In this video, I review a 50L mobile AC-DC fridge/freezer, model F40C4TMP from a company called BougeRV. The product was mainly of interest to me for off-grid camping (aka boondocking). Since it is capable of operation using 12VDC or 24VDC power is could be ideal.
A way to complement our existing RV gas fridge providing more fridge and freezer capacity, fewer trips to town to stock up on fresh food. Also could be handy for extended RV parks stays to purchase bulk deals. RV OEM freezers are notoriously small.
Overall the product performed as advertised cooling down to a low of -4F (-18C). The temperature is digitally controlled via a touch keypad. In my tests, the power draw averaged around 30 watts. Low enough to not be an excessive drain on most people’s RV off-grid systems or a car alternator/battery during road trips.
Likes:
Low Power Draw (60 watts max)
Works on 120 VAC and 12/24 VDC
Cools to -4F (-18C) Down to 32F (0C) in less than 30 mins.
Two cooling compartments 40L Freezer 10L Fridge
Strong spring-loaded handles
Vehicle Voltage Protection
Quiet running at 45 dB
Shockproof for mobile operation
LED interior lighting
Small size 26″x15″x21″
Includes wire storage basket
Cost $349 on Amazon
Dislikes:
No mention of warranty that I could find
Not a recognizable brand name
Some of the fit and finish is not great
The sponge-like lid seal looks cheap
Lid catch is made of plastic
Manual English is poor
Black color
I plan to use the portable fridge 24/7 this summer and will come back with an update. To be honest. I’m skeptical of its long term performance, but we will see.
Ray, Thanks for the video and review. The link above goes to a You Tube of another one that looks sturdier and has a Danfoss compressor. Their video is a little goofy but the product looks good. What do you all think?
That weight was for the bigger one- the 45 litre one is 49 lbs. Those young campers in the video were a riot. Also, I like the optional case cover that you could get with the larger model. Frige cover
We ended up going with the ICECO VL60 dual zone fridge as featured in the video above. It was something I had my eye on as it is pretty well priced compared to the competition. It arrived last night extremely well packaged with added foam around the already well packaged cardboard container. I plugged it into 120v power in the house and in a couple hours it was down below freezing. It looks like a well made unit.
This morning I installed it into the trailer up in the front compartment where the stock batteries would have gone and tied into the 12v power on the jacks/slides busbar. The unit came with both a 120v cord and a 12v cord with a cig lighter. I cut that off and added some ring connectors. I also added some angle to keep it from sliding around.
It is using 50 watts with the compressor running both zones. Not sure what it will use over time after the compressor starts cycling. It is in the high 90's this week so It will get a good test.
So far very pleased. We don't plan on getting in and out of this everyday. It will be a place to store bulk foods especially meat. In our last couple of trips out into the desert we had difficulty finding fresh produce and meat. This will allow us to stock up when we can. As Ray mentioned above it also gives us a back up to our Norcold ammonia absorption rv fridge which doesn't enjoy the finest reputation for reliability.
We spent the money on an Engel, with an additional removable top compartment in 2005, and it is still going strong. It's so old, they don't make our model any more ! It will run as a fridge, freezer, or both, with the upper compartment installed and a layer of cardboard (their recommendation) separating the two sections. It draws little power, runs on 12 VDC or 120 V AC, and is heavy but rugged. I strongly recommend the Engel brand, if you are looking for longevity and reliability.
In this video, I update you on the current performance and overall condition of the 50L BougeRV portable AC/DC fridge freezer combo unit. First, I test the fridge function using the 12V power plug powered via my Bluetti AC200P portable power station.
Then I try it with AC power from the camper testing out the deep freezer operation. I also pull the cover and give you a look at the condition of the inner workings, such as the electric controller, compressor, condenser, and fan.
Overall it's still in good shape after a year of moderate use and continues to cool well with a relatively low power draw. I was able to freeze a large jug of water solid overnight.