Smittybilt Scout Trailer Reviews?

[ebrabaek]

Why Engel?

I like having choices. Admittedly I have no experience with real 12 volt fridges so I am basing this on reviews done by others. I am not counting the disgruntled customers, that had a bad experience, but people that know what they are talking about. The following prerequisites were important to me, but not in any specific order or priority.

First: Price. I got this for $600 as a floor model, that was missing the handles, but that matters not to me as I would have taken them off anyway. It was other why priced out of my range.

Second: Energy foot print. The Engel uses about 40% less energy than the other ones, due to the compressor style. To me that is important as I have taken a minimalistic approach with a 27 AH battery with a 50watt solar.

Third: Simplicity. As there are no pushbuttons with electronics, and a one moving part motor, I predict that it will last for a very long time. I do understand that having a digital gage thermometer, and an inside light is convenient, but not important to me.

Fourth: Size. Once I realized I had a choice and was not locked into the Artic fridge, I was all in. But there are not much room, and the Engel would work.

Fifth: Reviews. In general the reviews of this cooler have been very good. I could have had the Smitty for $427 on Amazon, but didn't for two simple, to me, reasons. So many bad reviews, and power consumption.
The Arctic fridge consumes between 3.5 and 3.9 Amps when running whereas the Engel is less than half of that. Granted I have not had an amp meter on it yet, but as soon as the DC chord comes in I will do that, but Engel, unlike many other manufactures, did provide a very detailed power consumption graph, and I am familiar with the style of compressor.

I hope this helps. It was a combination of the above 5 reasons, and whilst none were singled, they were all important, and the Engel fit the bill.

 

[jgaz]

Why Engel?

Not you need a sixth reason but it could be customer service.

I purchased an older, well used, 45qt fridge from the wife of a Gentelman that passed away suddenly. She knew nothing of the history other than it had been used recently for a party. The unit work fine on 110v AC but not on 12v. The two people I spoke with at the factory were extremely helpful and very polite. They even offered to send me copies of all the schematics, exploded views, parts lists etc. that applied to my unit. First class customer service, IMO!

 

[ebrabaek]

Not you need a sixth reason but it could be customer service.

I purchased an older, well used, 45qt fridge from the wife of a Gentelman that passed away suddenly. She knew nothing of the history other than it had been used recently for a party. The unit work fine on 110v AC but not on 12v. The two people I spoke with at the factory were extremely helpful and very polite. They even offered to send me copies of all the schematics, exploded views, parts lists etc. that applied to my unit. First class customer service, IMO!

I can vouch for that. The unit I bought was a floor model, and have properly sat in the store for a few years, as it have scratches on it. The basket even had a bit of rust on it. I registered the cooler with Engel, and they mentioned that the unit was in fact covered by 3 years from the date I purchased it, even it had a low serial number. They suggested that I kept the receipt, and that I was good to go. They were extremely helpful, and picked up the phone right away. They for sure have my vote.

 

[ebrabaek]

I finally had a chance to put the Engel on the metered supply line. I sat it at 13.8 volts. As the compressor started it went to 3 amps, but after about 2 minutes of running it gradually lowered to 2.5 amps. When the compressor switches off it pulls 0.1 AMP, for the idle circuitry. I turned it on @ setting #1 and closed the door in the smitty. It was 74 deg in the compartment. It took 8 minutes to cool the empty inside of the cooler to 35 deg F. No rise in compartment temp. After one hr, the temp has risen 1 deg. to 75. Very exiting. I am running it in closed to see what if any venting the compartment needs.

Update: It have not been running enclosed in the smitty for 3 hrs @ setting 1 which refers to an inside the box temp of 35 deg. F. The temperature inside the compartment is steady at 75 deg. F. That leads me to the decision of not needing a vent in that compartment.

 

[Silverback07]

I had hoped to put my ARB 50qt in that same area but its just a little bit too wide. I keep it in the truck which has a dedicated group 31 X2 Power battery and an 85 watt solar panel to keep it topped off when the truck is not running (Mechman 240 amp alternator with a Blue Sea ML-ARC to keep it going when running).

 

[ebrabaek]

I had hoped to put my ARB 50qt in that same area but its just a little bit too wide. I keep it in the truck which has a dedicated group 31 X2 Power battery and an 85 watt solar panel to keep it topped off when the truck is not running (Mechman 240 amp alternator with a Blue Sea ML-ARC to keep it going when running).

How wide is that thing? You have 16 inches to work with but would need to refab the tray, for the unit to be on top, rather than in the tray. About 27 inches i length is what you got as well.

 

[Silverback07]

Yeah, the ARB is 15 inches wide, the tray is 14.25" or so.. that is to the slides. The door opening is 16" but I'm not that enthusiastic to cut up the slide area for the fridge. Length wise I am right a smidge below 27"... so it would fit. Could I cut it all out and make a tray that slides out with the slides mounted horizontally, yes. are they as strong as the dual vertical mounted slides, probably not. Could I make it work, maybe. Is it worth jacking it all up to attempt this? Not at this point in time. I use that area as a closet for now. Its right below the exit of the tent, we keep clothes and whatnot in there (I did seal the gap in the gasket to allowed the genny to breath to prevent dust from seeping in) This way when we get out of the RTT our clothing is right there, under the annex and it works.

