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Thread: Battery for an Engel fridge

  1. #1

    Battery for an Engel fridge

    What kind of battery should I buy to run my fridge on. I need a battery that can handle deep discharge and rapid recharge.

    Looking forward to your sage advice


    Cheers

    Stu

  2. #2

    Re: Battery for an Engel fridge

    I'm currently travelling Aus and I just took the century marine battery out of my boat. Think it's a 720. I've camped for 7 nights running an engel 60ltr fridge/freezer set at -4 with a 120w solar panel. Lowest battery got was 12.1v. Car never started.

  3. #3

    Re: Battery for an Engel fridge

    Similar experience 125 amp deep cycle used though, I believe would be better than a cranking battery as it recovers better and it is my understanding that the batteries life won't be shortened as much when the voltages gets down a little low.

  4. #4

    Re: Battery for an Engel fridge

    You are looking at low internal resistance deep cycle batteries with the highest purity of lead. Odyssey and optima have no limit to initial recharge amps. You need to find the spec and recharge details for each battery you look at to get an idea about them. A/h are not all that important - my optima is 75 ah but belts bigger batteries because it recharges fast and loves solar power. That suits me but doesn't suit everybody. Bottom line, you always get what you pay for with batteries and my experience is the most expensive ones worked back over the number of years they lasted me always end up better value than cheap batteries. My last optima was 11 years old running a fridge in a ute.
    nil carborundum illegitimi

  5. #5

    Re: Battery for an Engel fridge

    Thanks to all, my vote goes to GBC which sounds like what I need.

  6. #6

    Re: Battery for an Engel fridge

    You really should be sticking with a deep cycle battery - Yeh , sure you can use marine batteries & duel purpose ..... but ultimately if you are drawing down below 50% you will shorten the life of these batteries significantly

    If you want a battery that you can keep for years - go an AGM ... they recover quickly & can comfortably be discharged further.

    The other tip would be - bigger is better . ...... the Engel can draw up to 4.2 amps an hour - so a 75amp battery is not a good choice unless you have a solar cell topping up the battery or you plan to run a gennie every evening for a couple of hours .

    I've just gone with a 150amp AGM & a 200amp solar panel for my upcoming trip north to run my 80lt Engel - it's a little overkill but if the sun isn't out & I'm not around to move the panel during the course of the day .... I'll need it .

    Chris


    battery management is important
    Give a man a fish & he will eat for a day !
    Teach him how to fish
    & he will sit in a boat - & drink beer all day!
    TEAM MOJIKO

  7. #7

    Re: Battery for an Engel fridge

    Quote Originally Posted by NAGG View Post
    You really should be sticking with a deep cycle battery - Yeh , sure you can use marine batteries & duel purpose ..... but ultimately if you are drawing down below 50% you will shorten the life of these batteries significantly

    If you want a battery that you can keep for years - go an AGM ... they recover quickly & can comfortably be discharged further.

    The other tip would be - bigger is better . ...... the Engel can draw up to 4.2 amps an hour - so a 75amp battery is not a good choice unless you have a solar cell topping up the battery or you plan to run a gennie every evening for a couple of hours .

    I've just gone with a 150 amp AGM & a 200 amp solar panel for my upcoming trip north to run my 80lt Engel - it's a little overkill but if the sun isn't out & I'm not around to move the panel during the course of the day .... I'll need it .

    Chris


    battery management is important
    Hi Chris I have a forty litre Engel I will be happy if it keeps the fridge running overnight. You have a 2400 watt solar Panel? I believe my fridge will draw about 2 amps an hour. It is all very confusing apparently not all AGM batteries are equal, some will not handle deep discharge.


    How do I sort that out?


    Cheers

    Stu

  8. #8

    Re: Battery for an Engel fridge

    Quote Originally Posted by goanna1 View Post
    Hi Chris I have a forty litre Engel I will be happy if it keeps the fridge running overnight. You have a 2400 watt solar Panel? I believe my fridge will draw about 2 amps an hour. It is all very confusing apparently not all AGM batteries are equal, some will not handle deep discharge.


    How do I sort that out?


    Cheers

    Stu
    Sorry Stu - that's 200W (not amp)

    As far as the AGM goes - it's the type of construction of the battery (Absorbed glass mat) as opposed to the flooded (wet cell)

    It needs to be deep cycle. It's not that confusing .... just remember "deep cycle" is just that & "starting or cranking" is just that .

    Marine batteries are a combination of both (heavier lead plates) ..... They usually come with a CCA rating (starting) eg 900CCA & an amp rating eg 75amp Their purpose is to be able to deliver a lot of power to start the boat but also to run some basic electrics eg Nav lights , radios (depth sounder ... just)

    As for your power draw - if it is 2amps .... I'd still go a 100amp (deep cycle AGM) battery ( that will give you 24 hrs & still be above 50% capacity).
    Get on to Ebay & look at the Kickass range ..... 5 yr warranty and at a pretty reasonable price (100amp $300 delivered) -

    Chris
    Give a man a fish & he will eat for a day !
    Teach him how to fish
    & he will sit in a boat - & drink beer all day!
    TEAM MOJIKO

  9. #9

    Re: Battery for an Engel fridge

    Quote Originally Posted by NAGG View Post
    Sorry Stu - that's 200W (not amp)

    As far as the AGM goes - it's the type of construction of the battery (Absorbed glass mat) as opposed to the flooded (wet cell)

    It needs to be deep cycle. It's not that confusing .... just remember "deep cycle" is just that & "starting or cranking" is just that .

