Can I replace my dead RV refrigerator with a standard refrigerator?

[DLineberrys]

We believe our RV refrigerator is most likely dead. The boiler is working but the absorbtion coils and tank are cold - they should be hot. The refrigerator has quit cooling. There is yellow powder on the base of the boiler which from what I have been reading, is a sure sign that the refrigerator must be replaced because the chemical is leaking out. We full-time. We found a Magic Chef 10 Cu. Ft. Compact Two Door Refrigerator at the Home Depot for $339. 00 which sure beats paying over $1500. 00 for a new RV refrigerator. Our dry camping amounts to about 1-5% of our total camping per year. We have a generator we can use as long as they are allowed. Does anyone know of any drawbacks to using a standard refrigerator besides not have gas available when your not hooked up? We have heard all kinds of things such as the frequent unplugging of a standard unit damages it... . and that they cannot endure travel and thus break down too. Do any of you use a standard refrigerator in your RV? Any feedback on this would be great. We are on ICE right now and have to make a decision ASAP.

 

[Skydiver]

The only time I run my refrige on gas is when traveling or when I am plugged into a 20 amp service and need the air to run. A 20 amp service is very limited. Such as when I go to a friends house or the hunting camp. To save on generator wear I feel sure you could run the 110 unit on an inverter while moving. Just be sure to switch over when the engine is shut down.

I have started our large home refrige with my 800/1600 inverter from sportsmanguide.com. Around $80. I was only testing the inverter to see if it would run my home refrige.

It would be a good idea to leave the 110 volt refrige off for 3 minutes to allow the refrigerant pressure to equalize before restarting.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Someone posted on this site a few years ago about installing a residential type fridge in their 5th wheel. You might try a search.



This is what I'll replace the slow cooling, tempermental absorption type fridge with when my original fridge quits. It's not if it fails, just when...



DE-0061/EV-0061



It's not a residential fridge nor as inexpensive as a residential unit, but will easily run on solar power/battery bank, if necessary and no inverter is required. No leveling the RV hassles either.



Bill

 

[kenny61]

I put a small college style refrig in my boat to replace the stock ice box. I ran it off my inverter. I used it for 4 or 5 years and it never broke. It was still running when I got rid of the boat. It survived numerous 30 mph runs thru 1-2 foot chop which pounded the whole boat pretty hard and probably equalled hitting 5,000 large pot holes. The only thing i did was put a strap around it to keep the door from opening. I think it was a magic chef unit. The only problem I think you will have is that it will take up extra space and be kind of red necky. On camping trips before I got my trailer I would throw it in the back of my truck and run it off an inverter came in handy to keep the meat from foating in ice water.

 

[AMink]

If your fridge is a Dometic of certain years and serial numbers, there has been a recall. Check the Dometic site if that's what you have; you might be included. I remember it saying something about yellowish something or other, I think. Mine IS in the recall. I just need to get it checked.

 

[Skydiver]

Giid idea AMink! I also now remember the recall.

 

[jelag]

What I'd do is find the wattage that the AC fridge draws... Lets assume for a minute that the draw is 6 amps. . If you use ohms law, 6*120=720 watts... (6amps*120volts=720watts) 720watts/14volts=51amps... your vehicle will have to supply close to 55 amps of service whenever the fridge is running... . across and inverter there is less than 1-2% loss but you'll need a short 8 gauge wire or long 6 gauge wire to supply the inverter.

I'd guess that your pickup has an extra 55 amps to spare when needed when your driving down the road... but lets say you have a 100 amp hour battery in your trailer... that battery will supply 100 amps for one hour, or 50 amps for 2 hours, or 20 amps for 5 hours... I'm sure you get the picture. . so dry camping would be out...

Also remember, unlike a propane powered fridge the AC powered unit won't run all the time... . I'm guessing it will run 30% of the time... .

Hope this helps. .

 

[DLineberrys]

Our current unit is a Norcold 9182. Our father-in-law like to go sailing and one time we did rent a boat to go to Bimini. The refrigerator unit was a 110 and ran. That is surviving ocean chop and likely rental abuse. The inverter idea is a good one - had not considered it for dry camping in NPs between generator time.

 

[DLineberrys]

We really are not worried about power during a pull. We turn off our RV refrigerator anyway because we don't want to be on fire if something should happen - we have seen it. The refrigerator usually does fine. We aren't long haulers anyway. The Magic Chef actually pulls less amps than the RV refrigerator. Only 1. 86 compared to 2. 75 on electric which is less of a draw than our RV refrigerator on electric when we are on our generator.

