Dometic portable fridge/freezer

[obiwancanoli]

I just purchased a Dometic portable fridge/freezer on sale for $250 less than normal, a Memorial Day sale. Wondered who’s had experience with these, and appreciate your feedback. As I’m heading out on a month-long vacation, it won’t be for at least another 30 days before I can test it, and if not satisfied, will return it. For now, this seems an ideal piece of equipment to add to the Class A to allow for extra storage when boondocking...

Please comment if you have experience with this brand, and the 75DZ model, Dual Zone - thanks!

[jaycocreek]

Dometic CFX coolers are the Cadillac of portable compressor refer/freezers with all the bells and whistles..Dometic/Engel and ARB are the choices of the overlanders and off grid users that need a tough reliable refer/freezer that doesn't use to much power..

The compressor is the key as well as insulation for them to use less power and last longer..Dometic used to use Danfoss compressors and Engels use a Sawafuji Swing Motor which is made in Japan...Dometic now uses their own VMSO3 compressor which there engineers say there goal is 1 amp hour per hour or 24 amp hours a day..

I have two portable compressor single zone cooler,an Engel and a Iceco 3-1 icooler(Danfoss compressor) that looks like a Yetti with a danfoss compressor..lol..The Engel is by far the better for power usage..I am testing the Danfoss model now..

Enjoy your new Dometic 75DZ and remember,freeze mode uses almost double the power as refer mode..Tons of video's on youtube showing the actual consumption of most compressor fridges..

[obiwancanoli]

Ok, the 75DZ is doing great, and the sliding tray I ordered just arrived today. Need to install the tray, but nothing came with it, so got to get over to Home Depot for the right screws. I assume the flooring in the bay is wood, and not especially thick... maybe 3/4"... but should I also include lock washers?

[obiwancanoli]

Well, after having the unit plugged in for 3 days, it has easily maintained the 5 degree temp I set for both sides/zones. While only put frozen food in one side, I wanted to see how both would do. Yes, I can turn off one side or the other, but it looks like this one's gonna make me glad I picked it up... on sale!

[Almot]

Dual zone is definitely more convenient than a single zone. When freezer bin is empty, you can set the freezer bin to the same 4F and remove the divider between the fridge and freezer bin (at least, In Alpicool I can remove it). Yes, 200W solar will run 50L box indefinitely - including the freezer bin, if most days are sunny. Otherwise it's 2 AH per hour, so running it off the starter battery for a few hours is no big deal, but don't do it all day.

[obiwancanoli]

mr_andyj wrote:
Its the greatest thing ever!


The only issue is where to locate the chest as your RV is made for a front-opening fridge, not a top-opening...

Actually, the plan was to store in in one of the storage bays, AFTER I install a sliding tray to house it There's a plug on the wall behind where it will sit.

[mr_andyj]

Its the greatest thing ever!

Do not return it.

Run it for a few days just to make sure it is not defective, but otherwise it is perfect.

You are asking on an RV forum, you should instead ask "overlanders". RVers typically have the absorption fridges in their campers so they will tell you how great those are having never owned or used a compressor fridge.

The dual zone is so much better than the single zones, for me anyway. Having a freezer is very important for long trips, and having a big freezer like you do is way better than those small ones.

These use very little DC power and can run off your car for an afternoon without draining the starting battery, but don't do this, you need to give it its own power source. When used with at least 200 watts of solar and a couple of deep cycle batteries , or lithium power source, you have off-grid endless refrigeration.

I have the 200 solar and two GC batteries (5 yrs old now) and this seems minimal for keeping fridge and freezer going with little other power draws on camper. I wish I had 300-400w solar now. Next batteries will be lithium power source. By morning Im below 12 volts, but during the day in the sun the batts stay at 13.8 from the solar. Not running the freezer uses a LOT less power, so as soon as the freezer is empty it gets turned off, leaving only the fridge side on.

The only issue is where to locate the chest as your RV is made for a front-opening fridge, not a top-opening...

* for those browsing here, know that not all dual-zone brands/models are able to just turn one side off, or alternate fridge/freezer duties. Read the details. I specifically bought one that I can turn off one side / do anything with either side I need to. Not all fridges at the time could do this

[Almot]

dieseltruckdriver wrote:
We just bought one of these based on a review from Haylett RVs Youtube review.
We bought it to haul some meat across the state, and right now we are testing it as a beer cooler.
After 1 week, we like it.

These Chinese boxes come under several different names, all looking alike: Alpicool, Bodega, Costway etc: Alpicool. Almost like yours, isn't it...

All have so-so efficiency, poor insulation, the hollow lid is particularly bad, I had to add insulation on it. Some have LG compressor, those are quieter but I doubt they are more efficient.

I have a 50L dual-zone Alpicool. 45 AH per 24 hours in dual mode, with both freezer and fridge bins at their respective temps. 60 AH when it's really hot, at 90+ it's drawing 4-5A, cycling almost nonstop. People are raving about how energy-efficient are their $$$ units from Dometic, Arb and Engel, 5 days on a single 100AH Li battery, but when you need to freeze, the draw increases 2-fold. Can't trick the thermodynamics laws.

[cptqueeg]

My buddy raves about his. It's in a FWC TC shell model.

[cptqueeg]

dp

[dieseltruckdriv]

We just bought one of these based on a review from Haylett RVs Youtube review.
We bought it to haul some meat across the state, and right now we are testing it as a beer cooler.
After 1 week, we like it.

[Almot]

obiwancanoli wrote:
One of my concerns here is how much power it may draw if left powered by the SUV's battery system... from what I can surmise, it doesn't draw a lot of juice, but of course, I don't want to drain the SUV battery either.. any thoughts out there as to the workability of my plan?

Forget using your SUV starter battery. You need a separate and rather big battery for this. They draw A LOT of juice. I don't know how people measured 2W (??), this is too low even for a 28L single-zone unit. My 50L dual-zone unit by another brand, with freezer 4F and fridge 40F draws 30-50W. On a standby - no cycling - it draws 2W, yes.

What's the worst is that it runs 70% cycle with the end-result 45-50 AH per 24 hours at ambient 77-85. In a single-zone mode, no freezing, the entire box at 4F, 50L box should draw 20-25 AH per 24 hours. Maybe 20 AH for a smaller box. You need 100 AH deep cycle AGM or flooded battery to last you 2 days, for cooling only, no freezing. Or 50-70 AH Lithium.

[Moderator]

Moved from Lifestyle

[obiwancanoli]

I'm planning to install a sliding tray for the pass-thru to hold the fridge/freezer, as there's a plug in there I can tap into, and it would be convenient to have it stored in the RV... but, until I do that, I'm probably going to put it in the back of my SUV, as I've got a 12V plug I can run it off there, too.

One of my concerns here is how much power it may draw if left powered by the SUV's battery system... from what I can surmise, it doesn't draw a lot of juice, but of course, I don't want to drain the SUV battery either.. any thoughts out there as to the workability of my plan?

[ReneeG]

How ironic. We just purchased the Dometic CFX28, dual zone, primarily to use either tent or popup trailer camping as we have both including a fifth wheel (but may use it while FW camping depending on the need). We haven't taken a trip yet with it, but hubby meticulously researches before he buys and he liked this one. As a test, we plugged it in to our Jackery Explorer 1000. It draws 2w's and we've been running it now about 18 hours and the Jackery is at 85% power.