12v refrigerator pros and cons

[travellingcircus]

We have recently purchased a 2022 reflection 150 260rd. It has a 12v refrigerator. This camper comes with a 160 watt solar package. I’m curious as to how many of you have this camper with the 12v refrigerator and how it performs? Does it drain the battery during long trips? How long does the battery last while camping with no shore power, etc. any and all insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Hoopy Frood]

Does it have a lead acid battery, or a lithium?

 

[MtnGuy]

We have a 2024 Imagine XLS with a Furrion 12 volt fridge, a 165 watt solar panel, and 2 series 24 lead acid batteries.

If the solar panel is in the sun all day, the system works very well. If in partial shade, we need to run our generator every 2 days to recharge the batteries when off the grid.

The truck charging system does a good job on the road when traveling.

Our Furrion has a “dry camping” position on the temperature dial that helps preserve the batteries.

I actually like the 12 volt fridge over an absorption fridge. As an added bonus, our propane usage vs our previous 5th wheel absorption fridge has drastically been reduced. After a year and a half of using the camper, we still have 5 lbs of propane left in our 1st 20 lb bottle…..and that is with a gas only water heater, cooking, plus some furnace usage. We went through about a 30 amp bottle of propane every 6 months with our 5th wheel.

 

[travellingcircus]

Does it have a lead acid battery, or a lithium?

Yes, it has a group 27 interstate battery I believe. But yes a lead acid battery for sure!!

 

[travellingcircus]

We have a 2024 Imagine XLS with a Furrion 12 volt fridge, a 165 watt solar panel, and 2 series 24 lead acid batteries.

If the solar panel is in the sun all day, the system works very well. If in partial shade, we need to run our generator every 2 days to recharge the batteries when off the grid.

The truck charging system does a good job on the road when traveling.

Our Furrion has a “dry camping” position on the temperature dial that helps preserve the batteries.

I actually like the 12 volt fridge over an absorption fridge. As an added bonus, our propane usage vs our previous 5th wheel absorption fridge has drastically been reduced. After a year and a half of using the camper, we still have 5 lbs of propane left in our 1st 20 lb bottle…..and that is with a gas only water heater, cooking, plus some furnace usage. We went through about a 30 amp bottle of propane every 6 months with our 5th wheel.

Thank you for the information! Much appreciated!!!

 

[RV2600RB]

My preference is gas/120 fridge. Mainly because that’s all my 6 RVs have had. Works fine in 105* heat and brrr cold. Also I’ve read about many problems with 12v fridges on here. YMMV

 

[SSROSS]

I prefer the gas/110 fridge. Have used them for the last 45 years with no problems. The one I have in my 303RLS started out with some cooling problems but once I cleared out the 1/8th inch plywood panel they had in the back that blocked 80% of the air flow out of the top vent it has worked flawlessly. I was down in Tucson and it was 115 outside and the fridge was 35 degrees inside and freezer was 5 degrees with the fridge set at 6. Not sure what the GD thought process was behind the plywood but it blocked two of the three vents on the upper cover. I was told by one of the techs at my RV repair shop near me, the main problem is these fridges were designed to vent out through the roof. So when they put them in the slide outs they don’t get as good air flow. I know all the other rigs I have owned the fridge vented out the roof.

 

[Soundsailor]

We also have a 260RD. The fridge has worked well for us. It uses about 125 Ah of power in a day. If you're driving the truck power will mostly keep up. With good sun, the stock panel will keep up.

 

[patbr]

We just got ours and haven't learned its intricacies yet. The main one I thought of is dry camping at high elevations. In our old rig, on a trip to Cedar Breaks (CG is 10k feet) the propane fridge wouldn't work on gas. Had to use the genny to run it. Unfortunately, the campground had a hard 10PM genny policy. It more or less kept everything frozen overnight, but the ice cream got soft. We survived, but the 12V fridge should eliminate that problem.

 

[Soundsailor]

We just got ours and haven't learned its intricacies yet. The main one I thought of is dry camping at high elevations. In our old rig, on a trip to Cedar Breaks (CG is 10k feet) the propane fridge wouldn't work on gas. Had to use the genny to run it. Unfortunately, the campground had a hard 10PM genny policy. It more or less kept everything frozen overnight, but the ice cream got soft. We survived, but the 12V fridge should eliminate that problem.

Don't have any experience with that kind of altitude, but ours has handled high heat with no issues. If you're going to be using it off-grid for any length of time, I'd recommend an investment in LiFePo4 batteries. We have 800 AH, and that will last 4 days with no solar or generator.

 

[COGrandDes]

We just got ours and haven't learned its intricacies yet. The main one I thought of is dry camping at high elevations. In our old rig, on a trip to Cedar Breaks (CG is 10k feet) the propane fridge wouldn't work on gas. Had to use the genny to run it. Unfortunately, the campground had a hard 10PM genny policy. It more or less kept everything frozen overnight, but the ice cream got soft. We survived, but the 12V fridge should eliminate that problem.

We camp at high altitudes all the time here in CO and we only boondock. Our 12v 16 cu ft fridge runs awesome. Love it over the electric/propane ones we've had in other campers.