Absorption fridge 2 way vs 3 way

[cptqueeg]

Gathering info for a TC build and would like to hear from the experts. Planned usage is non-electrified campsites, primarily boondocking. 4th of July through Labor till we'll be hiding at home so shoulder seasons limit solar at times, due to shorter days, cloudy conditions, shaded campgrounds, and heavy energy use during offseason for heating is expected. For instance we have a weeks reservation in mid-October at Yellowstone for 6 nights in my current setup, a FWC Hawk.

I will have propane on board and a propane fueled Honda 2200 if there is any hint of cold or heat(will have AC.) The build is specced out currently w an inverter and all the required components of a top notch solar system. (Of course seeing how the generator would be with us most of the time expense of an excellent solar system could be revisited as well.)

My questions is would a 2 way fridge be the way to go given the inferior 12v performance in 3 way fridges considering my planned build and anticipated camping conditions?

Thank you.

[magicbus]

I would guess that these will be a bit more expensive than the classic 120V/propane options.

. I posed this question earlier. I couldn’t see a noticeable price difference between the 3-way and 2-way models so I would get the 3-way so I have the option of 12V in case I ever needed it.

BTW, I am “uncomfortable” traveling with a trailer even though it is designed for doing that. Doesn’t mean there is an issue with trailers, just personal preference, which is why I have always had a motor home.

Dave

[aftermath]

Boon Docker wrote:
True, some people are uncomfortable running on propane while traveling.

I continue to be amazed by this statement. People will spend large sums of money to get a "nice" trailer so they can camp in comfort. You have onboard water, heat and a water system that will provide hot running water and showers. Wow, what luxury. Gas/propane refrigerators are DISIGNED to run on gas, even when going down the road. I have asked over the decades, now, if anyone can produce one verifiable incident of a problem with a fridge catching fire or exploding. None, zip, zero examples all this time. OK, I respect those who don't "feel comfortable" running with propane. If you are one of those then you need to look into a system that allows you to run on electricity when on the road. I am sure there are systems out there. I would guess that these will be a bit more expensive than the classic 120V/propane options.

For short trips, this will never be an issue. But consider taking off for 4-6 weeks during the summer. Some say they pack their fridge with frozen blocks of ice. Others say they take along an extra ice box. What? You just paid oodles of bucks on a trailer and you are still packing ice boxes? Just can't get my head around this logic. Of course I am 70 and have been camping for a very long time. I have over 55K miles on my current trailer and......not a single problem with running my fridge the way it was designed. If it were so dangerous, why do all the major manufacturers still make them?

[VE3ESN]

steveh27 wrote:

magicbus wrote:
Is there a substantial cost difference between 2 and 3-way? I use 12V for travel, propane for boondocking and 120 when plugged in. If I didn't prefer to travel without a flame I just wouldn't use 12V and not worry I had a 3-way.

Dave

I do this also.

We also use 12 V when traveling. However, one time when the 12 V stopped working (bad fuse, found out later), I decided to tun the fridge on 120 VAC using the inverter, and found that the fridge seemed to cool better. Apparently, as others in different forums have noted, the 120 V heating element has a higher wattage rating (therefore more heat) than the 12 V element.

[JRscooby]

cptqueeg wrote:

I have a 12v/120v compressor 130L fridge now, but not the chest type. Although I have 2 12v wet cells and 1 solar panel the frig can draw enough power to cause concerns over SOC. We ran into shaded campsites and clouds a few times already. I was able to keep things cool because I had a supply of frozen 2L water bottles to swap into the frig. (The issue has been remedied for now w a Honda generator.)

I think your idea is worth consideration though, especially since my favored brand Nova-Kool doesn't make a 3 way, afaik.

I have thought about a smaller 2 way compressor frig w no freezer in tandem w a stand alone chest type freezer. Perhaps the flexibility of being able to remove the chest frig is/should be a consideration.

I missed this.
I confess I have little experience with 12V fridge, but enough that I would buy one if I had to replace my camper fridge.
A friend bought 1 installed in his brand new '99 Pete. When it was 10 years old, and over a million miles on it he had to leave the truck in Texas, grab the bird home. It took me over 3 days to get there. Knowing he only had the same starting batteries that I had for my Cat, I expected to need to jumpstart the truck. When the Cat fired, the thought of 3 days in August sun made me grab a trash bag to clean out the fridge. I stole one of his ice-cream bars, put her in the wind.

