Edge Star fridge, what say? who has one?
- Thread starter mjmcdowell
- Start date
Right after I bought mine, I took it on a weeklong+ trip to our cabin near Tahoe in August. It was hooked up to a cheapo Wally-world deep cycle battery and ran for 4+ days before needing to get charged. This was with daytime temps in the 90s, the fridge was on the east side of the cabin, so wasn't fully exposed to the sun until early afternoon, but sat in direct sunlight for the afternoon/evening.
More recent trips with temps in the 80s-90s with a fully charged battery, fully exposed and it lasts 2-3 days max, and even charging it off the truck it maybe lasts 1 day per hour the truck is running (and I'm using 4ga wire to charge the battery).
I have noticed that even something and simple as a sheet covering the fridge in the sun makes a huge difference in how long the battery lasts.
Also, to add to my previous post about beating the crap out of the fridge, this last weekend, I took it out to Tillamook State Forest for a weekend snow trip...full on winter weather watch, massive winds, snow, mud, hail, locusts, the whole bit...fridge was fully exposed the whole time, including being driven through mud & snow to the campsite and it's still working great...HOWEVER, it appears that my seal is leaking and I'm starting to get water ingress into the interior when driving through driving rainstorms with it directly behind the truck...so maybe gonna start to look at some cover so my food doesn't get wet...
lookin4yota
New member
My 43-qt Edgestar lasted through several off- and on- road excursions including a 9000+ mile camping trip to Alaska & back, where it won my affection for keeping ice cream firm all the way up and 26 lbs. of halibut filets at 5-degrees or less all the way home. In between trips it served as my office snack & drink cooler. The 3-year extended warranty expired a month or two ago, and now it won't cool below 50 degrees running on A/C in my office.
I don't regret the purchase -- it was worth the money for the 3+ years I got out of it, and when I purchased it I had just bought a new truck & camper and couldn't afford anything better. BUT, I won't get another one. I'm researching an ARB or Engel for anticipated longevity. I agree that in the long run quality often outweighs initial cost.
I don't regret the purchase -- it was worth the money for the 3+ years I got out of it, and when I purchased it I had just bought a new truck & camper and couldn't afford anything better. BUT, I won't get another one. I'm researching an ARB or Engel for anticipated longevity. I agree that in the long run quality often outweighs initial cost.
TurboChris
Adventurer
Hmmm, I have a different point of view. I use mine exclusively in my truck. And I only "use" it when camping or offroading. So it sees limited use. Maybe 15 to 20 days a year. I see people all the time mention how they use it 24/7, either in their office, garage or vehicle. I figure that if mine is at LEAST as good as yours was......it'll last FOREVER at this rate....and that makes it WELL worth the money and an unbeatable value.
Bennyhana
Adventurer
Well I cursed myself with that post. Not a month later, my Edgestar died. It runs but wont cool. Called numerous places to see about getting it repaired with no luck. I now have the 50qt ARB running in the garage.
I bought the 63qt edgestar early 2010. We took it to Prince edward Island. It worked like its suppose to. Fall of 2010 the 5c came on the temp controller. Of course its out of warrenty. So, I left it home and brought a cooler instead. Did not go anywhere in 2011. Work was very busy. Better take it while its there.
Early 2012 I install a new temp sensor I bought from edgestar. I also bought a spare temp controller just in case. It ran great on the table for a week. I unplug it. A week later, I plug it in and it runs great.
I take it into the garage Fill it with jugs of water. It fires up and cools down. My god it really is fixed!! I am a hero!! The next day, the temp is up to 50degrees. Whats up? I unplug it let it set and still nothing. The compressor will not turn on. I try the spare contoller ;same results.
Would I buy another edgestar? No way. What can I do with this one? Don't know. I bought it to use not to diagnose and work on.
Really, the fridge has 1 week of use and its been nothing but an expensive bend over and take it purchase.
I am calling them Monday to see what else can be done. Chances are slim. Reccomend it? No. I envy the people who have had good luck with them. I guess it depends on the day it was made and who was on the shift.
Early 2012 I install a new temp sensor I bought from edgestar. I also bought a spare temp controller just in case. It ran great on the table for a week. I unplug it. A week later, I plug it in and it runs great.
I take it into the garage Fill it with jugs of water. It fires up and cools down. My god it really is fixed!! I am a hero!! The next day, the temp is up to 50degrees. Whats up? I unplug it let it set and still nothing. The compressor will not turn on. I try the spare contoller ;same results.
Would I buy another edgestar? No way. What can I do with this one? Don't know. I bought it to use not to diagnose and work on.
Really, the fridge has 1 week of use and its been nothing but an expensive bend over and take it purchase.
I am calling them Monday to see what else can be done. Chances are slim. Reccomend it? No. I envy the people who have had good luck with them. I guess it depends on the day it was made and who was on the shift.
ab1985
Explorer
The back and forth about the quality of the edgestar fridge is a rabbit hole in my opinion. I bought one last year, and it has worked flawlessly under harsh conditions. It's survived everything from family camping trips at KOA-like campgrounds, to long distance trips with bumpy roads, to rock crawling/4-wheeling trails my truck had no business being on. I expect it has much more life left in it, but if I bought a fridge today it would be an ARB or Engel. That doesn't mean I won't recommend edgestar, I was just at a different place then. The ferrari/camry analogy is the most salient I think. My first car wasn't a ferrari (or even a camry), but I certainly wouldn't make the the same car purchase today that I made back then when I had no experience and even less money.
