ARP Control for fridge

[two_travelers]

Saw an article on this product that is supposed to keep fridge from overheating and extend the life. Has any one installed it? Is it worth the money. Our fridge already has a fan since it is vented through an upper vent. Is there second fan really needed?

[pianotuna]

I can confirm that the ARP works with propane and 120 volt.

[wolfe10]

Doug asks a good question-- does the ARP control both 120 VAC as well as propane heat source.

I did not know the answer either, so e-mailed ARP (Paul).

The answer is that if boiler temperature rises to a level that could damage the cooling unit, it will turn off EITHER heat source. So, it does control 120 VAC or propane-- whatever you are running on.

[tropical36]

dougrainer wrote:
I fail to see how the ARP device would affect the 120 operation of the refer. The ARP device just monitors the boiler heat temp, nothing else. It is not interconnected with the 120 side of the refer.

It's possible that I'm not understanding you correctly here, but I have mine wired in the same place that the Norcold recall was installed.
Not only does it trip the unit at somewhere above 350F, instead of a ridiculous 800F, but it will also show and sound a fault on the fridge door, because the fridge control circuit is still being supplied with voltage.
Along with my extra fans, it's been doing great after this installation and some tweeking of the sensor positioning.
One must remember that Norcold wasn't about to spend one penny more than they possibly had to, for complying to this recall and anyone could do better if not for having to count the beans.

[doxiemom11]

Our frig/freezer is packed when I get back from shopping. The grocery store is 17 miles away so I don't want to be runnning into town every 2-3 days.

[dougrainer]

ShelbyTom wrote:
We installed the ArP in 2014 at same time we replaced the cooling unit on our NC1200. We also have the Halon SS30 extinguisher installed...."belt and suspenders" approach is for us after seeing photos and videos of RV refer fire damage. Over the past two years, I have made two "pit stops" in Butte, MT - home to ArP inventor and manufacturer - and Paul and his wife have been so very helpful trouble shooting the two issues I had; one caused by an "ignorant" RV refer technician who had never seen an ArP device and mis-diagnosed a problem I was having with the AC control, the other was to walk me through the correct set up of the refer compartment cooling fan I added in 2016. Paul is passionate about RV refer safety, and has been very helpful to me. We spend 6 - 7 months a year traveling in our coach, and our only issue is the small capacity inside the 1200; we sometimes pack the fridge too full and don't get the proper circulation. Sometimes stuff in back of fridge freezes. Paul told me he's working on a recirculating fan for inside the refers...and he told me how to DIY one if I wanted. I highly endorse ArP.

Sorry, but to state an "ignorant RV Technician" in this case is not called for. The more appropriate way is to state, The IGNORANT RV OWNER did not tell the Service Technician that the owner had installed a NON- OEM safety device on his refer and the technician should be aware of this when diagnosing the refer. Besides, I fail to see how the ARP device would affect the 120 operation of the refer. The ARP device just monitors the boiler heat temp, nothing else. It is not interconnected with the 120 side of the refer. BTW, I have serviced thousands of refers over the years and I have NEVER seen the ARP on any of the refers I have serviced. That does not make me Ignorant. Doug

[tropical36]

ShelbyTom wrote:
We installed the ArP in 2014 at same time we replaced the cooling unit on our NC1200. We also have the Halon SS30 extinguisher installed...."belt and suspenders" approach is for us after seeing photos and videos of RV refer fire damage. Over the past two years, I have made two "pit stops" in Butte, MT - home to ArP inventor and manufacturer - and Paul and his wife have been so very helpful trouble shooting the two issues I had; one caused by an "ignorant" RV refer technician who had never seen an ArP device and mis-diagnosed a problem I was having with the AC control, the other was to walk me through the correct set up of the refer compartment cooling fan I added in 2016. Paul is passionate about RV refer safety, and has been very helpful to me. We spend 6 - 7 months a year traveling in our coach, and our only issue is the small capacity inside the 1200; we sometimes pack the fridge too full and don't get the proper circulation. Sometimes stuff in back of fridge freezes. Paul told me he's working on a recirculating fan for inside the refers...and he told me how to DIY one if I wanted. I highly endorse ArP.