 

[ebrabaek]

Yeah, the ARB is 15 inches wide, the tray is 14.25" or so.. that is to the slides. The door opening is 16" but I'm not that enthusiastic to cut up the slide area for the fridge. Length wise I am right a smidge below 27"... so it would fit. Could I cut it all out and make a tray that slides out with the slides mounted horizontally, yes. are they as strong as the dual vertical mounted slides, probably not. Could I make it work, maybe. Is it worth jacking it all up to attempt this? Not at this point in time. I use that area as a closet for now. Its right below the exit of the tent, we keep clothes and whatnot in there (I did seal the gap in the gasket to allowed the genny to breath to prevent dust from seeping in) This way when we get out of the RTT our clothing is right there, under the annex and it works.

Sounds good.
If you sometimes changes your mind, I think there is a way... That's all. On another note, does the ARB dissipate heat. I am curious with the conventional compressors, as to how much heat they dissipate, if any.

 

[mspenc45]

I like having choices. Admittedly I have no experience with real 12 volt fridges so I am basing this on reviews done by others. I am not counting the disgruntled customers, that had a bad experience, but people that know what they are talking about. The following prerequisites were important to me, but not in any specific order or priority.

First: Price. I got this for $600 as a floor model, that was missing the handles, but that matters not to me as I would have taken them off anyway. It was other why priced out of my range.

Second: Energy foot print. The Engel uses about 40% less energy than the other ones, due to the compressor style. To me that is important as I have taken a minimalistic approach with a 27 AH battery with a 50watt solar.

Third: Simplicity. As there are no pushbuttons with electronics, and a one moving part motor, I predict that it will last for a very long time. I do understand that having a digital gage thermometer, and an inside light is convenient, but not important to me.

Fourth: Size. Once I realized I had a choice and was not locked into the Artic fridge, I was all in. But there are not much room, and the Engel would work.

Fifth: Reviews. In general the reviews of this cooler have been very good. I could have had the Smitty for $427 on Amazon, but didn't for two simple, to me, reasons. So many bad reviews, and power consumption.
The Arctic fridge consumes between 3.5 and 3.9 Amps when running whereas the Engel is less than half of that. Granted I have not had an amp meter on it yet, but as soon as the DC chord comes in I will do that, but Engel, unlike many other manufactures, did provide a very detailed power consumption graph, and I am familiar with the style of compressor.

I hope this helps. It was a combination of the above 5 reasons, and whilst none were singled, they were all important, and the Engel fit the bill.

Awesome, the power consumption alone would sell me, given the assumption of good quality!

 

[ebrabaek]

Awesome, the power consumption alone would sell me, given the assumption of good quality!

Indeed. This is my first non heat sinked cooler, as well as an Engel. Based on the reviews they have a very good reputation, and with the other fridges using from 3.5 to 4.5 amps running the compressor, it was the ticket for me.

 

[OregonJKU]

Hello All, We want to thank you for helping us make the decision to get the Scout trailer, and for all of your wonderful ideas on ways to improve it. As many of you noted the stove drawer is problematic, however, thanks to @ebrabaek for identifying a stove. We got that stove to fit by storing it upside down and making the legs foldable by attaching them only on the short sides of the stove. We are waiting for our RTT. Here are a few pics of the minor mods we made thus far.

 

[ebrabaek]

Hello All, We want to thank you for helping us make the decision to get the Scout trailer, and for all of your wonderful ideas on ways to improve it. As many of you noted the stove drawer is problematic, however, thanks to @ebrabaek for identifying a stove. We got that stove to fit by storing it upside down and making the legs foldable by attaching them only on the short sides of the stove. We are waiting for our RTT. Here are a few pics of the minor mods we made thus far.

That is awesome. If you want more heat from the stove, then a 5psi regulator will do the trick. Mine was good until the wind blew, and it was all over. That little stove is capable of a lot of heat, but I think it comes with a 1/2 psi regulator, which IMHO is not enough. 2psi would be perfect, but 5 was the closest I could find. You can also get a variable regulator.
Congrats on your trailer. I like that SS table....

 

[Silverback07]

Sounds good.
If you sometimes changes your mind, I think there is a way... That's all. On another note, does the ARB dissipate heat. I am curious with the conventional compressors, as to how much heat they dissipate, if any.

It does produce some heat, not enough to be really noticeable while in the truck though. I have had it where some things slid around the vents during a trip and they were warm once I pulled them away, so like any electrical device it does make heat. For me being in central Texas with summer time heat being what it is, if I was to mount it in the black box of the trailer I would want it vented.

 

[ebrabaek]

It does produce some heat, not enough to be really noticeable while in the truck though. I have had it where some things slid around the vents during a trip and they were warm once I pulled them away, so like any electrical device it does make heat. For me being in central Texas with summer time heat being what it is, if I was to mount it in the black box of the trailer I would want it vented.

Copy that.

 

[andersonoverland]

This is one of my mods on my Scout.