ARB fridge not cooling well on 12v

[familymopar]

I am almost certain I saw something along these lines recently but can't seem to find it again, so if this topic has been covered I apologize - I keep searching and can't find it and at this point am not sure that I didn't imagine it. So here goes.

I recently picked up an ARB 50. I intend to get the ARB wiring harness and hard wire it to an Odyssey Group 31 battery, and will likely eventually do a dual but not in immediate plans.

Anyway, we took a day trip to the beach last weekend and I decided at the last minute to use the ARB even though I wasn't set up for it yet. It wasn't a long trip and I had plenty of gas so I figured I could cycle the truck on and off on the beach if I needed to in order to keep the fridge cool.

I started off by plugging the fridge in to the wall outlet before we left, switched the read out to F and set the fridge for 32 degrees. I filled the fridge with already cold drinks and sandwich makings and filled the fridge pretty full. I watched the temp go down on the read out to close to 40. Then I switched over to the trucks 12v and we headed out.

I kept an eye on the readout through the reflection on the rear glass and the rear view mirror (handy!) on the 1 1/2 hour drive to the beach. I watched the fridge get down to an even 40. Once on the beach I pulled a drink and noted that it certainly didn't feel like 40 (I need a thermometer to throw inside to see the difference in actual F and the ARB's readout I guess). I decided to leave the truck on at least until it got to the target temp on the read out of 32. It had gotten to 40 pretty quick and then stalled, probably largely helped by filling it with already cold goods.

So I left the truck on. And on. And on. It was an overcast day. Not very hot at all. And I watched as the fridge started climbing: 42, 43, 46. It held steady around 46. The truck stayed on the entire time we were there. When we packed up and started home it was at 46. 2 hours later we are home, it is dark, and the fridge has recovered to 43.

So I guess the big question is this, do y'all think that the cooling ability of the fridge was simply held back by the insufficient gauge of the wiring from the 12v on the truck? It seems to me that while I know the thicker wire is better and more efficient, and I intend to do it soon, the thing is built for a regular 12v and should at least get below 40 on an overcast cool day for hours upon hours of the truck running, and certainly should not start to climb just because the truck is idle.

Thoughts are appreciated.

EDIT: It has just dawned on me that a starting place would be to plug the fridge in to the wall and see if it gets down to 32, that would presumably tell me it's not the fridge (my big concern) and is the 12v wire I guess. So I just plugged it in and will keep an eye on it. Thoughts and experiences still welcome though.

 

[Antman]

Couple of things...

First of all absolutely, YES! A dedicated 12v outlet for the fridge with larger gauge wire will make a HUGE difference in run time and recovery time with the fridge. The factory wiring is hair-thin! I have mine plugged into a marine grade outlet with 8ga wire run straight to the battery. ARB makes a kit if you want plug and play, like you noted.

Second- There is a setting that you can adjust to have the fridge turn itself off based on low voltage- to keep it from draining your battery (LO/MED/HI). With the choke in the factory wiring, it may be seeing low enough voltage to be kicking itself off. Was the "ststus LED green or amber? It's only green when it's actively running. Check the manual for all this stuff...

Third- There are adjustments you can make to the fridge's display to make sure the temp on the readout is correct. Mine was off about 6 degrees or so.

There is always a possibility that the fridge is defective, but- there are TONS of documentation all over the net that shows how much better these fridges work when wired to a proper, dedicated outlet. Mine is quiet, very efficient, and cools really quickly- even in really high temps!

Let us know what you find out.

 

[familymopar]

I am fairly certain that the fridge is not defective as it is at this moment holding firm at 31.

I have the fridge set to medium. The light has ben green the whole time, or at least when I looked. And I have scoured the manual. I think I just jumped the gun on my concerns based on seeing one guy who needed to ship his back.

I will run a dedicated outlet and see how that goes. I am sure it will make the difference but I will update to let y'all know.

Experiences still welcome.

Thank you!

