Engle Dometic Whytner ???

[Blanch]

Link?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sternwake]

My friend has an ARB 50 quart. He Got it used with the extra insulative cover, and it has been nearly 3 years since I had it, and his truck. I was disappointed in the 16AWG ciggy plug cable, but that is par for the course. I cut it shorter in the middle and added anderson powerpoles and it is used without the ciggy plug and about 2.5 feet of that 16AWG, but he can hook the andersons together returning ciggy plug, if he uses iti n a vehicle without anderson powerpoles.

I did a side by side test with it and my frontloader with the same compressor, trying to use it the same. My fridge used less juice, but it also ventilates the condenser better and has more insulation around it, but for the door.

My friends ARB is used primarily in a lifted truck that regularly sees heavy duty offroad usage. It also has been locked in the closed up truck mid summer in the California central valley where the compressor must have been running near non stop in the 120+F degree heat.

As with all portables, the Ciggy plug will become an issue at some point. While the ARB has some lights on the panel and a display, which should indicate whether the fridge is connected or not, it is better to not have a weak or intermittent power connection.

When i was modifying my cabinet for the new fridge, I ran my danfoss fridge on a distant powerpole and also used an extension cord, and I was hearing the fan turn on, and was like wow that compressor is quiet, but there was too much voltage drop on the wiring, and the compressor was failing to run once the sun went down and the battery was not 13.6v+.

The ARB comes with AC and DC power cords. The DC plug into the fridge with ciggy plug is the disappointing 16AWG. If it were my fridge I would bypass that whole plug and run new 10AWG right to compressor controller with Anderson powerpoles, eliminating the ciggy plug and the connector on the side of the fridge.

I did not remove the access panel on his ARB to see how much work this would be, but the compressor controller uses simple quick connect fittings:




The only reliability issue I would suspect with the ARB is this DC wiring, and it can be completely or partially mitigated, but simply knowing that the ciggy plugcan be and will likely be an issue at some point is also partial mitigation.

One thing that I've read about on some forums, is that since the ciggy plug is problematic, some choose to run this 12v/120v fridge off of their inverter, basically using 20% more battery power. Do not be one of these people

[tx2sturgis]

Will you be pulling out the old unit or just using it for storage?  If keeping it, it might be a good idea to have the incoming propane capped off and electrical connections disconnected. 

If you decide to remove it, the incoming propane line will need to be capped off, and then after the electrical is unhooked, you will likely need help to pull out the old unit. When I removed the one in my old RV, it took two of us good sized guys to do it.

Then I installed a few shelves, built in a cabinet and storage nook, installed an inverter, and then installed a small dorm fridge for shore powered operation.  I also had to cover the outside vent with insulation on the inside, and blocked off the upper roof vent, and put a small vent fan up there.  Or, the entire space could be made into a nice pantry or storage bay.

Good luck with the ARB, let us know how that works out.

[Blanch]

I am keeping the old fridge and using it as an ice box. I have these refreezable bricks I am putting in there and it keeps everything cool. I’ll set the ARB up to be a freezer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GypsyDogs]

I'm probably going to hell for this..

I say, comb craigs list for a cruddy $300 trailer and find one with the same (functional)model fridge you have now.. and swap it outright.. then resell the tt for $300..

lol

sorry.. ow, my feet.

[Blanch]

I'm probably going to hell for this..

I say, comb craigs list for a cruddy $300 trailer and find one with the same (functional)model fridge you have now.. and swap it outright.. then resell the tt for $300..

lol

sorry.. ow, my feet.

I’m homeless and disabled. All I have is my RV and my truck and my dogs.
Folks have all these great ideas, but they aren’t practical for me. This assumes I have a space to work and the ability to do a swap, I have neither.

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the ideas folks have thrown out. I appreciate the friends I have met on the road. I appreciate it all.

I ordered the ARB. It arrives next week.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Queen]

Seems like an excellent plan, the ice box idea and using the arb for a freezer should cover all the bases nicely.

[rvpopeye]

I think you'll be happy with your choices.

[Blacktank]

if it comes with one of those warranty registry,fill it out and send it in

[Blanch]

I received the ARB yesterday. It has been running for 24 hours. So far it has frozen the refreezable packets I am using in my old fridge. It does seem to sip power and it is very sturdy, nothing cheap or flimsy about it at all. I have just put some food into it to see how that goes. I’ll write a review after I use it for a while, but so far I am pretty happy with it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk