Well I've been speaking with a sales rep for Northstar Campers and am leaning towards a Laredo SC. I am likely ordering one custom from the factory to have the options that I want. I am up in the air about two options at the moment.What are your thoughts on the Heki skylight? Are there different models that the various camper manufacturers use? I've heard answers that are the polar opposite of each other. I am greatly concerned about the "melting" or "warping" comments and that is making me choose to not have one installed. I've also heard that it really heats up the interior of the camper if the screen is left open to alleviate the warping issue. Anyone have comments regarding their camper with a Heki?I would also like to have a 12v reefer installed. It is the Dometic CR110. This one operates on electric power only, not LP. Does anyone here use these types of reefers, or mainly the 3 way?My understanding is a compressor reefer is more efficient than an absorption reefer, and I don't have to worry about leveling the camper exactly right for the three way propane reefer to work. After looking around the internet I cannot find any literature explaining whether the reefer would work when hooked to shore power (at home). I would guess there is a converter (inverter?) that would allow the reefer to work when plugged into 110 or 220 volts? If I am off base please let me know.Thanks,Mike

Shadow Hunter wrote:Well I've been speaking with a sales rep for Northstar Campers and am leaning towards a Laredo SC. I am likely ordering one custom from the factory to have the options that I want. I am up in the air about two options at the moment.I would also like to have a 12v reefer installed. It is the Dometic CR110. This one operates on electric power only, not LP. Does anyone here use these types of reefers, or mainly the 3 way?My understanding is a compressor reefer is more efficient than an absorption reefer, and I don't have to worry about leveling the camper exactly right for the three way propane reefer to work. After looking around the internet I cannot find any literature explaining whether the reefer would work when hooked to shore power (at home). I would guess there is a converter (inverter?) that would allow the reefer to work when plugged into 110 or 220 volts? If I am off base please let me know.Most people use 2 way, not three way absorption refrigerators since the 12 volt current draw is very high.I don't have one but there have been a fair amount of positive posts on the 12 volt compression refrigerators. The big caveat is power. Make sure you have enough battery/solar power to handle it. It wouldn't work for us up here in the Pacific Northwest as we often camp in the forests in winter under a gray sky. My solar panel does nothing for those six months of the year and my furnace, lights and other demands can run down two batteries to 50% in a couple of days so we can just make it through a weekend. Adding a compression refrigerator would mean we would have to run a generator. Your own mileage will vary depending on where and how you camp.

IMO avoid the Hieki. I don't like mine. Its over engineered and delicate. A weak link in the chain as far as I'm concerned.

I have both the Heki and 12v compressor fridge in my Northstar. I have yet to have any problems with the Heki, but if I could do it over again, I would probably not have it. I do like the skylight at night and in cold weather it allows for solar heat to penetrate but in the summer it allows way too much heat to penetrate. I used to leave the screen/blind half open to allow some heat to escape from under the bubble while still blocking some from the inside of the camper. One summer day I went out with an IR thermometer and was reading temperatures over 190*F on the latches and other black parts between the screen and bubble. I now have a reflective car windshield sun shield tucked up inside the bubble blocking most of the light.I do like my 12v compressor fridge. I use my rig for fishing trips and it's not uncommon for me to park at very unlevel spots while I'm out fishing. I like not having to worry about the fridge when I return. But you must have solar if you plan to use it without hookups. I originally had a single 135w panel and that wasn't quite enough to keep the batteries topped off on cloudy days. I since added a second 140w panel and that easily keeps the batteries charged and the fridge cold. It does automatically switch to AC power when plugged in.If you have any other questions, this is the place to ask. You're going to love your Northstar.

I have a 2013 Northstar Igloo 9.5 which has been in the truck for about 18,000 miles and 100+ days of camping. I've had no problems at all with the Heki over the bed. I have the propane powered Dometic fridge and have had zero problems there too. As for leveling, I read about some folks struggles and worries getting it just so. My ford truck has a level gauge built into the digital dash and we find that we can park every time no more than 1 degree off level just by seat of the pants. That works fine for us and takes no more effort that going backwards and forwards a bit and feeling the level of the truck on variations under the wheels. I verify it by checking the level gauge. If I were to be ordering mine today I would have them leave off the ladder and use the Heki for roof access. As it is I will probably remove the ladder and use the space to secure my grill.Enjoy your Northstar, we certainly love ours.

