Wife and I have been seriously shopping for our first MH about the last month. We have been window shopping for about 2 years. We originally were set on a DP, but recently have seen some nice C and super C models that we both like, and aside from the diesel super C, the price is less on the C rigs. One observation I have seen is that most, if not all, of the newer A's have residential refrigerators. I understand they went to this because of the fire issues surrounding two way refrigerators. However, most, if not all of the C's we have looked at have two-way refrigerators in them. We plan to boondock a lot so the 2-way interests me. But, if the reason the A manufacturers went to the residential side if fire risk, why do you see so many 2-way frig in new Cs? I know many of you love your residential refrigerators - am I making a mistake considering the 2-way units?

1. People always like larger refers, so a house type would give them that.2. Most people don't boondock so it doesn't matter.3. House type probably last longer so less complaints.4. The ice cube makers probably work better in the house type.5. Don't know, but suspect the house type is cheaper?Me, I'll stay with the mult-powered unit.Bill

As Bill says, the size is of importance to some people. The largest DPs have fridges the size found in many homes or larger. But the down side to some, is that you have to have them plugged into electrical power, enough battery power and inverter power to run them during the driving day, or have an auto start generator that will start to recharge the batteries on board.My truck camper has a three way fridge in it, propane, 12 volt or 120 volt. Down side is it is slow to cool, and small but I don't have much room in my TC anyways.Our 5th wheel has a two way, propane and 120 volt fridge. It is a bit larger by about 2 cubic feet, but has the same drawbacks of being slower to cool. The residential style fridges cool quickly as they have a compressor which the propane ones don't have, being they are absorption types.If a person plans to live in their rig or mainly camp in full hook up sites in campgrounds, the residential ones work very well. For boondocking, if you don't mind your diesel generator running at different times of the day and night to power your fridge, then they work as well for that.I have been running RVs for 50 years now and have never had a fire in a fridge unit and all of mine have been the multi fuel source, gas or electric. So I wouldn't be the least concerned with a fire. But as with any use of propane or NG, you have to check for leaks on a regular basis, especially if you get a smell of the gas in or around your rig. Not saying a fire couldn't happen, but as a former fire fighter and arson investigator, I have never had to deal with a fire in an RV fridge.It tends to be easier to get a residential fridge repaired, it seems. Many times when one of the RV multi fuel source fridges goes bad, it just gets replace at a high cost.

I think it is size more than fire safety because though we all hear about fridge fires, and yes, there was a batch of bad ones, (Both Norcold and Dometic got hit) the fact is fridge fires are not all that common.. There are also electrical fires, engine fires, Smoking in bed fires, Kitchen fires and other fires.. Proper maintenance is a bit more important with a 2-way is all. Size, however, is usually better with a residential.

joe b. wrote:As Bill says, the size is of importance to some people. The largest DPs have fridges the size found in many homes or larger. But the down side to some, is that you have to have them plugged into electrical power, enough battery power and inverter power to run them during the driving day, or have an auto start generator that will start to recharge the batteries on board.My truck camper has a three way fridge in it, propane, 12 volt or 120 volt. Down side is it is slow to cool, and small but I don't have much room in my TC anyways.Our 5th wheel has a two way, propane and 120 volt fridge. It is a bit larger by about 2 cubic feet, but has the same drawbacks of being slower to cool. The residential style fridges cool quickly as they have a compressor which the propane ones don't have, being they are absorption types.If a person plans to live in their rig or mainly camp in full hook up sites in campgrounds, the residential ones work very well. For boondocking, if you don't mind your diesel generator running at different times of the day and night to power your fridge, then they work as well for that.I have been running RVs for 50 years now and have never had a fire in a fridge unit and all of mine have been the multi fuel source, gas or electric. So I wouldn't be the least concerned with a fire. But as with any use of propane or NG, you have to check for leaks on a regular basis, especially if you get a smell of the gas in or around your rig. Not saying a fire couldn't happen, but as a former fire fighter and arson investigator, I have never had to deal with a fire in an RV fridge.It tends to be easier to get a residential fridge repaired, it seems. Many times when one of the RV multi fuel source fridges goes bad, it just gets replace at a high cost. "I have been running RVs for 50 years" I didn't think rv's were around 50 years ago

Personal choice......periodYou can boondock with either type of fridge.Residential refrigerators just require an inverter an battery bank with a means of recharging them....solar/generator etc.Pick the RV that suits you and what you want in an RV.......not based on appliances

Another residential frig question | Good Sam Community

13 Replies

rr2254545
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
Deano56 wrote:
joe b. wrote:
As Bill says, the size is of importance to some people. The largest DPs have fridges the size found in many homes or larger. But the down side to some, is that you have to have them plugged into electrical power, enough battery power and inverter power to run them during the driving day, or have an auto start generator that will start to recharge the batteries on board.

My truck camper has a three way fridge in it, propane, 12 volt or 120 volt. Down side is it is slow to cool, and small but I don't have much room in my TC anyways.
Our 5th wheel has a two way, propane and 120 volt fridge. It is a bit larger by about 2 cubic feet, but has the same drawbacks of being slower to cool. The residential style fridges cool quickly as they have a compressor which the propane ones don't have, being they are absorption types.

If a person plans to live in their rig or mainly camp in full hook up sites in campgrounds, the residential ones work very well. For boondocking, if you don't mind your diesel generator running at different times of the day and night to power your fridge, then they work as well for that.

