engel fridge 12v 240 advice

[chrism1]

hi happy new year to you all, im looking for some advice. i got a 12 v engle fridge without the 240 switch option. can i purchase a transformer to the required amps and hardwire it with the 12v via a switching box to have both 12v and 240 when on at the marina. or option 2 should a purchase a 240v battery charger with continous output to trickle charge and replace the power drawn by the fridge..

thanks

 

[Talbot]

If fridge is already running happily at 12v, I would not mess with it, just get a proper marine battery charger of sufficient size to drive the load and charge the battery. Size (and cost) will really depend on size of battery bank.

 

[Moose]

My Engel fridge cost £500 when it blew up, be careful!

 

[Ships_Cat]

You will need more than a transformer or else you will just get 12v AC not DC. You would either have to build (which I would not recommend) or buy a 230 v powered 12 v DC power supply in which case you are better off buying a battery charger which is virtually the same thing, plus will charge your batteries.

John

 

[TrueBlue]

[ QUOTE ]

You will need more than a transformer or else you will just get 12v AC not DC. You would either have to build (which I would not recommend) or buy a 230 v powered 12 v DC power supply in which case you are better off buying a battery charger which is virtually the same thing, plus will charge your batteries.


[/ QUOTE ]

Don't understand the "not recommend" option all you need is a decent sized transformer, a full wave bridge rectifier and a large capacitor, this latter to smooth the DC AND to provide a buffer for large current required to start the 'fridge motor.

However, if you are not confident with electrical thingys, then perhaps not recommended.

A suitable commercial power supply - say 10 amp: rated would not be cheap, and then it is worth considering a switch mode battery charger which:-

does other useful jobs
is less bulky than a transformer jobby.

Try Maplin, CPC, RadioSpares for components

 

[Ships_Cat]

Where I was coming from TrueBlue on the "would not recommend" is that if the poster needed to ask the question he did, it would not be wise, in my opinion, for him to build a 230v powered piece of equipment.

Could not comment on prices in UK, but here it would probably be cheaper to buy a power supply - especially if for low current, but beyond the capacity of a simple 3 terminal regulator. If high current the power supply will be expensive to buy, but becoming even more complicated for an inexperienced person to build with the added problems of adequate heat sinking, etc.

By all means, a power supply could be built, but I personally would not bother going to the trouble unless one could get by with just a simple 3 terminal regulator, which is unlikely for the case in point.

John

 

[Alistairr]

I use a 12v fridge, And i plug it into THIS Transformer, when back in the marina.
I think that is what you are after.