 

[B.G. Smith]

I replaced the refrig in an older Airstream I had with an electric, found one that matched the hole pretty well. Thats probably been nearly ten years ago. Only problem I had was the thermostat failed wich had nothing to do with what it was mounted in. I only pulled it about 60 miles twice a year, recently sold the trailer and the refrig is still fine. Also if you will go to a good search engine and look for absorption refrigerators or gas refrigerators you will find that you can get a rebuilt unit for less than half the price of a new unit, most come from Canada I believe. bg

 

[DLineberrys]

Thanks for helping everyone - just got back..... had to break camp cause we could not get an extension. I have checked the Thetford/Norcold site for recalls. Our model is not listed, although there are models listed which have our problem. No cigar there. I am still looking into switching out for the Magic Chef. Our neighbor in the park we just came from helped someone put that exact model in an RV and it turned out great. The dimensions are a perfect trade for our RV frig. I will get back to you... . still open to your input!

 

[Road Dog]

This is what I'll replace the slow cooling, tempermental absorption type fridge with when my original fridge quits. It's not if it fails, just when...



DE-0061/EV-0061

I looked at that fridge but I'd like to know what the daily power consumption is. It draws 3A when running but what's the daily amp-hours? Or to put it another way; how many hours/days on a regular 80 amp-hour battery?

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I looked at that fridge but I'd like to know what the daily power consumption is. It draws 3A when running but what's the daily amp-hours? Or to put it another way; how many hours/days on a regular 80 amp-hour battery?

In most devices of this type, it's not so much the RUNNING amp draw, as it is the STARTING amp draw - I'd bet a refrigerator motor that only draws 3 amps while running, could easily provide a momentary amp hit well over *10 amps* at startup, and trip out an inverter not rated high enough to cover the surge...

 

[Allnew2Me]

If you have decent batteries, get an Engel fridge/freezer. It runs on 12 volts, uses at most 2. 5A when used as a freezer but much less as a fridge, less than 1A. It will keep anything frozen in 100 degree heat. They are not cheap like anything of quality but work amazingly well. I have a 35QT that I use for camping and the 15QT for day trips and have run them for two days without killing the battery in my truck or my wife's van. Very efficient, no startup surge, one moving part. Don't confuse these with the cheap battery fridges you see at Target. They will kill a battery in a few hours. This is a real compressor-driven fridge. Check out this site for info. Very popular with the expedition-travel crowd and proven to last 25 years. Beer never tasted so good!



ENGEL-USA Home Page.
Portable AC/DC 12Volt compressor Freezers & Refrigerators - from the worlds leading manufacturer...

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

If you have decent batteries, get an Engel fridge/freezer. It runs on 12 volts, uses at most 2. 5A when used as a freezer but much less as a fridge, less than 1A. It will keep anything frozen in 100 degree heat. They are not cheap like anything of quality but work amazingly well. I have a 35QT that I use for camping and the 15QT for day trips and have run them for two days without killing the battery in my truck or my wife's van. Very efficient, no startup surge, one moving part. Don't confuse these with the cheap battery fridges you see at Target. They will kill a battery in a few hours. This is a real compressor-driven fridge. Check out this site for info. Very popular with the expedition-travel crowd and proven to last 25 years. Beer never tasted so good!



ENGEL-USA Home Page. * Portable AC/DC 12Volt compressor Freezers & Refrigerators - from the worlds leading manufacturer...

Pretty neat concept - they use a pulsating solenoid, instead of a motor to operate the plunger/piston to move the refrigerant!

 

[Road Dog]

That's a nice unit. According to their data, at 25C outside and 0C inside an MT60 (2 cu ft) draw 0. 7 Ah on average. That's almost 5 days on an 80 Ah battery.

 

[jelag]

I have 2 Engel's that I use... . and their both great... but both of them together is not enough space...

 

[DLineberrys]

Well we went out tonight and bought the Magic Chef 10 cu ft at Home Depot. From what I have learned so far, the main thing is keeping proper ventilation. We are not going to install a battery bank/inverter. Once we get the Norcold out, we will have a better idea of the clearances we have to work with. Will get back to you on progress. Any suggestions would still be great appreciated.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I have 2 Engel's that I use... . and their both great... but both of them together is not enough space...

Are those units pretty quiet with that type of refrigerant compressor?

 

[Nigel]

Do a search for RV Fridge rebuilding. I think you can get a rebuilt cooler unit for about $500 delivered and do the install yourself.



Nigel