Residential Refrigerator???

[abideejay]

I've got a travel trailer with a Dometic RM2652 absorption fridge. The fridge doesn't fridge anymore. 🙂

I've found this refrigerator at Home Depot: HMDR1030WE CLICKY

Does anyone have any real-world experience with this model? I'm not interested in the "this may work" or "the manual says it won't". I want REAL experience. I'm not particularly interested in fighting with the absorption fridge any longer, and I believe that going with a residential model will work for me.

[Gdetrailer]

MrWizard wrote:
i bought this one in 2010
http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-PV1250FC-Industrial-Inverter/dp/B000A6STQ6



this is Industrial quality it has a heavy transformer, it handles motor surges with ease, and it doesn't overheat, its designed to operate electric motors

it has been running our residential fridge 24/7 almost 4 yrs now..be 4yrs in Nov

here is the tripplite website about that inverter

http://www.tripplite.com/industrial-strength-inverter-1250w-2-outlets~PV1250FC/

X2 on the Tripplite!

This is the same model I decided to use with my home fridge conversion 7 years ago. It is a very robust well designed MSW which uses a old school heavy 60hz transformer in the output stage to boost the 12V AC to 120V AC. This design allows the transformer to absorb the large inductive back EMF which happens when running induction motors in fridge compressors.

Built like a tank and most likely will outlast your RV and then some.

I also make use of the "load sense" feature which turns off the output stage when no 120V demand is detected. I set mine so a 9W load will turn the inverter on so when I open the fridge door the inverter turns on and powers the light bulb, close the door and inverter shuts down..

The Amp/hr savings is substantial using the load sense to the tune of at least 24Ahr per 24 hrs!

I also am using a Haier 10 cu ft fridge, we love it, keeps the food at 34F-36F all day and night (100F temps in the day and 70F at night) unlike the old absorbtion fridge which would be as high as 50F in the day and drop to 20F at night (freezing the milk solid overnight)..

As far as batteries, we are light users but one pair of 6V GC batteries gives us plenty of power to overnight using the furnace and running the fridge..

[John___Angela]

Terryallan wrote:

John & Angela wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

Acampingwewillgo wrote:
You can still dry camp with a residential, it just takes a bit more planning. With all the talk about gas absorption and fire issues, I feel even better about the residential besides the 300.00 cost compared to the 12-1500.00 price tag.

How would you dry camp with a Residential fridge, as there would be no electricity to run it on. I guess then you would just use a ice cooler?

A residential fridge uses 120 volts. An inverter converts 12 volts from the batteries to 120 volts. Solar panels produce 12 volts to charge the batteries. In case of bad weather a small quiet generator can be used to rapid charge a battery bank via a hi output 40 to 100 amp charger depending on the size of the battery bank. We have a large 22 cubic foot residential fridge. We dry camp routinely....and never have to worry about being level.

A generator is NOT an option. Where we camp on the Blue ridge Parkway. There is no such thing as a "quiet" generator. There are just some that aren't as loud as others. but still too loud. And well the trees block the sun. So we are back to the gas fridge or ice cooler. Which for us is not a problem. We have never had one minutes problem from our RV fridge, or cooler.

Good point. I suppose there will always be a place for a propane absorption fridge. We have never been in a situation like that but I'm sure they are out there. When we travel with our little tent trailer we use a compressor based chest fridge/freezer. We run it off a small AGM battery that seems to last about two days. We have a portable 80 watt solar panel that supplements that and we have gone longer. We just keep moving the panel around to where the sun comes through the trees. However, on cloudy days this won't work.

Happy trails.

[Terryallan]

John & Angela wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

Acampingwewillgo wrote:
You can still dry camp with a residential, it just takes a bit more planning. With all the talk about gas absorption and fire issues, I feel even better about the residential besides the 300.00 cost compared to the 12-1500.00 price tag.

How would you dry camp with a Residential fridge, as there would be no electricity to run it on. I guess then you would just use a ice cooler?

A residential fridge uses 120 volts. An inverter converts 12 volts from the batteries to 120 volts. Solar panels produce 12 volts to charge the batteries. In case of bad weather a small quiet generator can be used to rapid charge a battery bank via a hi output 40 to 100 amp charger depending on the size of the battery bank. We have a large 22 cubic foot residential fridge. We dry camp routinely....and never have to worry about being level.