I have been running RVs for 50 years now and have never had a fire in a fridge unit and all of mine have been the multi fuel source, gas or electric. So I wouldn't be the least concerned with a fire. But as with any use of propane or NG, you have to check for leaks on a regular basis, especially if you get a smell of the gas in or around your rig. Not saying a fire couldn't happen, but as a former fire fighter and arson investigator, I have never had to deal with a fire in an RV fridge.

It tends to be easier to get a residential fridge repaired, it seems. Many times when one of the RV multi fuel source fridges goes bad, it just gets replace at a high cost.
"I have been running RVs for 50 years" I didn't think rv's were around 50 years ago

Winnebago started making motor homes in 1966 (48 years) and travel trailers about 1960 (54 years)
Billinwoodland
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
Great info, I always go to school when digesting these posts. Thanks!
DSDP_Don
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
When the residential refer issue comes up, many TT, truck camper and Class C owners state they wouldn't want them because they boondock and so on. The residential refers weren't designed for those type of RV's. They're designed for large Class A units that people live in and often do more traveling in.

A residential refer is not practical for the smaller RV's. You certainly wouldn't put a 21 cubic foot residential refer in a Class C and conversely, you wouldn't put a 9 cubic foot propane unit in a 40' diesel.
JimM68
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
I'm not sure the type of fridge is a big consideration between a c and a class a.

Conventional C's are ford van or pickup chassis, max weight 14.5k, max length is about 31 feet, and that is so long behind the axle that I wouldn't drive it on a bet.

A's start at around 18000 pounds, up to over 60,000. A whole different animal.

Super C's are another animal too. Medium or Heavy Duty Truck based, the sky is the limit here. They only call them "C's" because they have a conventional truck cab. Sky is very much the limit here.
John___Angela
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
I agree that the push towards residential is not fire based but rather size and feature based for the cabinet size and money. Any residential fridge can be used in a dry camp capacity if a proper sized battery bank and solar configuration is used. From my experience a minimum 400 watt or greater solar array should do the job and a minimum of 2 X 6 volt batts and preferably 4 X 6 volt batts. Solar is cheap nowadays so the little additional cost to add a large solar array to the roof of a new unit is not a show stopper in my opinion. We have a 22 cubic foot residential in our big rig but still have a propane electric in our little rig. When it dies we will swap it out for an electric unit with dan foss compressor. We dry camp in both but are well equipted as far as solar and battery.
VoodooMedicineM
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
Trackrig wrote:
1. People always like larger refers, so a house type would give them that.

2. Most people don't boondock so it doesn't matter.

3. House type probably last longer so less complaints.

4. The ice cube makers probably work better in the house type.

5. Don't know, but suspect the house type is cheaper?

Me, I'll stay with the mult-powered unit.

Bill

6. House type cheaper to replace.
John_S_
Explorer II
Sep 06, 2014
I boondock fine with my residential fridge but I have four 8Ds and a genet and only need two hours in the morning and two int eh evening as I am cooking to keep the batteries charged up. If I had solar I would not need the evening charge unless I was running the microwave. THe coffee pot takes a lot of power too as it is electric. I had a perc pot but it was easier to push the button and make the coffee and turn on th generator a couple mins before that. I also have a class C and there is no where near enough battery power to run a residential so I have a two way there but I did put in a 2000 watt inverter.
eheading
Explorer
Sep 05, 2014
We recently visited the Newmar MH factory in Nappanee, IN. While there I took the factory tour, and I asked the guide why most of the larger class A motorhomes had residential refrigerators. She answered, "simple, those are what we sell the most of". The factory doesn't really care which you choose. they can and will put either/or in your motorhome.

Ed Headington
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Sep 05, 2014
Personal choice......period

You can boondock with either type of fridge.
Residential refrigerators just require an inverter an battery bank with a means of recharging them....solar/generator etc.

Pick the RV that suits you and what you want in an RV.......not based on appliances
Deano56
Explorer II
Sep 05, 2014
joe b. wrote:
As Bill says, the size is of importance to some people. The largest DPs have fridges the size found in many homes or larger. But the down side to some, is that you have to have them plugged into electrical power, enough battery power and inverter power to run them during the driving day, or have an auto start generator that will start to recharge the batteries on board.

My truck camper has a three way fridge in it, propane, 12 volt or 120 volt. Down side is it is slow to cool, and small but I don't have much room in my TC anyways.
Our 5th wheel has a two way, propane and 120 volt fridge. It is a bit larger by about 2 cubic feet, but has the same drawbacks of being slower to cool. The residential style fridges cool quickly as they have a compressor which the propane ones don't have, being they are absorption types.

If a person plans to live in their rig or mainly camp in full hook up sites in campgrounds, the residential ones work very well. For boondocking, if you don't mind your diesel generator running at different times of the day and night to power your fridge, then they work as well for that.

I have been running RVs for 50 years now and have never had a fire in a fridge unit and all of mine have been the multi fuel source, gas or electric. So I wouldn't be the least concerned with a fire. But as with any use of propane or NG, you have to check for leaks on a regular basis, especially if you get a smell of the gas in or around your rig. Not saying a fire couldn't happen, but as a former fire fighter and arson investigator, I have never had to deal with a fire in an RV fridge.

It tends to be easier to get a residential fridge repaired, it seems. Many times when one of the RV multi fuel source fridges goes bad, it just gets replace at a high cost.
"I have been running RVs for 50 years" I didn't think rv's were around 50 years ago