Using fridge/freezer at home

[DBS311]

I'm hoping somebody here has experience with this. I'm going to be getting a fridge/freezer for my Cruiser, and my wife wants to know if this is something we can use in the house when it isn't in the car. We'd use it as a remote freezer, but I don't know if this falls under the "design" of the Engels, Lunas, etc. Would this be asking too much to have it run 5 days a week as a freezer, and then pull duty on trips on the weekend?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Not only can you, you should IMO. Engel actually recommends using it constantly... the worst wear and tear on the unit is the initial cooldown. Most of the units will come with 120V plugs and in the case of an Engel spares can be had for a couple of bucks or less (they are a common 110/120 computer power cord). I leave one in the transit bag pouch, one in my kitchen and one in my garage. That way I've got power to it during all stages of my loading/unloading

I've seen alot of guys use them as garage fridges, we use ours more as an in the house soda fridge :cow:

 

[the dude]

Great question. I was thinking the same thing, but as a beer fridge in the garage??

I would guess the compressor would see increased use but it might be less then the off to freeze cycling by using it on the weekends?


edit: Dang, Kurt beat me too it!!

 

[Martyn]

I talked to a long haul truck driver who had an Engel 45 in his cab. He'd been running it non stop for 3 years with no issues.

If you consider that the Engel portable fridge is designed in a very similar way to the fridge in your house I can't see it being an issue at all.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I talked to a long haul truck driver who had an Engel 45 in his cab. He'd been running it non stop for 3 years with no issues.

If you consider that the Engel portable fridge is designed in a very similar way to the fridge in your house I can't see it being an issue at all.

With the swing compressor/motor, they're more simple than a home fridge and even less to wear out. I'd bet in a controlled environment (i.e., no vibration, no ambient temp swings, etc.) they'd run for decades.

 

[Bergger]

My Waeco 50 hasn't stopped running since I bought it 3 months ago. It's now the beer fridge!!

 

[kcfunke]

I run my ARB in the house all the time when it is not in the rig and have had no problems.

 

[sinuhexavier]

Full of pacificos at the moment in the office... saves me the 20ft. walk.

 

[cshontz]

Not only can you, it is more reliable than many traditional refrigerators.

 

[adventureduo]

I turn mine off after every trip and don't turn it on till the night before. Tomorrow i guess that will change. Time for ice cold beers in the warehouse at work

 

[DBS311]

Thanks for all the responses guys. This is exactly the info I was looking for. I'm sure this will lessen the impact of the initial cost (from my wife's perspective). Now......on to deciding which model to buy.

 

[oldcj5guy]

It was an extremely good year this year hunting. My norcold unit has been running since November nonstop packed full of elk. I have run it almost nonstop since buying it.

4 years ago.

 

[AndrewP]

We use ours as a party fridge all the time. If we have people over, the Engel gets filled with sodas or beer and is readily at hand. I also use it for costco trips and pack the meat items in the Engel and still go and do my other errands without worrying about spoilage.

They are very versitile, and you use them more than you think. It's easily the best piece of camping gear I've ever purchased. It only seems expensive until you have one.

 

[p1michaud]

Engle keeps on going.

I've had mine since last fall. Got a nice deer and plenty of meet with no room in the freezer so the Engle has been pulling overflow freezer duty since October with no ill effects.

I had read somewhere where some person had run their Engle unit for something like 20+ years non stop untill it finally gave up the ghost.

Should not be a problem to keep it running.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

What they said!

I had a MT45 that was constantly run either in my rig, or in the garage for almost 2 years withouth a hitch.

We now upgraded to an MT60 which will serve the same purpose and remainly constantly running!