Fzzt
Observer
That sums up the purchase of my Edgestar perfectly though it was $400 at the time for me. I've owned it close to a year and it's functioned flawlessly. Used it for one week long trip during 90f weather, several off road trips and many day outtings. Planning on using it a lot more this year. If it craps out would I buy another one? Hmm, I have my eye on the National Luna split fridge+freezer but that's a big chunk of change just to make ice & have some frozen food. I can't see going back to coolers full of ice, I'm totally spoiled now. So I would buy another Edgestar if I needed it sooner rather than later. I'd also recommend the Edgestar as a starting point for people wanting to go from coolers to fridge with the understanding that they are buying an entry level overlanding item.
I agree that most times you should buy as high quality of equipment as you can afford, the thing is that the bang for the buck is in the Edgestars favor.
Oh No! Probably wouldn't help if I said I'm now into spring camping season, the fridge has been outside all winter (running), been in snow camping, thick mud, and still keeps my beer cold? Of course, I'm heading back out next weekend and it will probably die on me and ruin my steak
So that makes 2 winters, plenty of rain/mud/snow, 2 summers, plenty of mud/dust/dirt...outside all the time, on all the time, unprotected all the time.
Let's see, how can I jinx myself more? I don't have any cool stickers on it, maybe I should start putting stickers on it now
Butch1979
Family Adventurer
Hunk of $hit
Mine has been nothing but trouble. I have a 63qt and the cable was the first problem, then the controller, now who knows what is broke. Service department wants me to pay labor to have it fixed locally or ship it to them ($135 more dollars) and pay them $75 to repair and send it back. That sounds like a horrible plan to invest another $200 into this large paperweight. Not to mention the service department was rude and unhelpful.
Fridge is currently at a local RV shop in hopes that he can trouble shoot it and get parts from edgestar. Until then, I am down a fridge again. DO NOT BUY ONE OF THESE PIECES OF JUNK. Find a used quality fridge.
Mine has been nothing but trouble. I have a 63qt and the cable was the first problem, then the controller, now who knows what is broke. Service department wants me to pay labor to have it fixed locally or ship it to them ($135 more dollars) and pay them $75 to repair and send it back. That sounds like a horrible plan to invest another $200 into this large paperweight. Not to mention the service department was rude and unhelpful.
Fridge is currently at a local RV shop in hopes that he can trouble shoot it and get parts from edgestar. Until then, I am down a fridge again. DO NOT BUY ONE OF THESE PIECES OF JUNK. Find a used quality fridge.
So you bought basically the cheapest fridge on the market, knowing it had a 1 year warranty. Then you chose NOT to purchase the 3 year extended warranty. Then, when the fridge broke down after fulfilling it's manufacturer's promise to you (work for a year), you wanted them to repair it for free?
I have a lawn mower that's about 10 years old, doesn't work...should I call Sears and demand they fix it since I bought it there, but didn't get an extended warranty?
I'm half ribbing you, but honestly, it's a cheapo fridge bought at an online retailer, my expectations were for it to last 366 days and burn my house down. Anything better than that and I'm a happy camper
latinoguy
Adventurer
I built my mule with a budget in mind, and the good thing of having taken my time, it allowed me the time needed to research about less expensive options than the top brands out there in every category (winches, sliders, etc.) I bought the Edgestar fridge last year right before a baja trip and it performed as expected, and kept my food/beverages cold. I am going to upgrade the 12v connector soon. Sadly, a week in Baja was the last time I really made use of it, so if you consider how much use it will likely see from me, this value brand 12V fridge more than satisifies my needs. I am very pleased with it so far, but I did do a basic 2 battery mod to the truck as well. So I had to factor that $ in addition to just getting the fridge.
mjmcdowell
Explorer
Edgestar fridge
Ok.... since I started this thread I will say this about my 43 qt Edgestar, works for me, all around Moab this spring (Moab 2012 expedition) here on Expo, not a problem. Since I only run one batt. I would unplug at night as a precaution and it still maintained a cold enough temp. so I had no spoilage (granted it was not in the 90's but still warm during the day) On and off, bounced around in my truck for a week and a half or so, no problems, (if it had crapped out, any brand could, I would have had a expensive ice chest) All the way from upstate NY and back also. Sometimes I think there is a bit of an equipment race going on in the Expo circles and there are those who will always win, but for some of us the less expensive items work just fine. Case in point: one brand of pants (MK) in the $80 range then you have $35 canvas pants from Cabellas, I would bet my butt they both are made overseas also, which is better? I dunno but my $35 are holding up just fine after a lot of use in the last couple of years...... Any way, we shall see how the fridge holds up, but for now it was a great choice even tho not one of the high end "name" brands :sombrero: Oh, and $200 plus tables... :Wow1: mjmcdowell
Ok.... since I started this thread I will say this about my 43 qt Edgestar, works for me, all around Moab this spring (Moab 2012 expedition) here on Expo, not a problem. Since I only run one batt. I would unplug at night as a precaution and it still maintained a cold enough temp. so I had no spoilage (granted it was not in the 90's but still warm during the day) On and off, bounced around in my truck for a week and a half or so, no problems, (if it had crapped out, any brand could, I would have had a expensive ice chest) All the way from upstate NY and back also. Sometimes I think there is a bit of an equipment race going on in the Expo circles and there are those who will always win, but for some of us the less expensive items work just fine. Case in point: one brand of pants (MK) in the $80 range then you have $35 canvas pants from Cabellas, I would bet my butt they both are made overseas also, which is better? I dunno but my $35 are holding up just fine after a lot of use in the last couple of years...... Any way, we shall see how the fridge holds up, but for now it was a great choice even tho not one of the high end "name" brands :sombrero: Oh, and $200 plus tables... :Wow1: mjmcdowell