Help with Refrigerator Decision

[rbertalotto]

I've totally HAD IT with my propane refrigerator. Camping at the beach last week where the temperatures at night got down to mid 50s and during the day into the high 80s, the propane refrigerator temperature in both the freezer and main unit was all over the place. Melted Ice Cream in the afternoon and frozen vegetables in the morning! I bought an internal fan system and a rheostat temperature control from JC Refrigeration and it didn't help at all.....Soooo...

 I've decided to go with a compressor refrigerator.....8 cu ft

The choice is a $1500 12V DC unit or a 120v residential unit for $400 and an inverter.

My trailer has a 1000w Xantrex inverter, 520watts of solar and 200aH of Lithium

If the inverter and residential frig needs more battery bank, I can buy a bunch of battery Ah for the $1100 difference!

What say the board? Any experience with the residential/inverter situation?

The residential refrigerator I'm looking at has a rating of 6a @ 120v.

The DC refrigerator is 3a at night -9a during the day at 12V

 

Thanks in advance!

[Dapperdan]

Go for the residential fridge and don’t look back!  We’ve had a compressor based fridge for the last 9 years and haven’t yet “missed” our absorption fridge!! Temps hold WAY better and it takes much less time to cool the fridge down when preparing for a trip.  We have a 1,000 watt inverter and 4 golf cart batteries, plenty of electricity to run that Whirlpool!   We love it and would NEVER go back to “the dark side”!  😝

With 4 batteries we can be off grid for at least 24 hours with no problems   We do campgrounds with hooks ups exclusively, full disclosure   

Dan

[rbertalotto]

Thank you....Good info

[bruce t]

4 motor homes. 2 with compressor fridge. No brainer. Do whatever necessary to go compressor.

We built a bus conversion with a residential fridge. BUT. But we replaced the 240/110v compressor with a 12v compressor.

 

[rbertalotto]

Quote

 we replaced the 240/110v compressor with a 12v compressor.

That sounds ambitious.....Was it difficult? Who recharged it?

[bruce t]

22 minutes ago, rbertalotto said:

That sounds ambitious.....Was it difficult? Who recharged it?

I'm short on details because I'm technically challenged. 🙃 first it was a conversion done in Australia hence my 240v. Second it was done by the folks fitting out the conversion.

But we/they purchased a standard residential fridge. Then removed the 240v compressor and replaced it with a Danfoss 12v compressor. It was that simple. Or so they told me. In the year we owned that bus the fridge was never turned off. We had hard ice cream even in 120f conditions. (Note there is more to keeping a fridge cold such as the correct ventilation).

I suggest you do a Google on Danfoss compressors.

[Danfreda1]

Look at jc refrigeration in Shipshewana. If you like the size and trim that refrigerator has now they can convert it to a 12 volt compressor cooling unit. Worked great and only136 watts. We did the dial compressor on a 18.5 cubic foot norcold 

[GlennWest]

My use I would get a residential unit and an inverter. But I did use ours for years without an inverter. As long as you back on power same day you good. If boondocking need inverter. Our residential unit lasted 20 years. 

Edited August 6, 2023 by GlennWest

[bruce t]

 

8 minutes ago, GlennWest said:

My use I would get a residential unit and an inverter. But I did use ours for years without an inverter. As long as you back on power same day you good. If boondocking need inverter. Our residential unit lasted 20 years. 

FWIW our bus never went on power. We always dry camped/boondocked. But you need to do the maths and check your battery and solar figures. We had a large inverter and never used it. The Danfoss compressors are very efficient. 

[D&J]

We installed a 10.1 Cu Ft Magic Chef last year and never looked back. When running it only draws 56 watts on our 2000 watt PSW inverter.

Denny

[GlennWest]

Our new residential unit is too. 

[RV_]

Great info folks!

[rbertalotto]

Quote

Look at jc refrigeration in Shipshewana. If you like the size and trim that refrigerator has now they can convert it to a 12 volt compressor cooling unit.

I spoke to them last week. And I viewed and read a few reviews on the conversion. First, it's rather expensive. About $1100+ all in if they do the conversion. Second, you are still dealing with a space robbing, ice frosting,  aluminum fin type of cooling system. As long as my 520w of solar and 200aH of Lithium can get me through 48 hours with a residential/inverter, I'd be fine. I have a generator and a 40a DC to DC charger running off the tow vehicle to charge batteries if there is extended no solar.....I 95% boondock.

Decision....Decisions!

[Hill_Country]

Had the same problem as the OP with our priior 5er - lots of ruined food.  Tried all sorts of fans and gadgets and couldn't make the thing work.  Added 300 amps of Li, a 3kw inverter and a residential fridge and never looked back.  All in was still cheaper than a POS gas fridge.  The residential fridge was great and the Li batteries even better.  Look into the batteries on Amazon.  Prices have plummeted.  

[sandsys]

I hated the absorption style fridge's need to always be level. But what you want has nothing to do with RV or residential--the difference is absorption vs. compressor. Kind of like the difference between residence and domicile. I would go compressor again every time.

Linda

[Chad Heiser]

I’ve had residential compressor fridges in the last two rigs (with inverters).  I would never go back to a gas absorption fridge.  If you already have an existing inverter (that can power the fridge circuit), it’s a no brainer - go with a residential.  It will be the cheapest option and will work very well.