I have the Heki on my NL and if I had a choice of it I would not have it again. It is just to fragile. You are not supposed to complete close the shade on it in the sun as it over heats in the dome area and cause problems. Only close it to 2/3 of the way closed, in the hot summer sun it causes the cab over to get very hot. Also if you are not careful with the screen and go to move it back and you unlock it and it snaps out of your hand and just about breaks as it winds back up. The handle on it is not big enough to really get a grip on it. If something breaks the parts are hard to get and they are expensive. If you break the dome on it from what I have seen it cost almost as much as the whole skylight.If it was me I would just have them put on an escape hatch which is the same style as a regular vent except bigger. This give you another escape route or a Fantastic Fan with a rain sensor on it. This way you can leave it open at night and not have to worry if it starts to rain as it well close itself.Everything I have read on the 2 fridges I would take the Danfloss compressor fridge. Just make sure you have enough solar to supplement the additional power needed. Of course if you carry a small generator then that takes the place of solar too.This is just IMO.

Heki skylight and 12v reefer(Northstar Campers specifically)

DWeikert
Explorer II
Jul 24, 2014
I have both the Heki and 12v compressor fridge in my Northstar. I have yet to have any problems with the Heki, but if I could do it over again, I would probably not have it. I do like the skylight at night and in cold weather it allows for solar heat to penetrate but in the summer it allows way too much heat to penetrate. I used to leave the screen/blind half open to allow some heat to escape from under the bubble while still blocking some from the inside of the camper. One summer day I went out with an IR thermometer and was reading temperatures over 190*F on the latches and other black parts between the screen and bubble. I now have a reflective car windshield sun shield tucked up inside the bubble blocking most of the light.

I do like my 12v compressor fridge. I use my rig for fishing trips and it's not uncommon for me to park at very unlevel spots while I'm out fishing. I like not having to worry about the fridge when I return. But you must have solar if you plan to use it without hookups. I originally had a single 135w panel and that wasn't quite enough to keep the batteries topped off on cloudy days. I since added a second 140w panel and that easily keeps the batteries charged and the fridge cold. It does automatically switch to AC power when plugged in.

If you have any other questions, this is the place to ask. You're going to love your Northstar.
nycsteve
Explorer
Jul 24, 2014
IMO avoid the Hieki. I don't like mine. Its over engineered and delicate. A weak link in the chain as far as I'm concerned.
brholt
Explorer II
Jul 24, 2014
Shadow Hunter wrote:
Well I've been speaking with a sales rep for Northstar Campers and am leaning towards a Laredo SC. I am likely ordering one custom from the factory to have the options that I want. I am up in the air about two options at the moment.

I would also like to have a 12v reefer installed. It is the Dometic CR110. This one operates on electric power only, not LP. Does anyone here use these types of reefers, or mainly the 3 way?

My understanding is a compressor reefer is more efficient than an absorption reefer, and I don't have to worry about leveling the camper exactly right for the three way propane reefer to work. After looking around the internet I cannot find any literature explaining whether the reefer would work when hooked to shore power (at home). I would guess there is a converter (inverter?) that would allow the reefer to work when plugged into 110 or 220 volts? If I am off base please let me know.

Most people use 2 way, not three way absorption refrigerators since the 12 volt current draw is very high.

I don't have one but there have been a fair amount of positive posts on the 12 volt compression refrigerators. The big caveat is power. Make sure you have enough battery/solar power to handle it. It wouldn't work for us up here in the Pacific Northwest as we often camp in the forests in winter under a gray sky. My solar panel does nothing for those six months of the year and my furnace, lights and other demands can run down two batteries to 50% in a couple of days so we can just make it through a weekend. Adding a compression refrigerator would mean we would have to run a generator. Your own mileage will vary depending on where and how you camp.

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Heki skylight and 12v reefer(Northstar Campers specifically)

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