Danny Spelic delves into a cool new car fridge.

After many years of buying ice and draining water from my esky on extended fishing and camping trips, I finally decided to bite the bullet and invest in a portable fridge/freezer. Although fridge/ freezers have come a long way since the early days of portable refrigeration, there are still many factors that need to be taken into account before the fish can be frozen and the beers chilled.

I recently had the opportunity to test ARB Corporation’s 40 litre model manufactured by the SawaFuji Electric Com-pany (the same people that make the well respected Engel fridge/freezers) and spent some four weeks putting the fridge through its paces in a range of natural and induced climatic conditions.

One of the most important considerations for me was to find a fridge that was functional and stylish, yet at the same time able to perform in demanding conditions with very low power draw. The fridge was mounted in the rear cargo area of my Pajero 4WD and was powered by a 75 amp hour Century Pro 600 (N70ZM) deep cycle battery. This was specifically installed as a secondary battery to power the fridge.
Tests were conducted to measure actual amp draw and cooling capacity using a digital inductive amp meter and a thermocouple thermometer. Although these tests were not conducted under strict lab conditions, they confirmed ARB’s claim that average amp draw was maintained within the specified range of 0.7 to 2.7 amps per hour when operating under normal conditions. The tests also highlighted the value of the insulating transit cover which would undoubtedly have greater effect in higher temperatures and where the unit was exposed to direct sunlight (e.g. when stored outside of the vehicle whilst camping).

The current model comes with a digital temperature display which was found to be relatively accurate once the operating temperature had stabilised, however it took quite some time to adjust during operation when compared to the electronic thermometer used during the tests. To be fair, the manufacturer does say that it should only be used as a guide. Readings may also fluctuate significantly depending on how often the fridge door is opened.

On the road the fridge travelled well (sturdy handles double as anchor points) although I’d highly recommend a fridge slide which makes access a hell of a lot easier. The removable lid and basket aid in easy access if you do not have a fridge slide, however the lid can be a bit of a pain to keep in place if you are not parked on level ground (it has a tendency to slide off its hinges when opening the lid).

At 24 kg the fridge is relatively light for its size, but lifting the unit in and out of the vehicle does become somewhat of a chore if you need to shift camp often. A smaller backup battery or solar panel is also useful when leaving the fridge back at camp (all models are solar power and generator compatible) particularly if you need to use the vehicle and the wife and kids decide to stay behind.

Other features include a forward facing on/off power indicator and thermostat control which is easy to reach and adjust (unlike some other fridges where the thermostat is at the rear) and a deep storage design that is ideal for storing large bottles in an upright position (great when the kids forget to put the lid back on properly).

All in all, the ARB portable fridge freezer is a functional unit that pulls
very little power, and eliminates the need to buy ice and drain water from my now redundant esky!

The ARB 40 litre fridge/freezer retails for $1179 (Optional transit cover is an extra $159). For enquiries phone ARB on (03) 9761 6622.