ARB Elements need help

[Wheelman55]

My ARB Elements 63 liter fridge is malfunctioning. I‘ve set the temp at various settings from 33 F to 29 F yet the display shows 22 F. Our food is freezing. And yes, I did switch off and unplug in hope of a reset...no bueno. I was away from the fridge most of the day Friday and noted that the AH usage for the day was more than double normal. I’m thinking that it’s a bad thermistor.

My questions:

1. Have any of you replaced the thermistor in an ARB Elements? Would you please share the procedure?
2. If so is this the correct part # 10910027
3. Does anyone have a service manual for the ARB Elements? If so would you please share a link?

I use my ARB 47 and Elements 63 fridges 24/7 so need to get the Elements back running ASAP.

Thanks!

 

[FJR Colorado]

Don't count on ARB to help. When mine quit working, they basically told me to drop dead.

Don't buy ARB.

 

[IdaSHO]

Id assume its just another re-branded chinese unit...

Seems to be a working link to ARB service manual (not specifically Elements) in this thread....
It should be enough to troubleshoot further...

ARB fridge service manual and related wisdom

ARB sent me their service manual as a .pdf and it's full of great info. Download it HERE. With this, you can ... Calibrate your thermometer! Understand what the rhythm of your check light blinks, and know just enough about the guts to break something. Cheers, Fletch

expeditionportal.com

 

[nwoods]

I had the direct opposite expertise from FJ Colorado. My ARB 50QT had a similar malfunction. It ran full tilt freezing mode or not at all. ARB asked me to ship it back to them, which i did (and paid for), and a week or so later i got an entirely new gen2 unit, shipped to my door. Sweet!

 

[john61ct]

Yes that is odd, not in line with their rep generally.

But there are lots of DIYers that can troubleshoot and fix these units without any help from the maker.

Maybe not that many of them hang out here.

 

[67cj5]

My ARB Elements 63 liter fridge is malfunctioning. I‘ve set the temp at various settings from 33 F to 29 F yet the display shows 22 F. Our food is freezing. And yes, I did switch off and unplug in hope of a reset...no bueno. I was away from the fridge most of the day Friday and noted that the AH usage for the day was more than double normal. I’m thinking that it’s a bad thermistor.

My questions:

1. Have any of you replaced the thermistor in an ARB Elements? Would you please share the procedure?
2. If so is this the correct part # 10910027
3. Does anyone have a service manual for the ARB Elements? If so would you please share a link?

I use my ARB 47 and Elements 63 fridges 24/7 so need to get the Elements back running ASAP.

Thanks!

Sounds like you need to recalibrate it which sound complex but it's not Read my post No 11 on this thread and then you will be able to get it to read/Set right Ok

Good Luck,

ARB Fridge question - Is it running too long?

I've recently picked up a 50 qt. ARB fridge/freezer and have been experimenting with it. Trying to figure out it's power consumption and what temperature to keep things at. I had a system down for 3-5 days using an traditional ice chest but realize this fridge is a different ball game. This unit...

www.expeditionportal.com

 

[67cj5]

Don't count on ARB to help. When mine quit working, they basically told me to drop dead.

Don't buy ARB.

ARB would never tell a customer to drop dead, They might ask for additional info but they would never disrespect any customer. Every ARB Product I have bought from them has performed flawlessly,

 

[FJR Colorado]

ARB would never tell a customer to drop dead, They might ask for additional info but they would never disrespect any customer. Every ARB Product I have bought from them has performed flawlessly,

ARB (non) Service was SO unhelpful to the point that, yeah, I would say they were downright disrespectful.

The first time I called, all they could care about was whether I was under 3 year warranty or not. I was not (it's at 5 years which Dometic would cover). At that point, the numb-nut rep wanted to drop my call like a bad habit. After I said, "hold on!" The rep made a big deal about getting my e-mail to send me a service manual which he then roundly ignored.

After getting said manual on my own, no thanks to numb-nut stoner phone rep, I ascertained from others that it may be a bad control board. So I called back and tried to buy one. I was told it would "either be this one or that one"...

