Review on 🥶 ARB 10810602 Portable Fridge/Freezer: Ultimate Weatherproof Cooling Solution by Paul Varnado

Me and the camper at off-grid locations for at least 100 days every summer. I have a 37 liter that I use as a freezer and a 50 liter for the fridge. I am not dissatisfied with ARB. I rate "good" but it has caveats. Do not use the freezer to freeze food; it is used to store previously frozen food. You have to measure the "real" temperature yourself and then adjust the setting. When it's filled with food, check the top and bottom. The top will be much warmer. There is a setting to calibrate the thermostat gauge but it didn't have the required range to fix the error. Depending on the hysteresis of the thermostat, the temperature also varies by +/- 4 degrees. This is to prevent the compressor from turning on. Tension is important. When running on battery, it can range from 12.8 to 12.0 (do not discharge more than 50% of capacity). When the ARB draws power, there is a voltage drop across your battery, as well as a voltage drop in your connection and the power cord going to the ARB. It can be up to 0.5 volts. Your ARB may be attempting to run on 11.0 volts. There is a setting to lower the "Shutdown" threshold. If you leave this at the default "high" setting, you can try turning the compressor on, off, and shutting down. When switched off, the voltage drop disappears and the ARB tries to restart the compressor. This cycle is tough on the compressor. Set the compressor stop to the lowest voltage. ARB draws more current at lower voltage. When the battery is fully charged, it can draw 2.5 amps. At 50% it can draw up to 4 amps. In 90 degree weather, a shaded ARB would require 30 Ah per day. You can insulate the outside of the unit and increase efficiency as long as you don't block the vents on the lower back. It also helps to install it on an isolated basis. Other factors such as temperature setting and opening frequency are more important factors. The ARB isn't as big or heavy as a two-week-old meal in a regular refrigerator with enough ice to keep it cold. The compressor part is sensitive to dust. If you can't keep it in a dust-free environment, you'll need to blow it out before each ride. The duration of compressor operation depends on how much air flows through it. I've tried expensive name brand coolers; dry ice; portable ice makers. The propane fridge in my RV was undersized and the temperature varied from 45 to below zero depending on the environment. I tried solar power. If I didn't have direct sunlight all day it wouldn't last. I've resigned myself to running the generator 90 minutes a day. I am satisfied with ARB. It's reliable and fairly efficient. Life is good.