What is everyone using to power their portable fridges?

[vision-quest]

I bought a 50qt ARB fridge due to a sale and I don't currently have anything to power this for any extended amount of time.

I have a 2008 Toyota 4Runner, and I'm considering a dual battery setup or a Goal Zero type setup (Maybe Yeti 1250 + spare 100WH battery daisy chained + solar panel) so I can park and keep this thing running for about 5 days without charging.

Are these the best options I have. I really don't want to spent a fortune but it looks like either way is going to be around $2000.

What ways are you guys powering your ARB fridges for periods where you are stopped for 3-5 days or so with no way to charge?

 

[yotacrawler83]

I don't have a ARB fridge but I have a older Norcold, and I use a 100watt solar panel that feeds to a yellow top optima to power all my equipment. And then on the no sun days I usually pack along the old trusty 2000watt Honda generator to make up for the lack of sunshine. Got my whole solar setup of eBay for I believe it was $230. Dollars shipped for the panel,charge controller and wiring. Hope this helps Jeff

 

[vision-quest]

I don't have a ARB fridge but I have a older Norcold, and I use a 100watt solar panel that feeds to a yellow top optima to power all my equipment. And then on the no sun days I usually pack along the old trusty 2000watt Honda generator to make up for the lack of sunshine. Got my whole solar setup of eBay for I believe it was $230. Dollars shipped for the panel,charge controller and wiring. Hope this helps Jeff

Thanks a lot for the info. I know it would be highly dependent on sun, but how long can you power the fridge with the battery and solar panel usually without charging? I'm guessing it might be irrelevant thought considering your fridge probably had different power usages.

 

[perkj]

In my LR3 I run a dual battery set up to run my ARB. I used a Deka Intimidator Group 31 AGM 100 ah (Cost $200) as the house/2nd battery that feeds the fridge. My dual battery control is from Traxide (cost $350 for the controller and cables). I also have a AMSolar/GS 100 Watt Solar panel ($160) feeding into a Morningstar SunSaver MPPT ($150) to keep the battery topped off when at camp. Add in another $50 for the solar cabling and fuses and I'm under $1000 for my set up. This set up will power the fridge indefinitely.

 

[Hilldweller]

I've run an ARB for 5 years (just sold it though) on a pair of group 31 batteries. After switching to 100w solar, piece of cake. That fridge is a miser when it comes to sipping the electrons.
A dual battery set-up or one very good batter with 100w solar and you'll have no worries. The key is to always recharge your batteries all the way once depleted. Set the fridge to turn off at 12.5v.

Renogy runs sales. I think my suitcase was $249 delivered. http://www.renogy-store.com/Renogy-100W-12V-Mono-Portable-Solar-Suitcase-p/kit-stcs100d.htm

 

[vision-quest]

I've run an ARB for 5 years (just sold it though) on a pair of group 31 batteries. After switching to 100w solar, piece of cake. That fridge is a miser when it comes to sipping the electrons.
A dual battery set-up or one very good batter with 100w solar and you'll have no worries. The key is to always recharge your batteries all the way once depleted. Set the fridge to turn off at 12.5v.

Renogy runs sales. I think my suitcase was $249 delivered. http://www.renogy-store.com/Renogy-100W-12V-Mono-Portable-Solar-Suitcase-p/kit-stcs100d.htm

Thanks a lot for the info! So with a 100w solar panel and 2 group 31 batteries you could run the fridge almost indefinitely? Even with intermittent cloudy weather? How exactly do these connect together? I'd love to hear a bit more about this... seems like an affordable option. Maybe like $500 once you buy the batteries and solar panel?

 

[vision-quest]

In my LR3 I run a dual battery set up to run my ARB. I used a Deka Intimidator Group 31 AGM 100 ah (Cost $200) as the house/2nd battery that feeds the fridge. My dual battery control is from Traxide (cost $350 for the controller and cables). I also have a AMSolar/GS 100 Watt Solar panel ($160) feeding into a Morningstar SunSaver MPPT ($150) to keep the battery topped off when at camp. Add in another $50 for the solar cabling and fuses and I'm under $1000 for my set up. This set up will power the fridge indefinitely.

$1000 is manageable for me. How difficult is all this to put together? I have absolutely zero vehicle or electronic maintenance skills. Do you happen to have links to all of the components you used?

 

[1Louder]

Get an ArkPak or similar device, pick the battery of your choice, and a 60 watt or greater solar panel to keep things charged up. Plug fridge into ArkPak, ArkPak into vehicle to charge it while driving, and ArkPak into solar panel when you aren't driving. Problem solved. Portable, not complicated, and easy to maintain. There really isn't a reason to set up your vehicle with dual batteries just to power a fridge. Most of my trips I don't bring the ArkPak. I have a good AGM battery and the solar panel keeps it charged up. I also have a jump box just in case. I used to have a dual battery setup so I speak from some experience.

Many, many threads on this topic so read through them.

My opinions are free. Your mileage may vary and the usefulness of said opinions vary as well!

