Testing an ARB fridge, is it cooling properly?
- Thread starter cobound
- Start date
cruiseroutfit
Well-known member
A household freezer is set in the 0F (-17C) to 10F (-12C) range on standard operating setup, thus the same type of temperatures should be expected for your portable versions as well, even more so when you figure lack of circulating fan and often much higher ambient temps. Thus if you are taking ice-cream with you, 30F isn't going to cut it, real world losses prevent 100% heat transfer (through air in most situations within a portable unit) thus its pretty expected imo for your fringe to be set at least 10 degrees (F) lower than freezing to actually obtain freezing items in your cooler. Different brand units may vary widely on similar situations, but that is 100% arbitrary imo and shouldn't be used to judge one unit from the next, rather it should be used as a baseline for the owner of said unit to decide what temperatures they use for various loading conditions. Your results may vary 
(reposted reply from a similar thread on the subject)
(reposted reply from a similar thread on the subject
)
cruiseroutfit
Well-known member
Thanks again for renting. Just an FYI, both you have another in your Labor Day party (SRN) have fridge rentals book for that weekend. You guys want to share one or in deed want to selfishly hog your own slushee Gatorade?
cobound
Adventurer
Well, I put it down to 23*, like my previous post said...damn drinks were good to go pretty quick after that. Nothing froze, so I hope the next time I load it full and toss my beer at the bottom it doesn't turn to slush. I like my IPA cool to drink, not eat
Anyway, thanks for the comments...looks like setting it 5-10 degrees lower than you want the temp is going to be the ticket.
B
Anyway, thanks for the comments...looks like setting it 5-10 degrees lower than you want the temp is going to be the ticket.
B
I had a similar problem with my National Luna 52 Weekender. Without boring you with too many details, I have to set the fridge at -5 C to get my contents cold enough for my taste. At that setting it still wont freeze anything. When I cranked it down all the way to -30C the readout said -26C after 12 hours and everything was frozen solid inside. Setting it back to -5C, none of the water ever defrosted. I had to set it to 0 degrees and it began to defrost.
cruiseroutfit
Well-known member
cobound
Adventurer
Thanks. I've found that 25*F has done the trick so far. It's tested well in the house and now I need to move it to the Jeep to see what it will hold. Hopefully my battery holds up, getting down to the wire and don't want to have to drop another couple hundo on a battery just before the trek. I should have mentioned this was Fahrenheit, would have eliminated some smart remarks
Thanks guys, appreciate all the feedback.
B
Thanks guys, appreciate all the feedback.
B
Utah KJ
Free State of Florida
Thanks again for renting. Just an FYI, both you have another in your Labor Day party (SRN) have fridge rentals book for that weekend. You guys want to share one or in deed want to selfishly hog your own slushee Gatorade?
I'm not selfish, I left the bigger fridge for he and the Mrs. Plus there'd be fights over all his meat and all my faux meat... it's better this way.
off-roader
Expedition Leader
I'm usually pretty critical of Support organizations and I have to say, ARB has always stepped up to the plate when it comes to support issues including their fridge units.
I bought the new design 50ltr/qrt ARB fridge when they first came out 2 years ago. Within a week I had determined there was a problem with the unit getting to temp. ARB sent me a new replacement fridge immediately and I received it within 2 days. I then simply put my 'bad' fridge into the box of the replacement unit and sent it back using their prepaid postage label.
New unit does read a little high (a few degrees) but nothing I would complain about. It does take time to cool when full so i typically set it up a couple of days prior to a trip. On hot wheeling days I also freeze a half dozen water bottles to aid in keeping things cold. As an added bonus, the ice water is fantastic on warm wheeling days.
You do have to be careful you don't let it get too cold or it WILL freeze the contents which i've also experienced first hand.
That said, I now use a wireless thermometer (kind you get for indoor/outdoor readings) that I bought at Target for $6.00 on clearance. It replaces the $30 Engel wireless thermometer I bought that was one of the most unreliable pieces of you know what I've ever purchased. Of course that could have simply been a defective unit but it wasn't worth the bother to send back for a new one.
I bought the new design 50ltr/qrt ARB fridge when they first came out 2 years ago. Within a week I had determined there was a problem with the unit getting to temp. ARB sent me a new replacement fridge immediately and I received it within 2 days. I then simply put my 'bad' fridge into the box of the replacement unit and sent it back using their prepaid postage label.
New unit does read a little high (a few degrees) but nothing I would complain about. It does take time to cool when full so i typically set it up a couple of days prior to a trip. On hot wheeling days I also freeze a half dozen water bottles to aid in keeping things cold. As an added bonus, the ice water is fantastic on warm wheeling days.
You do have to be careful you don't let it get too cold or it WILL freeze the contents which i've also experienced first hand.