"Well OK great, can I give you my serial # and you tell me which one?" No! You're out of warranty!

"Well, can I buy both boards and send you back the one I don't use?" No!

"Well, can I just buy both and chuck the one I don't use?" NO! In fact, I won't sell you either.

"So, how do I purchase one?" You must go through an authorized dealer.

"OK, I bought this at 4Wheel parts and they don't sell your parts. So who has one for sale?" Our directory is on our website.

"Well, can you just tell me ONE authorized dealer that sells your parts?" Our directory is on our web-site!


One of the main reason I bought it was ARB's vaunted rep for service. I KNOW there were/are enough stories that this HAD to be true at one point.

in my experience, those days are sorely over.

So, I have a $1,000 fridge with a $150 cover sitting in my basement because it will not work on 12v.

I have a new dual zone Dometic arriving Wed and will NEVER buy ARB again.

YMMV.

If anyone knows where to buy ARB fridge parts, let me know. ARB apparently guards this secret like the nuclear launch codes....

 

[67cj5]

ARB (non) Service was SO unhelpful to the point that, yeah, I would say they were downright disrespectful.

The first time I called, all they could care about was whether I was under 3 year warranty or not. I was not (it's at 5 years which Dometic would cover). At that point, the numb-nut rep wanted to drop my call like a bad habit. After I said, "hold on!" The rep made a big deal about getting my e-mail to send me a service manual which he then roundly ignored.

After getting said manual on my own, no thanks to numb-nut stoner phone rep, I ascertained from others that it may be a bad control board. So I called back and tried to buy one. I was told it would "either be this one or that one"...

"Well OK great, can I give you my serial # and you tell me which one?" No! You're out of warranty!

"Well, can I buy both boards and send you back the one I don't use?" No!

"Well, can I just buy both and chuck the one I don't use?" NO! In fact, I won't sell you either.

"So, how do I purchase one?" You must go through an authorized dealer.

"OK, I bought this at 4Wheel parts and they don't sell your parts. So who has one for sale?" Our directory is on our website.

"Well, can you just tell me ONE authorized dealer that sells your parts?" Our directory is on our web-site!


One of the main reason I bought it was ARB's vaunted rep for service. I KNOW there were/are enough stories that this HAD to be true at one point.

in my experience, those days are sorely over.

So, I have a $1,000 fridge with a $150 cover sitting in my basement because it will not work on 12v.

I have a new dual zone Dometic arriving Wed and will NEVER buy ARB again.

YMMV.

If anyone knows where to buy ARB fridge parts, let me know. ARB apparently guards this secret like the nuclear launch codes....

Well I would ask Dometic seeing as they make the ARB Fridges and see if they can either source the parts you need or at leased they could get ARB to fix it, ?

 

[john61ct]

Is that really true, as in all current models?

ARB started out basing off Sawafuji compressors, maybe even relabeled Engel.

Far as I know, Dometic / Waeco compressors have always been Danfoss type, now making their own.

 

[BulldoginaJeepwithaColt]

I have an ARB rear bumper, OME lift and snorkel. NO FRIDGES. Had to contact them a few times over the years via email for replacement springs and a piece for the snorkel and their reps were always helpful.

If I were in your shoes and dropped the amount of coin that those fridges command I would not be happy. Furthermore, if one of their reps treated me the way you said, I wouldn't let it drop.

I would email their customer service explaining the problem and then explain to them how you were treated and request a supervisor/manager to respond.

I'd like to hear how this plays out more importantly i'd like to hear that they made it right.and you just ended up dealing with an ************** employee - every company.has at least one.

At the end of the day we all work hard for our coin, and virtually everything made by ARB requires a lot of it!



Good Luck!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[WOODY2]

ARB (non) Service was SO unhelpful to the point that, yeah, I would say they were downright disrespectful.

The first time I called, all they could care about was whether I was under 3 year warranty or not. I was not (it's at 5 years which Dometic would cover). At that point, the numb-nut rep wanted to drop my call like a bad habit. After I said, "hold on!" The rep made a big deal about getting my e-mail to send me a service manual which he then roundly ignored.