 

[familymopar]

So I just checked the fridge. It is set at 32. It was holding at 31. Now it has climbed to 34. I will keep it plugged in and update....

 

[tigger]

So I just checked the fridge. It is set at 32. It was holding at 31. Now it has climbed to 34. I will keep it plugged in and update....

There will be some fluctuation. 2 degrees is nothing to worry about. Your home fridge will vary more than that. But it should stay within 3 degrees if inside and plugged in. If it continues to climb, there could be an issue with the thermistor.

But yes, as said above, you need better wiring for the unit. I have an 8 gauge wire tapped into a splitter fed by 4 gauge for the amp. I have ran the unit for 4 days on just battery power, empty, not starting the 4Runner and it held within 3 degrees. (this is an Indel B but the same compressor)

 

[flyinhawaiian01]

Same recommendation here too. You NEED to run a good 8awg cable from the battery to the fridge. It may only be drawy 2-4 amps when running, but it is definitely susceptible to voltage drop over the length of the thin 18awg wiring Toyota used for the rear cig lighter circuit!

There's no need to run a dual battery setup if its just going to be used for the ARB fridge. I too have run mine for 3 straight days in my vehicle (parked in my shop, of course), not starting the vehicle once during the whole time, and the ARB kept temps at 34º the whole time. Started the vehicle right up with no lag on the starter at all!

Now, if you're using the cooler in 100º+ temps, and you're opening it a lot, then the compressor will run a lot more, which will eat up battery power, but just a quick start every 4-6 hours, let the vehicle idle for maybe 5-10 minutes, and you'll be good.

It also helps to have an Odyssey battery with the fridge, as all my vehicles now have one in them, they do very well with equipment constantly draining them, hence the deep cycle labeling!

 

[Jeremy556]

It draws a lot of amps when the compressor starts, which causes the voltage to drop with small gauge wire, so the low voltage protection kicks in and stops the compressor. If you are going to run it off the stock wiring, you should turn the voltage protection to the lowest setting.

 

[phillyd2]

Sir Antman nailed all the important points. When you say it's still plugged in do you mean to the truck? If at home I would plug it into the wall and see how it does. If fine, then you eliminated the refrigerator and your issue is indeed the thin gauge wire.

I think ARB even warns about using too thin wire like we have in our 12v outlets.

 

[hey4runner]

I have my arb 50 for over 2 years constantly running. I transport breast milk from donor to the hospital and thoses milk packs are require to stay below 10, this is the key to get the most out you arb
1- you need to have a dedicate wire from the battery to the fridge.
2- Get the transits bag it help insulating the fridge.
3- the fridge it designed to be in the outdoor not inside of a car or truck the air inside won’t help the condenser do the heat exchange necessary to pull the fridge down in temp so when you park the truck put the window down (this is basic refrigeration rule heat transfer from hot to cold.
Like I said my fridge is being running for over two years nonstop.
Sorry for my English not my first language.

 

[hey4runner]

I keep the fridge running a the lower setting here in florida it get to 10 degree with outside temp in the 90

 

[Racehoss]

I keep the fridge running a the lower setting here in florida it get to 10 degree with outside temp in the 90

Is yours plugged into the factory cigarette lighter in the back or the 110 outlet?

 

[Moto69Joe]

I have my arb 50 for over 2 years constantly running. I transport breast milk from donor to the hospital and thoses milk packs are require to stay below 10, this is the key to get the most out you arb
1- you need to have a dedicate wire from the battery to the fridge.
2- Get the transits bag it help insulating the fridge.
3- the fridge it designed to be in the outdoor not inside of a car or truck the air inside won’t help the condenser do the heat exchange necessary to pull the fridge down in temp so when you park the truck put the window down (this is basic refrigeration rule heat transfer from hot to cold.
Like I said my fridge is being running for over two years nonstop.
Sorry for my English not my first language.

Well then... I could go somewhere this but I won't :baby:

 

[hey4runner]

Is yours plugged into the factory cigarette lighter in the back or the 110 outlet?

