Bit overwhelmed with ARB fridge. Please help me set it up so I'm good to go?

[vision-quest]

Red to + and Black to - that is all you need to know if you get the ARB wiring kit. The kit has simple to follow instructions. You don't need to pay anyone to do it. There is plenty of wire to meander around your vehicle. The side/floor panels by your doors should just pop out and that a great place to feed the wires to the back seat.

Thanks for this. Would it make a difference if I told you that there's a wall socket in the center console that comes as part of the UrbanRunner package of the 4Runner. Could I use that?

 

[1Louder]

I forgot to mention, I also have a wall plug socket in the center console, it comes included with the UrbanRunner package of the 4Runner.. though I have found it's quite slow to charge anything.

I don't think this will run any more efficient than the 12 volt. Also you have to remember to turn it back on every time you start the engine. Easy to forget. I did run a 2nd fridge on one this summer but I really had to remind myself to turn the outlet back on each time.

 

[vision-quest]

Keep it full for most efficient operation. As you empty it, add water bottles or something to it. I've found on my Snomaster that 36F is the optimum temperature to not freeze, and be quite cold.

A agree, lose the 12V cig plug. After you run your dedicated circuit you might use Anderson connectors. Also agree that pre-cooling before your trip will help a lot. You will not get 48 hours, but you might get overnight, this is going to depend on outside temperatures.

100W of solar would make a world of difference if you want to be somewhere for a couple of days and keep your battery topped up, of course a 2nd battery would also be nice with the right isolator setup.

A good test to convince yourself the 12v socket is not a good idea, is to let it run a while, then feel the plug, you will note it is very warm, if not hot. This represents loss of energy due to the design of the plug. Eventually it will melt and fail.

I agree you need a jump box for sure if you are not adding a battery right away. I'm adding a link to some pictures of my fridge setup, dual battery setup and my power setup if it's helpful for ideas. There are also some electrical graphs the show how it is maintained on 100W solar power.

How long would something like this be able to keep the fridge operating? I know it's dependent on weather, but a rough estimate?

http://www.goalzero.com/p/211/sherpa-100-solar-kit/40:3/

 

[vision-quest]

I don't think this will run any more efficient than the 12 volt. Also you have to remember to turn it back on every time you start the engine. Easy to forget. I did run a 2nd fridge on one this summer but I really had to remind myself to turn the outlet back on each time.

Yeah, I could put a piece of tape on the steering wheel that says "check power switch" though, I couldn't possibly miss that. I'm guessing running it off that instead of the cig lighter would fix the whole melting issue too?

I will research a bit more into this wiring kit. If I have to cut anything I may be a bit worried to be doing that myself.

 

[1Louder]

How long would something like this be able to keep the fridge operating? I know it's dependent on weather, but a rough estimate?

http://www.goalzero.com/p/211/sherpa-100-solar-kit/40:3/

You would want something like this, http://www.goalzero.com/p/165/Goal-Zero-Yeti-400-Solar-Generator or the ARKPak, http://www.arkportablepower.com/pages/about-the-arkpak. With something like that you would not need a dual battery setup for your vehicle down the road. With that said, that's a very expensive "solution" to your concern for powering your fridge. If 4Wheelparts stocks the wiring harness you could probably get them to wire up your vehicle. It takes less than an hour to do it.

 

[1Louder]

Yeah, I could put a piece of tape on the steering wheel that says "check power switch" though, I couldn't possibly miss that. I'm guessing running it off that instead of the cig lighter would fix the whole melting issue too?

I will research a bit more into this wiring kit. If I have to cut anything I may be a bit worried to be doing that myself.

Just open your hood and look for something like what is in this photo.

While I have lots of things going through the firewall you should only have one. All you do is cut off the end of the button and shove the wire through or cut a small X in it and feed the wire through. It helps to tape the wire to a wire coat hanger or something similar. Once through just slowly pull the wire through. The "button" is the part at the top with 2 black wires going through it in my picture. Where the wires come out inside of your Toyota should be just above left of the brake pedal.

