Which fridge?

SideKick · Mon May 28, 2012 4:47 pm

Hi guys

Can't decide between the Engel 40L and the National Luna 40L.

They are pretty much exactly the same. Both also has the battery protection now. R250 difference . . .

Which do I choose????

Johannes van die See · Mon May 28, 2012 4:51 pm

Jammer ken hulle nie, ekt 2 Camp Masters en hulle werk kwai genoeg.

Mon May 28, 2012 5:00 pm

I have the Engel and served me well. Both are good fridges,the Engel uses less amps

ChrisF · Mon May 28, 2012 5:02 pm

Do yourself a BIG favour - get a fridge/freezer dual compartment unit.

You really need to keep that meat (ICE) frozen, and the drinks cool ....

National Luna 50 liter works GOOD !! :)

OOOOMS · Mon May 28, 2012 5:51 pm

SideKick wrote:Hi guys

Can't decide between the Engel 40L and the National Luna 40L.

They are pretty much exactly the same. Both also has the battery protection now. R250 difference . . .

Which do I choose????

Stephan, what are you going to be using the fridge for ?
How many in your family?
Will you be seriously be overlanding or just using for day / weekend outings?

SideKick · Mon May 28, 2012 8:02 pm

OOOOMS wrote:
SideKick wrote:Hi guys

Can't decide between the Engel 40L and the National Luna 40L.

They are pretty much exactly the same. Both also has the battery protection now. R250 difference . . .

Which do I choose????
Stephan, what are you going to be using the fridge for ?
How many in your family?
Will you be seriously be overlanding or just using for day / weekend outings?

Hi

Well it's just me and the wife. And it will mostly be used for day outings and weekend camping trips when we have the chance. But we would also like to do some of the long trips once every one or two years if we can manage.

And also yes. The Engel uses a lot less juice to run than the National Luna and that is the biggest difference so far ...

OOOOMS · Mon May 28, 2012 8:25 pm

Hmm....tricky one, both are good, much of a muchness....

toss a coin

Johan Kriel · Mon May 28, 2012 9:23 pm

Talked the someone in the fridge/cold storage business the other day. He reckons all these fridges uses Dunfos compressors, and you don't need to buy the most expensive one's as that companies only ask more then the others. They are not better. He sayed the parts etc are all the same including the Engel, not sure if one can believe it but he seems very confident about that, and it comes from China.

OOOOMS · Mon May 28, 2012 9:32 pm

Johan Kriel wrote:Talked the someone in the fridge/cold storage business the other day. He reckons all these fridges uses Dunfos compressors, and you don't need to buy the most expensive one's as that companies only ask more then the others. They are not better. He sayed the parts etc are all the same including the Engel, not sure if one can believe it but he seems very confident about that, and it comes from China.

Johan, Engel is different...that's a fact!

Yes, correct all of 'em run on danfross, but not all have the same insulation, that's where the diffs come's in. It may be small / minimum but that.

NL have the weekender which is the cheaper version NL and they have the same fridge (in size) but it's R2K more....why....? Better insulation and therefore lighter on Amps.

Mon May 28, 2012 10:52 pm

Engel run swing motors not Danfoss - parts for Danfoss regularly available where as the swing motor only at 4X4 Mega world

Mon May 28, 2012 10:53 pm

http://www.engelaustralia.com.au/cgi-bin/faq.cgi?faq=13" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

OOOOMS · Mon May 28, 2012 10:55 pm

Niel wrote:Engel run swing motors not Danfoss - parts for Danfoss regularly available where as the swing motor only at 4X4 Mega world

Tx Niel....

Now that would worry me a bit when in .....

Mon May 28, 2012 11:00 pm

Mark, NL, Waeco en Camp Master het almal die selfde model kompressor gehad so 2 jaar terug maar ek is nie seker of hulle die model verander het nie

Mon May 28, 2012 11:03 pm

Die groot verskil in my opinie is die insulasie (dikte van die polystarien) wat die vervaardigers gebruik.

OOOOMS · Mon May 28, 2012 11:06 pm

Niel ek worry oor die swinging......nie die danfros nie

Mon May 28, 2012 11:10 pm

OOOOMS wrote:Niel ek worry oor die swinging......nie die danfros nie

sou dit nie se nie

OOOOMS · Mon May 28, 2012 11:12 pm

Niel wrote:
OOOOMS wrote:Niel ek worry oor die swinging......nie die danfros nie
sou dit nie se nie

..........George.....comments.....

legend · Tue May 29, 2012 12:08 am

SideKick wrote:Hi guys

Can't decide between the Engel 40L and the National Luna 40L.

They are pretty much exactly the same. Both also has the battery protection now. R250 difference . . .

Which do I choose????

