Keeping refrigarator cold while driving
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=5039
Printed Date: 28 Jul 2025 at 4:35am
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Topic: Keeping refrigarator cold while driving
Posted By: papabear
Subject: Keeping refrigarator cold while driving
Date Posted: 26 Jul 2014 at 3:16am
| Has anyone been able to keep their frig cold while running on 12 volt? I was talking to a guy from Oklahoma who said his 178 worked because the battery was being charged by the vehicle. My dealer says the battery only gets a trickle charge that will not keep the frig cold. On another vehicle I had, it was set up to charge the vehicle and when it was full a relay kicked it over to charge the trailer. I wonder if that would make the difference. |
Replies:
Posted By: 3ofUs
Date Posted: 26 Jul 2014 at 6:36am
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We use to run on propane in our Aliner until our friend said to use the 12 volt. Yes papabear is right your vehicle on the road will be charging your battery constantly. We continue to use 12 volt with RPod and every thing is very cold. Put a fridge thermometer in there so you can see the temperture. 38 on the highest setting when on the road and I take it down one setting once set up at camp on electricity. 40-42 is good unless you are opening the door a lot.
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Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 26 Jul 2014 at 7:51am
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Yes, my fridge works perfectly fine on 12v. It doesn't cool down as fast as propane (or even AC), but it certainly maintains a cold fridge. But, I did install and wire my vehicle's Bargman connector myself and used 6 gauge wire (and a 20 amp self-resetting fuse) on the charge line. If you've got 12 or 14 gauge wire on your charge line, it may very well be providing only a trickle charge to your trailer. ------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 26 Jul 2014 at 8:32am
Unfortunately auto makers who install Bargmans seem to think we're just going to charge cell phones. A larger wire would also facilitate more recharge driving from site to site. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: papabear
Date Posted: 26 Jul 2014 at 10:59am
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I wonder if different car companies use bigger wire. Mine is a Chevy but the guy I talked to had a Toyota. What vehicles do you guys use? |
Posted By: WillThrill
Date Posted: 26 Jul 2014 at 12:35pm
From what I've seen and heard from others, nearly all factory-installed charge lines going to the trailer use 14 gauge wire. The maximum 12 volt amperage that line can handle over that length is about 5 amps. And a quick Google search indicates that RV refrigerators typically pull 5-8 amps of 12 volt power when the compressor is running. So unless you have thicker power line coming from your vehicle, your compressor might draw down your battery, but considering that the compressor won't be running continuously, this might never happen and would at least take a long to happen. If your fridge is already cold, your compressor won't be running very often, and your batteries shouldn't run down much, if any. That being said, your vehicle is obviously only charging your Pod when it's running. Stopping for 1-2 hours may put a dent in your Pod's batteries, but it certainly shouldn't drain them. Most deep-cycle batteries have at least 75 amp hours of power when fully charged. To be honest though, I don't know why so many people are afraid of running their fridge on propane while driving. I've only rarely heard of accidents by hearsay and even that only on the Internet. Just shut it off when you're refueling and you'll be just fine. ------------- "Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien 2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
Posted By: Cap-n-Cray
Date Posted: 26 Jul 2014 at 1:02pm
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The RV refrigerator in our Rpods is an absorption refrigeration system. No compressor. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUNmDQu_fvY - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUNmDQu_fvY My refrigerator worked fine on 12V on a 6K+ trip. My truck ran the frig and charged the pods batteries. Just remember to switch to propane when stopping for more than an hour. You could drain the TV batteries too. The freezer made ice and kept everything cold. Outside temps were in the 90's too. ------------- Cary 2014 RP-177 |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 26 Jul 2014 at 1:19pm
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The Dometic in the Pods does not have a compressor. It is an absorption system that requires a heat source, either gas or electric, for operation. Therefore you'll never hear a compressor running. The way the Dometic is made it will be "running" at almost any outside temperature above 50F. The small Dometic in the Pods is spec'ed at 10 Amps on 12V. That's 10 Amp-Hrs per hour, a significant load on a battery. 25% of a single GP24 battery when sitting for two hours in a parking over lunch. Recharge while driving is vehicle dependent, but probably a break even at best. Don't count on significant gain while driving if the fridge is on 12V. All that said, I agree propane is best, even on the road. The current OPD valves on propane bottles provide excellent protection even with a severed gas line downstream. For non-automatic fridges such as in the Pods I run them on gas at the CG to protect against CG power failures. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 26 Jul 2014 at 1:24pm
A properly installed Bargman setup will isolate the TV when the engine is off. This can and should be tested. However, the TT battery can be drained. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: WillThrill
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2014 at 2:52am
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Well I've learned something new on this forum yet again! A compressor-less refrigerator....interesting.
