ARP Refrigerator Protection

[RECVEH2005]

Have any of you installed an ARP Refrigerator Control? If so, are you satisfied with it? Is it effective?

Mike Scheer

[wolfe10]

Pirate,

Contact Paul and ask him-- certainly the best source of information on the product he designed and produces.

https://www.arprv.com/

[Pirate1]

LarryJM wrote:

Pirate wrote:

wolfe10 wrote:
No need to sense level, as running out of level for even a short time will dramatically raise boiler temperatures. And the temperature is much easier to measure than angle, as with angle you also have to account for acceleration, deceleration, bumps, etc.

At the Seminar Paul gave at an FMCA Convention, he had a test cooling unit set up with his control unit installed on it.

Up on the screen was a temperature monitor he had set up with probe on the refrigerator boiler. He raised one end of the test cooling unit on a 2X4 (so less than 2"). While he talked (less than 5 minutes) we all watched the screen and could see the temperature rising VERY quickly up to the point where the controller turned it off. Then once it cooled down, the controller re-started the cooling unit.

Funny, I installed mine carefully, tested it, followed all directions yet I have NEVER had an alarm for overheat, regardless of angle, etc.

It appears you either didn't either read or understand how the ARP system works. There are NO ALARMS or any indication that the system has been activated unless you go thru the system menu and pull up that information manually. It simply does what it's designed to do "PROTECT the COOLING SYSTEM" silently and basically in the background. I think, but might be wrong if there are multiple shutdowns over a certain period of time then the system will shut down the unit and it will not come back on automatically until it's reset, but I would have to go back and double check that to see if that's actually true. I just always have my remote unit displaying the boiler temp and that way I know when the cooling unit is actually activated.

Larry

I knew there would be at least one person who told me I didn't know what I was doing. When I installed mine years ago, it clearly provided instructions for including your visual and/or audio sensors. I did it. Otherwise, how do you know it is working. I'm saying mine has never done anything. Larry, my install is done the right way.

[pianotuna]

Pirate,

It will reset the fridge 4 times. On the 5th overheat it shuts the fridge down.

[LarryJM]

Pirate wrote:

wolfe10 wrote:
No need to sense level, as running out of level for even a short time will dramatically raise boiler temperatures. And the temperature is much easier to measure than angle, as with angle you also have to account for acceleration, deceleration, bumps, etc.

At the Seminar Paul gave at an FMCA Convention, he had a test cooling unit set up with his control unit installed on it.

Up on the screen was a temperature monitor he had set up with probe on the refrigerator boiler. He raised one end of the test cooling unit on a 2X4 (so less than 2"). While he talked (less than 5 minutes) we all watched the screen and could see the temperature rising VERY quickly up to the point where the controller turned it off. Then once it cooled down, the controller re-started the cooling unit.

Funny, I installed mine carefully, tested it, followed all directions yet I have NEVER had an alarm for overheat, regardless of angle, etc.

It appears you either didn't either read or understand how the ARP system works. There are NO ALARMS or any indication that the system has been activated unless you go thru the system menu and pull up that information manually. It simply does what it's designed to do "PROTECT the COOLING SYSTEM" silently and basically in the background. I think, but might be wrong if there are multiple shutdowns over a certain period of time then the system will shut down the unit and it will not come back on automatically until it's reset, but I would have to go back and double check that to see if that's actually true. I just always have my remote unit displaying the boiler temp and that way I know when the cooling unit is actually activated.

Larry

[Harvey51]

It makes sense to just measure temperature, which has the dangerous and damaging effects. I don't much like it turning back on while still unlevel, though.

[wolfe10]

I know nothing about an alarm. At least on the test unit, it QUIETLY turned off the cooling unit and then turned it back on.

Guess it could be wired to trigger an alarm, but not sure of the advantage.
Automatic is what most want, not an alarm.

Does yours turn the cooling unit (heat source) off if boiler temperature rises?

[Pirate1]

wolfe10 wrote:
No need to sense level, as running out of level for even a short time will dramatically raise boiler temperatures. And the temperature is much easier to measure than angle, as with angle you also have to account for acceleration, deceleration, bumps, etc.

At the Seminar Paul gave at an FMCA Convention, he had a test cooling unit set up with his control unit installed on it.

