Dometic compressor fridge?

Hi,

I don't fix what is not broken. When it does break I attempt to upgrade if that is possible.

Kayteg1 wrote:
It is also the other way around.
It is people who spend money on new stuff that bash the older one.
For me if my Dometic fails, I will consider compressor fridge for sure, but I don't see enough advantage in it to spend $1000 just becouse.

It is also the other way around.
It is people who spend money on new stuff that bash the older one.
For me if my Dometic fails, I will consider compressor fridge for sure, but I don't see enough advantage in it to spend $1000 just becouse.

Kayteg1 wrote:


Sooner or later somebody will have the same problems with compressor refrigerators.
Each job can be always done in several different ways, but the only thing I have to remember about absorption fridge is to turn it night before loading.
Other than that I have rock hard ice cream.
Is compressor fridge coming with circulating fan?
That is only other issue we face when we pack the fridge.
That reminds me situation with automotive market.
People have been jumping on new cars as having Bluetooths, GPS, high-tech stereo, active CC and blind spot assistance - only to find that very complex technology can leave them stranded and with empty wallet down the road.
Now the old cars are gaining value ;)

I don't think sooner or later I'll have a problem with my compressor refrigerator flame going out, don't think I'll ever have a restriction on 30 degree (from ambient) temp differential, don't think I'll ever have to worry about being off-level, never have to worry about bugs getting into the flame orfice, never have to clean the flame flue of soot again, don't have to worry about ammonia leaks, ----- and I can go on and on and on and on. Look at any RV site on any forum ANYWHERE and look at all of the problems with absorption refers, the pages there are many. Don't ignore the fact that it's been an issue for decades. A weak link in many RV's.

I gotta laugh at how we tend to poo-poo newer technology straight out of the gate as bad just because it's new. Everything (mechanical/electronic) is going to break eventually. Personally I find my 2015 RAM with all of the bells and whistles is vastly superior in all aspects to my 2006 or my 1994 RAM(s). I wouldn't trade back for anything. I feel the same way about my 12V compressor refrigerator. Far superior to any absorption refrigerator I've ever owned and likely I'll never go back.

If you really want to shun technology you could always install the refer I had in my 1980 Six Pac camper -- an ice box. Load a block of ice in it, close the door and viola. It even had a drain tube to the outside of the camper when the ice melted - automatic drain! While we're at it how about a Coleman white gas stove and lantern (although I'm sure those are still widely used).

Just sayin' Don't knock it if you havn't tried it.

Geewizard wrote:


Frozen lettuce, warm meat, and a whole host of totally unsatisfactory refrigeration.....that's why I bought a compressor refrigerator.
And mine runs quite well on solar panels. I'll never go back to an absorption fridge.

Sooner or later somebody will have the same problems with compressor refrigerators.
Each job can be always done in several different ways, but the only thing I have to remember about absorption fridge is to turn it night before loading.
Other than that I have rock hard ice cream.
Is compressor fridge coming with circulating fan?
That is only other issue we face when we pack the fridge.
That reminds me situation with automotive market.
People have been jumping on new cars as having Bluetooths, GPS, high-tech stereo, active CC and blind spot assistance - only to find that very complex technology can leave them stranded and with empty wallet down the road.
Now the old cars are gaining value ;)

tuna fisher wrote:

Geewizard wrote:
I bought my Tundra compressor fridge from a marine supplier in Seattle when I lived in Alaska. It may have been Sure Marine Services. I remember the price being quite good. Check the marine suppliers, they have a variety of small compressor fridges.

Sure Marine Services

Thanks, nice site with lots of info.

You're welcome. I've had my Tundra fridge for over 10 years.

Kayteg1 wrote:
Side question, what is with bashing of amonia refrigerators?
When I understand that compressor has its advantage in speed of cooling or working off level, I have been using amonia refrigerators for 30 years and they work just fine.
I posted my test a year ago how well My Dometic is cooling in 125 F weather.
I actually liked the old designs, that would work on propane with no outside power.
This way when I was leaving RV for long time, the master switch was turned to off.
One less thing to worry about.

Frozen lettuce, warm meat, and a whole host of totally unsatisfactory refrigeration.....that's why I bought a compressor refrigerator.
And mine runs quite well on solar panels. I'll never go back to an absorption fridge.

Kayteg1 wrote:
Side question, what is with bashing of amonia refrigerators?
When I understand that compressor has its advantage in speed of cooling or working off level, I have been using amonia refrigerators for 30 years and they work just fine.
I posted my test a year ago how well My Dometic is cooling in 125 F weather.
I actually liked the old designs, that would work on propane with no outside power.
This way when I was leaving RV for long time, the master switch was turned to off.
One less thing to worry about.

Depends on how you use your camper. My wife and I never stay in the same place two nights in a row. We are always traveling, and above 55 mph, the propane flame in our ammonia fridge in our camper would always blow out. I tried filters on the intake grill, additional shielding around the flame, windbreaks on the roof fridge outlet, and never could get it to stay on above 55 mph. So every evening we would have a fridge temp of 50-55 degrees and a thawing freezer. We prayed that overnight it would cool down enough to give it a head start for the following day warm up. We threw away lots of food that we didn't trust after several days of warm fridge temps.

The compressor fridge gets cold fast and stays cold no matter what speed I drive. And it doesn't use any propane or electricity other than what the solar panels provide. Absolutely perfect for our camper use.

Kayteg1 wrote:
Side question, what is with bashing of amonia refrigerators?
When I understand that compressor has its advantage in speed of cooling or working off level, I have been using amonia refrigerators for 30 years and they work just fine.
I posted my test a year ago how well My Dometic is cooling in 125 F weather.
I actually liked the old designs, that would work on propane with no outside power.
This way when I was leaving RV for long time, the master switch was turned to off.
One less thing to worry about.

There are many reasons that the ammonia have a huge do not like crowd. For me in the van it was I do not need propane and the compressor one runs a lot more efficiently on 12V. Also no worry about being level. Still have the ammonia one in the class C and love that one.

My Dometic in the Bigfoot has been fine.
The Dometic in the 5th wheel has been a disaster from day 1.
I think the older ones are better.
If we trade 5th wheels I will go to residential or maybe the compressors.
No absorbtion ever again.

Side question, what is with bashing of amonia refrigerators?
When I understand that compressor has its advantage in speed of cooling or working off level, I have been using amonia refrigerators for 30 years and they work just fine.
I posted my test a year ago how well My Dometic is cooling in 125 F weather.
I actually liked the old designs, that would work on propane with no outside power.
This way when I was leaving RV for long time, the master switch was turned to off.
One less thing to worry about.