    Marine batteries are a combination of both (heavier lead plates) ..... They usually come with a CCA rating (starting) eg 900CCA & an amp rating eg 75amp Their purpose is to be able to deliver a lot of power to start the boat but also to run some basic electrics eg Nav lights , radios (depth sounder ... just)

    As for your power draw - if it is 2amps .... I'd still go a 100amp (deep cycle AGM) battery ( that will give you 24 hrs & still be above 50% capacity).
    Get on to Ebay & look at the Kickass range ..... 5 yr warranty and at a pretty reasonable price (100amp $300 delivered) -

    Chris
    I was looking at kickass the other day and the 100 amp has dropped in price

    http://www.aussiebatteries.com.au/ba...FYIsvQodoZUETQ

  10. #10

    Re: Battery for an Engel fridge

    Quote Originally Posted by Dignity View Post
    I was looking at kickass the other day and the 100 amp has dropped in price

    http://www.aussiebatteries.com.au/ba...FYIsvQodoZUETQ
    Sometimes you can pick up a good buy .... I paid $350 for a 150amp (delivered)

    eventually when I do an upgrade of my leccy - i'm going to go with the kickass slimlines

    Chris
    Give a man a fish & he will eat for a day !
    Teach him how to fish
    & he will sit in a boat - & drink beer all day!
    TEAM MOJIKO

  11. #11

    Re: Battery for an Engel fridge

    https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/arti...el-vs-agm.html
    "AGM Batteries
    outsell Gel Cell by at least a 100 to 1. AGM is preferred when a high burst of amps may be required. In most cases recharge can be accomplished by using a good quality standard battery charger or engine alternator. The life expectancy; measured as cycle life or years remains excellent in most AGM batteries if the batteries are not discharged more than 60% between recharge. There are some AGM batteries we sell that offer excellent 80%+ deep cycle abilities."

    So how do I know if a battery has 80% plus deep cycles abilities ?

  12. #12

    Re: Battery for an Engel fridge

    Quote Originally Posted by goanna1 View Post
    https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/arti...el-vs-agm.html
    "AGM Batteries
    outsell Gel Cell by at least a 100 to 1. AGM is preferred when a high burst of amps may be required. In most cases recharge can be accomplished by using a good quality standard battery charger or engine alternator. The life expectancy; measured as cycle life or years remains excellent in most AGM batteries if the batteries are not discharged more than 60% between recharge. There are some AGM batteries we sell that offer excellent 80%+ deep cycle abilities."

    So how do I know if a battery has 80% plus deep cycles abilities ?
    I'd question any battery that claims that they can be discharged (regularly) down to 80% - Yes there are a few & you'll know straight away because you'll need a second mortgage to buy them . (these batteries have many more thinner plates & the purity of the lead is 99% or something like that. ...... 100amp will be $600 +
    Probably one of the best AGM batteries on the market are Odyssey Batteries - Their top of the line will do the 80% but they will also give only a life expectancy of a few hundred cycles ........ which is bloody good - but most AGMs are giving 1000 plus cycles when discharged down to only 50% .

    This is why I'm an advocate of bigger is better (if weight & room is not an issue) ..... & even cheaper AGMs will give you a good life if they are less deeply discharged . My 200amp (leccy battery is now around 6 years old - still holds a full charge / charges quickly because it has not been flogged & it has been well maintained (I always try to charge it at the end of a days fishing) .

    Chris
    Give a man a fish & he will eat for a day !
    Teach him how to fish
    & he will sit in a boat - & drink beer all day!
    TEAM MOJIKO

  13. #13

    Re: Battery for an Engel fridge

    I have just switched to an optima. All reports have been good. It's in the Prado and runs my 40l engel 24/7. Only time will tell but a lot of my mates have gone to these because of the above reasons.

    prior to that I had a 100ah charging straight from the alternator but using a booster diode. It would regularly sit over 13v and after a full charge float at 13.8v.

    it all kind of depends if your using the engel as a fridge or a freezer to.
    Cheers

  14. #14

    Re: Battery for an Engel fridge

    Quote Originally Posted by NomadNoosa View Post
    I have just switched to an optima. All reports have been good. It's in the Prado and runs my 40l engel 24/7. Only time will tell but a lot of my mates have gone to these because of the above reasons.

    prior to that I had a 100ah charging straight from the alternator but using a booster diode. It would regularly sit over 13v and after a full charge float at 13.8v.

    it all kind of depends if your using the engel as a fridge or a freezer to.
    Cheers
    Agree with the Optima batteries - I'm running duel Optimas in my boat - One for cranking & one as the house battery ..... I think they are the pick of the duel purpose batteries ( without going to lithium) . I've only had my initial one for around 3 years but so far so good .

    Totally agree on the use of your fridge in addition to where it is used (environment) & how often you go into the fridge ....... I know I've virtually had to run the engel on Max 5 on some occasions - particularly if I'm trying to freeze gel packs or ice - & when that is the case , you are using close to 5amps / hr

    Chris
    Give a man a fish & he will eat for a day !
    Teach him how to fish
    & he will sit in a boat - & drink beer all day!
    TEAM MOJIKO

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