Very few TVs are going to provide a 10 amp charge to the Pod while running. So if you run the fridge on 12V, you're most likely going to drain your batteries at least 5 amps per hours even with the TV running, which isn't a good idea, especially if you're a dry camper like me. So just go with propane! ------------- "Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien 2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2014 at 8:46am
And there are other non compressor cooling technologies. One common one is the solid state thermoelectric cooler. Just DC in. Most frequently found in small food/beverage coolers or computer cooling applications. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: papabear
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2014 at 10:51am
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I live in Colorado and our dealer mentioned that altitude plays a part. For those running on 12V, where are you using yours? |
Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2014 at 11:05am
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We've started running our fridge on propane on the road, and even when AC is available when the weather is especially hot, just because it cools the best. I'll precool everything on AC a couple of days before a trip. We use a wireless indoor/outdoor thermometer with the transmitter inside the fridge to keep an eye on things. Cost of propane really isn't really an issue, your fridge will run for weeks on a 20# tank. For RVs with larger fridges, it's your only option other than AC. Having said all that, I remember all our years of tent camping with only an ice chest. We had no idea what the food temp was but with two growing kids it never lasted long enough to really be an issue. ------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |
Posted By: WillThrill
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2014 at 11:22am
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After having learned how absorption and compressor refrigeration both work, I've discovered a new technology for refrigeration that involves the use of magnets!
See this video for a brief overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlKKKMTA7XM Apparently, certain metal alloys get hotter or colder when brought into contact with magnets. Once they get colder, for instance, you can pass a liquid over or through them which is then carried to what you want to cool. Right now, this requires a fair amount of space but could probably be fitted into a house sized refrigerator. But they're working on reducing it down to a pump about the size of a car alternator. At that point, it sounds like it would be a very viable new way of cooling things without a lot of space. However, it would require electricity to move the magnets, so I'm not sure if it would ever be as good in a RV situation as propane. The amount of energy in your propane tank is many times greater than what is in your batteries. A single deep-cycle marine battery has about the equivalent electrical power as five CUPS of liquid propane. A 20 pound propane tank has a little more potential power than 25 typical marine batteries. ------------- "Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien 2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
Posted By: GingerPod
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2014 at 6:53pm
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Good info Charlie, If the TV is set up from the factory,I/E "tow package" like on full size domestic trucks,it is possible to travel down the road with the fridge on DC. with no ill effects. Of course propane is so much more efficient.But nice to have that option should you run out of propane on the way home from your camping adventure,especially during a cold snap when propane use could be higher than planned. Now I can't speak for all Models,but my Silverado with the "tow package", has a 12 ga. wire, a dedicated stud pickup with a 40amp fuse  and a 120amp alternator feeding the Bargmans connector.It seems GM was thinking ahead on this one.More power than the Fridge could ever use if needed.------------- FOUND OUR NEW-RETRO TEARDROP!!! |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2014 at 7:14pm
The answer to the first question is yes if the truck is really wired correctly. This can be checked with a meter comparing the TT battery voltage with and without the truck engine running. If the truck uses a #12 wire with a 40A fuse you have an excellent candidate for a recall, and a fire. A #12 wire should be protected by a 20A fuse. That wire will melt and catch fire before the 40A fuse ever thinks about blowing. That said, the #12 will drop so much voltage over the 15'-20' to the Bargman that you'll get very little charge. I think many US manufactures use #10 on the charge line and even that's too small. With a 40A fuse the wire should be #8; six would be even better for charging. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: GingerPod
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2014 at 8:26pm