Well!!! tough choice but also 2 very professional brands witch is well known.I personally think that they are over priced.
I went for a Waeco 80 L fridge freezer combo...Price:R8000, Light weight plastic double insulated walls, low on juice(amps) and it came with a protective bag included in the price....bargain.

The other brands was almost 4 K more and you still had to buy the protective bag extra.I have had the Wayco for 3 years know and no problems

Wendell · Tue May 29, 2012 7:55 am

I would suggest the Waeco with its Danfoss compressor. I used my waeco on the boat and when placed on the back seat it will also work at an angle.

Tue May 29, 2012 8:02 am

OOOOMS wrote:
Niel wrote:
OOOOMS wrote:Niel ek worry oor die swinging......nie die danfros nie
sou dit nie se nie
..........George.....comments.....

Ek is glad nie into swinging nie

Johan Kriel · Tue May 29, 2012 8:06 am

Niel wrote:Die groot verskil in my opinie is die insulasie (dikte van die polystarien) wat die vervaardigers gebruik.

Stem, tov van krag verbruik, maar dit kan seker nie so n groot verskil in die prys maak nie. Dikker isolasie moet minder krag gebruik.

Ek het ook gedink die Engel gebruik n ander tipe motor, maar ek het nog nooit die goed oopgemaak om te sien wat daarbinne is nie. Omdat die Engel uit Australie kom (of dalk via Australie van China af

), moet hy duurder wees as die ander soos NL en campmaster wat direk van China af kom grootliks.

SideKick · Tue May 29, 2012 8:35 am

Engel is a Japanese fridge that uses a patented Sawafuji Swing motor. Apparantly super reliable because the whole thing only has 1 moving part . . .

Tue May 29, 2012 8:43 am

SideKick wrote:Engel is a Japanese fridge that uses a patented Sawafuji Swing motor. Apparantly super reliable because the whole thing only has 1 moving part . . .

Yip

Unfortunately Brian had a different experience

Racing snake wrote:Our Engel 60 combo has broken down three times. Always on a long trip. What a disaster. Repaired free under warranty.

Tue May 29, 2012 8:46 am

That one moving part must have decided to move out altogether

Witblits · Tue May 29, 2012 8:47 am

Stephan - Wegry recently did a review on fridges. The National Luna Weekender 52 L dual did not come out well as it is intended for just that - a weekender. I do agree that a dual is handy, but in that size rather go for a more insulated make - like Engel or ARB. The ARBs all have two compartments and are in various sizes. We have the 72 L National Luna dual. Works a charm and we are spoilt with all the space. One does tend to take up all available space though - a normal human condition!

SideKick · Tue May 29, 2012 8:55 am

Hi

Yes. I read that article. The 50l/54l national luna weekender didn't do so well. But the 40l National Luna is propper. Proper electronics and proper insulation.

On the Engel side, everything looks great, but it doesn't have battery protection. But they bought out now a limited edition 50th Aniversary 40l model that has the battery protection, so that one is propper all round too.

The only difference between the two is the compressor and the Engel which uses less electricity . . .

warthog · Tue May 29, 2012 11:08 pm

We're leaving for Serengeti on 23 June.

I'm taking one bil's 40l Engel- proved itself plenty times. Will use as fridge in Forest on dual battery.

Bought a 60l Snomaster- 45l+15l combo unit. Fridge + bag cost R 6 400. Will use as freezer in new Gump on seperate battery system.

Verdict due: End July 2012.

OOOOMS · Tue May 29, 2012 11:18 pm

warthog wrote:We're leaving for Serengeti on 23 June.

I'm taking one bil's 40l Engel- proved itself plenty times. Will use as fridge in Forest on dual battery.

Bought a 60l Snomaster- 45l+15l combo unit. Fridge + bag cost R 6 400. Will use as freezer in new Gump on seperate battery system.

Verdict due: End July 2012.

Offtopic

warthog · Tue May 29, 2012 11:23 pm

Tks Mark. Will do.

OOOOMS · Tue May 29, 2012 11:33 pm

warthog wrote:Tks Mark. Will do.

Great

And I can nagg........

oxydog · Wed May 30, 2012 10:30 am

I've been using a 'Luna 80l for years now, and very happy with it. When it's not keeping food and beverage cool while on holiday, it is running 24/7 as a secondary bar fridge. With regards to the fridge/freezer combo's, I thought they would limit you a bit with size (eg. a whole snoek won't fit in there!). I just put my 80l on -3 C, pack all the frozen meats and ice at the bottom, and the drinks at the top. Meat and ice stay frozen and beers stay cool without freezing.

andrevt · Wed May 30, 2012 11:51 am

little bit off topic i use a 60 litre keelerman for the past 4 years without any problems have a national in the trailer

yotaman · Wed May 30, 2012 4:28 pm

This is an easy decision. Buy the best there is,Engel.
Spares is a problem because there's no demand. They just dont break!

