RV Residential Refrigerators

[Let_s_Travel]

The class A group probably has more experience with this, since the Resi-refers are just now coming to the trailer industry. I am wondering if there are any consistent problems with having this type of refrigerator running on a pure sine inverter in the RV? Does the movement of the RV while the refer is running (going down the highway) cause shortened life of the appliance? It seems the Fivers could have more of an issue with that than the air ride class A type. I have never been a fan of the 12V RV fridge and would love to have the Resi type. So....what are your experiences? Should I opt for the big beautiful Samsung residential fridge in a new Fiver? Would appreciate your knowledge. Thanks!

[tropical36]

Let's Travel wrote:
The class A group probably has more experience with this, since the Resi-refers are just now coming to the trailer industry. I am wondering if there are any consistent problems with having this type of refrigerator running on a pure sine invert er in the RV? Does the movement of the RV while the refer is running (going down the highway) cause shortened life of the appliance? It seems the Fivers could have more of an issue with that than the air ride class A type. I have never been a fan of the 12V RV fridge and would love to have the Resi type. So....what are your experiences? Should I opt for the big beautiful Samsung residential fridge in a new Fiver? Would appreciate your knowledge. Thanks!

First, the RV styles these days are 120vac and propane. Ours still works and I have a mod sine inverter supplying it with an automatic circuit, as well. I don't see a need for a pure sine wave model with any of this, including TV's and DVD's and unless one chooses to have a sophisticated ice maker in a residential style fridge. If and when we change over, it will be for one of the smaller economical model fridges that won't require cutting the opening any larger. Also providing space for a pull out pantry of sorts.

[MrWizard]

Ed. You are correct. We have had residential fridge for 4.5 years
The overnight stop is not a deal killer for most people
There are many Rv users that go to full hook up CG and use the Rv fridge on electric
On electric the residential uses 1/3 or less power than an Rv fridge
How ever dry camping does require more battery power and charging than using a propane fridge

[eheading]

My point was that if someone wants a residential refrigerator, more power to them, go for it. But please don't think that it won't draw any more current when dry camped for a night or longer than an absorption refrigerator running on LP. The current consumption is probably, around 10 times as much.

Personally my wife and I are happy with our Norcold 1200 RIM refrigerator. We occasionally camp with no electric hookup and like the Norcold under these conditions. We have a number of friends who have residential refrigerators in their motorhomes, and love them. They rarely, if ever, camp without electricity, and they enjoy the added volume and the lack of need for leveling the motorhome. I just get uncomfortable when I hear that residential refrigerators don't draw any more 12 volt power when running off batteries or solar panels than do the absorption refrigerators.

Ed

[John___Angela]

eheading wrote:
You guys all have me confused. If I accept your claim that your residential refrigerator averages about 1 amp. That is at 120 volts. Roughly, that means that at 12 volts, you will be drawing about 10 amps. That is the power consumption that is important if you are dry camped. I'm not sure what the Norcold draws of 12 volts when running on propane, but there is no doubt in my mind it is WAY less than 10 amps.

Ed Headington

Hi Ed. Yep, you got the numbers right. Hmmm, I seem to recall the average propane fridge drawing around 3/4 of an amp when the gas valve is open and about 1/4 amp when it is closed. I suppose it depends where you are and how hard the fridge is working. I would say they use about a 1/10 or less of the power a residential uses, of course it depends on the residential etc. If you are considering installing a residential and are a dry camper then consider adding 3 X 160 watt solar panels when you do the changeover. They will provide all the power your fridge needs in an average solar day assuming flat mounting, not in the shade etc. Replacing all your incandescent bulbs with LED will also go a long way to making up the power draw as well. Just for comparative purposes, we have an LCD flat screen that draws about the same power as our fridge does. LOL.

Plan to have a backup source of battery charging like a generator if you don't already have one.

[larry_cad]

Viewfinder wrote:
I think we're having 'fish' for lunch.

jim

:B

[Viewfinder]

I think we're having 'fish' for lunch.

jim

[eheading]

You guys all have me confused. If I accept your claim that your residential refrigerator averages about 1 amp. That is at 120 volts. Roughly, that means that at 12 volts, you will be drawing about 10 amps. That is the power consumption that is important if you are dry camped. I'm not sure what the Norcold draws of 12 volts when running on propane, but there is no doubt in my mind it is WAY less than 10 amps.

