Met a lot of really nice folks at our regional Leisure rally this week - several had brand new units, were completely new to RVing and were there to learn more "real world" stuff from other owners. I could relate to the feeling - takes a while to figure it all out. We all enjoyed eyeballing the newer models.One couple had the 2014 Sprinter with side slide, which I enjoyed seeing. Many nice features. They plan to do a lot of hiking and said they were trying to figure out how their refrigerator switched to propane, rather than drain down their battery. (Unit had propane tank for stove, furnace and generator.) Their fridge apparently auto-switches from 12volt when you plug in to shore power. (Our older model Free Spirit has a manual three way control on top if the Dometic. We use the propane setting regularly.) One of us asked for a look at their manual. Lo and behold - their fridge is just a two-way.What was Leisure thinking? I looked at their web site last night and three-way is shown as a model change planned for 2015.These folks were not happy campers. I feel for them. It's easy to say "they should have known" what they were buying, but it gets overwhelming when you look at so many brands and models, have a steep learning curve about RV operation, and are about to nervously invest a ton of dough.

My 1999 trailer has the 2 way fridge....They have been around a while. I am pretty sure I can select gas while on shore power though. I dont because it works fine on 120 v when plugged in.

poncho62 wrote:My 1999 trailer has the 2 way fridge....They have been around a while. I am pretty sure I can select gas while on shore power though. I dont because it works fine on 120 v when plugged in.I think the OP is questioning why it didn't come with a three-way refrigerator.Bruce

Three way refers died probably 15 years ago. Now days most all are two way, gas or 120VAC. 12VDC is required for control circuit. If yoy now what theirs was please post make and model.

I thought the Free Spirit SS always had a 2-way fridge. The newer units have a bigger fridge though. Can't tell if it's an absorption or compressor type. With the optional solar panel a compressor type might just work although it doesn't seem to make sense why they use a 2-way in this unit and 3-ways in all their other units.

So you are saying it auto switches from 120 volts to 12 volts when you unplug or shut off the generator?That does seem like it will waste a tremendous amount of battery power, and would not work out well for someone who likes to do a lot of dry camping.However it can have some advantages. Such as a electric compressor type refrigerator can be lighter, about $800 less expensive, and if that money saved is put into a additional battery, such as having 2 golf cart batteries, and a pair of 120 watt solar panels on the roof, then it can work out well.Most RV's use 35 amp hours a day just to run the CO meter, propane detector, and electric side of a propane refrigerator (0.5 amps per hour that the refrigerator is on to turn on the gas valve and light the burner). In their case, it would be practical to shut off the propane detector in the hours it is not needed, such as when the water heater and stove will be off. In my case I never bother to shut off the propane detector at all, because the power consumption (0.4 amps per hour, or about 12 amp hours daily) is more than made up by my solar system.I really wonder why they would make it a 2 way unit at all? Afterall while on shore power, the 45 to 55 amp converter is more than enough power to overcome whatever power the refrigerator might consume, or they could install a larger converter to make up for what the refrigerator might use.Fred.

Surprise! Your new Leisure Free Spirit SS fridge is 2-way

Fastpaddler
Explorer
Jun 23, 2014
LadyOfTheLake wrote:
Thanks NCWriter for the warm welcome . Switching to a new Diesel engine and all the entails means I have lots to learn! I will be here gleaning from the expertise of all those who have gone before me!

Welcome. We are a friendly lot on this forum with lots of ideas. Congratulations on your LTV FS SS. My wife likes it too and we are looking at our choices now to replace our PW Plateau TS which has been great(with 3 way too): without solar and any generator use sometimes being disallowed, I want to have the LP useage on the fridge so my steaks dont defrost too quickly and the beer stays cold.
wincrasher65
Explorer
Jun 20, 2014
On boats, the compressor fridge is the standard. Mostly for safety concerns.

I have a couple chest type compressor fridges. Essentially the size of a large cooler. They work very well, but average 1-2 amp/hrs. Yes, they are idle a good bit of the time, but that is the average consumption.

The trend in the Class A market is these huge residential style fridges. Their consumption is much higher and requires a huge battery bank. You can do a search and read about all the issues. Primarily draining down the batteries, etc. The fridge itself is reliable, but the users usually screw up and run their batteries down. I just don't get the desire for a ginormous fridge.

