Residential vs Gas/Electric Refrigerator

[DaveMatthewsBand]

I am presently without a RV and am looking at several units. I have used DC compressor fridges in several applications in the past. I will have it no other way. I am looking at several different brand and floorpans right now for a new TT, and one of the first things I will do is yank out the absorption fridge (unless I can get them to install a DC compressor version from the factory... Coachmen is offering that option now in some of their lineup) and replace it with a DC compressor fridge. I will gain 1-2cf over the absorption fridge size and make my life so much simpler. The equivalent of a residential fridge but far more efficient, built to take the beating of RV / Marine use, and low DC power draw.

Dometic makes some, but only smaller versions. Norcold makes 6cf, 8cf, and 10cf DC compressor units in their Polar line. Nova Kool also makes very good DC compressor fridges that, like Norcold, are direct fit replacements for standard RV absorption fridges. Nova Kool fridges are different in that they have the freezer on many of their units in the bottom instead of the top of the unit. More of a European style. Their 9.1cf unit that replaces the typical 8cf absorption fridge does not even need exterior venting like an absorption fridge! It has its own venting built in at the bottom of the unit where the compressor and fan are.

I do have a smaller 4cf DC fridge/freezer in my commercial truck. I can shut the truck off every evening and when it comes to weekend, Friday eve thru Monday morn and leave the fridge running and the truck will still start on Monday, but then, it does have 4 Group31 12v batteries in it. Oh, that unit has run consistently for well over 1 million miles. Only when had to replace batts or other work to the truck that needed the batt power shut down was the fridge ever not turned on. It now has over 7 years of constant, 365 days a year use. Had to replace a door latch, but that is it.

We have 1155 watts of solar and 400ah of lithium so it sounds like we could run something like this pretty much indefinitely while boondocking.
Thanks again for the info!



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[Copperhead]

The Nova Kool RFU9000 has the same dimensions as the Dometic 6CF fridge. The Nova Kool RFU9000 has 9.1CF capacity, of which 2.5CF is freezer compartment.

For those with a Dometic 8CF absorption fridge, the Norcold Polar 10DC is almost identical dimension and 9.7CF capacity. Uses 5.7 amp in standard mode and 3.7 amp in night mode 12v DC when it is cycling. Likewise, the Norcold DE/EV 0061 is the same dimension as the Dometic 6CF absorption fridge but the Norcold has 7CF.... 5.3 in the refrigerator and 1.7 in the freezer. Uses 3.2 amp 12v DC when it is cycling.

You can find these on the Norcold website, just as I did to make sure I had the correct specs. They are available thru the normal RV parts supply channels. If one has a tough time finding them in the RV parts supply changes, they will easily find them in the Marine parts supply channels. These DC compressor fridges were initially intended for Marine applications. That is why they will operate up to 30 degrees off of level. The RV manufacturers just never really noticed them, even though they are no more expensive than those archaic absorption fridges. Recently, Coachmen has been offering the Norcold Polar 10DC as a optional replacement for the Norcold 8CF absorption fridge they normally have in the Freedom Express line. So maybe the RV manufacturers are waking up and realizing that putting refrigeration technology that dates back to World War I is not the best way to get caught up to the 21st century with their RV's.

[Genesgang]

A lot of good info has been mentioned. But one very important issue has not been addressed and is very very important to a fulltimer; weight management. As you consider whether a propane or residential refrigerator, you should seriously consider what your life style will be on the road (boondocking, living FT in an RV park, travelling park to park, etc) and what you will truly be taking with you (quilter? Fisherman? Mechanic?, etc). Once you consider that, then look at options that will support your choice. Again, weight management, I believe, should be your number one concern, then your lifestyle should be next. Wish you the best.

[roloir]

We've had both and I would take the residential fridge hands down over the propane. It cools faster, stays colder and makes ice. We didn't have a lot of problems with the propane and have had no problems with the residential fridge. It's handled some pretty rough roads (think I-70 in Colorado) and has come through with flying colors. I won't say never, but it's highly unlikely we'll ever have a propane fridge again. I should mention that we have 3 large 12 volt batteries in our fifth wheel. I'm not sure what class they are, but they are huge and heavy.

[RevTim]

So some questions that I have not seen is, how easy is it to swap out? Power supply connection? Fitting residential through the main door? Is this a professional job?

[Copperhead]

So some questions that I have not seen is, how easy is it to swap out? Power supply connection? Fitting residential through the main door? Is this a professional job?

Got to know measurements of fridge and RV entry door and location. If the fridge will not fit thru, then a slide has to be removed and fridge brought in that way. This is why I am only concerned with replacing a stock 6cf or 8cf with a equivalent sized 7cf or 10cf DC compressor fridge. Same performance as residential fridge but will fit thru entry door and match original cutout fridge cabinet. And only 3.2 - 5.7 amp DC draw when cycling, using original DC wiring already there from the original fridge. Only thing that needs to be done is cap off the LP.

Was talking with a sales guys at a local dealer and he said it was a 4-5 hr shop time to remove a slide out to get a residential fridge in if it couldn’t be brought thru entry door. So guess one has to decide if a couple extra cf of capacity is worth it. And it could end up that slide could have problems later. Just a compounded problem.

[alnelson]

We winter for 4 months in southern CA and I would LOVE to have a residential refrigerator. Even though my Gas/Electric is large by RV standards, it’s not big enough, in my opinion, for full timing it. Fortunately, I have enough space to replace it with a residential model when it finally dies.

[Rich T]

Got to know measurements of fridge and RV entry door and location. If the fridge will not fit thru, then a slide has to be removed and fridge brought in that way. This is why I am only concerned with replacing a stock 6cf or 8cf with a equivalent sized 7cf or 10cf DC compressor fridge. Same performance as residential fridge but will fit thru entry door and match original cutout fridge cabinet. And only 3.2 - 5.7 amp DC draw when cycling, using original DC wiring already there from the original fridge. Only thing that needs to be done is cap off the LP.

Was talking with a sales guys at a local dealer and he said it was a 4-5 hr shop time to remove a slide out to get a residential fridge in if it couldn’t be brought thru entry door. So guess one has to decide if a couple extra cf of capacity is worth it. And it could end up that slide could have problems later. Just a compounded problem.

I measured our res frig to see if I could get it out if it needed to be taken somewhere for repair or be replaced. If the doors were taken off I think it is doable. If your regular rv frig had to come out would it come through the door? Add me to the list of folks who love res and will never go back.
Rich

[orbsah]

Subscribed! I too am pondering this question for our future rig. Years ago in our class A, we had a 3-way fridge that worked great. The day before a trip, I'd switch it on to AC with an extension cord running to the house. The next morning when we hit the road, I'd switch to DC which kept it cold even on long drives thru the desert. When at the site, switch to propane and it'd keep running cold with barely a dent in our propane usage after a week long trip in National Forest sites (no hook ups).

I thought for sure propane was the way to go for our next trailer as state parks/bookdocking is our preference. Now I read all the above and may reconsider.

I checked the GD website and as near as I can tell, there's no price difference between the propane and residential options. Am I reading that correctly?

[sgrol60]

Dont have a res fridge but isn't their compressor and condenser on the inside of the trailer returning heat of compression to interior? Where a regular rv fridge has any heat generation vented to outside.