I've been running a CFX50 for about three or four years now. I replaced the rear seats of my JKU with a plywood deck and in order to maximize space and purchased a custom-fit slide from DFG Offroad. This enables me to *just* fit in a set of 4 Frontrunner Wolf Pack boxes with almost zero wasted space. It has been a really good setup and has seen tens of thousands of miles of travel. Power has been provided by a 500 watt hour lithium ion pack mounted on a bracket on the driver's side which is charged by a 100w panel on the roof. This unit started giving me trouble on a recent trip so I replaced it with a 1500 watt hour unit which is temporarily secured to the deck just forward of the fridge unit.
One of the recurring issues is the damned power plug. It is such a poor solution for this type of arrangement for a variety of reasons:
- It wastes space because the plug sticks out so far from the otherwise flush face of a battery pack
- It is subject to damage because it sticks out
- It tends to wobble loose and can easily lose connection if it isn't checked constantly
Frankly I'm shocked that a better solution has not arrived that is compatible between the various makers of lithium battery packs and the various fridge manufacturers. Most battery packs only have regulated 12v output via a 12v ciggie plug (and sometimes barrel connectors). The Dometic and ARB fridges have their proprietary plug connectors, which work very well, but do not interface with any of the lithium battery pack manufactures.
I would very much like to see either Dometic offer a cord with Anderson power plug or XT60 connector AND the various battery companies adopt this standard for a 12v regulated outlet OR (as a retrofit solution) some sort of flush-mount 12v ciggie plug to APP or XT60 that could be inserted into the universal 12v plug on all battery packs and then maybe epoxied in place, exposing a female XT60 or APP receptacle.
The biggest hassle with operating a 12v fridge in a vehicle has always been this power connection (unless you are willing to DIY a battery pack, which typically costs quite a bit more and ends but being less compact and versatile).
On a separate note, I LOVE my Dometic fridge (I've replaced the thermistor twice in the 4 years I've had it) and the best addition I've made to it (other than the insulated cover) has been a
bluetooth sensor from TempFi. it allows me to set alarms for both temp and humidity and also to chart both over time without having to connect to the fridge via WiFi (which then causes the phone to lose internet).