Companion Lithium 60L Single Zone Rechargeable Fridge/Freezer

Check out the Companion Lithium 60L Single Zone Rechargeable Fridge/Freezer here:
www.snowys.com.au/lithium-60l...
Head off-grid with the supplies you need packed in the Lithium Rechargeable Fridge/Freezer from Companion without having to worry about cables and power.
This unit can operate wirelessly through the rechargeable and removable Lithium battery that will give 16-hours of battery life off one single charge, and with 4 USB outlets, it doubles as a power pack for all your devices as well. You have the option to connect your solar or Anderson plug directly to the unit, and it's powered by a dual-speed SECOP compressor, with an average power usage of 1.1 amp per hour. It features a dual direction lid for flexibility and access, and a 3-stage battery monitor and digital LED display control panel.
In this video, our teammate Ben gives you all the deets on the Lithium 60L Single Zone Rechargeable Fridge Freezer from Companion. He starts with the weight and dimensions, materials and construction, and exterior features.
After that he opens it up to show you the interior features and dimensions, what fits inside, and then demonstrates how to use the control panel. Ben then talks you through the 3 different power options, the limitations of solar to be aware of, and the compatible accessories - so check it out above for all the details.
0:00 - Intro
0:19 - Weight & dimensions
1:13 - Bottle opener
2:20 - Dual opening + removable lid
2:36 - Interior dimensions
2:56 - Inside the fridge
3:16 - Removable basket
4:50 - USB ports
4:58 - Control panel
7:02 - Power options
7:46 - Battery pack
9:45 - Cables
10:03 - Solar panel compatibility

[@sharkyshepo8167]

I have this fridge in the 75L i took a gamble as not many had them and no review videos on them, its been so good, and saved me many times when raining for 4 days no solar, has been on back of my ute all this year, and in all that rain we just copped in nsw & uncovered, still going strong, im stoked with it, im gonna get another 1 soon, says 16hrs battery but im getting 20plus hrs in summer. P.S love ur vids snowy 👌

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Thanks for your feedback, Sharky. I think many people are overthinking these fridges, it sounds like you are getting more than what would be reasonably expected, it's great to get this information from 'in-field' users of the product. Happy camping! ~ Ben

[@sharkyshepo8167]

@@SnowysOutdoors cheers mate il do a field review on mine in few mnths & let u know wen video is out 👌

[@zoezoe610]

This will be an answer for every weekend family camper.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I reckon you're spot on there, zoezoe610. It's ideal for a few days of camping or for tourers who set up overnight then hit the road again the next day. These are an affordable way to add refrigeration to your camp setup. ~ Ben

[@bb54321abc]

Cool as, new generation cooler, now this is on my to get list. Great presentation. Thanks

[@SnowysOutdoors]

You're welcome, Barry, glad you like it. ~ Ben

[@davidhes]

Just bought one of these and used it last weekend. Had a 200W cheap Chinese folding panel that I used to keep the battery charged up. The fridge kept trucking along at 3 degrees all weekend, along with powering a fan during the day and our led light setup at night. Having the Anderson output is great. I bought an Anderson to dual cigs ports. Super tidy and clean setup that would work for anyone just doing shorter camping trips and as long as you get a few hours of sun each day.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Thanks for your feedback, David. I'm interested to know if you had the solar panel connected all the time, and if your solar panel went above the 12.8V they mention as the maximum SOC? It sounds like it may not have been a problem, but would be good to know if this cutout voltage is a hassle. ~ Ben

[@davidhes]

@@SnowysOutdoors you need a solar panel with an adjustable controller. Then in the controller you’ve got to set the max voltage to 12.8V otherwise it will indeed shut off. Was able to leave it attached the whole time.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

@@davidhes thanks for this, David. Another detail I'm curious to ask if you don't mind, is how long it took for the battery to charge. I understand there are many variables to this, but people are seeking a bit of an indication and Companion don't openly state a charge time. Thanks in advance. ~ Ben

[@davidhes]

@@SnowysOutdoors hmm I’ll have to do some more testing sorry. I just plugged it in when I got home and it was charged by the next morning. And then I was just keeping it topped up. Will do some testing and see.