A generator is NOT an option. Where we camp on the Blue ridge Parkway. There is no such thing as a "quiet" generator. There are just some that aren't as loud as others. but still too loud. And well the trees block the sun. So we are back to the gas fridge or ice cooler. Which for us is not a problem. We have never had one minutes problem from our RV fridge, or cooler.

[John___Angela]

Terryallan wrote:

Acampingwewillgo wrote:
You can still dry camp with a residential, it just takes a bit more planning. With all the talk about gas absorption and fire issues, I feel even better about the residential besides the 300.00 cost compared to the 12-1500.00 price tag.

How would you dry camp with a Residential fridge, as there would be no electricity to run it on. I guess then you would just use a ice cooler?

A residential fridge uses 120 volts. An inverter converts 12 volts from the batteries to 120 volts. Solar panels produce 12 volts to charge the batteries. In case of bad weather a small quiet generator can be used to rapid charge a battery bank via a hi output 40 to 100 amp charger depending on the size of the battery bank. We have a large 22 cubic foot residential fridge. We dry camp routinely....and never have to worry about being level.

[Terryallan]

Acampingwewillgo wrote:
You can still dry camp with a residential, it just takes a bit more planning. With all the talk about gas absorption and fire issues, I feel even better about the residential besides the 300.00 cost compared to the 12-1500.00 price tag.

How would you dry camp with a Residential fridge, as there would be no electricity to run it on. I guess then you would just use a ice cooler?

[MrWizard]

abideejay wrote:
No issues with a MSW inverter and the refrigerator?

NONE
4yrs and going strong, both the fridge and the inverter
its made for motors and tools
the fridge is an easy load for this model

tripp-lite also mfg PSW and they mfg inverter-charger combo units
its the heavy duty construction that gives it the power and durability/reliability

it can power our full size MW which draws 1685 input watts

i prefer the generator, but some times late at night
is use the MW to warm something up and its on the inverter power
i do turn off the fridge stat just to keep it from cycling while i use the MW

[Mootpoint]

I've never heard of one. Just remember to have enough of a battery bank to run it.

[abideejay]

No issues with a MSW inverter and the refrigerator?

[MrWizard]

i bought this one in 2010
http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-PV1250FC-Industrial-Inverter/dp/B000A6STQ6



this is Industrial quality it has a heavy transformer, it handles motor surges with ease, and it doesn't overheat, its designed to operate electric motors

it has been running our residential fridge 24/7 almost 4 yrs now..be 4yrs in Nov

here is the tripplite website about that inverter

http://www.tripplite.com/industrial-strength-inverter-1250w-2-outlets~PV1250FC/

[abideejay]

As I stated in the original post, I'm done playing around with the absorption fridge. It's been nothing but a hassle and a point of concern when it comes to the trailer. Sure, it's nice to be able to have the option of propane. However, when I weigh how often I actually use it on propane and how often I would HAVE to use it on propane...

I'd likely look for an inverter. I'm going to be buying a generator too. Lots of $$ to play with if I don't drop the $1500 on an absorption model.

[Acampingwewillg]

You can still dry camp with a residential, it just takes a bit more planning. With all the talk about gas absorption and fire issues, I feel even better about the residential besides the 300.00 cost compared to the 12-1500.00 price tag.

[edbehnke]

if you don't dry camp pick whatever you want....keep it simple. for me, if I were to install another refrig it would still be a RV refrig. you can get yours repaired or find a used refirg.

[robsouth]

We got the Magic Chef 10.0 at Home Depot a couple years back. Works great. Would never consider an absorption type fridge again. It fit our old hole almost perfectly (had to do a little trim at top). Never heard of your particular brand, but they are probably all the same.

[Acampingwewillg]

Agree with previous post....we installed a Lowes Haier 10 cf refer and so far we've been very happy with it. Quite a bit more storage and cooling is excellent. I did write about my install so if you want to see what I did check my posts from a few months ago. I will say this, I insulated the entire enclosure, sealing off the outside vents....be sure to vent the hot air with additional fans thru the the roof. The heat does built up behind these residential units, I find myself most times placing a fan on the floor in front of frig to keep the temps down behind refrig....it works quite well. I put a wired thermometer behind fridge so I could keep tract of Temp's.