Lwiddis
Mar 11, 2026Nomad
Switch to 12 volt fridge
I’m considering a switch to a 12 volt fridge. With “average” RV maintenance and repair abilities can I do this myself or would getting experienced help be necessary or wise?
I’m considering a switch to a 12 volt fridge. With “average” RV maintenance and repair abilities can I do this myself or would getting experienced help be necessary or wise?
Great things to consider.
you should be fine, but before you do, realy think on how you use your rv, and what effects going to a compressor fridge will have on other systems.
the first thing is what is wrong with your two way that makes you think you need a compressor fridge? is it dead, then thats a valid thought process, its it just having a bit of an issue keeping up in hot weather? then there are cheep simple things you can do to improve it.
how do you camp? do you always plug in, always dry camp or a combanation? if you do either of the latter then you have to look at upgrading batteries and possibly solar to power your new power hungry fridge. Now people are going to start posting "they are not power hungry" well when compared to a adsorbtion fridge that can use next to nothing for power, ya they are haha
and finaly the longjevity of compressor fridge is still up in the air, they are relitively new and have had a lot of failures in the rv world. do your research on brand a model. a taken car of adsorbtion fridge could go forever, mine is 35 years old and still works awsome.
now having said that they do have a few benifits, they can handle a lot more uneven ground, although with a adsorbtion you can go 6 degrees off level front to back and 3 degrees side to side. that a heck of a lot of angle to camp at and is going affect your sleep also. so I don't concider that a factor to worry about unless you park it on a 10 degree pad for storage and leave the fridge running. they cool down faster, I don't shut my fridge down during camping season, but I can understand how this would be apealing, especialy for people who have their rv's in storage yards and have to pick them up anf get them loaded to leave.