days of error light flashing ( hot drinks etc by day 3 ) the car always starts. The low setting will run the fridge until the battery is flat and the hi setting will cut the fridge out at 12.2 volts which makes it useless !

Here are the best tips to keep things cold in the fridge and prolong the cooling

1) Keep the fridge full at all times - when its full (and cold) the motor does
not have to run as often trying to chill warm air in an empty fridge

2) Always fill fridge with cold cans (or whatever) so fridge does not have to
chill things ( motor doesn't have to work as hard )

3) Place two 1.25 litre bottles of FROZEN water on top of contents at all
times as this helps keep fridge temp down and motor not working as hard !
I keep 2 bottles in house freezer and rotate them when they thaw out.
When the bottles thaw out you have water to drink or use for other
purposes such as cooking etc

Hope this helps

Cheers

Gazz

Hi Thank you for all these replies - fantastic to get those questions answered. I will investigate the additional battery but great to hear it's also possible to run on existing battery for perhaps up to a couple of days.

One other question, I drive a saloon so boot space isn't very large or airy, and on road trips the boot could get quite full - what are minimum space air requirements around the fridge/vent areas of the fridge?

Cheers