I'm starting my research on fridges. It'll go in the back of my Jeep Wrangler, eventually onto a slide in a Goose Gear system or something similar. Most of the time it'll just be me and my brother on trips. What's the most common size that everyone gets? I don't think I want to get a huge fridge because I'm trying to balance power draw/size/price. But I also don't want to get a smaller one and wish I had more room in the future. What are you fridge people running and are you happy or do you wish you had bigger or smaller? Thanks!
I use a 45 Quart Engle, it is perfect for the 2 of us on weekend trips, when on vacation I wish we had a bigger one. I also wish I had a dual zone or an Ice Maker like some of the Dometics have.
I use a small ice chest for beer, because beer needs to be Ice cold, that is why a fridge with a built in icemaker would be nice so you could add it as you go.
I use a small ice chest for beer, because beer needs to be Ice cold, that is why a fridge with a built in icemaker would be nice so you could add it as you go.
Traveler II
I have a 54quart. On weekend trips it is pretty empty. On a week or longer trip it gets pretty full. Used for 2 people.
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Most if not all my trips have been weekend trips. A 28q works fine for my family of 5. I keep a second 28q (LifeTime cooler) to store water bottles and things that don't require refrigeration. Two 28q makes it easier to organize the bed of my truck. I could even put one of them in the cab if needed.
Advocate III
Been running an ARB 50 qt for a few years and like the size for both extended adventures and shorter getaways. It's usually just me, in which case I often stock it with a 12pack and/or water bottles as well as just bought frozen items and other groceries. I like buying a lot of fresh veggies and proteins too, and I fish a lot, so having a 50 is great. When I have company camping for a day or two, easy to have enough room in the fridge. Even alone, though, I sometimes wish I had more fridge space for longer trips.
Power draw is minimum on these--and most good 12v fridge/freezers.
Here's a good page on typical ARB draw and battery sizes that may be of help in choosing what's right for you, even if not an ARB: The ARB Fridge-Freezer and Battery Life - What You Need To Know.
What's really more important in keeping even a minimum power draw down, no matter which size or brand, is to keep your fridge full. It will cycle less, won't work as hard, and will use less power if everything in there is cold and it's not trying to keep air space cold, too.
I keep a small soft-sided thermal cooler to the side with a bunch of soft freezer packs and several of those small hard blue freezer blocks. I tuck them in the nooks and crannies of the just stocked fridge, and when I take something out for a meal or drink, I replace it with another freezer pack from the soft cooler.
Having that small soft cooler with a bunch of freezer bags is often a good place to keep fresh fruit when in the heat, too. I try to keep my fridge out of direct sun in summer, as well. Also has a insulated jacket, which some think is frivolous, though I've found really helpful.
Also, keep the fridge vents free from being blocked. I see fridges all the time stuffed into a space just wide enough to hold them. Then the owner wonders why his fridge is working so hard. They need a little air around the vents to dissipate the heat they've removed.
Another thing I've found really helpful is to be smart about packing your fridge, with most often used items more accessible and in their own place (like a quart of milk that always slides in and out of the same spot) and condiments etc in small square ziploc containers on the back shelf where it doesn't get as cold (at least in my fridge). Then I lay a thin thermal layer over the top of everything; it's sort of a reflective bubble wrap meant for freezers and coolers. I cut it the same size as my fridge's opening. Then, when I want anything out of the cooler, I fold back whichever half lets me get to what I want, keeping the other half covered.
Plug it into 110 before heading out to pre-chill it if it hasn't been on 24/7. If you leave it on all the time, even when home, keep it full of gallon jugs of water and freezer packs if not using it to store food and drink.
Working it like this, I can keep my stuff cold in my fridge even without being powered for a day or so, even in the desert.
Good luck with finding one that's just right for your setup!
.
Power draw is minimum on these--and most good 12v fridge/freezers.
Here's a good page on typical ARB draw and battery sizes that may be of help in choosing what's right for you, even if not an ARB: The ARB Fridge-Freezer and Battery Life - What You Need To Know.
What's really more important in keeping even a minimum power draw down, no matter which size or brand, is to keep your fridge full. It will cycle less, won't work as hard, and will use less power if everything in there is cold and it's not trying to keep air space cold, too.
