Maybe caving in and buying a Waeco CR 50

[ninja.turtle007]

I've stuck with and been happy with the original westy fridge for a while now. I've cleaned the jet and added cooling fans. The element freezes but the general temp if the fridge over the weekend was around 12.5C. The beer was too warm and food doesn't last like it should. I know it has been really hot but I'd rather have a fridge that works at whatever the weather throws up.

Soooo, I am now strongly considering a Waeco CR50. As I now at least 3 people on here that have them, I thôught I'd ask for your opinions.

Ideal scenario

Waeko CR50
Sterling alt to battery charger
200ah + of leisure battery
Ctek mxs 10 charger

That all adds up to a lot of money, which for the time being I don't want to spend.

I currently have two new 100ah batteries fitted and for now I will probably add the Ctek. We are going away for 3 weeks and will probably have access to EHU every couple of days. The Ctek looks a lot more straight forward than the Sterling. I'd probably add the Sterling at a later date due to cost and time it would take to install.

From experience how long should I expect them to power the fridge before they are flat from fully charged? Does the cr50 cut out before the batteries are really flat so that they are not damaged.

I have read the up on the figures on the Waeco website but I'm a little confused

Average power consumption 40w

Current consumption 1.4 - 1.7ah

My understanding is that 40w at 12v = 3.3A?

I have tried phone but their line have been busy all morning.

Any advice or opinions please?

[lloydy]

You'll be fine for a day or two. the way I got told to work it out. Allow 3 amps per hour for the fridge (running 24/7) whatever battery power you have, half it. So you have 100AH. So 3 days fridge alone will be 72AH. Then you need to take into account everything else that uses 12v, plus the fact your batteries will never really be at 100%, as your starter battery affects this. To me, two days max stationary in a hot climate would be pushing it. These fridges have a cut off voltage, that makes the compressor cut out at low voltage (you also need to factor in the losses on the van wiring)
You don't have to get a sterling alt to battery charger, they are good but they are 300amps, your alt is only around 90amps, so as you can see its well oversized. I have a sterling batt to batt charger (50amps) it's cheaper and more than enough. Sterling also do an intelligent relay that fools the alt to work at max output until the leisures are charged, it's around £90.
As for mains charger, I went for the 25amp CTEK. An overnight plug in on a site or aire will fully charge my 200 odd AH. 10 amp charger will take more than twice as long.
A big plus point of the sterling battery to to battery in conjunction with the CTEK (ctek is just wired to starter battery)is that when the CTEK is plugged in, the sterling recognises the the starter is being charged and gives the leisure batteries a charge.quite a nice set up really

[jed the spread]

Tom,

Part of our customer service as a Sterling agent http://campervanculture.com/product-cat ... anagement/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; that you dont get anywhere else is that Al can work out for you your exact power requirements and the exact charger and battery bank you will need. When inside the van hits over 40*c the fridge obviously uses more power as its outside its operating range but will keep the freezer at -18 still and the fridge as cold as you like. You just never get over the novelty of putting hot beer in the freezer and it being ice cold in half an hour and that drains the battery like hell but you just cant help it.

A day like today you should be set for a couple of days if you dont have the fridge on full whammy. You can also help the fridge as you dont really use the freezer much so freeze bottles of water when driving along then put them in the fridge when parked up. You really do need a sterling though and we have just been told that Sterling are also bringing out a 240v charger not unlike the CTEC one but with obvious extra Sterling goodies for around £100. I am ordering one myself


I have 260ah in my van and it does for about 5 days without moving.

Oh and the fridge cuts out at 11.something to save the batteries, and Mr Sterling told us to use normal starter batteries as they can take the heavy charging and you can service those with topping up with water.

I would defiantly speak with Al though as its his field of expertise.

Jed

[ninja.turtle007]

Cheers for all of the info Lloyd and Jed, it really helps.

So for now I really need a B2B charger and wiring. The only power demands we will have is tap, fridge, Eber (not at the mo) and phone charging.

http://campervanculture.com/shop/sterli ... roof-ip68/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

or

http://campervanculture.com/shop/sterli ... roof-ip68/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do you know what size cable I will be required for the 60A charger?

We are away in 3 weeks for 3 weeks so I can't dither, which is my normal approach to things!

I can hold out for the Sterling 230v charger as I have a cheapish 12A charger I can get by with for now whilst on EHU.

Jed, are you running your CR50 with the Waeco mains transformer or straight from the batteries when on hook up? Are you using the standard fitting kit or the flush kit?