I plug it to the 12v but I cut the cigarette plug and hard wire it to the house battery (i have dual set up with two optima one blut top and one yellow top)

 

[rigtec]

Hi Chuck,

I totally support 100% of everything that [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION] has advised, and all the others that validated his position on the subject. There are a few additional things that I might do to help increase the efficiency of the refrigerator, and the truck's electrical system. First thing that I would do is install a Voltage monitor as close to the 12V outlet power source as possible to be sure that the unit is being fed properly. Next I would perform a test and check the frig's current draw 'at start-up' when the box's inner chamber is @ room temp e.g.,70 deg*f in the truck; an induction DC Clamp amp meter will do fine. This will reveal to you the maximum current that the box can draw i.e. FLA (@ full load amps). When you read the MAX current draw at the power service line, take a look at the available voltage as well; which will indicate how well the charging system is holding up at curbside idle! If the operating voltage is usually normal (13.5-9), but reads very low or borderline, 11.5 to 12.5V when the refer is running, you may be able to replace the alternator's pulley with a smaller one.

This will increase the RPM ratio of the alternator's rotor without the need to increase the engine's RPM speed when idling; provided the alternator isn't at it's full load capacity (100-110 amps). If you're interested in changing the alternator pulley, I'll be happy to explain Crank-shaft to Alternator pulley ratios at a later time! I realize that the alternator is rated for 130A but you never want to max that out, leaving no 'HEADROOM' or a burn out is inevitable due the the heat it produces; you may even end-up blowing the 140A Main fuse, which is a bi^ch to replace! Rule of thumb: It's a good practice to leave a 20 to 25% margin (26 to 32A) of headroom with the alternator because as the alternator runs out of it's capability to produce current, it's cooling system (forced air convection cooled) also runs out of it's capability to reject heat, and so will cook it's own enamel coated wire bundle. Once that enamel coating burns off, the copper winding core will shunt (current cross-flow), and there goes your alternator!

Oh, One other thing... You can also insulate the frig's outer-box with 1.5 to 2 inch foam; wrapping the four sides/top and bottom of the box; it'll help keep the ambient heat from robbing your energy/efficiency from your investment! Here's a few links on the subject of alternator pulley ratios:

https://www.dcpowerinc.com/articles/truth-about-idle

https://alternatorparts.com/alternator-pulley-size.html

Prestolite - Leece Neville

Cheers!

 

[familymopar]

I'd like to say thanks to everyone who has given me some very constructive input on this subject. My concern was making sure I had not gotten a bum unit within the time frame of being able to easily do something about it.

That being said, I have been running the fridge off the wall plug off and on since I started this post. I have had the fridge set at 32F and the fridge gets there pretty quick (depending on ambient temps as we have had some pretty wild swings here recently) and holds 32F-34F consistently, and as someone else said, that sort of fluctuation seems normal and expected, and is certainly acceptable.

Most everyone here has had the same advice, a dedicated 8 gauge wire straight to the battery. My initial intention had been to make my own and save a little but I really would rather not cut the factory cord, so I ordered the ARB wiring kit today, along with an Odyssey Group 31 battery. Hopefully I will receive everything this week and will get it hard wired this weekend. Some of you have pointed out insulating the machine itself. I did get the ARB thermal cover when I got the fridge and had it on before I ever tried the fridge. Suffice it to say that at this point I am certain that the inefficiency / effectiveness I was noting was a product of the voltage drop on the thin wiring in the trucks 12v port. And this is supported by the warning in the ARB manual itself.

Some of you have also noted the effect of heat transfer within the closed space of the cargo area. On my first day out, on the beach, the cargo door was open for the entire time. There was nothing too crowded around it and it was able to breathe fresh air just fine. Now when I have been testing it off the wall outlet at home I have had it closed in the back of the truck. Again with plenty of space and able to breathe cab air, but still closed. I wanted to test it in the condition it is likely I will mostly use it in. The first night it was very warm out, another night it was very cold out (our very cold anyway), and a little in between. I am very happy with it's performance under these circumstances.