I've never yet figured out, why so much is needed under refrigeration at any given time with food stores on every corner. I guess with going into the far reaches of the desert for a month at a time, would warrant it.
I've seen beer drinkers load them up pretty good, but even that can be overcome, with maybe an extra fridge in the basement or with maybe just not cooling so many, at a time.

[ShelbyTom]

We installed the ArP in 2014 at same time we replaced the cooling unit on our NC1200. We also have the Halon SS30 extinguisher installed...."belt and suspenders" approach is for us after seeing photos and videos of RV refer fire damage. Over the past two years, I have made two "pit stops" in Butte, MT - home to ArP inventor and manufacturer - and Paul and his wife have been so very helpful trouble shooting the two issues I had; one caused by an "ignorant" RV refer technician who had never seen an ArP device and mis-diagnosed a problem I was having with the AC control, the other was to walk me through the correct set up of the refer compartment cooling fan I added in 2016. Paul is passionate about RV refer safety, and has been very helpful to me. We spend 6 - 7 months a year traveling in our coach, and our only issue is the small capacity inside the 1200; we sometimes pack the fridge too full and don't get the proper circulation. Sometimes stuff in back of fridge freezes. Paul told me he's working on a recirculating fan for inside the refers...and he told me how to DIY one if I wanted. I highly endorse ArP.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

It worked well for about 1.5 years and then started to trip. I do have the display inside and the temperatures are running higher.

tropical36 wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

I have the ARP installed. It does work as advertised. However, my fridge is slowly going to fridge heaven and so I've wired around the ARP for now.

If I am concerned about overheating, I can put it back in the circuit by flipping one switch.

You shouldn't have to be doing that and if it's tripping out when it shouldn't be, try moving the sensor up higher on the tube.

[Pirate1]

My ARP has NEVER alarmed, no matter how steep or what angle I have been on. When I hit the test, it works fine.

[tropical36]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

I have the ARP installed. It does work as advertised. However, my fridge is slowly going to fridge heaven and so I've wired around the ARP for now.

If I am concerned about overheating, I can put it back in the circuit by flipping one switch.

You shouldn't have to be doing that and if it's tripping out when it shouldn't be, try moving the sensor up higher on the tube.

[tropical36]

two travelers wrote:
Saw an article on this product that is supposed to keep fridge from overheating and extend the life. Has any one installed it? Is it worth the money. Our fridge already has a fan since it is vented through an upper vent. Is there second fan really needed?

The ARP is basicily a resetable 350F unit with some added features vs the cheap 800F non-resettable fix that Norcold installed on recall.
People have experimented with some success of resetting them with a magnet, but they're basicily junk with a temp setting that's way too high anyway.
We threw it out, in favor of the ARP and even though ARP says that it's only an addition to the OEM unit. Naturally, there's going to always be some liability and they must protect themselves, so having this disclaimer, goes without saying, that's it's needed.
Never hurts to have some extra fans and I did add theirs plus one of my own. All in all, the thing has never worked better and my ice cream is pretty hard on this outing, we're presently on.

[John_Wayne]

I have one BUT don't buy it and think you can park off level and it will protect you mine didn't. parking it off level to many times I had to replace my cooling unit I got the dreaded yellow powder.

[ncrowley]

I have one and I would get the one with the fan.

[ASA_Glamis]

" I would think a cheap thermal switch that would shut the refer down when the boiler temp gets too high would do the same thing and not add much cost."

The ARP does a lot more than just turn off the refer. I like the feature where it will keep the defrost cycle from coming on. It does this by turning off the refer once a day to reset the defrost schedule.

I do have one installed.