A new trend in RV fridges?

[stevemorris]

while picking up some odds and ends for our upcoming trip, we poked around in some new trailers for some giggles

fire places and tiny walled off bedrooms? obviously rv designers don't go camping! and loose furniture(dining chairs and mini lazy boy recliners? all with little tie down straps LOL

but we also noticed that fridges are changing. a few trailers had ordinary household fridges, I should have checked to see how they are fastened in! I suspect they weren't

some other trailer had rv type built in fridges but they were 12 volt only, quote: "new 12 v compressor technology" end quote

lets not fool ourselves, those things are done because they are far cheaper. a $100 household fridge in a $35000 travel trailer? no it was not a park model

[Bill_Satellite]

Yikes! Glad that will work for you but it would spell divorce or solo RVing for me!

[ajriding]

I just removed the propane fridge and am putting in the Danfoss-style chest.


I curious, really only from those with real-world experience (so who actually own and use one) how long the real battery charge last.
I have two 6-volt golf's under 200w solar.
I don't really use much power except for fans and charging phone and GPS unit. I use LED lights. -camper is for cooking and sleeping, nI don't spend any leisure time in it.

I have a 12 volt deep cycle battery in the garage and the ability to wire the 2 golf batt to run only the fridge and the one 12v to run the camper = two DC systems. I have 200 w solar and could add another 100w just for the one 12v battery.

Next trip is a long one so no shake-down test trip to test it out…

[paddykernahan]

crosscheck wrote:

stevemorris wrote:
great discussion, there are advantages to every system

BUT the dealer we visited only had trailers with compressor fridges. all of his medium to large trailers(24 ft and up) had them

no propane fridges

I don't want to be limited to 120V hookups, generators or solar. I told the sales guy that, and he said that's where the industry is going(he likely doesn't have a clue!)

Our camping style is "dry", 98% of the time. I try not to use the term "boondocking" because it means so many different things to so many RVers. No power pole, no water outlet, no sewer outlet. "Dry" camping. Pretty simple. We had a 7.5cuft NovaKool fridge/freezer, with Danfoss compressor for 5 years in our TC that when cycling, used 4.4A. This is not a "residential" unit and is similarily priced to the absorbsion fridges.
If you dry camp for any length of time and have a normal battery bank of 2 X12V, you will have to replace the AH's you use by one method or another no matter what type of fridge you have.

Before choising a compressor fridge in our TC, I read the stories of the RV campers who really do dry camp most of the time and have a bigger electrical footprint because of the all electric fridge and the way they all seem to have no problems with their "dry" camping style was to go solar, increase battery bank, decrease electrical consumption by LED's, changing over high electrical units like TV's to modern, low electronic consumption ones, very basic changes. We have a genny and have not run it in 5 years while keeping a "dry" camping style.

Traditional RV fridges work. They will still be offered by manufacturers. But because of the changes in technology in the last 20 or so years regarding batteries, solar, LED lighting, generators etc, compressor fridges, which are used by almost 100% of the world for their fridge/freezer/cooling systems, are here to stay in the RV industry.

Dave

I do not have the option to increase battery or solar on my unit.
Stuck with on 95 watt solar panel and two 6VDC batteries.

[crosscheck]

stevemorris wrote:
great discussion, there are advantages to every system

BUT the dealer we visited only had trailers with compressor fridges. all of his medium to large trailers(24 ft and up) had them

no propane fridges

I don't want to be limited to 120V hookups, generators or solar. I told the sales guy that, and he said that's where the industry is going(he likely doesn't have a clue!)

Our camping style is "dry", 98% of the time. I try not to use the term "boondocking" because it means so many different things to so many RVers. No power pole, no water outlet, no sewer outlet. "Dry" camping. Pretty simple. We had a 7.5cuft NovaKool fridge/freezer, with Danfoss compressor for 5 years in our TC that when cycling, used 4.4A. This is not a "residential" unit and is similarily priced to the absorbsion fridges.
If you dry camp for any length of time and have a normal battery bank of 2 X12V, you will have to replace the AH's you use by one method or another no matter what type of fridge you have.

Before choising a compressor fridge in our TC, I read the stories of the RV campers who really do dry camp most of the time and have a bigger electrical footprint because of the all electric fridge and the way they all seem to have no problems with their "dry" camping style was to go solar, increase battery bank, decrease electrical consumption by LED's, changing over high electrical units like TV's to modern, low electronic consumption ones, very basic changes. We have a genny and have not run it in 5 years while keeping a "dry" camping style.

