Residential refrigerator vs rv fridges

["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.

 

[waynewaller]

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.

Got a question: when plugged into shore power....will your house batteries be charged so the refr can operate without running down your house batteries
I have a res refr, but cannot keep the batteries up while at home, I have to run the engine or genny to keep the batteries up

 

["EZ"]

Got a question: when plugged into shore power....will your house batteries be charged so the refr can operate without running down your house batteries
I have a res refr, but cannot keep the batteries up while at home, I have to run the engine or genny to keep the batteries up

Then something is wrong or you don't have something turned on or hooked up properly. When I'm home I plug my RV electrical cord into a plug in my garage. It's only a 20 amp 120v plug. I'm not trying to run any A/C units, just charge the house batteries and run the 'fridge and lights. The house batteries charge automatically. I don't have to do anything. I believe all that is handled by the inverter/charger. Yours may not be working properly. I'd have it checked.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Got a question: when plugged into shore power....will your house batteries be charged so the refr can operate without running down your house batteries
I have a res refr, but cannot keep the batteries up while at home, I have to run the engine or genny to keep the batteries up

So what you are saying is the transfer switch is not switching over to shore power.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

RV refrigerators vs. residential refrigerators might confuse you, but their functionality and purposes differ significantly. Although RV fridges cost a lot of money, they are more sturdy and have multiple power options. By contrast, a residential fridge has only one power source and needs an inverter to work on 12 V power; it is therefore more efficient at keeping food cold.

This didn't give a good answer. An absorption fridge has a very low COP. (RV fridge)!
Compressor cycle has a high COP (residential fridge)!

High COP more efficient.