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Equipping the Overland Vehicle Vehicle accessories - Making your home away from home comfortable, safe and reliable.
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  #1  
Old 22 Aug 2009
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fridges - waeco or engel
friend of mine in a dilema

trying to choose fridge for her 127

would you go waeco cf-40 or engel 32 litre

So the vote is Waeco or Engel and resons why please

cheers

rich
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  #2  
Old 23 Aug 2009
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I went for the Waeco for two reasons, but I was comparing it against the 40l Engel.

1. It's cheaper but still seems to have a good reputation. It won a fridge comparison test a while back in a Aus 4wd magazine.

2. For the same capacity the outside dimensions of the Engel are bigger so it takes up more space.

I've used the Waeco on a couple of shorter trips and am happy. I also got the insulating cover and this seems to work well.
Last edited by misterpaul; 23 Aug 2009 at 06:40.
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  #3  
Old 28 Aug 2009
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Waeco
Hi, my Waeco CF40 bumped all the way from the UK to Cape Town & worked perfectly all the way.
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  #4  
Old 28 Aug 2009
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The Waeco did very well in a fridge comparison we did a couple of years ago. Neither it nor the Engel won - the National Luna finished first - but for less money either Waeco or Engel should provide solid service.

I do think the Engel is a bit more heavy duty than the Waeco, at least in its casing. But if I had to choose on a tight budget between a small Engel and a larger Waeco, I'd probably get the Waeco. Forty liters is about the smallest fridge you'd want for extended trips.
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Old 29 Aug 2009
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I looked at them carefully (Simon at MPS is excellent) and went for the Waeco because:

1. It is much cheaper.
2. The accessories are sensibly priced - the cover is worth the money for example, whereas Engel accessories where stupidly priced.
3. It is a better size - you get more external space and more fridge space.
4. They are a decent brand - it is not a Kamikaze 3009.

I paid 500 squid for the 40l (actually 37 litres?) with all the bits, cover, outside wireless gauge etc, whereas the Engel was going to be £750 or so from memory.

However, Waeco only has a 1 year warranty in the UK, Simon offers a 3 years warranty on the Engels. Also, the Engels are easy enough to take apart and replace parts, it is very modular, so repairs would be easy enough if/when diagnosed - dhl in the part, replace. Waeco would be harder in that respect maybe?

I have just started to use mine in anger - the batteries don't seem to be taking any kind of hit after a few weeks.
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  #6  
Old 31 Aug 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OJEditor View Post
The Waeco did very well in a fridge comparison we did a couple of years ago. Neither it nor the Engel won - the National Luna finished first - but for less money either Waeco or Engel should provide solid service.

I do think the Engel is a bit more heavy duty than the Waeco, at least in its casing. But if I had to choose on a tight budget between a small Engel and a larger Waeco, I'd probably get the Waeco. Forty liters is about the smallest fridge you'd want for extended trips.
Well thats good - I got a nationa luna 75 litre 2 compartment for 350 off fleabay the other day - had it running all last weekend parked up and battery + solar keep up great, just got to chop cupboards out to fit it in properly.

Will pass comments on, the thing i pick up is that the robustness of the engel and the long life of them , not sure waeco have been around long enough to get that reputation but they are only 2/3 price

cheers all
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  #7  
Old 1 Sep 2009
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Waeco and Engel is pretty much the same thing inside and component wise.

The only real difference is that the Engel has a steel outer shell and the Waeco has plastic.

I have had a 60L combo engel for about 4 years now and it is astonishingly good.
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  #8  
Old 7 Oct 2009
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I thought the real difference was that Waeco uses a compressor with multi moving parts, and the Engel has only one moving part. So less friction, less wear, less everything.

We got gifted an old Engel 15 liters from 1982, that is still with us and works everyday, and we are doing some pretty bad roads.... I would only have a newer one, because ours is 12 volt, and I have to run it trough the converter from our 24 volts. Newer once run directly on 24 volt or 12 for that matter.
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  #9  
Old 8 Aug 2010
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Question
Hi. I am researching 4 x 4 fridge-freezer options for a friend in Northern Mali. He wants a small, (20 Litre max) fridge, 12/240 V +gas, with a thermostat, for use in the space between & behind the driver/ passenger seats ...
I want to be able to recommend one to him, but I can't seem to find exactly what he's looking for.. (Maybe cos of my bad searching, but hey, I knows nathin' 'bout these things!....)
Can anyone recommend a fridge to those specifications, please?
Has anyone experience of sending a fridge to West Africa ? What's the best way ? Can it be bought on-line and sent/ delivered directly from the retailers, same as buying stuff on Amazon etc., ?
and Thank you,
Tifinagh
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  #10  
Old 10 Aug 2010
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Hi
bought a new Engel 12 months ago ,brilliant while it was working even got Ice for those G&T's but just packed up not sure why perhaps I just got a dodgy one! off to email the manufactuers.

Mark
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  #11  
Old 25 Sep 2010
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Engel is best
I brought a 40L Waeco, it broke down after 3 weeks while I was in Austria. I am an electronics technician so I pulled it apart myself to see what the problem was - the quality of the finish and build was appalling, bad solder joints, cables chafing.
With the help of Waeco Australia (by phone) they diagnosed a faulty component (i.e. a design fault) and I went to an Austrian agent who also sold Engel. His workshop had about 10 Waeco units either in for repair or beyond repair but only one Engel. He told me that the Engel was by the far superior, more reliable and performs in hot climates better.
My advise spend the money and buy an Engel.
Gavin
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  #12  
Old 9 Oct 2010
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engel up date
Rang Mark Horner at Engel uk gave me some advice about seeking the fault he said "
The first thing to check is whether the little circuit breaker inside the fridge has popped out this is found just below the Thermostat and is a little red button. If this is ok then you need to check whether there is any power getting to the Compressor.

To do this you need to remove the push on connector off of the bottom of the Compressor (this will be a yellow wire) and check whether there is voltage there. It should range between 10 & 20 volts AC. If you have this voltage then it would be that the Compressor would of failed. If the voltage is not correct then it would be the Electronic power supply that would of failed.

the power unit has failed amd hes gonna send me new one great service so far

Mark





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