Residentail refrigerators in motorhomes

RayChez wrote:

chili's trip wrote:

northmeck0255 wrote:

ClassAGeek wrote:
I am always fascinated by these threads...

"We ONLY need to run the generator 4 hours a day since adding a residential fridge".

Isn't this a major disadvantage?

Full Disclosure: After 5 years of camping we finally past 10 hours on the generator this summer. That's 10 hours lifetime.

Having to run a generator daily would be enough for me to quit camping altogether. Am I the only one?

Yes. ;)

No!

NO! If I had to run the generator four hours a day, I think I would find another way rather then a residential type refrigerator.

If you are going to have full hook up's all your life, THEN! I can see a residential refrigerator. But if I was to dry camp a lot, THEN I would have to make a tough decision as to whether to invest on a costly venture of installing a pure sine inverter, adding two more batteries, modify the slot where the frig goes, also would have to find a place to install the extra two batteries because there is no more room in the compartment now. There are six batteries in there already. Two chassis and four house. Need a electrician to rewire all this changes, and a carpenter that would do a good job. You do not want a half a** job looking like an add on. But if you plan to be on a campground all the time with full hook ups, Then a residential is the way to go.

I guess I have been one of the lucky persons with the Norcold 1200LRIM because it has been a very good refrigerator for the last ten years whether in 120 degree weather in Laughlin, Nev. or cooler places in the pacific northwest. I just adjusted the thermistor up or down and can get it to cool a lot or not so much. The freezer has always kept the ice cream frozen solid and the steaks solid like a rock. So like I said, I must be one lucky guy.

But I still keep my eyes open on some of these articles (especially)the refrigerator that impresses me the most is the SamSung RF197 ACRS.

Ray brings up some valid points that can make or break a decision to go residential. If there is no additional room to put regular lead acid batteries (x 2) then a more expensive AGM may have to be used. Invereters are not that costly but if the residential you select requires a sine wave inverter (like ours) it gets pricier again. Solar is not pricey and always a good idea anyway. Bottom line is its not for everyone. A residential is considerably cheaper than an absorption so there is room for mitigation of cost but a lot needs to be taken into account. Having said all that I can not think of a single person that regrets going residential wether they are dry campers or not.

Happy trails all.