[@thorout8377]

What a great idea, good too see a company bringing new ideas

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Yeah, open up refrigeration for anyone that doesn't want to invest in a dual battery system or the expense of portable battery packs. ~ Ben

[@mikeykeyes]

@@SnowysOutdoors what a great timing because I was just tossing various options but after forking out $1300 to an auto electrician to do basic jobs I can't do- have to consider alternatives.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

@@mikeykeyesthis certainly offers an alternative. ~ Ben

[@task82]

Excuse the pun, but this is really *cool* tech!! I think the 16hr run time is a very conservative figure, but allows for so much variation with internal temps, ambient temps, external devices being charged, etc. The different charging options is really impressive and the ability to bridge it to another fridge is amazing I checked the link and see it comes with a SECOP compressor, which is great, as they'll see +8yrs if treated with respect. What an awesome product!!

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Yep, it's a quality SECOP compressor, Task. You've right with the 16 hours runtime too, this is very dependent on how the fridge is used but is probably a good middle of the ground estimation. ~ Ben

[@leannebishop7880]

Got this on lay-by thank you ❤got the cover got the s panell

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Thanks for your feedback. ~ Ben

[@AlphaMindsetMotivation0]

Let me know if they go on sale so I can do a review on it 🤙 Good work Ben super informative!

[@SnowysOutdoors]

We've got them at our best price everyday, so no need to wait. ~ Ben

[@sunsetjen2398]

Ace concept 🤩 Fridge batt runs fridge overnight; frees up other batt for fans, lights, cooktops etc Solar/motor charge during the day 👍🤪

[@SnowysOutdoors]

That's a good way to use it, Sunset Jen, also allows you to locate the fridge wherever you want to in the evenings. ~ Ben

[@einfelder8262]

This is a top notch idea. A 40Ah Li battery can power a 60l fridge for a decent amount of time. It will replace a dual battery system in the car completely for many light users, but for me it isn't the case. It's a little poor in the implementation of the charging, apparently having a very poor BMS, requiring a regulated input directly to the battery terminals via a simple (read very cheap) voltage cutout. Savvy users can get around this pretty easily though, but it's still a pain. A proper BMS would overcome this and allow more rapid charging. Since the fridge can run all day away from the car you're better off charging a dual battery system with your solar and using that to top up the fridge battery.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

You're right, Ein, and I think this is only the start of better things to run. Companion haven't indicated that this will replace a dual battery system, it's really for the weekend camper who don't have a second battery or anyone needing a refrigerator for an event or market stall away from their vehicle. Anyone wanting this for touring will likely benefit from using this in conjunction with an auxiliary battery. I think the voltage cutout is certainly limiting regarding the integration of this fridge into an existing solar and battery setup, I don't know of many solar controllers that allow you to adjust the charge profile to limit this. It's all information we'll pass back to Companion, I'm sure things will evolve quickly in this space. ~ Ben

[@jaiwarner2684]

Hey Ben, love you work mate. At the end of your video you were talking about the Anderson plug. Do you think I can connect an Anderson plug to 12v socket adapter so I can run light strips from it? Thanks.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Good question, I can't see why this would be a problem. Both Anderson ports are always live and it is designed such that you can have solar going in one end and a fridge running off the other, so I guess you can just run lights instead of the fridge provided you have the correct adapters. ~ Ben

[@bretttaylor3174]

Thanks for the video Ben. Very informative and thorough. Do you deliver to Lake Macquarie NSW? If there is an issue how would the warranty work?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I'm glad it was useful, Brett. We deliver Australia wide, you can enter your postcode for more information on our product page here - www.snowys.com.au/lithium-60l-single-zone-fridge-freezer. You are covered by the manufacturers warranty, any issues and you should get in touch with us. With fridges, it may mean that the easiest resolution is for you to take it to a service centre rather than sending it back to us, but this is all dependant on the issue. ~ Ben

[@reganbenn941]

Nice video very detailed. Could I plug a solar panel into both Anderson plugs extra fast changing?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

We've looked into this previously, KingJimmy101, and connecting a panel at each end won't have any benefit. The internal battery management system will detect that there are two inputs to the battery and only allow one to charge. You'd be better off using larger solar panels to increase charge efficiently. ~ Ben

[@mikeykeyes]

No wonder Tintin always relies on Snowy! What a great company for demonstrating their product fully so mugs like me can learn then buy instead of buy then let it sit there for years until it is useless!