 

[1Louder]

When packing the fridge anything you want frozen should be at the very bottom. Eggs, butter, etc go on the dairy shelf in the back. Keep cheese, lunch meats, whatever towards the top. That should keep them from freezing if you have the temperature setting below 32. Remember these work differently than a traditional fridge. There is no air movement so it takes time for things to cool down. The temperature of your food will always be warmer than what the fridge reads. I rotate beverages out as I consume them so I don't waste space with 12 pack of beer. Of course the less time you have the lid open the longer the fridge will stay cool. The good news for your trip is summer is over and your fridge won't have to work as hard to keep things cold.

 

[vision-quest]

You would want something like this, http://www.goalzero.com/p/165/Goal-Zero-Yeti-400-Solar-Generator or the ARKPak, http://www.arkportablepower.com/pages/about-the-arkpak. With something like that you would not need a dual battery setup for your vehicle down the road. With that said, that's a very expensive "solution" to your concern for powering your fridge. If 4Wheelparts stocks the wiring harness you could probably get them to wire up your vehicle. It takes less than an hour to do it.

Thank you for the response. I would fork out the $500 for the GoalZero but I'm worried how much power the solar generator actually puts out. Would it constantly keep the fridge going if I had a solar panel up on the roof? I have no experience with solar power.

I had actually also been looking at the Ark, but I need to also buy a battery which is another $250 or so. I think I'd prefer a dedicated dual battery system over the Arkpak to save space also. Either way I'm not looking to jump into that ring right this minute before I head away tomorrow. The solar could be useful for a whole host of other things though.

 

[vision-quest]

I was just doing some research.. looks like this combo can keep the arb fridge topped up for an infinite amount of time according to a couple of reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/PowerFilm-Foldable-Solar-Panel-Adapter/dp/B00JOOFG8O

Maybe something like this would be good? Could power camera batteries etc when needed also as I could daisey chain another panel for those applications.

 

[1Louder]

Thank you for the response. I would fork out the $500 for the GoalZero but I'm worried how much power the solar generator actually puts out. Would it constantly keep the fridge going if I had a solar panel up on the roof? I have no experience with solar power.

I had actually also been looking at the Ark, but I need to also buy a battery which is another $250 or so. I think I'd prefer a dedicated dual battery system over the Arkpak to save space also. Either way I'm not looking to jump into that ring right this minute before I head away tomorrow. The solar could be useful for a whole host of other things though.

The Sherpa 100 that you listed would not have enough battery capacity to run the fridge. For other devices sure. Solar is great but that is a lengthy topic. You can read many of the threads on here when you return from your trip.

How old is your battery? You might want to just put in a deep cycle battery like an Optima Yellow Top. These serve a dual purpose as a starting battery and have more reserve capacity to power a fridge. Of course if you don't wire the fridge directly to the battery it does not matter. The factory 12 volt socket will not power the fridge with your engine off. A place like 4Wheelparts could also sell you a good battery. I used to have a dual battery setup. I had an issue with my mount for the 2nd battery and it has all been removed for now. I have a portable solar panel to assist with charging my single battery when I am camped. I might go back to the dual battery setup someday but what I have now is fine. Deep cycle battery, solar panel, and a Anti-gravity jump box as a backup.

 

[1Louder]

I was just doing some research.. looks like this combo can keep the arb fridge topped up for an infinite amount of time according to a couple of reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/PowerFilm-Foldable-Solar-Panel-Adapter/dp/B00JOOFG8O

Maybe something like this would be good? Could power camera batteries etc when needed also as I could daisey chain another panel for those applications.

I have a roll out power fill panel. It's great but they are silly expensive. I got mine used for a great price. Had I not I would have gone with a cheaper hard panel setup. Solar doesn't work at night (duh), does nothing while your engine is running (alternator charges the battery), and is less efficient depending on the angle of the sun. On a clear day with temps below 80 degrees my panel does a pretty good job keeping my battery charged. On a 100 degree day with it being 120 in my truck the panel could not keep up with the demand from the fridge. They also take time to work. Just having it out for a couple of hours in the morning is better than nothing but will not top up your battery. Remember a panel also requires a controller unless one is built in.

