ARB Fridge "Clunk"

[coax]

For those of you that have the newer style arb fridge, do you get a "clunking" sound from the compressor area when you set down the fridge or move it around? I just got mine in the mail yesterday. Fridge works just fine, but the clunking has me worried it might drive me crazy on any sort of washboard or bumpy road. So, just curious if I got a slightly defective one or if thats par for the course.

Corey

 

[Andy@AAV]

Had mine about a year now and nothing like you describe. The only sound I get is the basket divider that I have now removed.

 

[JUNAC]

The compressor motor in domestic fridges that use a hermetic (sealed) compressor sit on springs inside the tin can. Over time one of these springs can break, when the compressor starts and stops, the motor inside actually hits the inside of the tin can causing a clunking sound. It doesn't affect the operation although the noise can be annoying.

 

[Toycdn]

Yes, mine does the same thing. ARB assured me that it was normal, I have been using it with no problems. I did take the cover off to try to see where the clunk was coming from but couldn't pin-point it.

 

[cnynrat]

I hear the same thing when moving mine around, and have since it was new.

 

[1911]

I've had mine for a little more than a year and never heard a clunk, but my hearing is not good - if it was not very loud I wouldn't hear it.

 

[cnynrat]

It's not very loud, and I only hear it when I'm carrying from one place to another. "Clunk" makes it sound louder than it is.

 

[coax]

Thanks for the feedback all. I emailed ARB and they are saying its normal. Here's a video of the noise....I'm hoping it doesn't drive me crazy on washboard and similar type road.

[video]http://picasaweb.google.com/hobogoesrogue/Fridge#5729877559754252082[/video]

 

[4x4junkie]

Thanks for the feedback all. I emailed ARB and they are saying its normal. Here's a video of the noise....I'm hoping it doesn't drive me crazy on washboard and similar type road.

[video]http://picasaweb.google.com/hobogoesrogue/Fridge#5729877559754252082[/video]

My Edgestar 430 makes that exact same noise too.

It's a bit annoying on some roads, but so far it's continued to work fine (had it almost 2 years now).

 

[coax]

I sent an email to Danfoss to see if they potentially had a bad run of compressors where maybe the springs broke/came off/etc. Not sure that I'll get a response, but the noise mine makes is quite annoying. Even though ARB says its "normal", for an offroad fridge to make that much noise, I just don't buy it. (Wait, I did buy it...) Otherwise the fridge works great. If I get a response I'll let folks know what they said.

 

[projected]

Old thread but..... Mine clunks too. It's inside my crew cab frontier behind the driver side seat so I can hear it really well. It makes the truck sound like a POS. I've been dealing with it since last summer and finally called ARB today. As noted above they say it's normal.

It may be normal but it is certainly extremely annoying. If I knew about the constant clunk I would have purchased a different brand.

 

[moabian]

I've had my 63-qt ARB mounted in the Jeep for more than a year. It's right behind the passenger seat and I've never heard any clunk.

 

[projected]

I've had my 63-qt ARB mounted in the Jeep for more than a year. It's right behind the passenger seat and I've never heard any clunk.

Thanks for your reply. You would know if you had it, it's definitely not subtle.

 

[offero]

My Dometic/Waeco makes a cer-clunkity-clunk sound when I carry it around, but I don't really hear it when driving. Then again, it's in the back. It's done it since new... I just assumed it was the compressor internals as others have mentioned.

 

[projected]

My Dometic/Waeco makes a cer-clunkity-clunk sound when I carry it around, but I don't really hear it when driving. Then again, it's in the back. It's done it since new... I just assumed it was the compressor internals as others have mentioned.

I agree it is the internals and doesn't seem to be an issue. It's odd that only some are affected by the clunk.