Electric Only Refrigerators???

[Mark_K5LXP]

Not sure what that low temp would be but it would seem a self solving problem, if it's that cold then what do you need the fridge for. Put your stuff in an outside compartment and no power required. Probably a bigger problem is when ambient is right around the temp of the refrigerator, then the fridge will never cycle and the freezer will thaw out. That applies to compressor and absorption both.

I've read in more than one place you're money ahead to replace an old working refrigerator with a new one based on the reduced energy needed by the newer units. I have a fridge in my utility room with a manufacture date of 1987 so I put my kill-a-watt meter on it for a month, and that shows it used about $5 worth of electricity. Seems if a new one was even twice as efficient it'd have to run at least as long as this one has to pay for itself, so it seems that suggestion is more about selling new refrigerators.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Lou Schneider]

I like compressor based refrigerators. No worries about running them off level, their refrigerant is non-flammable so you dont have to worry about refrigerator fires and they continue to cool well in hot weather. I put an apartment size 120 volt refrigerator in my Arctic Fox trailer 20 years ago and a pair of golf cart batteries would run it and my other needs over a weekend. Given the performance of today's lithium batteries I'll likely replace my present absorption fridge with a compressor model when it gives out - the price difference between a home refrigerator vs. a comparable absorption RV fridge would likely cover the batteries and solar equipment required to make the electric fridge self sustaining.

 

[DonTom]

I like compressor based refrigerators.

They do have some advantages, in some rare cases, but not so much in reality in the modern RV world. Off-level? Press a button an make it level. Too cold, too warm, well my 12CF Norcold has a ten-range push-button switch for that, but it stays fine at "6" as it is set right now.

I will check it right now.

My Freezer gauge says it is at +5F, the refrigerator is at 33F. I just now changed it to a "5" so stuff doesn't freeze in the refrigerator and my ice cream will be less hard. So now it's right in the middle of its range setting.

-Don- Lordsburg, NM

 

[Lou Schneider]

They do have some advantages, in some rare cases, but not so much in reality in the modern RV world. Off-level? Press a button an make it level. Too cold, too warm, well my 12CF Norcold has a ten-range push-button switch for that, but it stays fine at "6" as it is set right now.

I will check it right now.

My Freezer gauge says it is at +5F, the refrigerator is at 33F. I just now changed it to a "5" so stuff doesn't freeze in the refrigerator and my ice cream will be less hard. So now it's right in the middle of its range setting.

-Don- Lordsburg, NM

Park for lunch or to sight see in an off-level parking space and you can damage an RV refrigerator. There are many reports of fridges (particularly those in slideouts) giving up in temperatures above 95 degrees or so. In the summer I have to put a fan blowing air up the back of my refrigerator to keep it working properly. Neither of these are a problem with a compressor driven refrigerator.

 

[DonTom]

Park for lunch or to sight see in an off-level parking space and you can damage an RV refrigerator.

If I were to do that, I would simply turn off the refrigerator for a short while. Or in this RV, press a button to level it.

In all my years of RVing, this has never been an issue. Not even in my older Y2K RV.

But I would find the extra current draw to be an issue at times
when boondocked.

-Don- Lordsburg, NM

 

[NY_Dutch]

I like compressor based refrigerators. No worries about running them off level, their refrigerant is non-flammable so you dont have to worry about refrigerator fires and they continue to cool well in hot weather. I put an apartment size 120 volt refrigerator in my Arctic Fox trailer 20 years ago and a pair of golf cart batteries would run it and my other needs over a weekend. Given the performance of today's lithium batteries I'll likely replace my present absorption fridge with a compressor model when it gives out - the price difference between a home refrigerator vs. a comparable absorption RV fridge would likely cover the batteries and solar equipment required to make the electric fridge self sustaining.

Just to clear up one point, many newer residential fridges are using R600a refrigerant, a highly flammable iso-butane hydrocarbon, in order to meet the lower global warming regulations taking effect this month. R600a is HFC free...

 

[COCJ]

I have never had any problems with absorption refrigerators in any of the four Lance Campers that I have owned. And I am not afraid to haul around two 20# tanks of propane. As I said in my original post, we do a lot of off-grid boondocking. We have camped at 10,000 ft and -10 degrees. I am not interested in spending money on a Lithium battery system or running my generator every day to power an electric only refrigerator. I have not seen a Class C motor home in my price range ($150,000 or less) that even offered a Lithium battery system. In my mind, motorhomes with electric only refrigerators are for people who only stay in campgrounds with hookups - that's not for us. I guess that I will keep looking or maybe just keep my Lance truck camper. Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[Kirk]

Just to clear up one point, many newer residential fridges are using R600a refrigerant, a highly flammable iso-butane hydrocarbon, in order to meet the lower global warming regulations taking effect this month. R600a is HFC free...

The Danfos compressor that is the basis of most of the 12V compressor refrigerators that I have found uses A1-class refrigerants: R448A, R449A, R513A, R452A which are not flammable. At least that is what Danfos company says.

 

[JayArr]

It's seems to be a trade off, if you want the green non-HFC refrigerant you get a propane or butane based mixture that is highly flammable. If you want a non flammable safe refrigerant you get a CFC based mixture that is not eco friendly.

Pick your poison I guess.