Ed Headington

[John___Angela]

bigdisplay wrote:

John & Angela wrote:

bigdisplay wrote:
people must have the thermo shut down system installed and also be aware if your Norcold fridge quits cooling don't keep trying to run it
obviously "IF" the picture showing the fire is caused by a Norcold it was because he never had the shut off device installed and kept running the fridge even though it was not cooling

. Well, I don't know enough about the thermal thingy to draw any conclusions but when we swapped out our norcold 1200 for our residential there was LOTS of charred wood and heat shield behind the unit. Just sayin.....

if you had charred(burnt black wood) then two/three things come to mind.The fridge heat (chimney) flue insulation was inadequately installed .That pipe gets several hundred degrees(hot)
Also maybe It was not cooling properly and you keep turning up the stat and letting it run hoping it would somehow start cooling
it may have possibly had blockage

I think we did turn it up a bit as we were in Vegas so we are probably guilty on that one. Re the insulation, I just don't know but it was that corner. Whatever the case, they are just too finicky for me. One of our experienced RV friends said that running RV fridges properly is an art. I guess I'm just not an artist. :). Our whirlpool just needs to be plugged in. Doesn't care about level or ambient temperature. Residentials are not the answer for every RV application but I predict they will become major players in the RV world over the next decade.

[John___Angela]

bigdisplay wrote:
people must have the thermo shut down system installed and also be aware if your Norcold fridge quits cooling don't keep trying to run it
obviously "IF" the picture showing the fire is caused by a Norcold it was because he never had the shut off device installed and kept running the fridge even though it was not cooling

. Well, I don't know enough about the thermal thingy to draw any conclusions but when we swapped out our norcold 1200 for our residential there was LOTS of charred wood and heat shield behind the unit. Just sayin.....

[bigdisplay]

people must have the thermo shut down system installed and also be aware if your Norcold fridge quits cooling don't keep trying to run it
obviously "IF" the picture showing the fire is caused by a Norcold it was because he never had the shut off device installed and kept running the fridge even though it was not cooling

[larry_cad]

Just to put things into perspective regarding what "can" happen with an RV type frig, and particularly the Norcold 1200 LRIM, here is a recent photo I personally took while staying in Quartzsite during this winter. This fire occured a couple of weeks ago and as the photo shows, it began with the Norcold frig.

[RayChez]

larry cad wrote:

RayChez wrote:



John, thank you for a very intelligent answer. I never knew what would happen to the motor if we were away and the voltage would drop down to where the motor on the fridge would start dragging. Did not know if the brushes to the armature would cause damage to the motor itself.

The reason why I asked the question was because my Norcold 1200 LRIM is twelve years old and it could blow up.
And it had crossed my mind that maybe a residential refrigerator would be in line to replace that Norcold. Most of our camping is with full hookups. But it is good to know what could happen if dry camping was in store.

Now Don got a little defensive right away and my post was not to discredit anybodies refrigerator. It was a question for my own and others that are interested on maybe going residential.

Thanks John greatly appreciated.

Ray, what was said about inverters is correct, the inverter is designed to shut down if the battery voltage drops below a level that would prohibit the inverter from producing a satisfactory voltage output.

Refrigerator compressors do NOT have brushes or armatures. The motors used in compressors are induction motors and they are brushless.

Thanks Larry, I never had really checked into how refrigerator compressors were powered, but what you just told me makes a lot of sense.

Induction motors are increasingly being used with variable frequency drives. It offers especially important energy savings on compressor load applications.

[larry_cad]

RayChez wrote:



John, thank you for a very intelligent answer. I never knew what would happen to the motor if we were away and the voltage would drop down to where the motor on the fridge would start dragging. Did not know if the brushes to the armature would cause damage to the motor itself.

The reason why I asked the question was because my Norcold 1200 LRIM is twelve years old and it could blow up.
And it had crossed my mind that maybe a residential refrigerator would be in line to replace that Norcold. Most of our camping is with full hookups. But it is good to know what could happen if dry camping was in store.

Now Don got a little defensive right away and my post was not to discredit anybodies refrigerator. It was a question for my own and others that are interested on maybe going residential.

Thanks John greatly appreciated.

Ray, what was said about inverters is correct, the inverter is designed to shut down if the battery voltage drops below a level that would prohibit the inverter from producing a satisfactory voltage output.

Refrigerator compressors do NOT have brushes or armatures. The motors used in compressors are induction motors and they are brushless.

[SabreCanuck]

Thanks again for all the information, more than what was needed... We are currently in planning stages on moving into our first class A so honestly do not have anything but our TT (sorry for lurking)... DW is able to retire next year and I'm able to work from anywhere so we are looking at getting the proper setup to move around for a couple of years. Part of that moving around may be at a lot at the lake in the summer months where power will exist but limited and therefore looking into other options and cost.

I like to be educated when 'shopping' so if I know an RV has something I want then I have a ballpark idea of what that option is worth. Plus I enjoy getting my hands dirty if it doesn't have it but I have to cost-justify it to the boss. 🙂

Thanks again for the info, much appreciated.

ps> Sabre was my motorbike. Canuck is what us Canadians nickname ourselves:) It's an old handle but it still works..