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If the truck uses a #12 wire with a 40A fuse you have an excellent candidate for a recall, and a fire. A #12 wire should be protected by a 20A fuse. That wire will melt and catch fire before the 40A fuse ever thinks about blowing. That said, the #12 will drop so much voltage over the 15'-20' to the Bargman that you'll get very little charge. I think many US manufactures use #10 on the charge line and even that's too small. With a 40A fuse the wire should be #8; six would be even better for charging. [/QUOTE] Your rite,I believe it is a 10ga wire once I looked more closely at it. Good point,but the 40 amp fuse came from the factory that way.Hasn't been a recall for this on Silverados.Mine is a 99' model which remained unchanged until 2008.I believe there are around 8,000,000,000, yes 8 million  of those years trucks built.Just saying what they come equipped with and I haven't heard of any problems. ------------- FOUND OUR NEW-RETRO TEARDROP!!! |
Posted By: Eldon
Date Posted: 28 Jul 2014 at 3:26pm
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I added a second battery, and it works great. Keeps refrigerator cold al day while running, then recharges when I am plugged in at night ------------- Eldon |
Posted By: papabear
Date Posted: 29 Jul 2014 at 10:09am
 Ypu guys are all so helpful. Please keep the ideas coming.
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 29 Jul 2014 at 5:12pm
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Increasing the size/gauge wiring between the truck battery and the Bargeman is the single best thing you can do to improve the cooling ability of the DC mode of the fridge. My 2010 Chevy has 12 gauge wiring and the fridge temp starts to rise after just 2-3 hours on the road due to voltage drop. For instance, with ONLY the load of the fridge (11 amps) run over 20 feet with 12 gauge wire, that is a full volt drop from the battery to the back bumper. That means some of the load will be carried by the camper battery. Add in a low battery on the camper and the voltage drop will mean you get nothing from the truck and the battery on the camper will be discharged quickly. It is on my to-do to run an additional 10 or 8 gauge wire back to the Bargeman. I'm also seriously considering an ARB portable fridge for our most critical foods (milk, meat, etc) since it uses a DC-driven compressor and uses very little amperage to do it. It can run for days on a single deep cycle battery. I have a cheap Coleman Powerchill that uses the Peltier technology (solid state thermoelectric) and it has 2 major disadvantages. One, it uses 5 amps continuous. That's about a half-day on a deep cycle battery if there are no other loads. Two, it only cools to about 40 degrees below ambient. In a hot car or camper that means it is way too warm inside to keep food safe. The ARB will maintain safe temps no matter how hot it is ambient.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: Hayduke
Date Posted: 30 Jul 2014 at 12:14pm
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Techntrek: Not to get too far off topic here, but I have one of these: http://www.truckfridge.com/store/page6.html It's been a champ for me for the 2 years I've had it and quite a bit less expensive than the ARB models. ------------- 2012 177 HRE 2017 Tacoma Double Cab |
Posted By: ahefner
Date Posted: 30 Jul 2014 at 3:41pm
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I've always ran my fridge on 12V when driving. Then switch over to AC when hooked up. Never had an issue yet. ------------- 2014 rPod 178 2014 Toyota Tundra 5.7 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 30 Jul 2014 at 10:20pm
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Hayduke, thanks. I found the spec sheet and unfortunately they don't list the average amperage (or even max amps). I may contact them to see if they know. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Budward
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 6:37am
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Not to downplay the TruckFridge but I did notice their warranty is 1 year where ARB is 3 year. I'd also try to find out whose compressor system they use, the Danfoss appears to have the best reputation. Another thing we find very useful is the lid pulls off straight back without any fuss or tools. This is really appreciated in the back of a vehicle for loading the fridge etc when the lid won't open far due to the ceiling. Don't know if the others do this or not. Yes the ARB is expensive but its reputation is superb in the 4x4 world. I love mine, one of the best purchases we've ever made. I do concede the $200 price difference is substantial! I'm not sure I even saw those or of they were around when I did my research a few years ago. ------------- 2014 179 Towed by a 2015 Ford Transit Diesel Supervised by a German/Aussie mix and a Labradoodle! |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 7:54am
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Techntrek, Have you been able to find a real data sheet on ARB? What is the running current? They advertise a 0.87A maintaining current. Is this some sort of thermoelectric element maintain the temp vs the compressor running? Years ago small RV compressor fridges drew around 4A running and they were small boxes. Where are we today? ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: Harry
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 9:12am
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Now I have a really dumb question. In the past I have owned three campers, all with one version or another of a 3-way Dometic fridge. While camped and running on propane, the first moderate gust of wind would blow out the pilot light. Driving with the pilot light on would be out of the question. I wouldn't even get out of my driveway and expect it to remain lit.