Traditional RV fridges work. They will still be offered by manufacturers. But because of the changes in technology in the last 20 or so years regarding batteries, solar, LED lighting, generators etc, compressor fridges, which are used by almost 100% of the world for their fridge/freezer/cooling systems, are here to stay in the RV industry.

Dave

[stevemorris]

great discussion, there are advantages to every system

BUT the dealer we visited only had trailers with compressor fridges. all of his medium to large trailers(24 ft and up) had them

no propane fridges

I don't want to be limited to 120V hookups, generators or solar. I told the sales guy that, and he said that's where the industry is going(he likely doesn't have a clue!)

[BFL13]

Everybody except me is different. I am the only one who is the same.

[pnichols]

landyacht318 wrote:
Danfoss compressors are variable speed. The bd35f is 2000 to 3500 rpm. 2.7 to ~6.5 amps.

The bd-50 is for bigger fridges. More amp draw, not sure exactly how much. But it is also variable speed, variable amp draw, determined by resistance on the thermostat circuit.

Blanket statements are unwise. Makes every sentence surrounding them suspect and easily dismissable as the ravings of an uninformed half wit.

I have a small 1.8 cubic foot fridge. Averaged 0.62 ah consumed each hour over 3 days in average 75f temps, the last time I bothered recording actual data.

I have a 800 watt msw inverter. It consumes 0.68 amps simply turned on.....powering nothing.

My inverter turned on, powering nothing, therefore consumes more than my fridge does on average, over the same time span.

As for propane fridges..... i stuffed 8 12 oz 78f cheap american beers in my danfoss powered compressor fridge at 4:30pm. At 7:45 they were ice cold.
Good luck achieving that with an absorption fridge.

Can't imagine worrying about propane level to keep food from spoiling. Or having to park nearly level. Or the electrics monitoring an absorption fridge using more than my compressor fridge, or an inverter on standby waiting for a residential compressor to fire up, using more than the my small danfoss powered fridge itself consumes over the same time period.

This thread has become ridiculous.
Your opinions are delusional. Mine are fact.
hahahwahwwwhahahhaahahaa.

Seee? Ridiculous!

Hmmmm ... your's is an awful small refrig -> so it better not draw much current when cycled ON.

Our 6.2 cubic foot 120V AC/propane refrig draws only about 0.50 amp each hour when running on propane ... but of course it cycles ON and OFF ... so this 0.50 amp draw is only part-time. We like fresh food - as opposed to canned and/or dry packaged foods - and as such our size refrig gets us by for up to 2 weeks. It's freezer can be run slightly less than zero degrees or slightly more than zero degrees depending on how I set it's 5-position control switch.

We don't worry about propane level keeping food cold, because A) we have 60 lbs. of propane, and B) either our built-in generator or backup portable generator can of course alternatively power the refrigerator in it's 120V AC mode.

As far as "being level" is concerned, A) we want to park/camp level anyway for comfort, and B) RV manufacturers could easily offer a propane refrigerator option in which the unit was mounted on a gimbal so that it would ALWAYS be kept level.

So far after around 13 years, our RV's Norcold refrigerator has been performing as the great invention it is - as per this expert: https://www.wired.com/story/einsteins-little-known-passion-project-a-refrigerator/

[landyacht318]

Danfoss compressors are variable speed. The bd35f is 2000 to 3500 rpm. 2.7 to ~6.5 amps.

The bd-50 is for bigger fridges. More amp draw, not sure exactly how much. But it is also variable speed, variable amp draw, determined by resistance on the thermostat circuit.

Blanket statements are unwise. Makes every sentence surrounding them suspect and easily dismissable as the ravings of an uninformed half wit.

I have a small 1.8 cubic foot fridge. Averaged 0.62 ah consumed each hour over 3 days in average 75f temps, the last time I bothered recording actual data.

I have a 800 watt msw inverter. It consumes 0.68 amps simply turned on.....powering nothing.

My inverter turned on, powering nothing, therefore consumes more than my fridge does on average, over the same time span.

As for propane fridges..... i stuffed 8 12 oz 78f cheap american beers in my danfoss powered compressor fridge at 4:30pm. At 7:45 they were ice cold.
Good luck achieving that with an absorption fridge.

