ARB Fridge 50qt vs 63qt - Opinions Wanted

[ForealBoreal]

So I am in the market this year for a fridge freezer, it seems to be my best option to go with an ARB because of the quality and the price.
I have talked to someone who owns a 50 and has recommended me to go with a 63. I am wanting to hear what you have to say.

 

[hicruise55]

I wanted a bigger, wasn't avail yet so got the 50. Glad I did, I am going to get another 50 and run one as a fridge and one as a freezer

just a thought- Aaron

 

[tag3]

I have a Waeco CF-50, great for the kid and me for about 5 days of food. If I had someone else with me I would like the bigger fridge.

 

[ForealBoreal]

I know this is an expensive item but I would rather do it once and do it right. Anyone know when the arb sales come up?
It's also a long term item because it will last a very long time. Right now it's just me and another person. Camping trips, hunting and fishing.
I plan to keep it for when I have kids too which is a reason for thinking slightly larger.

 

[MANUCHAO]

I plan to keep it for when I have kids too which is a reason for thinking slightly larger.

You just answer your own question.
Im also looking at getting one...
chances are I will go with something bigger than 50qt.
I rather be half empty than run out of room to store grub...

 

[ForealBoreal]

You just answer your own question.
Im also looking at getting one...
chances are I will go with something bigger than 50qt.
I rather be half empty than run out of room to store grub...

roger that,
I see it the same way as you.

 

[e9999]

mine is a 63L so a bit more than 63qts. It's taking a good chunk of space in the 80 but plenty of room for one person for easily a week of food, maybe more (never tried). Way too much room for food for a weekend for one but you can also store non perishables in it so it's not wasted space by any means. And I always start with superfrozen water bottles in there to reduce energy consumption and provide cool drinking water for a very long time (I usually come back with plenty of ice still). With 4 people you'd want more than 50qts if gone for several days I think. The nice thing is that you don't need to store lots of drinks in there if you are not worried about battery life, just put new ones in periodically.
The only drawback of the 63 is the room it takes of course, not insignificant. If you're worried about space, do a cardboard box mockup, you may be surprised how big these things are.

 

[MANUCHAO]

e9999 what are the measurements (inches) on your 63L ?
I'll follow that (cardboard box) advice.. I'll be putting mine on a 60 which is a tad more room....

 

[CycloSteve]

Great tip on the cardboard box, will be doing this to sort out the size and placement as I am contemplating the ARB vs. Engel.



Steve

 

[e9999]

e9999 what are the measurements (inches) on your 63L ?
I'll follow that (cardboard box) advice.. I'll be putting mine on a 60 which is a tad more room....

no idea what the exact size is, except that it's big. It's not an ARB though, it's an Edgestar. One good thing with mine is that the lid hinges are on the long side so it doesn't reach the ceiling, which I suspect it might otherwise. Isn't the ARB the other way around?

 

[Wheelingnoob]

no idea what the exact size is, except that it's big. It's not an ARB though, it's an Edgestar. One good thing with mine is that the lid hinges are on the long side so it doesn't reach the ceiling, which I suspect it might otherwise. Isn't the ARB the other way around?

It is but the lit does pop off very easily.

 

[roscoFJ73]

So I am in the market this year for a fridge freezer, it seems to be my best option to go with an ARB because of the quality and the price.
I have talked to someone who owns a 50 and has recommended me to go with a 63. I am wanting to hear what you have to say.

The ARB fridge uses a quality Danfoss compressor like at least 6-7 other brands do.Even Engels are making some of their fridges with a Danfoss comp after using the sarafuji swing compressor for 40 years.
So I dont see brand as the most important thing,its more about the features.

The main points to consider on fridges
1 Power efficiency,the amount of thermal insulation makes a big difference but takes up room.

2 Decent grab handles.They are a pain when they are full and you have to carry them yourself with crap handles.

3 Which way the door opens.Some are fixed,some can be reversed.

4 Internal shape. Deep narrow fridges are great for long term storage,but for daily use,wide shallow firdges are better because you dont have to keep turning things over to get to items at the bottom.(after 4-5 days on the road you will understand perfectly )
But they do take up more floor space then deep fridges.

5 Mains power.can you plug it directly into the mains power or do you have to buy a 12v/24vpower supply?

6 Parts availabilty and warranty.Lots of cheap fridges hitting the shops these days,many of them are coming from the same factory in China which sells them for $85 and end up costing $600-$700 in the west.

As to size of the fridge.Bigger is better on fridge size and shape comes a close 2nd
My 50 litre Waeco is now a beer fridge under the computer desk,the 80 litre Waeco goes with me everywhere.
It only uses slightly more power ,but as I mentioned before,BIG wide and shallow wins me over every time.

A lot of owners want to use their car fridge as a freezer.
IMO,you are better off taking chilled food rather than frozen.Ive got one of those vacuum machines that sucks the air out and seals it in a bag.Great investment!
You can restock your fridge every 2-3 days or even daily if you want.
Soft chilled food is easier to pack than rock hard frozen.
Keeping things frozen on the road uses twice as much power as keeping food around 1-2c

 

[motorcoach123]

So I am in the market this year for a fridge freezer, it seems to be my best option to go with an ARB because of the quality and the price.
I have talked to someone who owns a 50 and has recommended me to go with a 63. I am wanting to hear what you have to say.

I have an ARB 50 and it worked ok to Alaska last summer, possibly a little small, but the wife and I want a freezer as well for those extended trips, so the long term goal is a National Luna fridge/freezer conbo. Just a little pricy!
FWIW.

Gord

 

[ForealBoreal]

I am going with the 63 at this point.
Should it nice and clean with my drawer design measurements.

 

[ikeedikeed]

I was having a hard time deciding which I wanted as well. I ended up going for the 37 because it's shorter than the 50 and, the 63 which I think is the same height as the 37, I thought was just too big. Remember that you don't have to put ice in these things, so when comparing to a cooler remember that. Also fridges are more efficient when they're full compared to empty.

I wanted a shorter one to preserve some visibility over the top of it through the rearview. Mine's sitting on top of a drawer system. Also with the shorter one, I can remove the lid and easily reach in and grab something by feel without pulling the fridge out.

I was really worried about the 37 being too small, but when you consider you don't need ice there's more room than you think.

It's easily enough for two people for a week's worth of (perishable) food if you don't fill it with beer. Just put enough beers in for each day and keep the warm ones somewhere else.

If some kids pop out of the one of these days I'd get another 37 and run it as a freezer when the need arises.

 

[Corbet]

Go bigger. If your worried about it not being as efficient because its half empty you did not put in enough beer

I always wish my Engel 45 had more space.

 

[ForealBoreal]

I plan on the 63.
Though now I think if I should get the biggest one. Hah

 

[TxEddie1111]

...got the smaller; wished I purchased the larger...

 

[e9999]

yea, unless you have the need for room for very large cargo in the back, you can't really go wrong with bigger.

 

[twoyotas]

If your worried about it not being as efficient because its half empty you did not put in enough beer

now that is maximum efficiency thinking!