I keep a small soft-sided thermal cooler to the side with a bunch of soft freezer packs and several of those small hard blue freezer blocks. I tuck them in the nooks and crannies of the just stocked fridge, and when I take something out for a meal or drink, I replace it with another freezer pack from the soft cooler.
Having that small soft cooler with a bunch of freezer bags is often a good place to keep fresh fruit when in the heat, too. I try to keep my fridge out of direct sun in summer, as well. Also has a insulated jacket, which some think is frivolous, though I've found really helpful.
Also, keep the fridge vents free from being blocked. I see fridges all the time stuffed into a space just wide enough to hold them. Then the owner wonders why his fridge is working so hard. They need a little air around the vents to dissipate the heat they've removed.
Another thing I've found really helpful is to be smart about packing your fridge, with most often used items more accessible and in their own place (like a quart of milk that always slides in and out of the same spot) and condiments etc in small square ziploc containers on the back shelf where it doesn't get as cold (at least in my fridge). Then I lay a thin thermal layer over the top of everything; it's sort of a reflective bubble wrap meant for freezers and coolers. I cut it the same size as my fridge's opening. Then, when I want anything out of the cooler, I fold back whichever half lets me get to what I want, keeping the other half covered.
Plug it into 110 before heading out to pre-chill it if it hasn't been on 24/7. If you leave it on all the time, even when home, keep it full of gallon jugs of water and freezer packs if not using it to store food and drink.
Working it like this, I can keep my stuff cold in my fridge even without being powered for a day or so, even in the desert.
Good luck with finding one that's just right for your setup!
.
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TheViking
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Member I
65 L good for 4 people for 3-4 days and fits in the 4Runner 5th without getting too close to tailgate. Also run a arb 63
You plus a brother sometimes. I'd guess a 35 to 40 is plenty of space.
But the larger ones are great if you add a case of beer as a heat sink. The best thing with a fridge is keeping it full of cold stuff. And the denser the stuff the better it works as a heat sink so 24 beer on the bottom will improve the efficiency, AIR is the enemy, an empty fridge is an energy hog. Buy COLD beer at the COLD beer store.
Most of my trips start from my home, so everything is already in the home fridge and cold before I start. Same with purchases on the road, If I want cold Coke for that Rum and Coke, I buy cold Coke from the Cold Coke Cooler in the store. At home, everything going into the RV Fridge is cold before it is loaded into the RV Fridge.
But size....... me on the road alone for a week, a 25L cooler can hold everything I need...... I only wish I could make ice.
But the larger ones are great if you add a case of beer as a heat sink. The best thing with a fridge is keeping it full of cold stuff. And the denser the stuff the better it works as a heat sink so 24 beer on the bottom will improve the efficiency, AIR is the enemy, an empty fridge is an energy hog. Buy COLD beer at the COLD beer store.
Most of my trips start from my home, so everything is already in the home fridge and cold before I start. Same with purchases on the road, If I want cold Coke for that Rum and Coke, I buy cold Coke from the Cold Coke Cooler in the store. At home, everything going into the RV Fridge is cold before it is loaded into the RV Fridge.
But size....... me on the road alone for a week, a 25L cooler can hold everything I need...... I only wish I could make ice.
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Advocate I
I have a 35 quart Dometic (CFX3 35) in the back of my Wrangler 4-door which is more than adequate for my wife and I. Even though it is the smallest of the current Dometic units it takes up about 40% of the cargo footprint behind the rear seats and you would want to think twice about higher capacity units as that will start to take up much needed space for other things. The smaller Dometic is also very efficient which is another plus as well.
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You've already brought up a really good point, which is the balancing act between power draw/size/price. With the size everyone must decide for themselves, what preferences, destinations, etc. One gets along well with a 20 liter box with two people, the other prefers to have an 80 liter box. One likes to have a large amount of chilled drinks, the next takes food for several days, which must be cooled, the next prefers to buy fresh more often. Some may also need to carry medicines in the cooler. The requirements are as varied as our vehicles themselves. This diversity makes the overlanding scene so interesting. For us, a 27 liter Engel compresssor box is enough, no matter how long the trip is. What is important to me, for example, is that large water bottles fit upright inside.
I think it's best to get some thoughts and experiences here, write down your requirements, compare them and choose the right box size for you.
