Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

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Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by sarki » 16 Sep 2016, 4:25 pm

I want to add a powered fridge unit the the camping gear so I can ditch the eski and having to get ice all the time, but can't afford one of the high-end portable fridge/freezers which are $1000 + whatever power connectors/mods/invertor things you need.

On paper it seems like one of the Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers will do the job.

Not sure what the difference between a "cooler" and a fridge is suppose to be but that's their gig.

Runs off a cigarette lighter or 240v. The bigger unit only draws 63w so it will run off a 3 prong outlet in your 4X4 if it has a small inverter like several do now.

It says it will cool to 30c below ambient, down to 1c.

Haven't been able to find anything about speed or there temperature of stuff that you put in there. I'm guessing it can't be as fast as a proper fridge, but does it take an hour to get down to 1c? 2 hours, 5 hours... :unknown:

Is it good if you put in cold stuff but crap to take down something from room?

Anyone used this kind of thing and got some experience to share?
Last edited by sarki on 21 Sep 2016, 1:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by on_one_wheel » 16 Sep 2016, 4:36 pm

I'm seriously considering getting a Adventure Kings 60L Fridge/Freezer.

Only $630

https://www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/produc ... eezer.html
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by Supaduke » 16 Sep 2016, 4:41 pm

We use similar things in our trucks. The big thing is a lot of them don't have any sort of fan to circulate air around the cooling compartment. So you are correct , they are good at keeping things cold, but not great at chilling things. They also work a bit better with a bit of ice.

If going for an extended camping trip where everything is pre chilled they are very good.

Bought some warm beer that needs chilling? I hope you are patient.
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by Gamerancher » 16 Sep 2016, 7:16 pm

Bear in mind that if it's 40 degrees your beer will be 10 degrees at best. Best save up and buy an Engel. My 21 litre is over 20 years old, spent most of its life between the seats of a truck, running 24hrs a day 5/6 days a week and still going strong.
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by sarki » 16 Sep 2016, 8:13 pm

Thanks for the info so far guys.

Which Engel is that Gamerancher?
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by Gamerancher » 19 Sep 2016, 9:44 am

G'day Sarki
As I said , mine is over 20 years old. It is only 21 litres. I had a look on evil-bay, the one closest to it is a MT27F series II for around $850. It is tall and skinny, that's why I bought it in the first place, it was the only one that would fit between the seats of my Mack truck. It has been in every truck I've had since then and probably done about 4 million km's. It's also done a few extended off-road trips, across the Great Sandy Desert, Simpson, Kimberly and Gulf. On those trips I would load it up with frozen goods from home and providing you opened it a minimum of times, it would keep stuff frozen set on only 2nd setting. I'd take meat out in the morning to thaw for that evenings meal. As the trip progresses you get more room for "refrigerator" items. Now that I've retired from highway work it gets occasional use for week-end trips. I have a newer 40 litre one that's a better size for the family and you can fit more beer in it. :drinks: .
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by sarki » 19 Sep 2016, 11:05 am

Ah.

Caught the litres, missed the 20 years old. Obviously that one won't be around any more.

$850 just isn't in the budget at the moment unfortunately.

The Waeco's I mentioned are like $300. If I can fill them with pre-cooled stuff and it'll keep it cool, that's enough for now.
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by sarki » 19 Sep 2016, 11:10 am

The Adventure Kings fridge could be great but it's just too big for what I need.

20l - 30l is plenty for me.
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by Gamerancher » 19 Sep 2016, 12:02 pm

If your budget will stretch to just under $600, there's a 30 litre EvaKool that runs the same compressor as the Engel. A mate has one of those and has been really impressed with it. He bought his off a mob on evil-bay, Australian Direct.
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by Lorgar » 20 Sep 2016, 10:24 am

Anyone familiar with the Ironman 4x4 fridges?

They seems to be up and coming fast in the 4x4 world, appealing price and warranty for a lot of people.
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by Flash » 16 Jan 2017, 4:35 pm

The TC 21 & 35 coolers are thermoelectric coolers and use the Peltier effect to cool.
They aren't efficient at all and you're not going to leave it running for hours or overnight without your engine running.
You probably won't be happy with it, especially once you realise how much power that thing is going to draw once you have your camp set up..

on_one_wheel wrote:I'm seriously considering getting a Adventure Kings 60L Fridge/Freezer.
Only $630
https://www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/produc ... eezer.html


When I was looking at buying a new fridge recently, I noticed a few of them with only a 12 month warranty, like this one you've listed.
On average, people would barely run their fridges during 12 months.
I decided to steer clear of anyone only offering 12 month warranty. It shows a total lack of confidence in the product.
If they can't guarantee the compressor working for minimum 2 years (and really should be minimum 3), then I'm not going to drop $600 or more and hope mine isn't one that's going to fail.

Gamerancher wrote:Bear in mind that if it's 40 degrees your beer will be 10 degrees at best. Best save up and buy an Engel. My 21 litre is over 20 years old, spent most of its life between the seats of a truck, running 24hrs a day 5/6 days a week and still going strong.


I have a beat up 40ltr and more beat up 15ltr that are both the old style Engels with mustard lids. Got them as hand me downs and must be over 30 years old and both still going strong.
I decided to get the 39Ltr now with the Plastic outer.
These can be picked up for under $800 new with the Transit Bag included.
All it has is the Dial for turning on and setting the temp. There's nothing to go wrong.
Less electronics, means less points of failure.

Gamerancher wrote:If your budget will stretch to just under $600, there's a 30 litre EvaKool that runs the same compressor as the Engel.

I think they use the Danfoss compressor. Engels have the Sawafuji swing motor and they are the only ones who use that motor.
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by sandgroperbill » 17 Jan 2017, 12:59 am

Late to the party, but I have a dometic fridge freezer. Not sure of capacity, but it's a couple of years old and I love it.

Here comes the brilliant bit. A couple of days before a trip, I get it running to cool down. On the way there, it's an esky. Once there, I run it off a gas bottle along with a gas lantern, and a second gas bottle runs another lantern and the portable barbie. It is actually really efficient when running on gas. An 8.5kg bottle will run the fridge and lantern for a couple of weeks or more.

It aslo runs off 240v or 12v, so extremely flexible.

Can't remember price, but got it from a boat and caravan place on special for around the $500 mark from memory.
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by Gamerancher » 17 Jan 2017, 11:18 am

I love it when old posts get resurrected.
Flash, happy to be corrected on the compressor comment, I was only repeating what my mate told me. Obviously the salesman told him they were "the same as Engel" to get the sale.
Another mate who runs a fleet of trucks used to use Waeco fridges and I was there to watch him tear the 7th one out of a truck and throw it in a dumpster while saying something along the lines of "useless piece of ship" and replace it with an Engel.
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by creet » 17 Jan 2017, 2:32 pm

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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by brett1868 » 17 Jan 2017, 7:54 pm

Recently picked up a Waeco CFX95dz and so far I'm liking it. I've had it running the past 2 weeks in the garage keeping some beverages cool, seems to hold a steady temp and hasn't blown up in our 44c heatwave. If it continues working for another week then I'll pack it away ready for the next trip up to the compound.
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Re: Waeco TC-21 and TC-35 coolers

Post by Lorgar » 18 Jan 2017, 2:05 pm

How are you finding it with the higher ambient temp?

I see in the specs it states -18°C at ambient temps up to 32°C.

Is +12 in the air equating to +12 in the box? Or is it losing more than that with the additional heat load?
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