Of course in the B class,such appliances are not possible. What you can get is similar to what you get on boats. So 2 to 3 amp/hr on average, depending on size. As long as you have a big battery bank, and some management skills, refrigeration is not really an issue. It's when you add cooking and using air conditioning to the mix, you are really pushing a DC system to the max.
DCHitt
Explorer
Jun 20, 2014
Compressor Fridge's use way less 12 volts than the 3 way jobs. Mine will run for days on my two house batteries. They get cold faster. You don't have to be level. They cost less. They are more reliable. Trucks have used them for many years.
Davydd
Explorer
Jun 18, 2014
NCWriter wrote:
Davydd wrote:
I've had two three-way absorption refrigerators now and I think I mentioned this already but the DC mode is worthless and can't seem to keep a frig cool.

That surprises me. I wonder why. Ours cools great on DC, makes ice cubes quickly, chills down leftovers that go in, and so on.

Always interesting to me to hear everybody's results with various class B options out there when the time comes to RV shop again. Thanks, all, for posting.

I'll put it another way. Propane and AC work much better and more consistent in a 3-way frig. Speaking of experience now with two Dometics. I'm ready to give a compressor frig a try. I will venture to say probably two auxiliary batteries would be necessary at a minimum for a compressor frig unless you want to constantly worry about your battery maintenance.
NCWriter
Explorer
Jun 17, 2014
Davydd wrote:
I've had two three-way absorption refrigerators now and I think I mentioned this already but the DC mode is worthless and can't seem to keep a frig cool.

That surprises me. I wonder why. Ours cools great on DC, makes ice cubes quickly, chills down leftovers that go in, and so on.

Always interesting to me to hear everybody's results with various class B options out there when the time comes to RV shop again. Thanks, all, for posting.
crosscheck
Explorer II
Jun 17, 2014
Our 7.5 cuft , 2 way compressor fridge draws 4.4 A when cycling. We exclusively dry camp and have just returned from a 7 week trip where our genny was never used.
The 4 batteries never got below 12.6V unless for short periods when there were heavy loads like micro or hair dryer.

We are often on rough spots when camping so it is nice to have a fridge that can operate out of level plus it cools/ freezes food quickly.

The DC compressor fridge uses less energy than an absorption unit and soon they will be the norm in many RV's.

Dave
Davydd
Explorer
Jun 17, 2014
booster wrote:
I think Davyyd meant to say amps, instead of watts, but the ratio is the same. The compressor fridges seem to use about 1 amp per cubic foot of size, when running. Our 3.1 CF is at about 2.75 amps. The electronics on the 3 ways is about 1/3 amp, but you have to remember that it is running all the time, not 25-50% like most compressor fridges.

As solar gets cheaper and smaller, I do think that you will see lots more compressor fridges, and a lot less 3 ways.

Right. When it comes to electrical discussions I can get very dyslexic. :D
mlts22
Explorer
Jun 17, 2014
I think the tipping point will be when we start getting fuel cells whose price isn't in the stratosphere. EFOY's product (runs on methanol), or Truma's VeGA (a propane fuel cell) would give enough charge to keep battery banks topped off, even with a compressor fridge running. After this happens, even though an absorption fridge is more efficient because it just directly burns propane to move the liquid through the coils, a compressor fridge would end up the standard, just because it doesn't need to be precisely level, and actively chills the contents.
wincrasher65
Explorer
Jun 17, 2014
on my recent trip to sunny florida, in 12v mode, my absorption fridge keep the refer at 33 and freezer at -13, with the temp setting at the mid-point. If it can do that in 90+ degree florida, with this kind of stifling humidity, then I think it would be OK anywhere.

How much energy it uses, I don't know yet. Maybe the new ones are better. Technology does march on you know.
booster
Explorer
Jun 17, 2014
I think Davyyd meant to say amps, instead of watts, but the ratio is the same. The compressor fridges seem to use about 1 amp per cubic foot of size, when running. Our 3.1 CF is at about 2.75 amps. The electronics on the 3 ways is about 1/3 amp, but you have to remember that it is running all the time, not 25-50% like most compressor fridges.

As solar gets cheaper and smaller, I do think that you will see lots more compressor fridges, and a lot less 3 ways.

Forum Discussion

Surprise! Your new Leisure Free Spirit SS fridge is 2-way

About Motorhome Group

Related Content

Leisure Free Spirit SS (Single Slide)

Surprised

Glow plug replacement Pleasant surprise

Itasca Spirit

Coachma Spirit water ?