Why consider 12v fridge for boondocking?
So I want to offer up this question out about 12v compressor refrigerators. I'm going to post this on other forums too, so your "forum tramps"(like me)may see this spread around some other pages. Not...
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valhalla360 wrote:I have what most would consider to be a healthy solar/battery system. But if I were to add a 12V fridge to the draw, I would come up short a lot.... And adding to what already have is not so easy. It would be quite expensive, and make my roof so full that I would not have room to do maintainence up there.Grit dog wrote:
9 pages later, ^ here’s a good dose of common sense and truth.
Being more “efficient” in one way doesn’t necessarily mean less costly.
Sure both have different advantages and disadvantages but apples to apples, especially if considering replacing a perfectly good absorption fridge, it’s not even close.
Truth depends heavily on the assumptions.
Tearing out a relatively new perfectly functional appliance rarely makes sense, no matter how bad the existing technology is. Are you going to rip out the perfectly functional 5 speed transmission in your truck and retrofit one of the new 10 speed units because it's better...of course not. It's a silly comparison.
If you are boondocking a lot with a single 12v starting battery and no solar, yeah, absorption is by far the better option but that's not a typical use pattern.
Vast majority of RVs rarely operate away from shore power. For these rigs, 12v compressor fridges are better both in terms of efficiency but also in terms of better operation (faster cooldown, able to hold colder temps, larger interior volume, etc....). I'm betting this represents 80-90% of new RV buyers, so this is where the manufacturers are focused.
For those who do a lot of boondocking, most will be installing a larger battery bank and solar anyway. Up sizing it to accommodate the relatively modest requirements of the 12v fridge is easy and doesn't incur a major cost. The cost difference between installing a couple of 200w panels and a couple of 300w panels, is pretty minimal. A few seasons of reduced propane use will cover the cost.
Saying the additonal cost would be minimal. just shows that you do not have a clue as to what is involved. Another controller, another wire run up to the roof more fuses, more panels, more batteries more cables etc. Using what I consider to be quality stuff (to match what I already have), would be at least 3k. Probably closer to 4K