That said, I now use a wireless thermometer (kind you get for indoor/outdoor readings) that I bought at Target for $6.00 on clearance. It replaces the $30 Engel wireless thermometer I bought that was one of the most unreliable pieces of you know what I've ever purchased. Of course that could have simply been a defective unit but it wasn't worth the bother to send back for a new one.
spikemd
Explorer
ARB rocks
I have the new-style 50 qt ARB as well, and love it. I run everyday at home on 120v and on 12v in the 4Runner or Range Rover. I use it more often than I thought, not just going camping. When we visit my parents, 100miles away, we usually bring food/drinks for the kids so I throw it in. It has performed flawlessly for almost two years now.
For me, the ideal temp is 28F. It keeps the drinks nice and cold and the dairy (butter, etc) cool enough in the extra space up top. If I go down to 24 or 26F, then things like the milk/OJ start freezing slightly. Today, it was 70F before our trip back home, put a few things in and it took 1 1/2 hours to drive home and it read 34F. It definitely cools better being more packed.
Wiring and the battery makes a difference. The 4Runner, regular lead-acid starting battery, does not last long (30 min) before it goes into fault mode if it is hot outside. Those batteries (or red-top Optima) are not made for the constant draw. I have a deep cycle/starting battery in the Range Rover and I have not had any problems with the ARB going into fault mode. But I have not let it sit for more than a day without starting the truck. I plan to upgrade my wiring in the Rover to 10G soon.
A good freezer/fridge is the best upgrade to camping I have found. No more soggy food and your food is great for days. I even take it with me when we stay at hotels to keep milk/drinks cold for the kids.
Buying the ARB at a premium is well worth it in my book. Two buddies each got different size Edgestars and both have crapped out. One blew up right before a week-long camping trip and the other blew up ON the camping trip. ARBs were made for offroading and built tough. They are awesome.
Here is a pick of it in the Rover. I have the ARB tie-downs, but the pic was taken before I installed those.
I have the new-style 50 qt ARB as well, and love it. I run everyday at home on 120v and on 12v in the 4Runner or Range Rover. I use it more often than I thought, not just going camping. When we visit my parents, 100miles away, we usually bring food/drinks for the kids so I throw it in. It has performed flawlessly for almost two years now.
For me, the ideal temp is 28F. It keeps the drinks nice and cold and the dairy (butter, etc) cool enough in the extra space up top. If I go down to 24 or 26F, then things like the milk/OJ start freezing slightly. Today, it was 70F before our trip back home, put a few things in and it took 1 1/2 hours to drive home and it read 34F. It definitely cools better being more packed.
Wiring and the battery makes a difference. The 4Runner, regular lead-acid starting battery, does not last long (30 min) before it goes into fault mode if it is hot outside. Those batteries (or red-top Optima) are not made for the constant draw. I have a deep cycle/starting battery in the Range Rover and I have not had any problems with the ARB going into fault mode. But I have not let it sit for more than a day without starting the truck. I plan to upgrade my wiring in the Rover to 10G soon.
A good freezer/fridge is the best upgrade to camping I have found. No more soggy food and your food is great for days. I even take it with me when we stay at hotels to keep milk/drinks cold for the kids.
Buying the ARB at a premium is well worth it in my book. Two buddies each got different size Edgestars and both have crapped out. One blew up right before a week-long camping trip and the other blew up ON the camping trip. ARBs were made for offroading and built tough. They are awesome.
Here is a pick of it in the Rover. I have the ARB tie-downs, but the pic was taken before I installed those.
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cobound
Adventurer
I have mounted it, tested it, and it seems to be rocking!
I have to set it about 27*F to get it to cool down, but so far so good. My Red Top ran for two days w/ no vehicle start before it came to the check light and started to warm up. I tossed the charged on and it zipped right back up. I figure on my upcoming trip that will be fine, as I'll be driving daily and it will get taken out and put in my tent while we're doing some rock crawling.
Here is the position it will be sitting in my Scrambler:
I used a single strap on the front, a cross strap on the back...it's solid enough to not slide back and forth but I think when I've had a bit more time to evaluate it I'll do something different. Since my back has a soft top and I don't really have the proper room for a slider I'm going to just leave it strap mounted. I also plan on using this in my wife's Jeep Unlimited and my Suburban, so I'll get a feel for what I like best as I use it more.
I'll be heading out on Friday the 19th through the 28th on a trek through IL, TN, AR, MO and back into WI (2,500 miles)...camping along the way and hitting off road parks like Superlift, doing some canoeing, and other exploring. Then the weekend of 9/11 I'll be heading north to Gilbert, MN for an off road venture into the iron ore area...more rock crawling.
This is the setup:
Anyway...can't wait for Friday!!!
B
I have to set it about 27*F to get it to cool down, but so far so good. My Red Top ran for two days w/ no vehicle start before it came to the check light and started to warm up. I tossed the charged on and it zipped right back up. I figure on my upcoming trip that will be fine, as I'll be driving daily and it will get taken out and put in my tent while we're doing some rock crawling.
