What other brand of Fridge/freezer is good quality other than ARB
- Thread starter ScubaJon
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4x4 Australia just did a comprehensive comparison and test of 8 of the more popular fridges in Aus. Their article is still available on their website under the GEAR, Electronics and Gadgets tab.
Interesting that the winner - Opposite Lock, is the same as the new Whytner that I have.
The OL has a couple of extra features, SS exterior, stacking baskets, etc, but it's basically the same unit.
Compare for yourself - Whynter LLC
I use ours in our RV, but it works very well, and the price is around $425.00 on sale.
The OL has a couple of extra features, SS exterior, stacking baskets, etc, but it's basically the same unit.
Compare for yourself - Whynter LLC
I use ours in our RV, but it works very well, and the price is around $425.00 on sale.
Dometic USA Start
Saw these at the last overland expo west. Been in the RV business for years. Looked really nice.
Saw these at the last overland expo west. Been in the RV business for years. Looked really nice.
Same fridge, have had it for a little over a month now.
More $$$, but worth it to me from the build quality of it.
I've had my Indel B for 6 mos now and love the damn thing ! Got it thru' a group buy over at Tacoma World and it's been one of the best investments I've made; just wish I had done it years ago.
Once you've had a 'real' camping fridge you will wonder how you did without....
Once you've had a 'real' camping fridge you will wonder how you did without....
Same here with Indel B from Truckfridge from the group buy. Love it. This summer I had it in really warm weather and it held at 34. Love it so much its in the cruiser full time now.
I just finished my first summer with an Engel 40qt and it was brutal. Brutal on the heat that is! I never had it turned up above 2 out of 7 and still my biggest problem was not freezing the water and other liquids. But that setting usually kept it at 32-35* which I use even at home to preserve meats and milk. The current draw was just 2.8A and that swing motor compressor seems to last forever from what I've read.
Do you want the best? Read the reviews (Expedition Portal had the most complete review) - National Luna superior in almost every category. Not a place to cut corners considering what risks you take transporting your food. Best mounting plate design. No bungies or nylon tie downs. Will be easier on your charging system, too. Did my research, saved up and haven't regretted going with NL. Got the Weekender 50L for myself - if you travel with a family - there's bigger models. 
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Dometic has been around forever and is quality. In fact, we still have the 12V (3-way powered) fridge/freezer which have been on hundreds of offroad trips that my dad bought in the mid 70s!!!! It acts as the beer fridge now in the garage.
That's the best place for it...lol. 3-ways are best on A.C. or propane. When on 12v, the old compressors really sucked the D.C. and you almost needed to keep the vehicle's engine running - even with an aux battery. As an example, the 3-way in my '06 Lance camper almost refuses to run on 12v, even with fully charged batteries. The control board seeks the best source and keeps switching to propane when off the 120v pigtail - and that's even when 12v has been selected as primary. I've even seen it do it with the engine running in the pickup. And it's not that old. The new 12v/AC fridges out now have a much more efficient compressor.
Yep! We always ran the thing on propane when we stopped driving. 
Just amazes me that this thing is still running after all these years.
Just amazes me that this thing is still running after all these years.
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3 way fridges (that can run propane), don't have a compressor. They basically use propane or mains or 12V to heat. The heat runs the ammonia (or whatever the refrigerant mix is) to do the liquid/gas/liquid cycle create the heat pump action of a fridge.
So, 3 way's SUCK a LOT of DC when run on 12V only.
There's really no good reason (lots of bad reasons though) to not run a 12V compressor based fridge in a 4wd these days.
cheers,
george.
I've always liked the little Dometics.Yep! We always ran the thing on propane when we stopped driving.
Well, that makes more sense. 1st camper I had, the PO had stuck a little AC Dometic in it after the original 3-way failed. Didn't know much about RV fridges then, and learned the hard way. When I realized that it would only run if hooked up to power at an RV park, I pulled it and sold it and put my National Luna in it's place and wired the camper to run it on either 12v or AC. Worked great 'cause it was just me and it will default to AC when plugged into both, so no messing with the connections was required. Looked kinda hokey in the hole vacated by the original, but I didn't care. So now, my '06 Lance has a nice larger 3-way and works great, except on 12v and now I see why. Heating coils would tend to suck DC. Thanks for the info!
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