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Engel fridge/freezer

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Created by southace > 9 months ago, 23 Apr 2020
southace
SA, 4794 posts
23 Apr 2020 7:24PM
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i replaced my old freezer with a new
www.snowys.com.au/Product/ProductAttachments/7ac6ff59-fe0b-440f-b6db-4eb2a3c67ff3
seemed like a good buy and the only one that would fit in the space avalible. Got the free bag chucked in for total cost of $934.00. Bloody thing drops from -15 to - 14 in about 2 minutes and then the compressor kicks in for another minute or so to take it back up to -15 and then repeats! It's only 24 degree in the cabin one would think it would hold my frozen food for a hour at the least before needing to do a refreeze ? I guess now the thermostat is not adjustable so I may go for the 30 day money back as it's useless to me what are your thoughts?

EC31
NSW, 490 posts
23 Apr 2020 8:12PM
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I don't have that model, I have the plastic 40L. Mine kicks in for about 8-12 minutes each hour or so depending on cabin temp.

Sounds more like it is not sealing properly. If the lid seals look fine (stick a torch inside to check), then perhaps where the pipes come in for the plate. Take it of freezer mode and fill it with some water and see if it leaks.

woko
NSW, 1748 posts
23 Apr 2020 8:23PM
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How long have you been running this new beut ? Are all the goods frozen solid ? And the cabinet full ? Engel gear should be the business. The swing motor is a proven but different beast, maybe it's function is to cycle regularly ?

southace
SA, 4794 posts
23 Apr 2020 8:35PM
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It's 3/4 full frozen mince , steak, chicken etc. it's brand new it's not the seal. It's the thermostat and lack of insulation. It drops 5 degrees in 3 minutes and the thermostat cuts in and fires the swing motor. Digital is better as you can preset the runtimes and thermostat.

garymalmgren
1345 posts
23 Apr 2020 7:34PM
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Bloody thing drops from -15 to - 14 in about 2 minutes and then the compressor kicks in for another minute or so to take it back up to -15 and then repeats!
It drops 5 degrees in 3 minutes and the thermostat cuts in
By this do you mean that it rises 5 degrees in 3 minutes in 24 degrees ambient?

Calm down Southy. Your terminology seems to be back the front.

Temp rises = thermostat cuts in and compressor runs.
temp falls= thermostat cuts out and compressor stops,
This is a cycle
The usual temperature difference (TD) between cut in (high temp) and cut out (low temp) is usually 4 degrees .
Do you have a thermometer that you can drop inside and check the actual internal temperature?

It's the thermostat and lack of insulation.
These type of refrigerators have been around and in use for a long time so I doubt the insulation is bad,
Some thermostats have a fast freeze/ eco setting. The fast freeze will run the compressor longer.


gary

southace
SA, 4794 posts
23 Apr 2020 9:15PM
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Yes I got a Engel template monitor today.


garymalmgren
1345 posts
23 Apr 2020 7:48PM
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Minus 71 degrees, That is cool.

gary

southace
SA, 4794 posts
23 Apr 2020 9:19PM
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Problem is because it's a dial control fridge the thermoset is pre set not like digital models where you can adjust run times. Bad insulation and not being able to change the run time = bad economics.

southace
SA, 4794 posts
23 Apr 2020 9:23PM
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Select to expand quote
garymalmgren said..
Minus 71 degrees, That is cool.

gary


Freezer should be -10 to -15 acordng to health guide lines. A compressed running every couple of minutes is not good economics with a new fridge.

Jolene
WA, 1618 posts
23 Apr 2020 8:06PM
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Won't be -71 ,,,basicly impossible???
- 7.1 very likely

southace
SA, 4794 posts
23 Apr 2020 9:38PM
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Select to expand quote
Jolene said..
Won't be -71 ,,,basicly impossible???
- 7.1 very likely


That reads -7.5 put your glasses on bloke.

cisco
QLD, 12361 posts
23 Apr 2020 10:36PM
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Engels which have reciprocating compressors are power hungry suckers. Absolutely great for camping and emergency fridge at home but maybe not the best on a yacht.

Mate has one of these and is completely happy with it.

www.evakool.com.au/60-litre-evakool-fibreglass-fridge-freezer-new

southace
SA, 4794 posts
24 Apr 2020 3:43AM
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cisco said..
Engels which have reciprocating compressors are power hungry suckers. Absolutely great for camping and emergency fridge at home but maybe not the best on a yacht.

Mate has one of these and is completely happy with it.

www.evakool.com.au/60-litre-evakool-fibreglass-fridge-freezer-new


Be lucky to get that through my companion way never mind find a place to put it. A lot of people don't consider the size and space a portable fridge takes up until they get it back on the boat.

