Gas or Electric (residential) Refrigerator?

[DryCamper11]

Six months ago we were in a head on accident that destroyed our RV and despite still being shell shocked we're now considering having a new one built to our specs.

The last 3 trips in the old Beast had multiple 3-4 week boondocking periods (no connections of any type) and the new coach needs to allow us to do the same.

The wife firmly wants the same old propane fridge we used for years, but everyone seems to be buying residential fridges today. Is it practical to boondock for 3-4 weeks with a residential R in New England/Canada?

Obviously 8 6 volts minimum, possibly 12, but initially we'd have no solar and rely on gen and inverter. We'll have 180 A of DC charging capability. Later we'll travel to the high sun lands of the Southwest, and probably add solar then.

I've read lots of comments, but I've had the smartest advice from this forum. I'll admit I also lean towards propane, as I've had good luck over the last 45 years using it, but I've read of many with problems, and those selling the coach seem kind of shocked we're putting a propane R in this type of coach.

Comments welcome.

[Almot]

Yes Mr Wiz, Nova Kool are more reasonably priced (and sized). I've been eyeing their 6 cu.ft built-in 2-door model but decided not to.

[pnichols]

I'd like this refrigerator in an ultimate RV - have your cake and eat it too 🙂 : http://www.motorhome.com/rv-travel-news/its-a-bird-its-a-plane/

[MrWizard]

15cf $1900

Nova Kool 15CF DC fridge

More Models

[Almot]

Harvey51 wrote:

15 KWH/ month is half a KWh per day, so a 100 watts of solar collector could run it.

I doubt that flat 100W will run that Sunfrost 16 in most scenarios. This fridge alone would require about 180W in summer.

Harvey51 wrote:

I don't see any prices for these fridges.

Because shops don't want to carry them, there is no demand at these prices 🙂

It's all about the fridge interior volume and insulation - the smaller the volume and the thicker the walls, the less energy it draws. Sunfrost RF16 has thick walls, rather bulky outside for its 10 cu.ft total volume, and in the end it saves ~15-20 AH a day over a same capacity 120V fridge. I don't know where Sunfrost Co. got th number 75 KWH a month for an "average fridge" (while their RF16 draws 15 KWH). Average 120V fridge of this size - unless made 30 years ago - draws 30 KWH a month, make it 35 KWH with inverter loss. With extra 2" of insulation to make it same bulky as RF16 there will hardly be any energy difference worth talking about (other than 5 times the cost).

[MrWizard]

sun frost price list

google sun frost fridge and you can come up with a bunch of links

[Harvey51]

Thanks for the DC compressor RV fridge idea, Mr Wizard. This one claims much lower energy needs due to better insulation, no DC to AC conversion and a design that lets heat escape easily.

The SUN FROST RF16 typically consumes 15 KWH per month. By contrast, the average refrigerator in a home consumes 75 KWH per month. Producing the 75 KWH needed to run this refrigerator in an off-grid solar power system would require an initial investment of at least $4,500 in hardware. The SUN FROST would require a $500 investment.

http://www.sunfrost.com/all_efficient_refrigerator_models.html

15 KWH/ month is half a KWh per day, so a 100 watts of solar collector could run it. A battery with usable 50 Amp-hrs stores 50x12=600 watt hours or 0.6 kWh, enough to operate the fridge for a day.

I don't see any prices for these fridges.

[DryCamper11]

MrWizard wrote:
slide works , IF it is baffled correctly has fans, and NO dead air space above the fridge to trap hot air

some RV mfg, get it ride, and a it seems a lot more get it wrong

I've read the manufacturer's installation instructions a few times, and we need to check if the installation will be correct. I believe it will, but "trust, then verify." We've always had a roof mounted fridge vent and have been very happy with a propane fridge, but it's never needed any kind of fan to work well. The propane models available now all seem to need a fan, which surprises me a bit.

Is it general consensus now that the spate of fires has been mostly solved with the current fridge designs?

[Kayteg1]

But look at it from positive side >>> at least no worry about roof leak around fridge chimney.

[MrWizard]

slide works , IF it is baffled correctly has fans, and NO dead air space above the fridge to trap hot air

some RV mfg, get it RIGHT, and a it seems a lot more get it wrong

[Kayteg1]

Our neighbor in the park has fridge in slide.
It has venting louvers high on the wall.
Don't think fridge cares if the air flow exits via top or side vents.

[DryCamper11]

We're going up from our earlier 8 cu. ft. to either 10 or 12 cu. ft. The wife leans towards the 10 cf 2 door propane and thinks it will be fine. She likes the extra 1 cu. ft. freezer dpace in the 4 door, but we can't get it without an icemaker (although I think I can remove it from reading the manual). I'm leaning the same way as I think it would eventually be easier to replace coils with Amish unit in a 2 door.

The refer in the new coach has to be installed in a slide, which concerns me. Our previous 40 troublefree years of propane fridge experience have all had a roof mounted vent, and not in a slide.

[John___Angela]

pnichols wrote:

John & Angela wrote:
Sucks though, because they all pale in comparison to compressor fridges.

How so? :h Our propane refrigerator has been pretty much flawless and reliable for 10 years.

I wonder if many RV builders haven't installed propane refrigerators really quite right? For instance, there's such things as installing them with their ventilation flue being vertical straight up and users keeping their water drain tube clear of insects and debris. I also wonder how well a propane refrigerator would do when it's installed in a slide that is not always extended?

BTW, some remote cabins have had a full size propane refrigerator in them for decades ... I stayed in one last summer and it did just fine.

As usual, quality of design and construction is everything in an RV.

Agreed. I think slide installs can be iffy. Not enough air movement. But aside from that, generally speaking the propane fridges take a long time to cool down, need to be level, and are considerably smaller for the same whole. We went from a 12 norcold to a 21 foot whirlpool when we did the change. For us it was a huge improvement and didn't affect our dry camping. But like I said, diifferent folks have different needs. You have found the right solution. We have found ours. JMHO.

Safe trails.

[Stefonius]

pnichols wrote:

John & Angela wrote:
Sucks though, because they all pale in comparison to compressor fridges.

How so? :h Our propane refrigerator has been pretty much flawless and reliable for 10 years.

I wonder if many RV builders haven't installed propane refrigerators really quite right? For instance, there's such things as installing them with their ventilation flue being vertical straight up and users keeping their water drain tube clear of insects and debris. I also wonder how well a propane refrigerator would do when it's installed in a slide that is not always extended?

BTW, some remote cabins have had a full size propane refrigerator in them for decades ... I stayed in one last summer and it did just fine.

As usual, quality of design and construction is everything in an RV.

I think PNichols has a valid point. My RV's fridge is installed pretty badly according to the guidelines published in Dometic's installation manual.

[pnichols]

John & Angela wrote:
Sucks though, because they all pale in comparison to compressor fridges.

How so? :h Our propane refrigerator has been pretty much flawless and reliable for 10 years.

I wonder if many RV builders haven't installed propane refrigerators really quite right? For instance, there's such things as installing them with their ventilation flue being vertical straight up and users keeping their water drain tube clear of insects and debris. I also wonder how well a propane refrigerator would do when it's installed in a slide that is not always extended?

BTW, some remote cabins have had a full size propane refrigerator in them for decades ... I stayed in one last summer and it did just fine.

As usual, quality of design and construction is everything in an RV.