After getting said manual on my own, no thanks to numb-nut stoner phone rep, I ascertained from others that it may be a bad control board. So I called back and tried to buy one. I was told it would "either be this one or that one"...

"Well OK great, can I give you my serial # and you tell me which one?" No! You're out of warranty!

"Well, can I buy both boards and send you back the one I don't use?" No!

"Well, can I just buy both and chuck the one I don't use?" NO! In fact, I won't sell you either.

"So, how do I purchase one?" You must go through an authorized dealer.

"OK, I bought this at 4Wheel parts and they don't sell your parts. So who has one for sale?" Our directory is on our website.

"Well, can you just tell me ONE authorized dealer that sells your parts?" Our directory is on our web-site!


One of the main reason I bought it was ARB's vaunted rep for service. I KNOW there were/are enough stories that this HAD to be true at one point.

in my experience, those days are sorely over.

So, I have a $1,000 fridge with a $150 cover sitting in my basement because it will not work on 12v.

I have a new dual zone Dometic arriving Wed and will NEVER buy ARB again.

YMMV.

If anyone knows where to buy ARB fridge parts, let me know. ARB apparently guards this secret like the nuclear launch codes....

I'll go out on a limb here but if you can get to the innards you'll find a loose wire somewhere. Someone else had the same problem and was able to correct it.

 

[FJR Colorado]

Thanks for the supportive posts, all.

It just frosts me because for years and years I have heard these legendary stories about ARB service. Why did it all have to stop with poor ol' me?

I still say it was a great fridge for 5 years and, yes, things go bad. I'm not asking for ANYTHING for free. I would just think they should maybe have a parts department? What if I couldn't buy brakes for a 5 year old truck?

Oh well, I'm over it and looking forward to the 75L Dometic arriving tomorrow! It will be an upgrade due to more overall space and have a freezer!! Just what I need to make my truck the Covid-19 escape vehicle. Looking forward to ice cream, ice, frozen steaks & burgers, extending my off-grid time, etc. 5-year warranty! Great deal on it thru REI. Stoked. Already rearranged the back of the truck to welcome it.

Usually, I am constantly traveling for work. Since the ARB was still working on AC power I had decided to let it become the world's most expensive basement fridge. But climbing the walls at home today, I got inspired to take it apart. Found a site called Summit Racing that sells ARB boards and ordered one up. If I can make it work on 12V, I could use it at the cabin or in the FJC. We shall see....

Anybody have advice on how to get all those tiny connector plugs off the board? Me-thinks I need a cable puller tool kit of some sort.... Maybe some of those electronic tweezers?

 

[FJR Colorado]

I'll go out on a limb here but if you can get to the innards you'll find a loose wire somewhere. Someone else had the same problem and was able to correct it.

Thanks. yeah, opened up today. Definitely nothing disconnected.

It was/is a really weird problem. It will start running on 12 v and appear fine. Then, just quit and show a fault. Come back the next day, it would run a again and quit after about 40 mins. This issue started me on a big chase last summer thinking it was my Renogy controller or something. Forced a big system rebuild, which I don't regret. Came out great.

Looking back, that ARB was flaking out for about a year before it started just quitting after 40 mins.

STILL ran on AC just fine so definitely not a compressor, thermistor, fan, whatever.

 

[WOODY2]

Thanks. yeah, opened up today. Definitely nothing disconnected.

It was/is a really weird problem. It will start running on 12 v and appear fine. Then, just quit and show a fault. Come back the next day, it would run a again and quit after about 40 mins. This issue started me on a big chase last summer thinking it was my Renogy controller or something. Forced a big system rebuild, which I don't regret. Came out great.

Looking back, that ARB was flaking out for about a year before it started just quitting after 40 mins.

STILL ran on AC just fine so definitely not a compressor, thermistor, fan, whatever.

the fact that it runs for a period then quits still potentially points to a loose connection that builds heat then shorts out when hot enough. Can you change DC cords and see if you get similar results?