Donk107
TAS, 2446 posts
24 Apr 2020 6:05AM
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The advantage of an Engel is that it is compact for its internal size but it also means that the don't have a lot of insulation so as you have found the compressor runs frequently to keep the temperature stable

Correct me if I am wrong but it appears that the compressor is running for 1 minute and then stopping for 2 minutes when it is in freeze mode and this is maintaining the temp at minus 14 to minus 15 degrees

I have had two 40 litre Engels in 4wds over the past 40 years and this seems about right

Regards Don

shaggybaxter
QLD, 2635 posts
24 Apr 2020 8:15AM
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Hiya South,
Does the Engel monitor give you power consumption? Logging total power draw over a 24 hr period would be cool to know.

southace
SA, 4794 posts
24 Apr 2020 8:54AM
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Select to expand quote
Donk107 said..
The advantage of an Engel is that it is compact for its internal size but it also means that the don't have a lot of insulation so as you have found the compressor runs frequently to keep the temperature stable

Correct me if I am wrong but it appears that the compressor is running for 1 minute and then stopping for 2 minutes when it is in freeze mode and this is maintaining the temp at minus 14 to minus 15 degrees

I have had two 40 litre Engels in 4wds over the past 40 years and this seems about right

Regards Don


Yes your totally correct. I assumed that a solid block of food would take a while to change temp before the compressor/thermostat cuts in but I was wrong. I replaced my old virtifridge as it was running constantly and only had 12volt option, broke seal and no clamp on the lid.

it is only using 1.8amp on each run so that's a good thing, it's much louder than the virtifridge and not a good night sleep. I will run it on battery's today and back on 240v tonight and see how she goes. Regards

UncleBob
NSW, 1296 posts
24 Apr 2020 2:01PM
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Select to expand quote
southace said..

Donk107 said..
The advantage of an Engel is that it is compact for its internal size but it also means that the don't have a lot of insulation so as you have found the compressor runs frequently to keep the temperature stable

Correct me if I am wrong but it appears that the compressor is running for 1 minute and then stopping for 2 minutes when it is in freeze mode and this is maintaining the temp at minus 14 to minus 15 degrees

I have had two 40 litre Engels in 4wds over the past 40 years and this seems about right

Regards Don



Yes your totally correct. I assumed that a solid block of food would take a while to change temp before the compressor/thermostat cuts in but I was wrong. I replaced my old virtifridge as it was running constantly and only had 12volt option, broke seal and no clamp on the lid.

it is only using 1.8amp on each run so that's a good thing, it's much louder than the virtifridge and not a good night sleep. I will run it on battery's today and back on 240v tonight and see how she goes. Regards


Hi I have a 40 litre plastic cased fridge freezer that I use as a freezer, it came with the zip on cover which really did very little towards improving the insulation so I bought a high density foam bedroll mattress, about 8 mm thick, that I cut to shape to fit inside the zip on cover as tightly as possible, allowing for the vents of course, was a bit of a struggle to fit but it has made a marked difference. I find that the run time is less and the best demonstration is to put your hand down between the unit and the foam, quite cool, then put it between the foam and cover in the same location, much warmer. Just a bit fiddly to cut and fit it so that it is a tight fit.

Jolene
WA, 1618 posts
24 Apr 2020 6:54PM
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Select to expand quote
southace said..

Jolene said..
Won't be -71 ,,,basicly impossible???
- 7.1 very likely



That reads -7.5 put your glasses on bloke.



Do you want to borrow my glasses

southace
SA, 4794 posts
24 Apr 2020 8:50PM
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Select to expand quote
Jolene said..

southace said..


Jolene said..
Won't be -71 ,,,basicly impossible???
- 7.1 very likely




That reads -7.5 put your glasses on bloke.




Do you want to borrow my glasses


No need she's running at -10 full of steak, chicken, mince snags, hamburgers and whitting. The engel techs talk me through the fridge today and seems it's the best I can get for the money. Dark now and battery's still at 12.8 so all good.

r13
NSW, 1712 posts
24 Apr 2020 9:32PM
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Hey Southace you and Ramona and Cisco and numerous others need to write a book on regularly sailing older yachts inshore and offshore, as well as maintaining them and servicing / repairing / updating them. As regards updating I am not talking about bigger rigs or go fast bullsheit...just the new cost effective stuff on the market to extend a 40-50yr old boat for another 40-50yrs..............so we all know the obvious standing rigging renewal but it is the fine details of what you have been posting here that should be compiled into a text.........

southace
SA, 4794 posts
24 Apr 2020 9:16PM
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Select to expand quote
r13 said..
Hey Southace you and Ramona and Cisco and numerous others need to write a book on regularly sailing older yachts inshore and offshore, as well as maintaining them and servicing / repairing / updating them. As regards updating I am not talking about bigger rigs or go fast bullsheit...just the new cost effective stuff on the market to extend a 40-50yr old boat for another 40-50yrs..............so we all know the obvious standing rigging renewal but it is the fine details of what you have been posting here that should be compiled into a text.........


That's not going to happen we have different boats different needs and reasons why we own boats. Mine is I hate land and concrete walls.



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"Engel fridge/freezer" started by southace