[bobby-gg]

I would say go for the CR50 first and see how you get on with the power draw

I didn't want a 3-way fridge in mine, I've had them for years in caravan, statics horse-boxes etc and whislt they are ok, personally I just don't like them, so for my van I always planned to get a Waeco, but the CF50 rather than the CR50 as I can then use it in the back of other vehicles and in a tent etc

I picked one up secondhand on ebay from a truck breakers for around £300, and I would say it was almost new, or at very well looked after, and I've since used it twice camping, the first time a long weekend in a tent where I ran it during the day, and unplugged it at night, and it never flattened the battery or got hot, the second time I used it was in the van, for another long weekend and that time I ended up switching off on the Saturday afternoon because my ice cubes were starting to stick together, and I still had cold (soft) drinks on the Sunday afternoon

Now the CF range is a cool box style rather than a front opener,so that will help in not loosing so much coldness so lowering power usage but I'm sure the CR range will not be that much different

I'm just running mine off a split charge relay with a 60Ah starting battery, because thats what I had lying around

Rob.

[B.J]

I've also got the CF50 for the same reasons and on a similar set up to Lloydy with an 130a alternator to battery sterling and a CTEK MXS25 which hasn't really been used much.
I haven't tried switching it off to save juice but I think I'll give it a go. I get about 72hrs max on 180a set up.
It's a lot of money but it's a lot of cold beer too!

[ninja.turtle007]

Thanks for all of the advice.

I now having a CR50 fitted and wired up. Should be getting my Sterling charger this evening from Campervan Culture.

Just need to work out why the sink tap and control panel no longer work!

http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=120884" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ninja.turtle007]

Sterling hand delivered by Jed this evening.

I'm just waiting for the Mega fuse holders and fuses.

I'm possibly going to install a 3rd 100Ah battery. I have the current batteries on charge. Once they are charged I'm going to let the fridge run until it cuts out to see roughly how long it will last.

Next on my list is a Ctek mxs 25 and a bit of trim to finish the installation of the fridge.

[jed the spread]

Dropped the Sterling charger from CampervanCulture.com round at Toms house this evening. Looked like he was well underway fitting the fridge like I have in mine that we have talked about and its looking good. If anyone else is interested they have some nice grey trim in B&Q that matches quite nice in a Westy.

Here is mine, its been in for a couple of years now and has payed its way a few times over in cold beverage points and the Sterling Charger has been keeping the ebber going loads as we seem to wild camp more in the winter than the summer for some weird reason.







Outside temperature,



Still had ice cold beer



Jed

[ninja.turtle007]

Credit where credit is due. Fast delivery and the best price I could find. Plus stickers!

I was surprised at how good the B&q trim looked. That's where I'm heading tomorrow.

[printmonkey]

Reading this is making my wallet nervous!

[jed the spread]

Reading this is making my wallet nervous!

[ninja.turtle007]

Reading this is making my wallet nervous!

I've never been able to afford a wallet!

It is a very expensive modification, which is the reason why I stuck with the original fridge for so long. Long term I think it will be worth it.

[printmonkey]

Reading this is making my wallet nervous!

I've never been able to afford a wallet!

It is a very expensive modification, which is the reason why I stuck with the original fridge for so long. Long term I think it will be worth it.

my wallet is an oyster card holder!

Long term it looks like the best solution to me, I'm servicing the westy fridge again tomorrow before my holiday in a few weeks. I think I'll be giving Jed some money for a Sterling charger in 12 months or so, depending on savings.

[ninja.turtle007]

So, the fridge is in. I just need to tidy it up with some trim and make a draw for beneath it.

The Sterling B2B is fitted and wired except for the last connection at the leisure batteries. I ordered some Mega fuse holders from http://www.iem-services.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; on Wednesday. They hadn't arrived so I thought I would call them to ask when I should expect to receive them. The answer phone message told me they are closed form July 22nd to August 8th!!! Doesn't bloody say that on their website!!!!!

I managed to buy one fuse holder locally, so the starter battery is now fitted with a fuse.



After much consideration I felt it was best to mount it this way up. I would have looked slightly neater to have the main cables feed in through the bottom and the temp sensors wires out the top. I was concerned that any spillages from the sink would go straight into the charger.

The only concern I have in mounting it the way I did is one of the kids shoving a toy car or something onto the contacts. They are fuse protected but I will probably make a small cover from rubber.




Under drivers seat. Earth point, feed from starter battery and alternator temp sensor.



Leisure batteries (so called). Needs tidying and finishing.


The fridge has been running since yesterday morning at 8am. I put in 2x 2ltr bottles of water and exchanged them for room temp bottles, once. I have been opening the door ever now and then. Just trying to simulate how it is going to be used. I put a can of Stella in the freezer compartment an hour ago and it is now super cold, almost too cold to drink. If the batteries last over 48 hours I will be very happy.

A well deserved ice cold beer!



Not related but I finally got round the fitting the leg brackets for the awning.