Up on the screen was a temperature monitor he had set up with probe on the refrigerator boiler. He raised one end of the test cooling unit on a 2X4 (so less than 2"). While he talked (less than 5 minutes) we all watched the screen and could see the temperature rising VERY quickly up to the point where the controller turned it off. Then once it cooled down, the controller re-started the cooling unit.

Funny, I installed mine carefully, tested it, followed all directions yet I have NEVER had an alarm for overheat, regardless of angle, etc.

[Chris_Bryant]

Level doesn't matter- circulation does. The discontinued Atwood had a level sensor- didn't help.

[wolfe10]

No need to sense level, as running out of level for even a short time will dramatically raise boiler temperatures. And the temperature is much easier to measure than angle, as with angle you also have to account for acceleration, deceleration, bumps, etc.

At the Seminar Paul gave at an FMCA Convention, he had a test cooling unit set up with his control unit installed on it.

Up on the screen was a temperature monitor he had set up with probe on the refrigerator boiler. He raised one end of the test cooling unit on a 2X4 (so less than 2"). While he talked (less than 5 minutes) we all watched the screen and could see the temperature rising VERY quickly up to the point where the controller turned it off. Then once it cooled down, the controller re-started the cooling unit.

[Harvey51]

Sounds like it has only one sensor (temperature). So all it knows is the temperature.

There is no mention of a level sensor in the docs. A couple of mercury switches would be the basis of an unlevel alarm, no electronics needed. I'm sure the manufacturers could add that feature without infringing any patents. Why have they not done so? My cynical side wonders if they sell more fridges without the safety devices.

[Chris_Bryant]

Harvey51 wrote:
I started out to buy it when I saw Pianatuna's recommendation but the $200 price stopped me. It just seems like a lot for a device that flips a switch off when the temperature rises too high. A $5 thermostat can accomplish that. It seems to me it should be possible to make an electronic device with $5 worth of parts that turns off upon sensing high temperature and does not turn it on again until cool AND level, or flashes a light to indicate a person needs to turn it on when ready. Must I make my own to get a reasonable price?

I don't blame the ARP guys; they probably have horrendous insurance and legal costs when fridges fail for whatever reason.

I am very careful about levelling and turning off the fridge when not level and live in the cool north.

As Larry said- the ARP does much, much more than that. If it were that simple, don't you think Dometic and Norcold would already be doing it, instead of trying to bypass the ARP patent (unsuccessfully, I should add).

The ARP uses a very high end temperature sensor and an algorithm that basically knows what is going on in the tubing. It adjusts the cutoff temperature after a shutdown.

[LarryJM]

Harvey51 wrote:
I started out to buy it when I saw Pianatuna's recommendation but the $200 price stopped me. It just seems like a lot for a device that flips a switch off when the temperature rises too high. A $5 thermostat can accomplish that. It seems to me it should be possible to make an electronic device with $5 worth of parts that turns off upon sensing high temperature and does not turn it on again until cool AND level, or flashes a light to indicate a person needs to turn it on when ready. Must I make my own to get a reasonable price?

I don't blame the ARP guys; they probably have horrendous insurance and legal costs when fridges fail for whatever reason.

I am very careful about levelling and turning off the fridge when not level and live in the cool north.

The ARP does MUCH, MUCH more than just turning the refer off due to temperature and one would pay multiples of its current cost to design and build one that does what it does IMO.

Larry

[Harvey51]

I started out to buy it when I saw Pianatuna's recommendation but the $200 price stopped me. It just seems like a lot for a device that flips a switch off when the temperature rises too high. A $5 thermostat can accomplish that. It seems to me it should be possible to make an electronic device with $5 worth of parts that turns off upon sensing high temperature and does not turn it on again until cool AND level, or flashes a light to indicate a person needs to turn it on when ready. Must I make my own to get a reasonable price?

I don't blame the ARP guys; they probably have horrendous insurance and legal costs when fridges fail for whatever reason.

I am very careful about levelling and turning off the fridge when not level and live in the cool north.

[John_Wayne]

You can install the unit through the outside service door. I don't know where you want to install the 2 fans. If outside at the service door if you have the room you can. If at the top of the refrig. on the roof you do that after taking off the roof vent cap. If it's in a slide out you can install the fans at the top side air vent. So for just about all cases you can do it with out pulling the refrig. If you see him selling at a rally or Quartzite he will come out and install it for you.