Engel 43 or 34 QT ?

[ntsqd]

Interesting comment about the ARB's having a thermometer. Mine doesn't. I got it in trade for storing a car for a year though so I'm not complaining.

Still, I find that it is really susceptable to ambient temps. If it gets buried in the back of the Sub the temp inside starts climbing. I know a couple Early Bronco people who carry theirs on a "Rubicon Rack" and they both say that theirs not only works excellent, but does draw much power. I killed a battery sitting in camp for two days, despite starting late into first day & letting it charge for a while.

 

[teotwaki]

Interesting comment about the ARB's having a thermometer. Mine doesn't. I got it in trade for storing a car for a year though so I'm not complaining.

Still, I find that it is really susceptable to ambient temps. If it gets buried in the back of the Sub the temp inside starts climbing. I know a couple Early Bronco people who carry theirs on a "Rubicon Rack" and they both say that theirs not only works excellent, but does draw much power. I killed a battery sitting in camp for two days, despite starting late into first day & letting it charge for a while.

The vents around the back and sides of the fridge need clearance so that air can circulate. If your truck is sealed up tight and sitting in the sun it makes the fridge work harder trying to dump its waste heat into burning hot air.

 

[teotwaki]

idle observations

I happened to see the Engel 45 dimensions at about 4.2 cu feet external and 1.5 cu feet internal.

So I went and measured my Igloo Marine cooler and found 3 cu feet external and 1.6 cu feet internal.

Same internal storage space but no need for ice. Nice!

Wait, I already knew that when I made a scientific decision to buy the Engel and not an impulse gadget buy...

 

[ntsqd]

When camping I usually put the fridge outside in the shade. Nice of them to make that cord so long! It's the traveling part where it gets buried. I take pains to keep the vents as clear as possible, but things always shift a little. Guess I need to find a better place to put it.
I like the fridge, but I wonder about the "off road suspension" that the ice/water slurry provides. Anyone come up with an equivelent solution?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Interesting comment about the ARB's having a thermometer. Mine doesn't. I got it in trade for storing a car for a year though so I'm not complaining...

It started ~2 years ago now... anything older than that does not. It has something to do with an aniversary edition 45 thatr Engle made, ARB chose to make that the only unit they sell...

 

[flyingwil]

I do think that the ARB transit bag looks to be better, but it costs more than Engel's too.

I agree with the larger. Also in regards to the ARB bag, some ARB bags do not cover the seal of the lid and the fridge, this is the area I see to be need the most amount of protection.

Also in regards to the themometer, most units are mounted in the rear of the vehicle where the temperature read out can not be seen, so the way I see it is just not needed. I recomend a cheapy wireless one from target, that you can mount in a spot visible from the drivers seat and you can then monitor the temperatures as you drive.

 

[teotwaki]

Will said:................ I recomend a cheapy wireless one from target, that you can mount in a spot visible from the drivers seat and you can then monitor the temperatures as you drive.

I like the idea and surfed to Target.Com but did not see anything quite suitable. Did you see one at the reatail store? Model and brand?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I agree with the larger. Also in regards to the ARB bag, some ARB bags do not cover the seal of the lid and the fridge, this is the area I see to be need the most amount of protection.

True, but I can't say I've ever hear a complaint one way or the other. I have the Engel, but I wish I had the ARB for several reasons. 1. The Engel, you have to unzip it all the way to open it up, and it can be a bit awkward to get your hand on the latch, depending on where its mounted. with the ARB the latch is outside of the cover and all you do is unlatch to open, no unzipping needed. Minor but an issue. 2. I want to convert my unit to a side opening lid, with the Engel cover its even a bigger PITA to open up when the side opening convertion is done.

I like the idea and surfed to Target.Com but did not see anything quite suitable. Did you see one at the reatail store? Model and brand?

If you can't find a cheapy one, Engel has a remote thermometer available... any vehicle outfitter should be able to get you one, or compactappliance.com.

 

[flyingwil]

I like the idea and surfed to Target.Com but did not see anything quite suitable. Did you see one at the reatail store? Model and brand?

Just go to the store itself... they are typically in the garden section I think the brand name is Oregon Scientific or something along those lines. I am working on bringing the TwoZone thermometer unit in on my next order along with the baskets and seperators! The TwoZone temp units are very nice. The remote sender unit takes AAA's and the receiving unit take AA's.

 

[ntsqd]

It started ~2 years ago now... anything older than that does not. It has something to do with an aniversary edition 45 thatr Engle made, ARB chose to make that the only unit they sell...

That explains it then. This one must be going 5 years old. Thanks!

 

[teotwaki]

Side Opening Engel/ARB

Like this!



http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=98524&highlight=ARB+fridge+lid

 

[xcmountain80]

Glad we covered the cheapo thermometer thing, now lets work on a cheapo fridge slide. I have some ideas but need to go to HD and Lowes and local surplus store. I know I could just buy one but there no fun in it for me.

Aaron

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Like this!



http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=98524&highlight=ARB+fridge+lid

Yup

 

[xcmountain80]

So im sure it might have been cheaper to buy the fridge slide but I decided to make one instead. I went with 24" 100lb. drawer slides, 2' steel L channel, 4 turnbuckle, misc. hardware (5/16X1 1/2". bla bla bla) I still need to find a piece of wood preferably a chopping block of cutting board for the fridge to sit on. I mated the L channel and slides together, now I need to find the board and make a U shaped seat to attach it to the slider and the U shape seat to the wood. Yikes . Easy? no but that what I like a challenge. C'mon if I can rebuild a Hannibal I can make a fridge slide. Material cost are at $80 so after the cutting board somewhere around $100

Aaron

 

[mountainpete]

Go for it Aaron! :wings:

Keep up posted!