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I'm glad you found the video useful, Millard, thanks for your feedback. ~ Ben

[@terrysimpson6239]

Hi If I plug this fridge into cigarette socket will it run the fridge and charge the lithium battery at the same time? thanks.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Sure will, Terry. If the compressor is running then the power will be split between battery charging and the power the compressor requires. But when the compressor cycles off all the power from your cigarette socket will go straight to charging the battery. ~ Ben

[@robot22061959]

Snowy's Outdoors I travel only 30 minutes from my home to work where I will be running my fridge solely from the internal battery for around 8hrs so my question to you is with my trip of 30mins x 2 each day will this be enough to keep my fridge battery charged or what would I need to do. My question to you is

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I reckon it will top it up Robert, but you'd need to give it a good charge regularly. It needs about 7-8 hours of charge time from flat, possibly more from a 12V source, and it runs for about 16 hours from full. So you'd only be providing a portion of the potential required charge time, but running it for about half of the total run time. You can do this, but you'd need to give it a full maybe each week, possibly more often. Keep in mind that the maths on this is ever an exact science, and there are a lot of variables at play. ~ Ben

[@christinedaria7540]

Hi, I have read somewhere that the average power usage is 1.1 amp per hour, my question is, in what temperature can you set to base this power consumption?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Companion havent provided the testing parameters for this consumption rating, but there are some many variables, its not black and white. If you are set on normal fridge temp, and the ambient temperature is pretty low, you've pre-cooled the fridge from 2450v before you've left, and its not super full, you might get close to 1.1Ah...generally 12v fridges sit between the 2-3Ah mark. ~ Lauren

[@johanneswehrmann]

Goodbye dual battery systems! 💥🤙🏻

[@SnowysOutdoors]

It certainly prompts one to question the need for a dual battery system if you are only powering a fridge, Johannes. ~ Ben

[@annnardi7892]

Can you tell me if the Companion fridge also will run off a lithium battery in the Ute, either taking its own battery out or leaving it in & if so what plugs do you use

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Yep, it will - check out the 7:03 min mark where Ben runs through all this info ~ Lauren

[@kellyoconnor9773]

I have 3 weaco fridges and I wish they were like this fridge.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I reckon we'll start to see more and more small batteries that enable you to turn a regular fridge into one that can be removed from the vehicle. MyCoolman for example also have a compact external battery accessory for their fridges, maybe Dometic/Waeco will follow suit. ~ Ben

[@sharonandfrosty]

Hi, can you charge the battery out of the fridge or only whilst in the fridge?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

@Michael Frost, unfortunately no means to charge the battery separately at this stage. The feedback has been passed onto Companion. Not sure what they'll do with it though! ~ Lauren

[@kanefitty6849]

Isnt this the same as the Helux Industries fridge?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

It does look that way, Kane. I hadn't heard of Helux until after these came out in Australia. There are some differences in the battery but they are otherwise largely the same. ~ Ben

[@johndriggers6876]

What are recharging times from Car DC, Solar and 240V?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Good question, John, and not one I have an answer for sorry. Companion don't state this figure anywhere. I guess it could be very variable dependent on what you are charging from, whether the fridge is running at the same time, and what the compressor power draw is. I guess we can assume anywhere from 5A to about 10A of charge current, so maybe 4-8 hours without the fridge running off the internal battery at the same time. ~ Ben

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Just confirmed this with Companion, John, from 12V and 240V the charge is limited to 5A and in standby mode the battery will charge in 7 hours. ~ Ben

[@johndriggers6876]

Thanks for chasing that down. Cheers JD

[@gadgetphilosophy8290]

What does the basket slope ? It just loses valuable room.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I'm not sure why sorry, Gadget Philosophy. ~ Ben

[@einfelder8262]

How much does a Grecian Urn? If you place stuff in the bottom and it's hard up against a straight basket, it will expand when it freezes, then you can't get it or the basket out. I have run my Evakool fridge without the basket for 16 years - the basket can be left out. When someone spills the milk or blood oozes from your steak, you will have to empty the fridge piece by piece rather than just lifting it all out at once. Choices.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