You're leaving tomorrow. Now is not the time to rush into solutions. The best thing for you to do is get that fridge wired to your car battery directly. If need be you can run your vehicle while camped for 30 minutes or so to give the battery a charge. I don't know how long you are planning on staying in any one area so it is difficult to tell how often you will be able to charge your battery each day while driving. My first setup was just to my factory Toyota battery that was 2 years old and it worked fine since I was driving every day.

The Odyssey battery you would want is this one: http://shop.odysseybattery.com/p/34r-pc1500t

The Optima is this one: https://www.optimabatteries.com/en-...35-yellowtop-starting-and-deep-cycle-battery/

Sears: http://www.sears.com/diehard-platin...p-02851035000P?prdNo=8&blockNo=8&blockType=G8

Autozone, Costco, wherever all sell batteries. You just want a deep cycle starting battery.

 

[vision-quest]

I have a roll out power fill panel. It's great but they are silly expensive. I got mine used for a great price. Had I not I would have gone with a cheaper hard panel setup. Solar doesn't work at night (duh), does nothing while your engine is running (alternator charges the battery), and is less efficient depending on the angle of the sun. On a clear day with temps below 80 degrees my panel does a pretty good job keeping my battery charged. On a 100 degree day with it being 120 in my truck the panel could not keep up with the demand from the fridge. They also take time to work. Just having it out for a couple of hours in the morning is better than nothing but will not top up your battery.

You're leaving tomorrow. Now is not the time to rush into solutions. The best thing for you to do is get that fridge wired to your car battery directly. If need be you can run your vehicle while camped for 30 minutes or so to give the battery a charge. I don't know how long you are planning on staying in any one area so it is difficult to tell how often you will be able to charge your battery each day while driving. My first setup was just to my factory Toyota battery that was 2 years old and it worked fine since I was driving every day.

Again, really appreciate your input. I'm a bit worried about my current battery. I just purchased my 4Runner only a couple of weeks ago knowing the battery had to be replaced soon (failed battery test on pre-purchase inspection) and after a couple of days not driving it, it does take a couple of seconds of turning the key for it to start. I may have to bite the bullet and replace the starter battery and get a nice deep cycle battery like this one i was recommended: http://shop.odysseybattery.com/p/pc1200lmjt. Then get that wiring kit from 4WheelParts.

 

[1Louder]

Again, really appreciate your input. I'm a bit worried about my current battery. I just purchased my 4Runner only a couple of weeks ago knowing the battery had to be replaced soon (failed battery test on pre-purchase inspection) and after a couple of days not driving it, it does take a couple of seconds of turning the key for it to start. I may have to bite the bullet and replace the starter battery and get a nice deep cycle battery like this one i was recommended: http://shop.odysseybattery.com/p/pc1200lmjt. Then get that wiring kit from 4WheelParts.

YES! We were typing at the same time. Get a new battery, wiring kit, and you should be good to go. All the other stuff can be discussed at a later date. I'm just one guy throwing out my free advice. The battery you listed does not have a very large reserve capacity. You want one like the 1500 that I listed.

 

[vision-quest]

YES! We were typing at the same time. Get a new battery, wiring kit, and you should be good to go. All the other stuff can be discussed at a later date. I'm just one guy throwing out my free advice. The battery you listed does not have a very large reserve capacity. You want one like the 1500 that I listed.

Sounds good, thanks again!

 

[vision-quest]

Forgot to mention too, I will be driving 8 hours to Monument Valley, then 2.5 the next day to Page, staying in Page 2 nights (but will have a hotel room to keep the fridge going), but after that I'm in Zion for 4 days so that's where the refrigeration issue will become a problem I suspect, unless I can find someone in a powered site willing to let us use one of their outlet.