Can't imagine worrying about propane level to keep food from spoiling. Or having to park nearly level. Or the electrics monitoring an absorption fridge using more than my compressor fridge, or an inverter on standby waiting for a residential compressor to fire up, using more than the my small danfoss powered fridge itself consumes over the same time period.

This thread has become ridiculous.
Your opinions are delusional. Mine are fact.
hahahwahwwwhahahhaahahaa.

Seee? Ridiculous!

[3lephant]

If you are using a residential fridge in your RV then you may need to have a separate battery and inverter also. Because you have to give 120V current to the residential fridge.


Admin: BakingReview.com

[starcraft69]

2oldman wrote:
Residentials keep people out of my favorite dry camping areas, so I'm all for them.

+1 keeps them connected to the grid were i like them

[MEXICOWANDERER]

The original SERVEL Swedish gas refrigerators were heavy.

Why?

A nickel-rich steel alloy was used and it was thick. But the pilot flame was too exposed. And they were hypersensitive to remaining perfectly level. A guest lodge in the Sierras converted to low head low-head hydro and as a thank you for me, all seven 1957 model refrigerator-freezers were given to me. Late models, with 2-doors. People down here came near to fighting over them. Five hundred dollars each. Simple to operate and when kept level their lifespan was amazing.

They iced up with the humidity and could have used better insulation because transportation caused the insulation to settle.

Quicksilver has a 400 amp 28-volt brushless alternator that when called on delivers 400-amps at a dead idle. I carried a Converted BELT DRIVEN Honda generator. It had a brushless 45 amp 28-volt alternator. At 3.600 RPM it would deliver the 45 amps. I would park a couple of hundred feet downwind from other campers.

It all worked out fine. But I always came second to other campers who did not emit diesel noise and fumes. The bus holds 190 gallons of diesel which was then priced at, 15 fifteen cents per gallon. Twenty-eight dollars per fill-up.

A person has to ask themselves a bunch of questions and then answer them honestly beforea making a satisfactory decision about which refigeration to use.

[Vintage465]

toedtoes wrote:
Whatever you enjoy.

I love my 3-way and 2-way fridges. I love being able to going off and not worry about generators and solar and hookups. I don't mind the leveling - I'm gonna have to do that anyway just to be comfortable.

Someone else loves the residential fridges. They love not worrying about leveling and having more fridge space. They don't mind having to deal with hookups and solar and generators.

Great thing choice.

Exactly.........Great thing Choice. I'm not sure why anyone that is not plugged in all the time would want anything but a gas fridge. But then, I don't spend their money, make their dinner or stock their shelves. Good thing Choice. I like my gas fridge and will not have anything else til I'm told too. No plug in's, no generator, just solar. I like the idea of residential fridges too.....keeps them in parks and away from boon docking and dry camps. Great thing Choice.

[BFL13]

It is not always about "camping" or about "taking your stick house with you". There are many RVers who go to "dog things" and have 15 amp hook ups on long cords if they are lucky, or else are off-grid at somebody's farm or a fairground.

If not dog things (there are many types of dog things for as many types of dogs - herding, hunting, agility, etc) plus there are rodeos for horse folks, and movie sets for those people.

You take what you can get in the way of services. You set your RV up for where you need to be and what you can't get worst case. In between those events you might decide to go "RVing" like an actual tourist, since you already have an RV. Might as well use it!

So many varieties and scenarios. The main thing is to be able to get by, no matter what. This Forum has lots of good info over time, so you can organize yourself for any of your scenarios.

In the end, each person is supposed to figure it out for himself, and you can only help him so much. Anybody who even finds this Forum and asks a question is already well ahead of the pack, so we can safely assume he has a clue or two.

[tomman58]

I am not one of those in the survival mode. I did =my time in tent camping in Michigan's snow season many times. Did the start a fire with no paper and cook your dinner on it. Did the 25 mile hike in whatever the Michigan weather had to offer. On and on but those were my boy scout days...................... Thank you very much. Today in my large trailer and at 72 years old I'll take a hook up any time I can get it. BTW I also need a glass of ice for my evening cocktail along side of maybe some microwave popcorn.
Life is good and as my cardiologist says... "You only go by once .. enjoy yourself while you can"