Fridge... what one?

so I have been looking at this for a while now... I currently have a Lifetime 77Qt cooler. it more than holds enough for a 3-5 day trip including 2 blocks of ice, and 1-2 bags of chipped ice. I do drain it every night before packing everything into the bed of the truck however I am getting tired of the soggy food, questionable temperatures, and no ice cream/frozen items/storage.

so i started looking, doing some research.. I had some limited criteria: size(to fit in the bed of my tacoma under the tonneau cover), power consumption (planning to run an AUX battery with redarc BCDC and AUX battery on an www.offgridengineering.com AUX battery tray), cost(try to keep costs down, but do it right.), and features

in my research i found some cheaper coolers. and they got ok reviews.. most of these were single zone coolers, and not true dual zone units. I ultimately narrowed it down to ICECO VL60D, and the Dometic CFX375DZ...

Size:

ICECO VL60D 31.1 x 18.31 x 18.7 inches it fits under my tonneau and is roughly the same size as the Lifetime 77qt...

DOMETIC CFX375DZ 18.6" H x 37.7" W x 20.9" D slightly wider but still fits under the tonneau cover.


Cost:

ICECO VL60D wins this category at around $795 with the cooler, and cooler insulated cover

Dometic CFX375DZ $1200-1300 depending on where you get it from

Power consumption:

ICECO VL60D: LISTED ON WEBSITE AT 60-65w (5A/HR, but have seen reviews with it drawing a little over 1.5A...

Dometic CFX375DZ 1.30aH/HOUR @90*F

Features:

ICECO VL60D features are very basic they are all on the front face, no wifi/bluetooth, no warnings, does have H M and L battery level shutoffs, has an eco-mode (lower power usage), temps from 0*F-55*F, 110, and 12/24v powered

Dometic CFX375DZ fully featured bluetooth app (LOTS OF REVIEWS REPORTING TROUBLE WITH APP, OR NOT BEING ABLE TO CONNECT), color display, has similar H M L battery shutoff, 110, or 12/24v powered, I believe I read it does -7*F to 55*F....




Does anyone else have another dual zone to throw into the mix? otherwise it looks like I'll be going with the ICECO....

 

I just didn't have the budget currently for the Dometic I wanted, so I just spent $399 for an Iceco TR45 (they make a TR60 as well). Secop compressor so took a chance on it. My Jackery 500 ran it (12v) for about 54 hours (chilled food and chilled Iceco overnight and then ran at 35 degrees on eco mode). So far so good and look forward to not having to chase ice in remote areas.

 

this was my selling on it as well.. no soggy food, and no trying to find ice in the middle of the North Maine Wods, where I usually romp around.if I am deep into the woods it can be a 2-4 hour ride to get ice. with my truck running, and especially with a solar panel (cascadia VSS 85W)... I could be up there for a week or more, easily..

 

Truckfridge.com

I have the tf65. Freezer fits 1 box of ice cream sandwiches and a few snickers ice cream bars.
I choose this model because it is a true evaporative fridge . Not the Peltier effect style.

But they have dometic style fridge/freezer combos your looking at.

 

I have the Dometic 75DZ. I’ve had no major issues, but power consumption was higher than I anticipated (all my fault for not doing enough research/not being electrically savy enough to understand the numbers). If you run both zones as fridge it’s easy. But if you run the smaller size as a freezer it’s really a power hog. I tried to run it off of a single AGM battery and it wouldn’t make it through one night of camping. However, that was using the mid level battery protection feature since I was running it off my single starting battery. I believe if you had a dual battery setup and ran the fridge off the aux batter w the protection mode off, you’d be able to get at least ~18 hours using one side as a freezer. The solution I came up with was the Dometic PLB40. While expensive, it was still cheaper than a true dual battery setup. Using that, in the summer, the 75DZ will run almost 48 hours with both sides as a fridge, and I can go a full night in camp and lazy morning before moving the truck again if I run one side as a freezer.
There’s a thread on the CFX3s on the Dometic forum with a lot of info.