Once I got the 176T, I assumed this would be the same situation, so I continued to drive with the fridge on 12V. Yet, with a few exceptions, the general opinion in this forum is to run the fridge on propane while driving. So.... how does the pilot light remain lit while driving at 60 mph? Or, is there no pilot light and it lights electronically on demand? |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 9:28am
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Hi Harry, I can't answer your question technically, but I can say that from recent experience a 100+ mph apparent wind didn't stop the fridge. Through Wyoming we had 55+ mph headwinds driving @ 50+ mph. Put a hurting to gas milage, but fridge kept on keeping cold. Two weeks into our trip we did have to defrost the fridge, though. I'm guessing the high humidity, frequent opening and stuffed fridge and freezer contributed to that. It was an easy 10 minute "fix" to empty contents into cooler and use hair dryer to defrost and repack. We keep a thermometer (analog) in the fridge and never had any cooling issues in fridge or freezer. fred ------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: Harry
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 9:41am
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Thanks Fred. I'm a convert. We head out for a couple of weeks starting next week. Propane it is. ------------- 2013 R-pod 176T TV: 2013 Honda Ridgeline 3.5 L 4WD |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 9:48am
The answer is yes and yes. First, there is no pilot. The main burner ignites via an electronic spark when needed. Second, the manufacturers have gotten better at shielding the flame from wind. My old campers had pilots and I had the same troubles. These new ones: no problem. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: Hayduke
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 11:05am
The fridge is actually made by Indel B. That might help you find more info. From my reading it seems these models have pretty similar amp draw to Engel or Arb fridges. And it does have the Danfoss compressor. ------------- 2012 177 HRE 2017 Tacoma Double Cab |
Posted By: Harry
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 12:07pm
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Thank you Charlie. Great information. ------------- 2013 R-pod 176T TV: 2013 Honda Ridgeline 3.5 L 4WD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 10:42pm
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These fridges only use a true compressor, no thermoelectric. The .87 amps quoted by ARB is an average during a 24 hour test including initial cooldown, starting from and continuing at a continuous ambient temperature. Actual running amps is higher. The response I got from truckfridges was basically, "ours are made for big rigs where amperage isn't an issue so we don't really advertise that". However, someone here sent me a link to docs which indicated an average of .45 amps. I thank that is optimistically low when compared to the ARB average. Its a tough call, save a few hundred and maybe get hit with a higher amperage draw, or go with the proven product from ARB but pay for it. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Budward
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 6:08am
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My ARB, I actually measured it yesterday, draws 4A at startup, which drops to around 3.5 after a minute or so, then oddly rises to around 5A after several minutes. I'm guessing that has to do with pressures in the system. It is difficult to compare different fridge's actual 24 hour current draw, since there doesn't appear to be a standardized test. Maybe someone has done one and published it but I haven't found it. A lower draw compressor is of course meaningless if the insulation is poor and it runs a lot more. One plus to any of them when actually on the move and planning an overnight stop at a WalMart or truck stop- they don't have to be anywhere near level like the absorption fridges. I've spent the night at several that were pretty far off and that was a concern. Off level can not only cause poor cooling it can actually ruin an absorption fridge from what I've read. On our upcoming long trip we plan to travel light in the perishable dept, if it doesn't fit in the ARB it isn't going. Once we approach a destination where we'll be for awhile then we'll restock the Dometic. When I built my own interior in the Four Wheel truck camper shell model I bought, I used a NovaKool marine 12v compressor fridge, no worries about stopping wherever whenever as to off level. Only draw back is yes on a long term (several days) stop the 12v consumption can be an issue, but then we never did that in the truck camper. BTW it also uses a Danfoss compressor and still going strong after 10+ years. What would be really "Cool" (pun intended) would be if someone made an RV absorption fridge that ALSO had a 12V compressor. Best of both worlds, superior cooling when on compressor with a lower current draw than the present 12V heater/absorption mode, but had the efficient propane when needed.  ------------- 2014 179 Towed by a 2015 Ford Transit Diesel Supervised by a German/Aussie mix and a Labradoodle! |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 1:41pm
