Fridge Recommendations

[Hulk]

Also How essential do you think a jacket for your fridge is?

Not essential. Plus, you can make one if $ is an issue. I never ran one for my ARB and it worked great.

I have one on my Dometic and it seems fine. I do like the fact that it's all black so my fridge is less visible to someone walking by my parked Cruiser.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Not essential but I like transit bags on fridges. Maybe it's more obvious on the painted metal of the Engel but other than a few spots the bag itself wore bare the case on mine at 16 years is still nice while the bag is stained, cut a few cuts and stuff. So with a plastic case it's really just the little bit of extra insulation that might help more than anything. What I really like about the bags is having a pocket for a couple of cozies, a Gamiviti bottle opener and the other voltage cable not being used at the moment.

 

[hitchhiker]

This fourm was super useful and I appreciate all the input and due to said input decisions were made and excitement is high…

 

[AlpineAccess]

Very nice! That is an extremely good fridge!

On your question about jackets. It's hard to quantify. It adds impact resistance and reduces the number of things rattling against my fridge. In terms of insulation/power consumption its maybe 5-10% added to efficiency at best. My Iceco came with one as part of a promotional purchase and I like it more for protecting the fridge and somewhere to store cords, some utensils, etc. as it has pockets.

I should add that the Dometic, ARB, National Luna ones probably actually insulate well!

 

[Crash]

This fourm was super useful and I appreciate all the input and due to said input decisions were made and excitement is high…

Nice! If you polled a group of offroaders you'd find that most would say a good fridge is a better investment than a winch. We like our beer cold and dry, thank you very much.

 

[CardinalFJ60]

so all the advice here is spot on.

I’ve had the standard load out 50l ARB fridge for at least 13years. Been running almost 24/7/365. Solid performance. Great fridge. And I wrapped it with that with the reflective foil insulation stuff instead of the nice looking wraps. couldn’t tell you if it makes a difference but if I I think it does, that counts, right?

I scored an ARB elements 63l on Craigslist like 7 years ago also runs pretty much 24/7/365. I like this one best. It’s a little bigger, yet lower profile, which I like. The best part for me are the hydraulic lid props. It’s minor, but sooooo much nicer as a short person digging for that last IPA.

 

[fyffer]

This fourm was super useful and I appreciate all the input and due to said input decisions were made and excitement is high…

Good choice, but I am partial. Now, for slider selection

 

[BritKLR]

Congrats on your new fridge! Lots of great advice. Can't really add anything else other then my Engel 45 is now 21 years old and still runs. I remember reading about them in a magazine but could never find one locally in Kansas City. I eventually ordered it from an emergency vehicle company and paid more for it then my new house fridge....but, it continues to serve me well and was the honorary Shop fridge for a couple of years, running 24/7, before I got a normal fridge.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Nice! If you polled a group of offroaders you'll find that most would say a good fridge is a better investment than a winch. We like our beer cold and dry, thank you very much.

 

[Ann]

Just packed Jake's fridge and gotta say I am a bit jealous. It is a very nice and well thought out fridge but I am sticking with my second hand Engel.

 

[Romer]

I have the National Luna Legacy 50 dual zone which looks like what you just bought. I did have an issue a few times with the fridge cutting out. I didn't have a lot in it and Paul May said that makes them overwork. So I tend to keep one of the zones off unless I need both compartments and then fill with Ice packs on one side and water bottles on the other. I haven't had the chance to really test out on a long expedition run since then. Typically I have my camper and keep most of the stuff in there.

@Corbet have you experienced that?

 

[Ann]

I have the National Luna Legacy 50 dual zone which looks like what you just bought. I did have an issue a few times with the fridge cutting out. I didn't have a lot in it and Paul May said that makes them overwork. So I tend to keep one of the zones off unless I need both compartments and then fill with Ice packs on one side and water bottles on the other. I haven't had the chance to really test out on a long expedition run since then. Typically I have my camper and keep most of the stuff in there.

@Corbet have you experienced that?

He bought himself the 60. I just partially loaded only one side so we will see if he has problems on his drive to WY. Thanks for the heads up on that potential problem.

 

[Corbet]

I had issues with my 12v cig style outlet and it cutting out. But that was no fault of the fridge. Once I converted to an Anderson style my issues were solved. The Hella style plug on the NL cord did not like my BlueSea outlet.

 

[Romer]

I had issues with my 12v cig style outlet and it cutting out. But that was no fault of the fridge. Once I converted to an Anderson style my issues were solved. The Hella style plug on the NL cord did not like my BlueSea outlet.

hmm, thanks for that. I have a Blue Sea outlet. I will give that a try. Did you modify the NL Cable or use an adapter.?

 

[Corbet]

I cut the plug off the NL cord and installed the Anderson. Then got an Anderson plug that was an easy swap in place of the BlueSea. Everything from https://powerwerx.com/anderson-power-powerpole-sb-connectors

 

[Romer]

I have my fridge wired from the Aux Battery to an Aux Fuse block running 12 awg wire back to a switch that then powers the Blue Sea

Paul May recommends running it directly from the battery and that National Luna makes the Hella sockets for its fridges.

I like the Anderson Connector solution, maybe I will try Paul's recommendation and get a National Luna socket and get rid of the switch. Thinking the fuse block is probably still okay, but will relook at it as well

The Anderson solution can be Plan B


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9B5aptlYHQ

 

[Corbet]

Fuse block is fine. My power supply is pretty similar other than I only have one battery. My fridge came with the hella plug (male&female) but personally I don’t care for those.

 

[Romer]

My Australian Camper has them all over so if I ever wanted to power it from the Camper, I would need the Hella

I put the switch in so I could just leave the fridge plugged in. Easier to get my hand in and turn it on.

Maybe between the Blue Sea switch and socket I have some poor external or internal connections. I will try removing the switch at first with the National Luna Hella socket in place of the Blue Sea. Will continue to be sensitive to underloading the fridge as well. I haven't experienced an issue when considering this, but I haven't been on days long expeditions either where I needed the fridge in the truck (vs camper) since I talked to Paul.

Juniper Overland in North Denver has the National Luna socket in stock says the same one they ship with fridges. I don't recall getting a Hella socket to install with my fridge.

 

[Corbet]

If you have Hella sockets in the trailer then install one in your truck. It should do the same as the Anderson. Give you a solid connection. I have other devices with Hella plugs and they just don’t play well with the BlueSea receptacles