 

the prices are ok.. but the power consumption lists for 80-85 watts.... thats nearly 8amps draw... I thought the 5a draw with the icecos was high...

 

your power draw will also be affected by ambient heat, humidity, and if you set to eco mode or not, I plan to run a second battery as an AUX, with a cascadia VSS (85 watt solar) and redarc BCDC1225. Was looking at AGM's trying to find best bang for buck in the 31, and 34R that is recommended for the tray i am getting.

 

We do a lot of weekend camping in National Forests. I have limited room in the bed of the Tacoma and limited height since I run a Diamondback SE cover. I wanted a

$800 Dometic CFX3 45 -Liter Portable Refrigerator and Freezer, Powered by AC/DC or Solar

Dometic CFX3 45 or an ARB. I already have the Jackery 500. Rarely do we just sit at camp all day and the budget wasn't there for the Dometic (saving for one still) so while researching components I ran across the Iceco TR45 but couldn't find it on their website so I called. Apparently this is a new model that is meant to replace a few of the Iceco JP series. I chose it for several reasons and I like the fact the lid opens in the direction of a normal cooler which makes opening it under the back cover panel easier. I got mine on sale off Newegg (yes the computer parts site) for $399. For that price with a SECOP compressor I figured why not. Set up so far was with the Jackery being plugged into the stock bed outlet and the Iceco running off of the Jackery via the 12v plug. I turn the bed outlet on while driving and roaming to charge the Jackery and that way I can leave the fridge powered all the time directly from the 12v. No worries about running down my truck battery. Warmer temps I am sure will cause higher power draw, but still better than soggy food and chasing ice. Is the Dometic more efficient and better insulated, yes I am sure it is (well or it better be for the $1000) but just couldn't justify the cost of a house size fridge currently. I know buy once, cry once but just not yet.

 

A Maine winter and a lunch box.

 

Oh absolutely. I did my testing at the height of the summer to know the limits.

It sounds like you'll be setup for whatever you want to run. I can only speak for the Dometic, but I am happy with mine, and the 75 is huge.

 

I run a cheap Amazon $185 Tyger roll up cover, keeps my stuff concealed a little bit, and keeps the rain, and most of the dust off (plan to install some tailgate seals, and seal up the front gaps, and the front drains... I currently have the KBvoodoo high risebars, but I am likely to get either the Max modular 18" with tonneau brackets... I sis have custom 4" taller brackets made for the high rise crossbar, but it just agravated me more... needs to go taller.. now i am even looking at the RSI smartcap. it has options I like (no I dont care for the kitchen module...) but a driver side storage cubby for commonly used items such as recovery gear, and air down tools. and would allow for an even larger fridge. but I just want a fridge with a freezer option.. sometimes I like to make those inexpensive family frozen meals, or some ice cream.. I can also use it when we go on road trips, or we head to portland, and hit up the ethnic markets, and buy frozen, or items that need refrigeration... the cooler should work in all 3 of our vehicles.. my 2016 tacoma, the wifes 2017 4runner, and the daughters 2013 mazda cx-5 (my old car). all 3 have either 12v, or a 110v plug..... reason for the post was not sure if there was another dual zone fridge out there that is comparable price/features wise... I am still not seeing the Dometic $500 difference in quality, materials, or features. the Dometic, and the ICECO are similar in size to my lifetime77qt cooler.. and it just barely fits under the tonneau cover.


this is the drawer design I was loiking to make (working on a 2.9 design ATM.. I am able to fit 3 of those plano boxes on top of it, my cooler, and I have 3 jerrys behind it (2 fuel, 1 water, 2 fuel will be relocated to a swing out tire carrier bumper later.)... the drawer was going to house my recovery gear, a dual burner camp chef everest stove, and I was plannig to make a nylon top/insert to act as a workstation/cutting board.

 

Did somebody say ice cream!?