So I appreciate everyone's input.

I'd say specifically to [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION] that I have not found where or how to make adjustments to the fridge's display to make sure the temp on the readout is correct. Am I just missing this in the manual? Can you expand on this a little? With the battery and the wire kit I ordered a small analog fridge thermometer to test the temperatures in different areas on the fridge on different settings. I'd like the readout to be as accurate as possible for a central reading if it can be adjusted.

Also [MENTION=83083]rigtec[/MENTION], I will embarrassingly admit that much of what you said is beyond my current comprehension. I am going to get everthing set up just right this weekend and if I have any problems will refer back to this post to see how to move forward. I hope I don't have to but honestly would look forward to learning about the doodads and thingamajigs you are talking about, so I very much appreciate the detailed advice on what to do if any problem persists. Frankly I may go do it all anyway just so I can learn something new.

Lastly, here is my plan. I will replace my stock panasonic with the Odyssey Group 31. I will have the spod se set up on the 31. I will run the ARB wirekit straight to the spod. I realize I don't need the cutoff provided by the spod because the fridge has its own, but runnning it through the spod will allow me to click it on or off remotely from my iphone from the tent or wherever while monitoring the battery through the spod app. I went back and forth on whether to take up a space on the spod with the fridge and I didn't see a reason why, but the ability to monitor the battery remotely and turn the fridge off if I need or want to seems like a good idea. I believe this also eliminates the need for the inline fuse between the battery and the fridge. Lastly, the dual battery is not immediately on the horizon but I will likely do it eventually. It may be redundant but if I am running anything off the battery all the time it seems that having a secondary starting battery is a good idea, but this is somewhat dependent on my future research on whether this would require me to upgrade the alternator, in which case I would probably just make room in the back for a jumper.

That is all. I apologize for the long windedness and appreciate all the tips. I'll keep you posted after I get it all done this weekend

 

[flyinhawaiian01]

Setting your ARB's battery monitor:

http://www.carid.com/images/arb/car-organizers/pdf/fridge-freezer-users-guide.pdf

See section 6.11, page 16 in this manual.

EDIT!!!

Dammit, wrong thing!!! Here's the way to adjust the temp readout:

1) Press and hold BOTH + and - temp setting buttons and HOLD for about 5 secs until AOF appears on the display, then release
2) Using the + or - button, add or remove degrees to the setting. If you're running warmer add (+) degrees to the reading to match the internal temp.
3) After adding degrees, release the button and the fridge will blink to acknowledge/accept the new setting and begin to adjust accordingly

Sorry 'bout that!

 

[familymopar]

I am fairly certain that the fridge is not defective as it is at this moment holding firm at 31.

I have the fridge set to medium. The light has ben green the whole time, or at least when I looked. And I have scoured the manual. I think I just jumped the gun on my concerns based on seeing one guy who needed to ship his back.

I will run a dedicated outlet and see how that goes. I am sure it will make the difference but I will update to let y'all know.

Experiences still welcome.

Thank you!

Setting your ARB's battery monitor:

http://www.carid.com/images/arb/car-organizers/pdf/fridge-freezer-users-guide.pdf

See section 6.11, page 16 in this manual.

I have read all this in the manual and know how to set the battery monitor / cut off. I'm not sure what you are referring to here?

 

[familymopar]

Setting your ARB's battery monitor:

http://www.carid.com/images/arb/car-organizers/pdf/fridge-freezer-users-guide.pdf

See section 6.11, page 16 in this manual.

EDIT!!!

Dammit, wrong thing!!! Here's the way to adjust the temp readout:

1) Press and hold BOTH + and - temp setting buttons and HOLD for about 5 secs until AOF appears on the display, then release
2) Using the + or - button, add or remove degrees to the setting. If you're running warmer add (+) degrees to the reading to match the internal temp.
3) After adding degrees, release the button and the fridge will blink to acknowledge/accept the new setting and begin to adjust accordingly

Sorry 'bout that!