I think it's best to get some thoughts and experiences here, write down your requirements, compare them and choose the right box size for you.
Traveler III
I have a Dometic CFX40. It's about a 38qt fridge. The last model before a design change. I originally purchased a Goal Zero Yeti 400 to power it. The Yeti was not enough. I have engaged in many discussions over several social platforms. In the end, I would have purchased a smaller fridge and larger Yeti.
Regarding the Goose Gear. There are restrictions on which size refrigerator will fit into the fridge modules. My CFX40 is a tight fit. I mean I had to remove the insulator and take off the corner reinforcements to make it fit. Even then it is touching the fridge slide bolts on both sides as it was wedged in.
The GG website will list which size fridge will work in most major brands. Check it before you buy a fridge.
Everyone I know with the big 65/75/95 fridge/freezer combos never use all of the space. A full fridge is an efficient fridge. it takes more power to cool a fridge that isnt full.
Regarding the Goose Gear. There are restrictions on which size refrigerator will fit into the fridge modules. My CFX40 is a tight fit. I mean I had to remove the insulator and take off the corner reinforcements to make it fit. Even then it is touching the fridge slide bolts on both sides as it was wedged in.
The GG website will list which size fridge will work in most major brands. Check it before you buy a fridge.
Everyone I know with the big 65/75/95 fridge/freezer combos never use all of the space. A full fridge is an efficient fridge. it takes more power to cool a fridge that isnt full.
Advocate III
We have a 35 L (37 quarts in imperial units) Dometic. It's more than big enough. Using it efficiently involves, for example, keeping a couple of beers and a bottle of wine in it, then when we take out the beers or the wine we put in replacements. This works well for us, and we've been able to travel for 5-7 days range with this (longer if we carry more food which doesn;'t need to be kept cold and adjust our meals to suit).
At home we get 5 or 6 power outages a year. In the winter snow will bring down trees across power lines. In the summer, forest fires can burn down poles and lines for days. And year round a windstorm can drop trees across power lines for days at a time. We all have wood stoves as back up heat, a few have gensets to power refrigeration and phones etc but many of us just keep the fridge fairly full. We rarely open the freezer and we never stand there wondering what to take out. On efficiency, unless you know what you want, don't open the door.
On the phone thing, we have one old fashioned touch tone phone because it works without power.
On the phone thing, we have one old fashioned touch tone phone because it works without power.
Advocate I
Form what I understand,
A good quality fridge, the exact size, even if it is more expensive, can save you in battery and solar needs. I would say my Engel now draws about half amps comapred with the Snomaster. I was very lucky, got it on a sale vrom 800+ to 600 euro.
That means you might spend more on the fridge, but less on the battery and solar and come to gain space and payload, and that in a Jeep Wrangler like you have is gold.
So for my next setup ( I ordered the new defender, that trunk space is not that great compared to the pick up I have now ) I plan to try to get away with a small 40 amp Lithium charged from either the redarc I have or small plug charger (much cheaper, if it works I will sell the redarc, I will have a 10 amp plug at 110/230V in the trunk) and a small solar panel when I am in one place for several days. . There are even 40 amps lithium under the seat options. That should shave off about 20 kg and more important, a lot of space.
So choosing your fridge can have a big impact on the rest of your setup.
We are a family of 3, 2 adults and 1 child. Both me and my wife like some beers in the evening with some BBQ(I have to admit, it is me being the main drinker ). I had a 35l Snomaster, that is about the same in US quarts. It was the cheap model from snomaster, with thin insulation. Also I was replacing beers inside often. That lead to a higher power draw, and despite my 100 AH auxiliary battery, if I stayed 2-3 days in the same spot I had to add solar as well. Now I got a proper Engel fridge , MT45 that has 40 L . It is a lot more efficient from the get go. Now I can fit enough beers for an evening even with food for 3 days. That means that I don't need to replace them so often, and I can refill in the morning when the sun is up or I am driving with new beers. So I can get away with a much smaller battery. I ordered a new vehicle, and when it comes, because my fridge works better I plan to downsize my battery setup.
A good quality fridge, the exact size, even if it is more expensive, can save you in battery and solar needs. I would say my Engel now draws about half amps comapred with the Snomaster. I was very lucky, got it on a sale vrom 800+ to 600 euro.
