Engle test

[verdesardog]

Well the heat wave here gave me the perfect opportunity to test the new to me Engle mt27. 113 degrees ambient temperature, fridge running on 115vc. Couldn't keep up even with the extra insulation in my installation. Was starting to smell like overheated electronics so I shut it off. It went from the set temperature of 35 to over 40 before noon before shutting it down.

 

[Kmrtnsn]

I don't see anywhere for the compressor fan to vent. Your just trapping that heat inside that cabinet.

 

[Vinman]

I don't see anywhere for the compressor fan to vent. Your just trapping that heat inside that cabinet.

I agree, my Engel has no problems keeping cool in a sunbaked truck cab where the temps reach over 115-120F daily in the summer.

 

[Mr. Snappy]

2nd that. I run one in my tool truck in Prescott year round, and one in my Hundy. Never have any issues. Can't block the vents on any fridge or they overheat. I lost a freezer FULL of meat once that way.

 

[verdesardog]

there are two vent openings in the rear of the cabinet with an aux fan controlled by the fridge....lots of open space behind the fridge too.....

 

[Kmrtnsn]

there are two vent openings in the rear of the cabinet with an aux fan controlled by the fridge....lots of open space behind the fridge too.....

To where, and how is that heat escaping the insulated compartment?

 

[verdesardog]

It is not air tight in any way, the complete bottom is open, using an infrared thermometer the surfaces inside the cabinet were not any hotter than the surfaces outside (about 113). The temperature on the outside of the fridge was about 20 degrees cooler than outside of the insulated area. 113 degrees f is HOT!

 

[Stumpalump]

Look no further than my junk pile and spare parts bins for similar setbacks of brilliant ideas. Just don't ask why I cut that knobby tire up. Lol



I started my fridge project by maxing out the original intent of the manufacturer. You may find an idea in here you can use. http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...rds-and-fridge-mods?highlight=ARB+fridge+mods
Note the temps of the compressor long after it cycled off. Didn't you say your fan kicks on only when the fridge runs?
That may be your only problem.

Airflow and cooling is a separate engineering team on everthing because what seems as simple air is not. These fridges are designed to be energy effecient and you can bet the cooling is no bigger than it has to be. Throw in a wall and extra air pressure from a weird angle (your auxillery fan) and all bets are off.

With out seeing more pics of your fan and how the fridge sits in the cabinet we know it's not perfect (yet) by the smell. Guessing, I'd max out your fridge like I did and have that fan pulling right against the outlet of fridge coils and not just the surrounding air. Airflow does odd things and more in the wrong place is not a fix. Can you duct it or move the aux fan? I run mine cold at night and warmer in the day so it does not run so hard in the heat. AZ is brutal. If your convinced that you have enough flow then pull the fridge out and let it run in the open to see if it still smells like its cooking. Either way mod that fridge and mod the aux airflow until it's not.

 

[drifter_r6]

My ARB 50 was in the rear cab of my truck which was sitting in the driveway during this past weeks (Sat-Tues) AZ heat wave (112-118). Temps in the cab reached 125+F and it had no problems keeping everything chilled at the 36'F setting. No doubt the compressor was probably running constantly during the daytime. Truck started right up on Wed morning. I have not doubts an Engle would perform just as well.

You realize heat rises? Any ventilation up top? Those small cut outs in the side cabinets do nothing for the big large grill in the back of the fridge. In your configuration all the "cooler" air is trapped under the fridge/slide out and getting pushed down and out the sides by the hot air. The cabinet air space is nowhere near the volume of a open cab. As Stump stated.... Let that thing breathe, pull it out of of the cabinet and leave it on the floorboards. I bet it will cool appropriately. We are still 110+F for the next few weeks, another good test to run.

 

[verdesardog]

There is open space above and below all around the fridge, there is open space at the top and bottom of the cabinets. As can be seen here there seems to be ample airflow out this side vent....I will run it in the open today but it's not nearly as hot today as it was a couple days ago. I did work well when the temp was at or below 100.

 

[Haf-E]

It looks like you are just ventilating it into the cabinets which are next to it - and that it will just recirculate that same air over and over. Plus - you put stuff in the cabinets and there is less air to circulate...

The smell is a dead give-away that your ventilation plan isn't working. Also the additional insulation won't probably help - it might actually make it use more electricity by trapping air around the coils. Perhaps pull the insulation to allow it to breath better...

The fridge actually continues to cool for a bit once the compressor shuts off BTW - and the coils continue to cool down - so it would be better to have the aux fan on its own thermostat probably.

 

[drifter_r6]

Seeing how the Engle is snugly fit in its cabinet there is no air flow, air needs to move across the condenser and with it being so hot lately, LOTS of air needs to move across the condenser. Just because the fan is running doesn't mean air is moving sufficiently. I assume you keep the cabinet doors closed too. Give it a run in the open and let us know how it goes.

 

[verdesardog]

As I said in previous posts there is free air movement top and bottom of the slide out and the cabinets, The insulation doesn't cover the vents at all just like the transit bags......the inside temp of the cabinets was the same as the outside temps so no hot air is being trapped inside. I bought this fridge used, maybe it's just old and tired. It works fine when the temp is under 100. It draws just under 2.5 amps when running on 12v.

 

[perkj]

try testing it outside the cabinet under the same outside temperature conditions. My money is on it working just fine outside the cabinet.

 

[perterra]

As I said in previous posts there is free air movement top and bottom of the slide out and the cabinets, The insulation doesn't cover the vents at all just like the transit bags......the inside temp of the cabinets was the same as the outside temps so no hot air is being trapped inside. I bought this fridge used, maybe it's just old and tired. It works fine when the temp is under 100. It draws just under 2.5 amps when running on 12v.

It can be hard to accept you may be on the wrong path