Residential refrigerator vs rv fridges

[bpaikman]

What is the advantage of residential refrigerators?

 

[Neemer]

In my mind, the chief advantage is the removal of a known fire hazard. Supposedly they cool faster too.

 

[Ernie]

Storage capacity, better temperature control, safer

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Never considered the safety factor. Price, went with a apartment sized fridge that was size equivalent and has more storage by about 5 inches in depth. Makes ice in the summer heat, and cost about 1/6 the price of rv propane fridge. I was able to put 1000w of solar on the roof with the savings. ability to cover the vent on the roof and seal the vent in back of fridge. Not worry while away that the fridge will quit and spoil the food. Only time I might have to add gas to the mix(genny) is after 5 or more days of overcast.

Would you like me to go on.

 

[bpaikman]

Do they run when you’re moving down the road?

 

[MapNerd]

Do they run when you’re moving down the road?

Yep - off your batteries or possibly alternator?

 

[Neemer]

Yes, they will run off the inverter.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

My inverter is always on so are the things that run on it, even when going down the road

 

[bpaikman]

I’ve read somewhere that some people keep the fridge closed while traveling, and just use a small ice chest for drinks. ?

 

["EZ"]

I installed a Samsung stainless steel French door bottom freezer residential 'fridge in my 40' Holiday Rambler diesel pusher when the crappy Nor-Cold RV 'fridge went out. Camping World wanted $3600 for a new Nor-Cold and I said NO WAY!!!! I found the residential 'fridge on sale at Lowes in the scratch and dent section. It had a dimple on one side that would be hidden by the cabinet so I offered him $600 and he took it! Installation was a 2 man job!!!! Had to remove all the doors on the 'fridge and the passenger captain's chair to get the 'fridge inside. And it was heavy!!! It works great and we love it!!! The house batteries will run it as we drive or we can fire up the generator if needed to recharge the house batteries. When we get where we're going we plug the RV into the electric and it operates off that. So far it's been great. The Nor-Cold RV 'fridge was 12 cubic feet. This one is 18 cubic feet!! And it looks like it came in the coach from the factory.

 

[bpaikman]

It looks wonderful. I didn’t know you could run a residential refrigerator on house batteries while on the road. Will that significantly decrease the life of the house batteries?

 

[Kevin D Pem]

It looks wonderful. I didn’t know you could run a residential refrigerator on house batteries while on the road. Will that significantly decrease the life of the house batteries?

Not at all, the chassy generator keeps the batteries up.

 

[Waiter]

Advantages:

significantly less cost.
Freezer section cools to -5 deg
Reliable when traveling

I replaced my Dometic a couple years ago. I added an inverter so the frig will run while traveling and boondocking.

Residential Frig Replacement - 1999 Southwind 35S

UPDATE – June 19, 2019 I made a couple mods to the frig to help it when on the inverter; I removed the large white condensate drain pan that was directly above the compressor. When it got full (it never did), it overflows into the smaller pan on bottom right Continue reading Residential Frig...

www.1999southwind.com

..

 

["EZ"]

It looks wonderful. I didn’t know you could run a residential refrigerator on house batteries while on the road. Will that significantly decrease the life of the house batteries?

Not at all. If you keep the doors closed the temp will stay cold for hours and hours. We live in the South where it's 90 degrees outside most of the Spring/Summer/early Fall so we run the generator so we can use the house A/C so the house batteries are being charged anyway. If the day is cool and we don't need the house A/C we leave the generator off. The house batteries are OK because the compressor on the 'fridge doesn't come on much. If you'll notice, most new Class A coaches are all electric now. Most also come with a residential 'fridge just like we have.

 

[Waiter]

When I'm actually traveling (driving) the inverter that runs the refrigerator gets its 12 volts from the vehicle alternator, so there is no strain on the coach batteries.

 

["EZ"]

Yep - off your batteries or possibly alternator?

The inverter converts the 12v house batteries to 120v for the 'fridge. No problems. The 'fridge compressor doesn't come on much at all while going down the road, unless someone is back there fanning the door. ? Gotta tell them kids to get everything they need at once

 

[bpaikman]

Not at all. If you keep the doors closed the temp will stay cold for hours and hours. We live in the South where it's 90 degrees outside most of the Spring/Summer/early Fall so we run the generator so we can use the house A/C so the house batteries are being charged anyway. If the day is cool and we don't need the house A/C we leave the generator off. The house batteries are OK because the compressor on the 'fridge doesn't come on much. If you'll notice, most new Class A coaches are all electric now. Most also come with a residential 'fridge just like we have.

I didn’t know that “most new Class A coaches are all electric now. Most also come with a residential 'fridge just like we have.” Good to know

 

[bpaikman]

When I'm actually traveling (driving) the inverter that runs the refrigerator gets its 12 volts from the vehicle alternator, so there is no strain on the coach batteries.

Ahhh Interestin

Not at all, the chassy generator keeps the batteries up.

When I asked about the life of the house batteries I wasn’t referring to the charge being run down. I think batteries don’t last forever, and I wondered if running the fridge off them would cause the batteries to need replacing more often... I’m guessing not significantly?

 

["EZ"]

I didn’t know that “most new Class A coaches are all electric now. Most also come with a residential 'fridge just like we have.” Good to know

A great number of Class A coaches have also gone away from gas stoves. Many (most?) now have induction cooktops. All electric seems to be the trend, at least it was in the new coaches we were looking at this past year.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Ahhh Interestin

When I asked about the life of the house batteries I wasn’t referring to the charge being run down. I think batteries don’t last forever, and I wondered if running the fridge off them would cause the batteries to need replacing more often... I’m guessing not significantly?

My fridge only runs a little on hot nights. otherwise it stays off unless we open it a couple times after the sun goes down. Only seldom will the batteries drop below 80% charge which is considered a cycle. I can't add a bunch of batteries to keep that from happening, so I take the stance that 7years on 2 big batteries will cost as much as 14years on 4.