ARP Fridge Control

[REDBEV MONTANA]

Is the ARP fridge control worth the cost or is it a bunch of BS? Makes sense but curious if it is really that big of a problem. My fridge is in a slide which apparently is a bigger problem with the side vent instead of a roof top vent. Looking for some insight from you long timers as we are newbies. We will be going full timing if that makes any difference as it will be working all the time. Thanks in advance.

[DQDick]

Fridge fires aren't common, but they do happen. We have an automatic fire suppression system on ours. Put it in before ARP came on the market.

[rohrmann]

The ARP device isn't so much to protect against fires, but is more to keep the cooling unit from getting too hot which will cause crystallization in the system which will plug the orifice, and it can also cause the system to develop leaks due to the high temperatures in the system. I installed the device with the fan control with one of their fans, this after losing two cooling units in less than six months time. So far, after maybe nine months, the fridge is working better than it ever did from new.

[dieselguy]

Bob summed it up well. I've installed a few for acquaintenances as well as my own. We all have better working units as well as boiler overheat protection. The fans (whether stock or added) are controlled differently than OEM, so they come on sooner. Better air flow over the coils means better cooling capability. Your concerns about hype of aftermarket products is well founded in today's world (Snap Pads come to mind), but this product is worth the purchase.

[ranch560]

This year at the Quartzsite rally, Paul Unmack (owner of ARP) and his wife gave a seminar on the unit. A lot of his talk was about absorption style refers and how they work. It was very informative. I had also read about the control in Escapees magazine. I had Paul install a unit with fans in my 2012 Montana. My refrigerator (Norcold 1210) has never worked better. The temperature has stayed very consistent and my ice cream is now staying hard. In years past we were constantly adjusting the temperature at different locations and weather changes.

We are just leaving the southwest and Mexico heading to the rainy northwest and after 3 months, I have just adjusted the temperature for the second time (it's getting colder so I turned it down). If the refrigerator continues to operate this way, I find it a very good value and will recommend it to all.

[Razrbk]

For those who installed the ARP with one additional fan. Which fan did you install? Thanks

[NCFischers]

When I had my cooling unit replaced last year in Shipshewana, I had the ARP installed. It extended my warranty from 3 years to 5. Preventing the unit from overheating is well worth it for me.

[dieselguy]

The ARP company will sell you fans that are squirrel caged and supposedly more efficient. The down side is you have to wire tie them to your vent covers. I just buy any 12 VDC 90MM muffin fan with similar DBs and CFM ratings as the stock one off Amazon or Ebay. They can be mounted alonside the OEM. Get ones with ball bearing motors instead of sleeved.

[Mudchief]

I also had it installed at Quartzsite with the 2 fans and it really made a different in the performance. Money well spent.