Common sense RV refrigerator...

[Cloud_Dancer]

Instead of the large 4-door Norcold, it makes more sense for them to offer two smaller separate units (side by side). Make them helium instead of the flammable gas, and protect them with the electronic safety gizmo. I can think of a lot of advantages to this arrangement (over one large unit).

[Old-Biscuit]

SCVJeff wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
No more helium.......
Atwood made them got bought up by Dometic and then Dometic dropped production of the helium units

Yeah there is, just not by Dometic. I just installed a Helium unit on my 1200 and it is WAY colder than the OEM.

I talked to the factory about something else and the conversation swayed to Dometic. They said Dometic tried to run Helium in the Ammonia assembly (so they could save money and not retool) and ran into all kinds of issues before dropping it... Because they were cheap. The big one was extreme startup temp because Helium is harder to get moving. Pines Refrigeration (sold through David Force) started from scratch and built it to get the fluid moving way sooner. I have an ARP installed and see that my startup temps are higher than the OEM but they drop very quickly as soon as the fluids start to perk (and runs cooler than the OEM) and the factory verifies what I see and say it's completely normal. And because it's so cold, it runs less 🙂

The story is that NORCOLD was invited into the research of Helium development and declined. No suprise as that would be a technical admission of guilt for there multiple lawsuits.

THAT is a replacement cooling unit not a production line Absorption Fridge.....like Atwood R&D and produced until Dometic bought out Atwood then that production line was shutdown.
Dometic has all of the R&D but made a business decision to not continue helium fridge production.

Aftermarket cooling replacement cooling units are available ---helium or hydrogen. Just not from Norcold or Dometic

Norcold was also invited to have their fridge 'evaluated' along side Dometic and an Atwood (helium) by independent test facility.
Norcold declined that also.

[SCVJeff]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
No more helium.......
Atwood made them got bought up by Dometic and then Dometic dropped production of the helium units

Yeah there is, just not by Dometic. I just installed a Helium unit on my 1200 and it is WAY colder than the OEM.

I talked to the factory about something else and the conversation swayed to Dometic. They said Dometic tried to run Helium in the Ammonia assembly (so they could save money and not retool) and ran into all kinds of issues before dropping it... Because they were cheap. The big one was extreme startup temp because Helium is harder to get moving. Pines Refrigeration (sold through David Force) started from scratch and built it to get the fluid moving way sooner. I have an ARP installed and see that my startup temps are higher than the OEM but they drop very quickly as soon as the fluids start to perk (and runs cooler than the OEM) and the factory verifies what I see and say it's completely normal. And because it's so cold, it runs less 🙂

The story is that NORCOLD was invited into the research of Helium development and declined. No suprise as that would be a technical admission of guilt for there multiple lawsuits.

[monkey44]

time2roll wrote:
I thought the industry is headed to compressor refrigerators.

That would surely suck for boon-docking 😞

I'd imagine a 12v compressor would use a lot of battery.

[time2roll]

I thought the industry is headed to compressor refrigerators.

[Ivylog]

A 21 cuft refer uses less power than a 100W bulb and two batteries will run it 24 hours before recharge. The days of absorption refer's in RVs are numbered even if you dry camp. Why would you double the trouble?

[GoPackGo]

Two separate fridges means two separate (duplicate) systems. Two propane systems, two 12 volt and two 110 volt electrical systems and two refrigeration gas systems.

This does not seem very efficient and goes against my philosophy that whatever is simplest is usually best. Think I will stick with my 4-door fridge.

[Old-Biscuit]

No more helium.......
Atwood made them got bought up by Dometic and then Dometic dropped production of the helium units

[Tiger4x4RV]

Safari Condo, built in Canada, has a Class B with two smaller refrigeration units side by side under the galley counter. Great idea! I suppose you could use just one or make one a refrigerator and one a freezer.

I've also seen some tiny house designs with that sort of setup. Home Depot sells the 110V refrigerator they use. Can't remember...Igloo?

[Calicajun]

We spent three days at the LA RV show and saw units with both 4 door and two separate frigs.
Seems if we can think of something it is already out there for us.

[Sandia_Man]

Although I don't recall the manufacturer, I have seen a flooplan where instead of a single large 4 door fridge they indeed put 2 separate double door fridges side by side, oddly enough it was on a TT to boot. No helium, just standard RV absorption type. That would be a call for my DW to make, but I can see some advantages to such a configuration.