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True about the leveling issue, one of the reasons I would be happier with a compressor. At one point I did find an article online that reviewed a bunch of 12 volt fridges, putting them through a standard test which measured their insulative value, toughness and electrical consumption. The link below is not the same article and I haven't read it yet, but I found it with a quick search so I thought I would pass it along. Looks like most of them use the Danfoss compressor except the largest ones. My goal is to get 48 hours off-grid (a full weekend trip) w/o running the generator so probably the cheapest brand would work fine. Your average deep cycle battery would come close to 48 hours between LPG detector, lights, water pump, portable fridge, and the Dometic off. http://expeditionportal.com/overland-journal-portable-12v-fridge-review/ - http://expeditionportal.com/overland-journal-portable-12v-fridge-review/ ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 4:35pm
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I read the article I linked to above, and then went looking for info on the Indel B, which is what that truckfridges website sells. Looks like they are also sold at the equipt1 web site. They submitted the 50 liter model to Overland Journal for the same testing done on the other fridges, and the results are discussed below. Unforutnately the full report they link to (both in the thread I link to below and at the equipt1 web site) does not work. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/70116-Indel-B-Travel-Box-Fridge-Test-and-Comparison - http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/70116-Indel-B-Travel-Box-Fridge-Test-and-Comparison ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 4:56pm
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I believe this is the original fridge review I read a while ago: http://www.waeco.com.au/documents/N308_FridgeComparo.pdf - http://www.waeco.com.au/documents/N308_FridgeComparo.pdf ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Hayduke
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 9:08pm
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Doug, I went through the same thing when I was looking at fridges. I was able to find an archived version of the page that wasn't working: http://web.archive.org/web/20120417130738/http://www.equipt1.com/Company%20Product%20Images/Indel%20B/Downloads/Indel%20B%20Travel%20Box%20Test%20and%20Comparison%20Report.pdf If that doesn't work for you, I have the pdf save and can send it to you. -Matt ------------- 2012 177 HRE 2017 Tacoma Double Cab |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 9:42pm
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Link worked, thanks. I'll read it now. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Budward
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2014 at 5:09am
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That expeditionportal test stirred up some controversy as they tested the Indel B at 70ish degrees and the others at 90ish. Kind of hard to compare them under different test conditions  ------------- 2014 179 Towed by a 2015 Ford Transit Diesel Supervised by a German/Aussie mix and a Labradoodle! |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2014 at 12:17pm
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I agree that invalidated the test results. There's no reason they couldn't have stuck the Indel in a bathroom with a space heater to get it to 91.4 F. I do that with my sweet potatoes to cure them in the fall. At this point I'm torn on several points. Save hundreds on the Indel and potentially have a higher amperage draw, or spend the money on the ARB (or equivalent). I'd love the National Luna but no way I'm spending $1500 when the Indel is $500 and the ARB is a few hundred more. I don't like how the Indel has a permanent divider in the middle of the interior but I'd live with it. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Hayduke
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2014 at 3:30pm
My Indel has a basket/liner that comes out of the fridge. The basket has a divider that is removable from the basket. Happy to take photos if you want a visual. Also, I agree about the test being a little weird, and the ease with which they could have made it more uniform. ------------- 2012 177 HRE 2017 Tacoma Double Cab |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2014 at 7:52pm