[steveh27]

magicbus wrote:
Is there a substantial cost difference between 2 and 3-way? I use 12V for travel, propane for boondocking and 120 when plugged in. If I didn't prefer to travel without a flame I just wouldn't use 12V and not worry I had a 3-way.

Dave

I do this also.

[StirCrazy]

cptqueeg wrote:
Gathering info for a TC build and would like to hear from the experts. Planned usage is non-electrified campsites, primarily boondocking. 4th of July through Labor till we'll be hiding at home so shoulder seasons limit solar at times, due to shorter days, cloudy conditions, shaded campgrounds, and heavy energy use during offseason for heating is expected. For instance we have a weeks reservation in mid-October at Yellowstone for 6 nights in my current setup, a FWC Hawk.

I will have propane on board and a propane fueled Honda 2200 if there is any hint of cold or heat(will have AC.) The build is specced out currently w an inverter and all the required components of a top notch solar system. (Of course seeing how the generator would be with us most of the time expense of an excellent solar system could be revisited as well.)

My questions is would a 2 way fridge be the way to go given the inferior 12v performance in 3 way fridges considering my planned build and anticipated camping conditions?

Thank you.

I might be a little off but it apears to me you dont have a fridge and are looking to get one. if this is the case get a new auto strt 2 way. then you can leave it on propain when you are driving and if the flame blows out it will restart. I have a new one and a oldone. the old one is 3 way and it never gets used on 12V even though it does blow out once and a while. I just have to stop and relight it, but it beats the 16 amps it draws on 12V. the 5th wheel has a 2 way and lives on propain.


Steve

[JRscooby]

valhalla360 wrote:

JRscooby wrote:
The only power supply to the 12 element of my fridge is the "charge" line from TV. We always camp with power, so the fridge is on 120 most of time. I'm working to hook a 1 lb bottle to the fridge so I could light it on the rare occasion we spend time stopped while traveling.
BTW, I turn my fridge on 12 V, drive 4 hrs, and inside temp will be 30*+ below outside temp. when we set up.
OP, I think if I was setting up a rig to wild camped I would look long and hard at a 12V compressor fridge. And go with the chest type, so your cold air doesn't run out on the floor every time you open the door. From what I have seen it doesn't take a lot of solar/battery to run them

Between the trailer battery and the slow charge from the hitch umbilical, for a few hours it can keep up.

I think you mis-read what I typed.

"The only power supply to the 12 element of my fridge is the "charge" line from TV."

I have 10 ga wire to the plug back of TV, to the junction block where I can remove 7 nuts and take off light cord, then to the heating switch/heater on fridge. The converter or battery is only involved because they use the same ground.
My camper stays in shade, but the only electricity in it while stored is the batteries I leave in flashlites. When we are ready to go camping logic tells me the inside of the fridge will be close to the average outside temp for the last few days. I take battery out of DW's car, hook it up in box. Ground to frame, + to a 40 amp breaker. Hot side of breaker feeds brakeaway, protected feeds winch that lifts the roof. Does not feed the fridge. Driving a few hours will drop the inside temp well below the morning temp. This is somewhat more than "keeping up" When setting up I replace the bag of charcoal with a frozen gallon jug of water, and the condiments that don't need a lot of cooling. Buy the time we eat leftovers from home for supper, the folding cooler is MT. By breakfast I can put anything that needs refrigerated in there and the temp will stay below 40*

While typically would just use propane on the road, a few times we've had to turn it off and 3-4hours later, the freezer was still solid frozen and the stuff in the fridge was still cold.

When our simple camper left the factory the only things that used propane was the stove and fridge. And after we went a couple of years without using the stove, it got stored in basement. Couple more years "why am I hauling this near 40 lbs on the tongue?" Winter trips when I load the propane heaters, I load the propane.
We don't all camp the same

[magicbus]

Is there a substantial cost difference between 2 and 3-way? I use 12V for travel, propane for boondocking and 120 when plugged in. If I didn't prefer to travel without a flame I just wouldn't use 12V and not worry I had a 3-way.

