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BillFX's avatar
BillFX
Explorer
Aug 11, 2017

Desert Use Refrigerators. Which Is Best?

We've had 3 RV's and #3 is having issues with with the fridge part keeping temps lower than 50 degrees. The original refer in this RV leaked out its liquid and before that it worked fine in the summer desert heat, plus the other 2 RV's cooled in the desert summer. The replacement cooling unit is from Arcticold. As a matter of fact this is the 2nd replacement from Arcticold as the first one barely cooled! It took 6 months to get the 2nd replacement from Arcticold (but don't let me get started on their customer care!!).
What do you all think is the best 2way refrigerator for summer desert heat?
  • MrWizard's avatar
    MrWizard
    Moderator
    Aug 11, 2017
    do you have shore power ?

    if yes , then get a 120v residential fridge

    if NO, then get an off grid 12v compressor fridge (not a deep cold chest freezer)

    they run on about 50w of power 4amps of 12v , no inverter
    some batteries and some solar

    i'm off grid, i have a residential fridge, batteries and solar
    it works, food stays cold
    but my NEXT fridge change will be a 12v compressor model
    whenever that happens
    Dometic has a couple of models, so does Snow Cold, look at OFF grid solar fridge options
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Aug 11, 2017
    Two or Three way there areally are only two choicoes Norcold or Dometic

    Amish Built however is considered by many to be the best replacement COOLING UNIT and they make 'em for both flavors

    1,2,3 way has nothing to do with the cooling unit.... That has to do with how they make thigns hot. YES HOT. Absorption cooling units run on HEAT.
  • marcsbigfoot20b's avatar
    marcsbigfoot20b
    Explorer
    Aug 11, 2017
    I dont have any problem with 115 degrees here in Phoenix. Starting with ambient of 110 and inside of 90, my fridge section reaches 39 within about 6 hours or less, then 2 more hours to 32 or so.

    Dometic RM2652 with Dino pcb, adjustable thermister module, condensor fans, inside fridge fans, and Amish cooling unit.

    Only time I have problems is driving too fast and blowing out the flame for too long till it errors out.
  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    Aug 11, 2017
    Nothing exists off-the-shelf. Period.
    Greeting from 108°F at the moment.
    The freon ultra high efficiency 18 CF I purchased last week exhibits an 80/20 duty cycle. Inside temps 4°F and 39°F.

    This is inside a stick n brick. Tomorrow the unit gets clad in 1" of rigid foam. An absorbsion unit wouldn't stand a chance here. School of Hard Knocks. After cladding temp will be dropped to 35°F.

    But these are genuine hot climate extremes. Maybe your "desert" isn't as extreme.
  • SoundGuy's avatar
    SoundGuy
    Explorer
    Aug 11, 2017
    BillFX wrote:
    What do you all think is the best 2way refrigerator for summer desert heat?


    Since "desert" suggests full time exposure to the sun some might suggest you ditch the gas absorption fridge entirely and replace it with a compressor fridge which you'd power with an inverter fed by a suitably sized battery bank that in turn would be maintained by a solar system mounted on the roof of your rig. ;)

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