Wed May 30, 2012 8:02 pm

Stephan

I've done a bit of research on offroad fridges, and have learnt that (and this is confirmed by WEG in a recent test) that the National Luna WEEKENDER range of fridge/freezers, were specifically designed as just that: Weekend type use. So should you plan to use it for a three week trip, you would be better off with one of the non-weekender models. Reason for this, is that the weekender fridges has thinner insulation (meaning its case walls are thinner than say the 74 liter's one). As you know this means that the fridge is less energy efficient than if had a thicker sidewall. I recon one can make up slightly by using a well insulated fridge cover (I wish NL would make their covers like Waeco with the silver inside lining!!)

Wed May 30, 2012 8:16 pm

Never had anything else than a Campmaster, to be honest, I wouldn't trade it for anything else, when it comes to price not much can beat a campmaster. Very, very good quality as well. My2cw.

oxydog · Thu May 31, 2012 8:03 am

yotaman wrote:This is an easy decision. Buy the best there is,Engel.
Spares is a problem because there's no demand. They just dont break!

This is an easy decision. Buy the best there is, National Luna. M2c.

MORNE · Thu May 31, 2012 9:19 am

I have a 40lt Engel and can only complain about it. The fridge would not go under 2 degrees so I took it to 4x4 Mega World. Had to redo to whole fridge that cost me R3800. I looked after this Engel like a baby and it only gave me sh$##@. So I would say anything but a Engel , go to Makro and look at their fridges , very well prized.

YouTube · Thu May 31, 2012 9:39 am

Stephan
I used a NL 40 l fridge once on a long Namibia trip some time ago. Got back, had endless trouble with defrosting and ended up throwing some meat away.

After that I bought an Engel 40l. The Engel runs much more efficiently, and is better insulated, and after many years of hard use (call it abuse if you want to) it is still running smoothly, and keeps everything lekker cold.

There are others on the market as well, but if I have to choose, I'll take an Engel again every time. But that's just me..

Thu May 31, 2012 9:42 am

MORNE wrote:I have a 40lt Engel and can only complain about it. The fridge would not go under 2 degrees so I took it to 4x4 Mega World. Had to redo to whole fridge that cost me R3800. I looked after this Engel like a baby and it only gave me sh$##@. So I would say anything but a Engel , go to Makro and look at their fridges , very well prized.

Thats bad Morne.What went wrong?

OOOOMS · Thu May 31, 2012 10:20 am

george wrote:
MORNE wrote:I have a 40lt Engel and can only complain about it. The fridge would not go under 2 degrees so I took it to 4x4 Mega World. Had to redo to whole fridge that cost me R3800. I looked after this Engel like a baby and it only gave me sh$##@. So I would say anything but a Engel , go to Makro and look at their fridges , very well prized.
Thats bad Morne.What went wrong?

............it would not go under 2 deg. ...........

Thu May 31, 2012 11:01 am

Moet jy nie 'n HLJ se kettings loop koop of iets nie.

OOOOMS · Thu May 31, 2012 1:13 pm

george wrote:Moet jy nie 'n HLJ se kettings loop koop of iets nie.

Ja dalk...want smaak my jy het niks om te doen nie......

MORNE · Thu May 31, 2012 5:50 pm

Ja jammer George ek spreek my beter uit as ek Afrikaans praat. Die kompressor en al die pype moes vervang word , en op dit moes ek nog 3 maande wag om dit terug te kry. Wat ek wou se is dat die oorspronklike probleem was dat dit nie wou vries nie. Ek het regtig die yskas opgepas , van dag een af was dit in n sak en na 5 jaar het hy nog nie n krappie op nie. Wat ek gehoor het van Engel se kwaliteit en betruobaarheid klink dit vir my dat ek net ongelukkig was ,want ek het altyd gedink die Engel is die Toyota van yskaste.

OOOOMS · Thu May 31, 2012 5:59 pm

MORNE wrote:Ja jammer George ek spreek my beter uit as ek Afrikaans praat. Die kompressor en al die pype moes vervang word , en op dit moes ek nog 3 maande wag om dit terug te kry. Wat ek wou se is dat die oorspronklike probleem was dat dit nie wou vries nie. Ek het regtig die yskas opgepas , van dag een af was dit in n sak en na 5 jaar het hy nog nie n krappie op nie. Wat ek gehoor het van Engel se kwaliteit en betruobaarheid klink dit vir my dat ek net ongelukkig was ,want ek het altyd gedink die Engel is die Toyota van yskaste.

Gaan kyk ma agter in 99% LR's.......dis beslis 'n LR ding.....