ARB 47L/50qt Fridge Review

We have had the ARB fridge since it’s debut in 2014. I bought it after arranging a last minute camping trip with our Maggiolina roof top tent down to the California red woods and had my heart set on an ARB fridge. With no forethought or time to order online I was lucky to find one local. The owner of CVT in Bend Oregon had ordered a 50qt fridge for his own personal use and wasn’t carrying them in stock for public sale yet. Thankfully he offered to sell us his when I called looking to buy one.

Here we are 7 years later!

We use the fridge year round when we travel by car to ski resorts, in our guest room for friends and family to use, and when overlanding.

This size is ideal to hold food for two people for 4-5 days. It is manageable to be handled by 1-2 people for loading and unloading. Eric typically carries the fridge without my help as have hotel staff when helping to unload the car. It has been a perfectly sized travel accessory in every hotel we have taken it to and it really goes everywhere with us.

Let’s get to it!

Power Consumption

The fridge pulls a max of 7 amps of power and an hourly average of 2.5 amps per hour.

Learning Curve

For starters the fridge has an internal sensor that stops drawing power from the supplying battery per the default settings.

If the power supplying battery is drained down below the refrigerators internal monitor setting (Low, medium, high) than the orange light will turn on and this translates to “target temperature reached” according to the manual. However the issue is that the orange light turns on but your fridge hasn’t reached its desired temperature because either

a) the settings are set too high for the power draw needs. Here is how to change the settings;

or b) the supply battery has drained too low to be able to supply power. To offset this problem

  • Plug the fridge in at home at least 24 hours prior to any trip to bring the internal temperature to the desired settings.
  • Freeze liquids that are placed into the fridge because they will melt within 24 hours of being placed in the fridge while aiding in maintaining the internal temp.
  • Lastly have a solar panel that is capable of meeting the power demands of the fridge.

Loss of Power

The 12v power plug for vehicle use is a standard American 12v cigarette plug that is easily breakable. It easily falls out of the cigarette lighter power ports and we would often find that there was no power to the fridge after hours of driving. It is disappointing that the fridge is so expensive and doesn’t include the monitor in its price.

Solutions

A) Buy the remote monitor

B) convert the power cord and outlets

This picture and many more can be found on Ih8mud.com

plug.

Parts and Supplies

  • ARB fridge Power cord
  • Anderson Power Pole Connectors
  • Anderson contact pins (15 amp)
  • Crimpers
  • Wire cutters
  • Wire stripper
  • Heat shrink
  • 16 gauge 4ft stretch cord
  • Inline 16 gauge T8 32V fuse/ f8a fuse
  • Heat gun
  • 1/4 PET cable sleeve
  • Optional: soldering equipment

If this is too big of a task to take on yourself than consider buying a pre made kit Here at Wit’s End.

Transit Bag

To buy or not to buy?

You might be deeply contemplating the extra expense of buying the transit bag after spending $1,000 for the fridge and remote monitor or more if you have made the power port upgrades. The truth is that the transit bag is such a subjective accessory and has minimal impact at best. I did purchase the transit bag and I keep the power cords in the bag pocket so they are with me at all times.

I haven’t truly tested out the thermal benefit of the transit bag with a thermometer in the fridge during the hottest days of the year. I can say that the fridge will kick into overdrive during with extreme heat thus drastically draining battery power. It’s at these times I have been grateful for any extra help with keeping the fridge cooler. I have chased the shade trying to keep the fridge shaded by the SUV in order to help keep it cool. I have plans to make solar window deflectors for the rear windows to try and help reduce drastic heat build up inside the SUV while in direct sunlight and help the refrigerators cooling.

We have been caught in extreme heat in Southern Utah in as late as October. There is no guarantee when it comes to traveling outdoors so be prepared.

My transit bag did arrive slightly defective but I would still recommend it’s use.

Owners Manual

In the owners manual it states

“Note: if the ambient temperature is above 32° (90F) The minimum temperature cannot be achieved.”

This explains a lot!