ARB Fridge temp fluctuation?

[Stephen]

I filled mine halfway and it still fluctuated. It sounds like I need to fill it all the way, which is a bummer for overnighters.

Why? I'm sure it will still keep stuff cold.

Agreed. So it fluctuates a few degrees? No big deal. Your fridge at home does too.
I took a fridge out this past weekend and watched it. Stuffed completely full it still would fluctuate 2-3 degrees. Warms up a few degrees, the unit kicks on and cools it down. Thats what it's supposed to do. Still WAY better that a cooler full of ice, which just warms up unless you keep putting ice in it.

 

[mesha]

I filled mine halfway and it still fluctuated. It sounds like I need to fill it all the way, which is a bummer for overnighters.

It isn't too bad. Just fill it up with water bottles.

It will fluctuate a little bit no matter what.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Yeah, not a huge deal. I guess I just had different expectations. I could totally see how this would be a great solution for a lot of people. I'll be going back to my cooler for now.

 

[clfrnacwby]

What about cooler ice packs?

http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Bl...YS6K/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1413399593&sr=8-3

 

[skippy]

Can you really tell if your beer is 34 degrees instead of 37? good grief......

 

[sixstringsteve]

Nope. I'm just trying to understand what's normal with these fridges and if mine is defective or not. Sounds like mine is normal.

My decision to go back to a cooler has nothing to do with the fluctuating temps.

 

[Stephen]

Yeah, not a huge deal. I guess I just had different expectations. I could totally see how this would be a great solution for a lot of people. I'll be going back to my cooler for now.

What were your expectations?

 

[sixstringsteve]

What were your expectations?

Well, at first I expected to set a temp and have it always be at that temp (even when empty). Then I realized why that wasn't a realistic expectation.

Then I expected +/- 1-2* when full or half-full. I'm still seeing +/- 3-4* when half full. Like was pointed out, my food still stays plenty cold, so it's no big deal. I just wanted to make sure my unit was working properly.

Imagine you had never used one before, and so you test it in your house. You set a temp (say 12*), and every time you look at it, it's a different temp, varying from 7* to 17*. That's where I was at the beginning of this thread. Now I know that it's normal when empty, so I'm not worried about having a defective unit.

 

[neagtea]

I keep mine set at 27 doesn't seem to bounce much unless I add a bunch warm stuff to it. And 27 on mine I start getting waters to partial freeze inside

^X2^
I try to keep mine full
Plugged in at home 25 is good for beer in the jeep at 25 it freezes my waters.
Off topic a little
I have somehow pissed it off and cannot change temps by one degree only by two. I thought the instructions said you can change one at a time.

 

[DAA]

Mine has always been two degree adjustments.

- DAA

 

[Kiel]

2 degrees on mine also.

 

[sLcREX]

Same, mine are 2 degree adjustments.

During the summer is when I noticed the most fluctuation because I left it in the car during hot days so it would be turning on a bunch every 2-3 degrees. But it always cools and stops 2 degrees below the target. Once I figured out the behaviors it's easy to gauge what it's gonna do though. It sure has been nice loading up and going where as before I had to make a stop at the store for ice, one time I actually had to stop at 3 convenience stores til I found one that wasn't out of ice.