12 volt Refrigerators

I want to let others try them for a while but they seem promising.

Which brand ?

You want to make sure it is a true "compressor" refrigerator. Other types do not work that well.

I haven't read a single positive review for the Furrion. Positive reviews may be out there but I haven't seen them. Seems like more people like the Dometic. I really don't know and am like others, waiting to get a good sampling of reviews.

I had nothing but problems for 20 years with the OEM refrigerator. I finally threw it out and put a small house 120v fridge in. So much nicer since we are always have full hook up. We leave it closed until we get to where we are camping.

tewitt1949 wrote:
I had nothing but problems for 20 years with the OEM refrigerator. I finally threw it out and put a small house 120v fridge in. So much nicer since we are always have full hook up. We leave it closed until we get to where we are camping.

Comparing apples to oranges. Up until very recently all RV refrigerators have been absorption type, not compressor type. Home refrigerators have almost all been compressor type up until a few years ago. They were "old" style compressors that were either on at max cooling or off. (There were absorption type refrigerators made for household use years ago. As a kid it used to be my task to refill the kerosene tank on ours monthly.) Recent energy efficiency needs have made most home refrigerators inverter/compressor type which regulate the power needed to maintain temps and therefore CAN be much more energy efficient.

In the last year both Dometic and Norcold have introduced inverter compressor type refrigerators for RVs. Prior to that is was very difficult to find them for RVs, although there was a company in Australia making them, they weren't being imported to the US.

The 10 cu ft Norcold says it uses about 5amp, and from what I can tell the Dometic of the same size uses double that. There's not enough real world data on use in RVs to tell how they really stand up though, but it looks very promising for the future in the RV world. If they hold up and really operate on the stated power draws they'd work very well for dry camping with solar.

I do have an inverter/compressor "ice chest" that I've used for a couple of years in my RV. It has operated flawlessly and can freeze anything rock solid and keep it there with very little power draw.

BTW, the inverter/compressors used is sometimes referred to as Danfoss which is probably the company that did the original engineering. Most of the Danfoss units also appear to be manufactured in Japan.

Bob's reply is correct. For the person that dry camps the absorption system is still the best route as power consumption is minimal. Even with lower amp draw of the "danfoss" system; one needs a substantial battery system. IF I were to go the electric only route, I would choose the Norcold as they have been in use in the marine environment for decades and have a good record.

12V fridges have been around in the marine world for many years. Only now is the RV world jumping on board.
Here's an interesting test done using a 12V fridge.
JMO but I wouldn't touch a Norcold, Dometic, RecPro, etc brand 12V fridge if looking to replace a bad absorption fridge.
I would look to brands that have been around for a long time, like Novacool, Unique or the one in the test link.

https://www.rvtravel.com/rvelectricity-report-on-vitrifrigo-refrigerator/

My sister's new Forester Motorhome has a 10 cu ft. compressor fridge. The interior space vs footprint is great!

It is too much draw for a single battery and dry-camping, unless you drive daily. With 2 batteries, it'll run about 3 days in hot weather (with cool nights) before needing to recharge the batteries from the generator.

OTOH - My absorption fridge will go about 10 days.

The compressor fridges have the added benefit of no leveling requirements. This is nice for my sister, since her driveway is about a 12% slope, and with the compressor fridge, she can leave it on between trips.

IMO durability is To Be Determined. I have concerns here. Hers feels "cheaper" than mine. And the travel lock was an afterthought. It's almost as if they took an apartment fridge design and simply swapped compressors. I don't think it will fit through the entry door if it ever goes out....

A friend had a 12 V fridge factory installed when he bought his '99 Pete. He had to catch a plane home. By the time I got there, the truck had been sitting in a Dallas area truckstop for 4 Aug days. I knew he one had the same starting batteries I did, so expected to need to jump start the Cat.When she cranked on her own, I decided I would throw all the garbage out of fridge. Stole a ice cream bar, and headed home.

IMHO, you will have success and be happy with either a DC compressor type fridge or household compressor type fridge run through an inverter if you spend the extra few dollars and add a couple 240 watt solar panels to the roof and an extra 200 amp hours of battery capacity.

Cheers.