The months leading up to my departure for the Pan Am highway were loaded with last minute decisions to make vehicle improvements and load up on gear for the next couple of years. Looking back, the decision to add a camping fridge should not even have been an internal debate. I’m writing this from the middle of Central America, in a wave of heat and humidity while drinking an ice cold water. The fridge is the absolute best decision made. My camper van mattress is a close second.
With that said, there are plenty of options on the market, with some great builds. The reason behind the Dometic choice was simple however. The company is rooted in refrigeration technology and it’s their primary focus. Knowing that my CFX 50 is not based on a one-off design but rather an entire suite of refrigerators ultimately guided my decision. It also means they will be around for a very long time to respond to any issues (although I’ve had none).
After about 4 months of solid abuse, here’s the deets on the Dometic CFX50 from a functionality and performance perspective.
Power Supply and Energy Draw
A power supply is required to operate a fridge in your vehicle, van, camper, etc. If I were running around on day trips or overnight trips, I wouldn’t hesitate to run the fridge right off my vehicle power while driving to cool food. I would then just turn it off at my destination while leaving the lid closed to keep everything cold for the day.
I’m running around full-time however so I set up an auxiliary battery in my van. I have a 120 amp hour, deep cycle marine battery. The battery charges while I drive and the battery isolator I installed ensures it does not drain the vehicle battery while the vehicle is off. I also have a 100-watt solar panel installed to continue charging while parked. Everything is run off an inverter that monitors my charge and delivers the power to my fridge and any other electronics I want to use.
Apologies to the folks out there who calculate their draw and battery system to perfection. I just watch my inverter to prevent discharging my battery too far. Otherwise, I just let it roll and shut everything down when I go rafting or backpacking for multiple days at a time.
That said, the fridge does not have a heavy draw. In the heat, I can run for several days off the battery without charging. The solar panel really makes things nice and keeps the battery up, making it possible to run for 4-6 days without turning the key on my rig. I have full sun conditions and that could change with clouds and shorter days. Regardless, a 20-minute drive charges up the entire system anyways and I tend to drive every couple of days.
Dometic Cooling Performance
I keep my temperature at 37-degrees Fahrenheit and it has no problem maintaining. The compressor is surprisingly quiet as well and it seems to kick on with a barely noticeable hum for a few minutes every couple of hours.
I could go colder and I’ve tested it at slightly colder temps but 37-degrees means ice cold drinks and nothing freezes either. It’s been ideal for keeping fruit and vegetables cold along with meat. I also enjoy leftovers and pre-planned meals. For example, I will cook a bunch of rice and vegetables one night and use them for the following 3-4 days on tortilla wraps and other meals.
The lid has a perfect seal and the temp holds steady even when you open the lid a few times each day. It jumps to 39-degrees when I’m rummaging through the fridge and drops back to 37-degrees within 10 minutes after closing. The consistency is fantastic, especially considering it runs around the clock.
It can work as a portable freezer as well. I think this would make it pretty amazing for hunting and fishing trips. You could process and freeze birds, fish and game right at camp…in the heat. Without needing any ice.
Durability Matters
If you’re a regular reader here, you know that I only write a limited number of gear reviews. I’m not here for the swag or the new shiny objects. I like things that can withstand an exceptional amount of abuse.
A camping fridge is the type of item worth babying to keep everything in perfect shape. Mine however has served as a bench seat, dog bed, leg rest, cutting board and a general place to stack things in my van. As an afterthought in my van build, it doesn’t have a compartment to hide out safely.
That means my fridge is taking a pretty good beating. I started writing this post somewhere in Mexico and am now near the Panama border several months later. It’s cruising through the heat and hasn’t missed a beat.
The hinges, controls and everything are rock solid. Like better than I ever would have expected and they hold weight and take abuse incredibly well.
Extra Features
The camping fridge has a USB outlet. I never use the thing because I have outlets on my inverter. It also has a mobile app for temperature control. I’m rolling without a phone so that isn’t being utilized either. It would be convenient however.
The internal light is also a great feature. I can crack open the fridge in the dark and immediately find everything I need. I have a habit of losing headlamps and the light just makes life easy.