Here is the position it will be sitting in my Scrambler:
I used a single strap on the front, a cross strap on the back...it's solid enough to not slide back and forth but I think when I've had a bit more time to evaluate it I'll do something different. Since my back has a soft top and I don't really have the proper room for a slider I'm going to just leave it strap mounted. I also plan on using this in my wife's Jeep Unlimited and my Suburban, so I'll get a feel for what I like best as I use it more.
I'll be heading out on Friday the 19th through the 28th on a trek through IL, TN, AR, MO and back into WI (2,500 miles)...camping along the way and hitting off road parks like Superlift, doing some canoeing, and other exploring. Then the weekend of 9/11 I'll be heading north to Gilbert, MN for an off road venture into the iron ore area...more rock crawling.
This is the setup:
Anyway...can't wait for Friday!!!
B
DarthBeaver
Adventurer
I was one of the people spikemd spoke of. I have an 86qt EdgeStar. I worked perfectly for a 10day trip to death valley and then crapped out. It looks to be a faulty sensor which is a 30$ part. The fact that it died right before a camping trip sucks but as a scratch-n-dent purchase I took the risk. EdgeStar has handled the repair fine. spikemd is right that the ARB is build for off-roading, but at a significant cost. If I had the 1k spare I would have gotten one, but as this is a hobby that was a lot of cash to spend for this item... Now that being said I did borrow spikemd's ARB for the trip and it worked great.
If I was doing a long overlanding I would consider an ARB or Engle instead... but for the money I am still in the EdgeStar camp....
Oh and the handles are SOooooo much better on the ARB.
OK Temp and draw for the ARB - during the 7 day trip I used spikemd's ARB I had it in my discovery 2 with a dual battery. It was running off the aux battery (sears platinum group31) and I could go for roughly 42hours (also charging a iPad and radios) before needing to run the rig to charge up. Once home I ran it for 72hours before I put it in low battery shutoff mode. Not bad.
The draw for ARB/Engle is better that EdgeStar (e.g. it will run for longer) but only by about a few hours... However it also means less of a solar kit if you want to try to offset the draw.
Wiring makes a TON of difference. I have a 10g run to a BlueSea fuze box that feeds the two 12v receptacles. I have read a lot about people using smaller gauge wiring and having draw/shutoff issues...
If I was doing a long overlanding I would consider an ARB or Engle instead... but for the money I am still in the EdgeStar camp....
Oh and the handles are SOooooo much better on the ARB.
OK Temp and draw for the ARB - during the 7 day trip I used spikemd's ARB I had it in my discovery 2 with a dual battery. It was running off the aux battery (sears platinum group31) and I could go for roughly 42hours (also charging a iPad and radios) before needing to run the rig to charge up. Once home I ran it for 72hours before I put it in low battery shutoff mode. Not bad.
The draw for ARB/Engle is better that EdgeStar (e.g. it will run for longer) but only by about a few hours... However it also means less of a solar kit if you want to try to offset the draw.
Wiring makes a TON of difference. I have a 10g run to a BlueSea fuze box that feeds the two 12v receptacles. I have read a lot about people using smaller gauge wiring and having draw/shutoff issues...
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stevenr
Observer
I am having ARB woes as well. I am 90% certain it is my 6 year old dual and inline Red Top Optimas. However, I want to run my power set up to you guys.
I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 ft of 4ga running from my positive terminal to the back of the truck to a 1,000 watt power inverter with a 40 amp fuse 10 inches from the battery. There is a 2 ft ground (4ga) mounted to the frame rail from the inverter. From each of the posts of the inverter I have 10 ga wire to my socket. My ARB plug is fused as well.
Now I cannot keep this fridge running for anything. I do believe it's my batteries, but have not load tested yet. I cannot even get the fridge to run properly while driving as it errors out quite often.
To make sure it was not the fridge, I wired to my Honda Accord and it cooled just fine.
Thanks!
-Steven
I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 ft of 4ga running from my positive terminal to the back of the truck to a 1,000 watt power inverter with a 40 amp fuse 10 inches from the battery. There is a 2 ft ground (4ga) mounted to the frame rail from the inverter. From each of the posts of the inverter I have 10 ga wire to my socket. My ARB plug is fused as well.
Now I cannot keep this fridge running for anything. I do believe it's my batteries, but have not load tested yet. I cannot even get the fridge to run properly while driving as it errors out quite often.
To make sure it was not the fridge, I wired to my Honda Accord and it cooled just fine.
Thanks!
-Steven
stevenr
Observer
It's technically not running off the inverter. It is run off the same terminals that the Inverter is. Matter of fact... the inverter is off (not powered on) during testing.
I also had a chance to check batteries and both tested good. My frustration continues.