@@einfelder8262great feedback, thanks. ~ Ben

[@demo3003]

Air flow around your food

[@gadgetphilosophy8290]

@@demo3003 mmmhh maybe. I did think of that but surely air is everywhere between gaps. In such a small area. I suspect it’s more for the fridge survival thing. Maybe to stop food icing up onto the thin metalic inner lining. that stuff discolours and deforms pretty easy. Or as you said might just be airflow

[@davidhes]

Have been doing some more testing with a new 200W panel I got. Fridge kept freaking out when full and flashing and needed to remove battery and put back in to reset it. That was with the controller set to 12.8V as per the manual. When I pulled out the battery and checked the data on the side of it though, it actually says charge voltage 12.6V. So I don’t think it’s 12.8V at all. And when my panels tried to put in above 12.6V it freaked out. Have adjusted to 12.6V in my PWM controller and seems to be running fine now. Are you able to ask your contact at companion about this? As it seems they may be falsely claiming 12.8V is fully charged when the battery is only actually capable of 12.6V fully charged. I’m not particularly worried with only 12.6V as it still does everything I need. But still, the info should be correct.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

It's not always an exact science, but let me ask my contact and I'll see what they say. ~ Ben

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Ok, so they got back to me quickly. Given Companion don't actually manufacture the battery, they can only go by and test in line with the information their manufacturer provide. In the instance of this battery their manufacturer have indicated that the max charge voltage is 12.8V, and in Companions testing they confirmed this but there will always be variances. This doesn't explain why the battery says 12.6V though (I am not in a location where I can visually cross check the fridge for you today sorry). I don't think you will have any issues, and given you can set your PWM to 12.6V then you're all set. That being said, we will be aware of this and continue to let Companion know if this comes up again. Thanks for your feedback, David. ~ Ben

[@davidhes]

@@SnowysOutdoors thanks for getting back to me. Yeh I don’t know where they are getting 12.8V from. When I fully charge the battery up from the wall and measure the output with a multi meter, it’s measuring 12.6V. The battery itself says 12.6V and yep when I try to put more than 12.6V into it, the charge protection kicks in and the system shuts down. I think companion should be updating their material. Or I may contact them and ask for a replacement battery as I’d definitely appreciate an extra .2V. It goes a fair way.

[@demo3003]

I say ditch the storage and go a bigger battery

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Companion have mentioned that there could be a battery upgrade available later in the year, DEMO 300. ~ Ben

[@stevehollingworth4417]

At 3/4 power and 11.4 volts, something wrong there for lithium, should be well above that until 20% left, looks like somethings up shyte creek with that set up 👎

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I'm not quite sure what you mean sorry, Steve, particularly when you refer to 3/4 power. The battery indicator shows 3 out of five bars and reads 11.4 V which is within the range of 11.7 - 11.7V that Companion specify the voltage to be when the indicator shows as such. Am I missing something? ~ Ben

[@butch7292]

@@SnowysOutdoors hi Ben, should a lithium battery not remain at or above 12 volts for 80% usage, considering you can only use 20% of a lead acid battery before the volts drop to low ?

[@butch7292]

@@SnowysOutdoors acourding to lifepo4 charts it still should be around 12.8 volts at 80% usage and anything below 12 volts is harmful to the battery, just what I read, cheers Ben

[@SnowysOutdoors]

@@butch7292 this is getting into the chemistry for which I am by no means an expert, and just for reference sake, it is a Lithium NMC battery. What I do know is that Companion state that the battery has a maximum SOC of 12.8V, meaning it is likely to only have 3 cells which could change the expectations on these figures a little?? I hope someone with a little more knowledge can jump in here as I'm getting outta my depth. ~ Ben

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Ok, got more to add here based on info from the manufacturer, it's all a little fuzzy for me still. It is a 4 cell cylindrical lithium battery rather than prismatic 😕, I believe this changes the way in which the battery holds voltage. As I said, this is outta my depth, so I'll let the experts chime in here with their opinions. At the end of the day the battery performs in line with what Companion expects, and from Snowys point of view, it's a positive sign that Companion has answers and rationale for all of our queries. ~ Ben