 

I always think it's funny when people go out into remote areas to "get away from it all" but hook up their trucks with all these fancy Bluetooth devices. Lights, fridges, relay blocks etc haha.

Not exactly related to the fridge conversation, but your comment about a lot of problems with the Bluetooth enabled model made me laugh. Seems over complicated for most scenarios.

 

the only feature from bluetooth I would have liked was a warning of high temps, or just to see that it is on.. other than that... not really a concern for me, (it is a nice feature to have to prevent problems later on.). I plan to use this across all 3 vehicles.. for roadtrips, as well as camping. the fridge just makes sense to me to avoid ice, unless I want it in my drink. and with the fridge weight isnt really an issue.. the cooler I have weighs 45lbs.. I typically put 30lbs of ice in it to keep it cool for 4-6 days. so the 60lb fridge actually saves me some weight...

 

FWIW, I have the challenge of getting a fridge + slide under my Pace Edwards Switchblade cover.
I have 18" total of height from the bed to the cover.
I ordered a

$760 Dometic CFX3 35 Portable Refrigerator and Freezer - 36L - Powered by AC/DC or Solar Portable Refrigerator, Smokey Gray

Dometic CFX3 35 and the DFG slide to fit. The slide raises the fridge 1" from the bed and the fridge is 16" tall. This shoulddddd work....

Note that this may not directly answer anything for you @Scott17818 - just throwing some info out there for sizing! I unfortunately didn't have much say in the features since i was going purely for size/fit

 

I eventually plan to get the RSI smartcap... and that would solve a lot of my storage area/height limitations. I dont care for the kitchen setup they have, but the half, or full side storage bin, on the drivers side, and maybe the table...

 

If you have room for it the dual zone will be awesome. I just don't have the room and there are only two of us when camping. A friend of mine has the Iceco VL60 and loves it. He said you will have to watch as they do tend to dent easily and he doesn't have a cover for it. Jasoniod on youtube and his dad have a good comparison video for 12v fridges but not sure they had a dual zone. My humble opinion is buy once and cry once if you know you will be using it long term. I went the route I did because we weren't sure just how much we would us it yet as I love to camp but spouse is just now getting back into it. Plus we needed the extra money saved to purchase other camping gear like a bigger tent.

 

I run the IceCo VL35 off a 500W Jackery that gets recharged by a 100W solar panel. That on the slide, fits perfectly under my bed cover. Before the solar panel, I tested how long I could run it before the Jackery died and I got two and a half days out of it, and that was with the fridge set at 36 degrees. I love this setup. With the solar panel, I usually go out Friday afternoon and come back Sunday afternoon and my Jackery is still at 100%. No melted ice, no soggy food. Plus I wheel and not worry about the fridge failing. Been in some fairly bumpy trails and it keeps on trucking.





Only negative is all the space the panel takes up on my roof rack. I have a flexible panel on the way, so I'm going to see if I can mount it to the lid of my new hard shell rtt.

Something like this:

 

Love my fridge, bought on sale through Costco for the return policy but it just keeps running and keeping things cold. Lots of internal space for things. No dual zone so either everything is kept cold or kept frozen, your choice via temp controls. No remote app. It does what it's supposed to do.
https://www.costco.com/massimo-cx40-12v-portable-e-kooler.product.100566493.html

 

@Scott17818 buy now cry later? That doesn’t offer suggestions though.

Chexk out Engle. As soon as they are in stock I plan on getting one of those (rumor has it March 15). They have the lowest amp draw and don’t have all the silly bells as whistles that I see as wasted watts. Yeah it’s cool to have an alert that the fridge is hot but how about one that runs longer on battery because it doesn’t need to send power to other stuff? That’s my thoughts.


Also, yesterday I got to talk to an ARB rep while there was an event in town. I asked him about amp draw and he quoted me “1.5 Ah” after its cooled. And this brings up a good point. If you can cool it while loading up the truck on 110v it will probably not draw on the lower side of the published draw figures.

Good luck in your search.
-M