Portable Fridge Recommendations

[CharlieRock]

Continuing the refurbishment and upgrade of Charlie Rock (former Journey and Noro Lim). We are on to refrigeration. Going with a 12v/120v portable that can be kept in the cockpit, under the dinette table or in my truck bed as necessary. I have already added upgraded 12v sockets in the cockpit (with suitable water protection) and under the galley table, and just finished adding a 120v outlet under the rear seat at the dinette (will be looking for insights on how to add a switch or relay that allows that outlet to be both Inverter and Shore Power as it will also power my Microwave.

Looking for recommendations on brand and most importantly size. I have read every thread on Refrigeration including the info on various motor standards. I have a brand new Dometic CFX3 55IM (for Ice Maker), with an insulated cover in my garage. This initial purchase was based on a variety of reviews, including one on Outdoor Gear Lab on powered coolers. I am second guessing the size. It is 2 inches too wide to store under the dinette when the forward seat is moved back and locked in. Yes, i can drill another hole. But as it will move between truck, cockpit and dinette, looking for the experience based insights of the c-brats. There is a 2 inch width, 1.5 inch length, 1/2 an inch difference between the 55 and the 45. The 55 also has the side opening lid, vs the end opening. the 55 has the Ice Maker, and is approx 5 pounds heavier. The price difference is nil at $58 bucks on Amazon. For those of you who follow this path, and move the Fridge with some frequency on the Boat, or for Boater Homing and RV'ing, any insights would be appreciated! The Hontoon Gathering date is approaching faster than reveille after a night out on 41ambush (Ft Campbell). Havent even gotten to cleaning my no-slip, and polishing the gelcoat.

[thataway]

I suspect that you have not read my posts on the problems I have had with the Dometic product, and difficulty of response. Basically the Dometic thermistor failed a week after warrantee ran out. Eventually I was able to get a replacement (several months of phone calls etc) and it failed a couple of weeks after warrantee ran out. I was able to get replacement thermistors. One must tear the casing off the unit to replace the thermistor which is under the foam on the bottom. You can use the unit with a replacement thermistor laying in the bottom, but that leads to other issues, such as cleaning, and being in the way when getting items out of the unit.

What many of these reviews lack is the long term durability and longevity. Also often the real life current draw is more than in the "tests"

I looked up the IM, It apparently gets around one of the issues with many units--that is that the part above the motor is warmer than the rest of the box--this is a freezer unit for ice there. I don't know how well it works when keeping the rest of the box at 38* (which where we keep the refrigerated food). For ice, we just either use silicone trays,--which the Dometic uses-or plastic baggies full of water---and make as much Ice as we want in a freezer--not micro cubes...

Currently I have a Norcold, which is what used to be one of the Engle models (under the dinette forward seat on heavy duty track rollers...and an ARB in the cockpit. The ARB does not rely on the cigarette plug--it has the standard cig. plug, but for more permeant installations, the outer part screws off, and there is a locking mechanism for more permeant use as in the cockpit. I have been using these types of chest units for over 40 years. I had a few times where either corrosion or vibration caused the cig lighter plug to fail. The ARB solution is far better.

There area number of threads on this site as well as many of the outdoor--especially in Australia and New Zealand. I am not up to date on the most recent ones.

What I have found thru the years is that the same unit may have a different brand name...for example the current Norcold, was a "Norcold" 20 years ago, then it became an Engle, and now is again a "Norcold"--produced by one outfit in Japan.

Do you measurements include the bulb in handles which protrude? if so, take one or both of the handles off. At least in the older ones, these are easily removable.

We used our ARB daily in our Yukon XL on an over month trip--I had installed a separate AGM battery under the hood, charged off the alternator. It worked flawlessly even though we did not run the SUV every day in S. Calif. where the temperature was in the 80's outside and well over 100 inside the closed vehicle.

See my comments about having a shunt type of 12 volt current meter on the post about your inverter.

[lloyds]

Can't beat an engle. Been using mine in the boat over 10 years.

[colbysmith]

I've also been very happy with our Engle.

[Pat Anderson]

Patty here. We have had an ARB for several years, 50 quart (they come smaller). We also have a Pelican cooler. We swap out 1 gallon containers of frozen water every morning. Keeps Pelican cool. We also use ice for cocktails and one bag lasts a week. We can also freeze cubes if need be. The ARB has lots of room for frozen meat and a compartment that doesn't freeze for cold cuts and cheeses. We spent 8 months on the boat on the Great Loop where it could be difficult to reprovision and that ARB was great. It sits on a pull-out drawer under the sink.

[ssobol]

My boat has had the original factory fridge in it since new. I believe it is the Norcold. Worked fine for the last 12 years or so.

[lloyds]

I have had Norcold fridges in my last two rv's and they have always been flawless as well.

[thataway]