Hey no prob! Thank you for this info! Exactly what I was looking for. When I get the battery, wirekit , and thermometer I will make this adjustment if necessary. Thanks again!

 

[flyinhawaiian01]

I believe this also eliminates the need for the inline fuse between the battery and the fridge. Lastly, the dual battery is not immediately on the horizon but I will likely do it eventually. It may be redundant but if I am running anything off the battery all the time it seems that having a secondary starting battery is a good idea, but this is somewhat dependent on my future research on whether this would require me to upgrade the alternator, in which case I would probably just make room in the back for a jumper.

That is all. I apologize for the long windedness and appreciate all the tips. I'll keep you posted after I get it all done this weekend

And one other thing I forgot to mention, unless the spod has its own internal fuse, and it runs in between the battery and the fridge, you still need an inline fuse. You always want the fuse as close to the battery terminal as possible, as anything between the terminal and the fuse is not protected, and if that wire ever gets pinched or cut and touches a body ground, that's the end of the wire, and maybe the battery, and anything else in that area!

Not sure how much money the wiring kit for the arb was, but it would have probably been a lot cheaper to just buy a cheap amplifier wiring kit, such as this one:

http://www.amazon.com/-NEW--WIRING-8GA-CABLES-QPOWER/dp/B00OFNXQHW/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1458671901&sr=8-13&keywords=8+gauge+wiring+kit

That comes with 17 feet of red 8awg wire, a fuse and holder, as well as a bunch of other stuff that you can just throw in a misc. box at home!

Or, you could have even built your own by just buying some 8awg wire and a fuse holder/fuse from a local car audio shop, 20 feet would probably have cost around 15 bucks and another 4 or 5 bucks for a fuse holder.

 

[familymopar]

And one other thing I forgot to mention, unless the spod has its own internal fuse, and it runs in between the battery and the fridge, you still need an inline fuse. You always want the fuse as close to the battery terminal as possible, as anything between the terminal and the fuse is not protected, and if that wire ever gets pinched or cut and touches a body ground, that's the end of the wire, and maybe the battery, and anything else in that area!

Not sure how much money the wiring kit for the arb was, but it would have probably been a lot cheaper to just buy a cheap amplifier wiring kit, such as this one:

http://www.amazon.com/-NEW--WIRING-8GA-CABLES-QPOWER/dp/B00OFNXQHW/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1458671901&sr=8-13&keywords=8+gauge+wiring+kit

That comes with 17 feet of red 8awg wire, a fuse and holder, as well as a bunch of other stuff that you can just throw in a misc. box at home!

Or, you could have even built your own by just buying some 8awg wire and a fuse holder/fuse from a local car audio shop, 20 feet would probably have cost around 15 bucks and another 4 or 5 bucks for a fuse holder.

I had certainly intended to just run my own wiring which is why I did not order the wirekit when I first ordered the fridge. I decided to buy the ARB wirekit ($46) once I saw the power cords that came with the fridge. I did not want to cut the cord that came with it so my options were to order extras or buy the kit, would come out about the same. And I think I will like the two pronged screw in plug on the 12v. I was not paying $46 for some 8ga wire but rather for the outlet on the end.

As far as the s pod / fuse situation is concerned, I am glad you brought that up. It is certainly my understanding that there is no need for fuses with the SE. I have 4 sets of lights wired in to the s pod right now, all fuseless. But if you have not been able to tell so far electrical is far from my strong suit. Take a look at this:

8 Circuit SE System w\Touchscreen for Universal Trucks

Under "Features" it says:

"No more worrying about what rated fuse to install! The system will protect from 1.5 amps to 30 amps automatically. The SourceSE incorporates a failsafe self-healing fault protection system. Fuses have been eliminated (for all accessory outputs) and replaced with current-sensing MOSFETs controlled by a microprocessor."

That is why I was assuming I could wire the fridge direct without the in line fuse. What do you / y'all think?