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Odd, the pics on the web sites (Indel's and truckfridge) show a permanent plastic divider. They mention it as a reason for the faster warmup in the "test". If it can be removed that is a good thing. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2014 at 7:56pm
Here is one of the pics. You can see the gray/brown plastic divider just to the left of the white wire basket frame, just to the right of the orange. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Budward
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2014 at 8:31pm
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The ARB is the similar with the divider...the basket is one unit in the larger space. The area behind the divider is warmer than the rest of the fridge as it has no cooling plate in it. They say it is for "dairy". The compressor is below that area so it isn't full depth. Maybe 6-8 inches- I'm guessing. Does the lid pull off on the others like it does the ARB? I find that a very useful feature when the fridge is sitting in the back of an FJ Cruiser or a Suburban. Makes placing a full basket possible without pulling the whole fridge out. Can't do it with the lid on as it will only open 45deg or so before it hits the ceiling in the FJ C. To remove just lift the lid about 1-2" and pull toward you- it pops right out with a spring loaded hinge system. ------------- 2014 179 Towed by a 2015 Ford Transit Diesel Supervised by a German/Aussie mix and a Labradoodle! |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2014 at 10:00pm
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I don't think the lid is removable on the Indel. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Hayduke
Date Posted: 07 Aug 2014 at 11:39am
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My Indel B lid is not removable. There are some good photos of the layout of the fridge in this thread on pages 4 and 14: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/81797-Truck-Fridge-sale-Prices-only-visible-in-checkout/page14 The portion of the fridge permanently divided from the rest is over the compressor/electronics, and is much shallower than the main compartment. It stays a bit warmer than the main compartment as well. ------------- 2012 177 HRE 2017 Tacoma Double Cab |
Posted By: Oddpod
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2014 at 12:11pm
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Hello, I know this is an old thread but does anyone have any updated info/recommendations on these truck fridges? It seems our pod's fridge takes 2 days to cool down before a trip (even then has a difficult time keeping things cool) which has me concerned about our upcoming trip from Kentucky to Florida in Oct. We are a bit nervous about driving while it is still on propane. We haven't checked out what gauge wire was installed with the TV to the TT but don't have any hopes that it is the thicker size recommended. We purchased the pod because out daughter has serious food allergies and we need a kitchen wherever we go. We were tired of having to reserve expensive suites for travel and also having them cancelled on us upon arrival (NYC, Georgia, yes, even Disney jerked us over). I'm also tired of hauling ice in a big cooler everywhere, especially when we are supposed to have a working fridge already in the pod. Any new fridge products out there worth looking into? Thanks, Erin from the Oddpod squad. ------------- Larry, Erin, Lindsay, Caitlyn and Jules the lab R pod 176 |
Posted By: Oddpod
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2014 at 12:32pm
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Sorry, I guess this thread is not so old....I must have been looking at someone's join date. Still, has anyone gotten any of these products since the last post? Has anyone hooked up a truck fridge to solar panels via marine battery/battery minder setup for dry camping as a backup system? ------------- Larry, Erin, Lindsay, Caitlyn and Jules the lab R pod 176 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2014 at 1:08pm
