Old trailblazer for use as home freezer

[AB]

Hi All,

As some of you know the old home freezer died and I have been looking for an old Waeco, Engel to use to keep our bulk meat frozen and to use for trips as an extra freezer when camping.

I just realised that my old man still has our 18th century Trailblazer in the shed. It's the old giant clunker we used to take around Australia and probably only holds 40L but will be enough for my needs.

It's only got the 12v plug though.

Am I best off just hooking it up to a spare deep cycle battery I have to use in the house and connect a charger to it or purchase a 24v to 12v converter?

Or another idea????

Make up a 240V connection somehow? Not something I want to do of course but just looking at best options for efficiency and effectiveness, etc...

[MudRunnerTD]

is it like this one AB?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/80-LITRE-TRAILBLAZER-PORTABLE-FRIDGE-FREEZER-12V-240V-/231029133705?pt=AU_RefrigeratorsFreezers&hash=item35ca68d189&_uhb=1

looks like that is a 3 way maybe? also looks like all the cables are hard wired? if not have you got a pic of where the plug goes mate?

[AB]

Ill pick it up Friday and take some pics. It looks exactly the same size as that but it must be older. Doesn't have fancy dial and no way it holds 80 litres.


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[Maxhead]

Just get yourself a 240 to 12v transformer around 3 amps should do the trick(change the plug)...do you know what they draw???? Cheap as chips mate

[AB]

No idea mate, ill grab it this Friday and suss it out.


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[AB]

Just get yourself a 240 to 12v transformer around 3 amps should do the trick(change the plug)...do you know what they draw???? Cheap as chips mate

It is pretty old. I reckon it would be close 3...lol....I remember getting yelled out when I was about 10 years old browsing the fridge for some food in the outback...lol


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[megatexture]

Has your charger got a supply mode on it, I use mine at home for all my 12v gear . Prob will if its a ctek just depends on the amps

[taslucas]

Just get yourself a 240 to 12v transformer around 3 amps should do the trick(change the plug)...do you know what they draw???? Cheap as chips mate

yeah that would have to be the easiest? maybe you have an old phone/laptop charger that could be "modified"?

[Winnie]

Go to jaycar or similar and do what Kris said and get a small 12V power supply. Should get away with it under $50

Got sick of Motorculture so gone back to Tappa

[Cuppa]

Dunno what Trailblaza's were like back when this was built, but today I'd rate Traillaza's as about the best you can buy.
You could power it either way, but a transformer as Nisshead suggests probably has greater 'convenience factor', but if you already have a smart charger which you can leave hooked up full time that'd be just fine too. If it's a wet deep cycle battery check & top up the fluid level now & again, to prevent it dropping below the level of the plates.

Cuppa

[Stropp]

That's the same as mine, bought it new 25 yrs ago and still going strong, mind you mine is much cleaner than that. You should have a coople of plugs on the back that you join together and then plug the three pin plug into the power point.

[AB]

Finally got the old beast home...

Looks like a 60 litre.

3273132730



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[AB]

32732

Dodgy wiring by the old man back then.

Must run in the family...lmao


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[AB]

Does anyone know if there is anything I can safely do to troubleshoot this to ensure it has just ran out gas?

It has worked fine for decades until I got my hands on it for a week...lol

I just pulled the side out for a "look" only and it looks simple.

Can I check the thermostat or feel the copper lines for their temperature to isolate anything or will it 100% be gas?

The compressor runs fine from what I can tell.

[AB]

Well bugger me, Christmas has come early!!!

I just turned the trailblazer on set the temp down to normal fridge temp and it works fine!!!

When I got it a few months ago from the olds I was planning to keep meat frozen, set it to the highest temp for freezing and it worked for a week then stopped.

Just rung the old man and he said in all the years he had it, he never went passed 5 on the dial (I put it on 7 the highest)

Not sure if there is any reasoning behind this with the thermostat but I'm one happy camper!!!

I can now use this for the main fridge and use the little waeco for freezer on big trips like the Simpson trip.

Merry bloody Christmas!!!