 

[e60ral]

You also need a charge controller for the panel, correct?

 

[1Louder]

You also need a charge controller for the panel, correct?

Many come with a controller, but if not yes.

 

[Hilldweller]

Thanks a lot for the info! So with a 100w solar panel and 2 group 31 batteries you could run the fridge almost indefinitely? Even with intermittent cloudy weather? How exactly do these connect together? I'd love to hear a bit more about this... seems like an affordable option. Maybe like $500 once you buy the batteries and solar panel?

I had two batteries wired in simple parallel in the trailer, fridge in the back of the trailer. Get to the campsite, deploy the panels, let the sun do the rest.
The worst sun I ever got was usually in weather that was cool so the fridge didn't cycle on that much anyhow. But the panels could produce over 4 amps in filtered sun and the fridge would only take about 2.7 amps with the batteries at 13.1v ---- so you never got low.
If it was a warm evening, the surplus from the panels covered it quickly. I work in test & measurement and measure everything... ...it's a sickness... ...but I never ran those batteries lower than 12.7v, regardless of weather.
You don't have to spend a fortune unless you want to. My batteries were from Walmart...

Here I am one day when I brought the trailer to work. We were leaving from there on a Friday. Just put out the panels and kept the batteries fed all day. Nice hot day too.

 

[vision-quest]

Get an ArkPak or similar device, pick the battery of your choice, and a 60 watt or greater solar panel to keep things charged up. Plug fridge into ArkPak, ArkPak into vehicle to charge it while driving, and ArkPak into solar panel when you aren't driving. Problem solved. Portable, not complicated, and easy to maintain. There really isn't a reason to set up your vehicle with dual batteries just to power a fridge. Most of my trips I don't bring the ArkPak. I have a good AGM battery and the solar panel keeps it charged up. I also have a jump box just in case. I used to have a dual battery setup so I speak from some experience.

Many, many threads on this topic so read through them.

My opinions are free. Your mileage may vary and the usefulness of said opinions vary as well!

Truly appreciate the opinion. The Arkpak looks like a great device. How long would the Arkpak with a good battery inside and 90W solar panel keep the fridge running in your opinion? Obviously times will vary with weather but I'm just looking for an average scenario. I also have camera batteries to charge (DSLR, I'm a photographer) and a laptop. I was thinking of getting something like the Goal Zero Yeti 400 for those as I have a 40% discount voucher.

 

[Hilldweller]

You also need a charge controller for the panel, correct?

The Renogy Suitcase comes with a controller.

Get an ArkPak or similar device, pick the battery of your choice, and a 60 watt or greater solar panel to keep things charged up. Plug fridge into ArkPak, ArkPak into vehicle to charge it while driving, and ArkPak into solar panel when you aren't driving. Problem solved. Portable, not complicated, and easy to maintain. There really isn't a reason to set up your vehicle with dual batteries just to power a fridge. Most of my trips I don't bring the ArkPak. I have a good AGM battery and the solar panel keeps it charged up. I also have a jump box just in case. I used to have a dual battery setup so I speak from some experience.

Many, many threads on this topic so read through them.

My opinions are free. Your mileage may vary and the usefulness of said opinions vary as well!

He could go even simpler still.
Just get one really good battery and solar.
http://www.vmaxtanks.com/SLR155-AGM-Solar-Battery-_p_66.html --- something in this ballpark. They go on sale every now and then for under $300. It's a real deep-cycle, not automotive grade.

 

[1Louder]

Truly appreciate the opinion. The Arkpak looks like a great device. How long would the Arkpak with a good battery inside and 90W solar panel keep the fridge running in your opinion? Obviously times will vary with weather but I'm just looking for an average scenario. I also have camera batteries to charge (DSLR, I'm a photographer) and a laptop. I was thinking of getting something like the Goal Zero Yeti 400 for those as I have a 40% discount voucher.

It depends on the battery you have in the ArkPak. I have a smaller 55ah battery to keep it light and portable. That will run the fridge for 24 hours no problem. It only takes a couple of hours on solar to charge the battery back up. Leave the solar connected all day and you will not be depleting the battery at all.

Not the best pictures but here is my setup.

 

[1Louder]

The Renogy Suitcase comes with a controller.

He could go even simpler still.
Just get one really good battery and solar.
http://www.vmaxtanks.com/SLR155-AGM-Solar-Battery-_p_66.html --- something in this ballpark. They go on sale every now and then for under $300. It's a real deep-cycle, not automotive grade.

Yep I totally agree. ArkPak just gives me peace of mind, when I need it, and keeps me from staring at the volt meter on my vehicle battery. Short weekend trips I never take it. On long trips I do. Especially trips where I am in the middle of nowhere.

In the end no matter how big your battery is at some point in needs to be recharged. Why not use solar to do this? You won't waste gas, pollute the air, etc while sitting in camp. Point the panel at the horizon and when the sun comes up at 5am you will begin charging your battery while hopefully still sleeping.