Not too old, the last post was less than 2 weeks ago. We like to recycle electrons around here anyway.  If your fridge is still under warranty, get it fixed. It should cool down within hours (assuming you don't put warm drinks in it) and have no problems keeping things cool. If you aren't within warranty, things could get very expensive. I'm having problems only with the gas mode on mine, and the dealer said the 8501 model used in the pods is an import - and parts are only imported. He thinks my gas valve is bad and instead of costing $69, it will cost over $400. I can buy a new domestically-sourced fridge for $600! Or one of these Indel portable fridges for less. Driving while using the propane mode is perfectly safe. You are correct you'll have problems using the DC mode unless the wiring feeding your 7-pin Bargeman is large enough. I finally checked out the factory wiring on my Chevy and it is 12 gauge, which is too small. I just added a 10 gauge which effectively gives me 8 gauge (using the 12 and 10 in parallel). If this is a job you can't do, any local mechanic should be able to do it in a half hour. The portable fridges like the ARB and Indel should last 24 hours or more on a deep cycle battery, closer to 55 hours with two batteries in parallel. So if you can recharge from utility power, a generator, or from your TV in that time frame a solar system may not be necessary. A 2nd battery is a lot cheaper too.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2014 at 2:23pm
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Oddpod, you should really have someone look at your fridge. My (five year old) r-pod is kept in a storage lot without power, so I don't have the luxury of being able to precool the fridge before heading out. I'll just bring a fridge and freezer full of cold/frozen food to the trailer, load it up, turn on the propane and head out. With a fridge full of food, it cools down very quickly (much more quickly than when empty). So quickly, in fact, that ice cream (or even runnier frozen yogurt) doesn't have a chance to soften up. ------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |
Posted By: Oddpod
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2014 at 5:42pm
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Thanks all, I will make sure my DH sees the posts! Unfortunately we got the pod in NC because no one closer had that model on the lot and it was the best deal (super in fact) at that distance (Michigan was the only other one). I will have to contact the Louisville dealers to see if they will work with us. ------------- Larry, Erin, Lindsay, Caitlyn and Jules the lab R pod 176 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2014 at 6:07pm
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It may take some time to find one, but they are out there. They get paid for warranty work so you just need to find the one that has time on his schedule and wants the $. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: 3ofUs
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2014 at 7:05pm
| I see you are about four or five hours from us, but we bought our pod last summer at Boat N RV, Rockwood TN, I believe Exit 388 off I-40 going toward Knoxville. They sell the pods and are a Forest River Dealer. We had warranty work performed last month and service was excellent. They have a nice waiting area, and there is a restaurant/bar attached to the facility. |
Posted By: M0tl3y
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2014 at 9:48pm
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Help me understand the physics of running anything larger than 10 gauge wire to the 7-pin? I ask because the trailer wiring charge line is probably not larger than 10 gauge (that's the largest I've seen in any installation, but I'll admit I don't know what FR put in the R-Pod). In other words, if you run 6 gauge in the TV, but the TT has 10 gauge, does it do any good? On a semi-related note: if the fridge and battery charging are drawing more amperage than the 10 gauge can provide, do you run the risk of overheating the wire? On a semi-semi-related note: my TV has solid-core 10 gauge copper to the 7-pin, I understand this can carry higher amperage (and heat) than stranded and may be comparable to 8 gauge stranded copper (or stranded copper-coated aluminum) Thanks ------------- The 178 club |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2014 at 10:05pm
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Welcome. At 12 volts voltage drop is a big problem, so every foot of larger wire (less resistance) is a bonus. Technically you should have a fuse near the battery that will blow before the wire burns up. That said, my GM's factory 12 gauge line has a 40 amp fuse on the end. I don't know how they justify that. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: NormanHill
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2014 at 11:38pm
| My TV is an F150 with a tow package and the fridge stays cold on 12V whether on the road, or when I'm parked with it plugged in and AC charging the battery. |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2014 at 6:17am
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a while back (last year) i noticed that my fridge was not as cold as normal (it was on battery on the coldest setting). i cycled thru the temp settings a few times back to the coldest. world of difference. i do that everytime i turn my fridge on now. hogone ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2023 F150 2017 HD Streetglide CHEESEHEAD |