Dave

[valhalla360]

JRscooby wrote:
The only power supply to the 12 element of my fridge is the "charge" line from TV. We always camp with power, so the fridge is on 120 most of time. I'm working to hook a 1 lb bottle to the fridge so I could light it on the rare occasion we spend time stopped while traveling.
BTW, I turn my fridge on 12 V, drive 4 hrs, and inside temp will be 30*+ below outside temp. when we set up.
OP, I think if I was setting up a rig to wild camped I would look long and hard at a 12V compressor fridge. And go with the chest type, so your cold air doesn't run out on the floor every time you open the door. From what I have seen it doesn't take a lot of solar/battery to run them

Between the trailer battery and the slow charge from the hitch umbilical, for a few hours it can keep up.

While typically would just use propane on the road, a few times we've had to turn it off and 3-4hours later, the freezer was still solid frozen and the stuff in the fridge was still cold.

[cptqueeg]

JRscooby wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

cptqueeg wrote:

Boon Docker wrote:
For the small amount of propane that is used I won't bother with 12v operation while traveling.

Probably a consideration for those uncomfortable w the flame. It's a personal choice that I haven't considered yet so really haven't formed an opinion.

Unless it's a really long travel day in hot weather...just turn off the fridge.

For a 3-4hr drive, things will still be cold when you arrive and turn the fridge back on.

It's really a solution in search of a problem.

The only power supply to the 12 element of my fridge is the "charge" line from TV. We always camp with power, so the fridge is on 120 most of time. I'm working to hook a 1 lb bottle to the fridge so I could light it on the rare occasion we spend time stopped while traveling.
BTW, I turn my fridge on 12 V, drive 4 hrs, and inside temp will be 30*+ below outside temp. when we set up.
OP, I think if I was setting up a rig to wild camped I would look long and hard at a 12V compressor fridge. And go with the chest type, so your cold air doesn't run out on the floor every time you open the door. From what I have seen it doesn't take a lot of solar/battery to run them

I have a 12v/120v compressor 130L fridge now, but not the chest type. Although I have 2 12v wet cells and 1 solar panel the frig can draw enough power to cause concerns over SOC. We ran into shaded campsites and clouds a few times already. I was able to keep things cool because I had a supply of frozen 2L water bottles to swap into the frig. (The issue has been remedied for now w a Honda generator.)

I think your idea is worth consideration though, especially since my favored brand Nova-Kool doesn't make a 3 way, afaik.

I have thought about a smaller 2 way compressor frig w no freezer in tandem w a stand alone chest type freezer. Perhaps the flexibility of being able to remove the chest frig is/should be a consideration.

[JRscooby]

valhalla360 wrote:

cptqueeg wrote:

Boon Docker wrote:
For the small amount of propane that is used I won't bother with 12v operation while traveling.

Probably a consideration for those uncomfortable w the flame. It's a personal choice that I haven't considered yet so really haven't formed an opinion.

Unless it's a really long travel day in hot weather...just turn off the fridge.

For a 3-4hr drive, things will still be cold when you arrive and turn the fridge back on.

It's really a solution in search of a problem.

The only power supply to the 12 element of my fridge is the "charge" line from TV. We always camp with power, so the fridge is on 120 most of time. I'm working to hook a 1 lb bottle to the fridge so I could light it on the rare occasion we spend time stopped while traveling.
BTW, I turn my fridge on 12 V, drive 4 hrs, and inside temp will be 30*+ below outside temp. when we set up.
OP, I think if I was setting up a rig to wild camped I would look long and hard at a 12V compressor fridge. And go with the chest type, so your cold air doesn't run out on the floor every time you open the door. From what I have seen it doesn't take a lot of solar/battery to run them

[valhalla360]

cptqueeg wrote:

Boon Docker wrote:
For the small amount of propane that is used I won't bother with 12v operation while traveling.

Probably a consideration for those uncomfortable w the flame. It's a personal choice that I haven't considered yet so really haven't formed an opinion.

Unless it's a really long travel day in hot weather...just turn off the fridge.

For a 3-4hr drive, things will still be cold when you arrive and turn the fridge back on.

It's really a solution in search of a problem.

[Boon_Docker]

True, some people are uncomfortable running on propane while traveling.

[cptqueeg]

Boon Docker wrote:
For the small amount of propane that is used I won't bother with 12v operation while traveling.

Probably a consideration for those uncomfortable w the flame. It's a personal choice that I haven't considered yet so really haven't formed an opinion.