That means you might spend more on the fridge, but less on the battery and solar and come to gain space and payload, and that in a Jeep Wrangler like you have is gold.
So for my next setup ( I ordered the new defender, that trunk space is not that great compared to the pick up I have now ) I plan to try to get away with a small 40 amp Lithium charged from either the redarc I have or small plug charger (much cheaper, if it works I will sell the redarc, I will have a 10 amp plug at 110/230V in the trunk) and a small solar panel when I am in one place for several days. . There are even 40 amps lithium under the seat options. That should shave off about 20 kg and more important, a lot of space.
So choosing your fridge can have a big impact on the rest of your setup.
For two people, I have a 50 qt and it's sufficient for 3-5 days. For 4 people, I have a 63 qt and it's fine. I camp at least 30 days a year but I also use my fridge the other 335 days, on/off. So, I would err on choosing a larger fridge, if you have the space. One aspect of my ARB 63 I like is it is short... and it fits costco items better and it is much easier to find items.The compromise is it'll be less efficient.
As said, bigger is fine because you can always fill it with more drinks.. I usually start with a finite amount of drinks in my trunk and add them as the trip goes on. It would be nice if I didn't have to constantly add them. I certainly don't do that at home. If I could fit a larger fridge, I certainly would.
As said, bigger is fine because you can always fill it with more drinks.. I usually start with a finite amount of drinks in my trunk and add them as the trip goes on. It would be nice if I didn't have to constantly add them. I certainly don't do that at home. If I could fit a larger fridge, I certainly would.
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I have a 7 year old ARB 50qt and it’s been great. On my Alaska trips I use that with a 65 qt Yeti and have everything we need for 3-4 people. I hate getting ice for the yeti on longer trips, it sits in the sun and on the trailer so the water build up moves around a lot and melts the ice quicker than I like.
I was thinking of getting a Domestic dual zone and then a friend who had a 75, wanted the 55im, so we did a deal and I will get his one year old 75. I moved from a SUV to a pickup, so I have more room and love the idea of a dual zone.
My plan is on trips where the trailer is going along, like to Alaska or the Arctic Ocean, the ARB will replace the yeti and be used for drinks and thawing a meal a couple days out and then the Domestic can carry all the food need for a few days way up north. I know I can use ready made meals and just add water, but why if I can carry all the food I need. Normally for the first few days or week, my friends and I do pre made meals, stuff like spaghetti and meatballs which works out great.After having a fridge, I don’t want to do without.
I was thinking of getting a Domestic dual zone and then a friend who had a 75, wanted the 55im, so we did a deal and I will get his one year old 75. I moved from a SUV to a pickup, so I have more room and love the idea of a dual zone.
My plan is on trips where the trailer is going along, like to Alaska or the Arctic Ocean, the ARB will replace the yeti and be used for drinks and thawing a meal a couple days out and then the Domestic can carry all the food need for a few days way up north. I know I can use ready made meals and just add water, but why if I can carry all the food I need. Normally for the first few days or week, my friends and I do pre made meals, stuff like spaghetti and meatballs which works out great.After having a fridge, I don’t want to do without.
It'll still be a few months or more before it's time to pull the trigger, so I've got time to keep researching, but I think I'm leaning towards the Dometic CFX3 55IM. I'm thinking it's better to have more room and not need it than spend all that money on a fridge and wish I had more room. Has anyone gotten one of the newer Helux refrigerators yet that have the built in batter? The smallest size they have right now is a 60L, but having the swappable batteries in it seems like a cool idea.
OverLamb24
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Advocate III
We currently have a 65 yeti which I believe to be around 47 liters minus ice. Whenever we make the jump to a fridge I suspect we will go between 45 and 60.
I like the idea of a built-in back-up battery but I rarely remove my fridge from my vehicle... unless it is going into 120V. One of my fridges is over 15 years old. Proprietary battery would probably be obsolete after 5 years.
The 55IM is a nice fridge as it makes ice. For those staying at camp, leave them a few beers and some ice cubes... not the entire fridge! =)
Enthusiast III
We have the cfx 55 and like it. Only thing I would caution is the amount of space you have in vehicle. Go as small as you need. If you go on long trips the 55 is perfect but if you are going just for overnight or a couple of days the smaller one may be a better fit
