Residential RV Refrigerators

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I was under the impression that a "residential" refrigerator was simply one that is compressor-driven, as opposed to the absorption-type. Whether 12v or 120v, if it has a compressor it's "residential". Am I wrong? Does it have to be 120v to qualify as residential?

As a practical matter in these discussions, "residential" is 120v compressor driven. Hardly anybody has a 12vdc house, though I'm sure someone will come up with some examples (e.g. an offigrid home). A 12v compressor fridge would likely be termed "marine", though that's not strictly true either. And an absorption fridge is typically called an "RV fridge", and that's obviously not 100% accurate either.

Casual use terms are rarely perfect.

 

[Tulecreeper]

As a practical matter in these discussions, "residential" is 120v compressor driven. Hardly anybody has a 12vdc house, though I'm sure someone will come up with some examples (e.g. an offigrid home). A 12v compressor fridge would likely be termed "marine", though that's not strictly true either. And an absorption fridge is typically called an "RV fridge", and that's obviously not 100% accurate either.

Casual use terms are rarely perfect.

Thank you. I'm just trying to hammer out what the definition of a "residential" fridge is. To me, it just means "compressor-driven". How the compressor is powered is secondary...to me.

 

[Lou Schneider]

Thank you. I'm just trying to hammer out what the definition of a "residential" fridge is. To me, it just means "compressor-driven". How the compressor is powered is secondary...to me.

Most 12 volt compressor refrigerators retain the RV mounting flanges and bolt right into the RV cabinet. A residential fridge just sits on the floor and has to be adapted to fit in an RV fridge cutout.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Most 12 volt compressor refrigerators retain the RV mounting flanges and just bolt into the RV cabinet. A residential fridge just sits on the floor and has to be adapted to fit in an RV fridge cutout.

Many moons ago, when I was full-timing in my TT, my 8/cu-ft absorption fridge went out; $1100 for a new one. Nope, so I measured very closely, then went to a local appliance store and bought a small apartment-sized one that was a hair larger. The only modification I had to make was to remove the trim around the front hole, then cut away about 1/2" of paneling on the front of the cabinet so I could fit it in the hole, then put the trim back. I did mount brackets to the bottom and secure it to the deck for traveling.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I did mount brackets to the bottom and secure it to the deck for traveling.

I think that is the difference Lou is referring to. Any other necessary cabinet work is size & shape related, but residential fridges are near-always designed to be floor standing rather than "bolted in". Not a big deal in most cases, but a difference.

 

[Lou Schneider]

Many moons ago, when I was full-timing in my TT, my 8/cu-ft absorption fridge went out; $1100 for a new one. Nope, so I measured very closely, then went to a local appliance store and bought a small apartment-sized one that was a hair larger. The only modification I had to make was to remove the trim around the front hole, then cut away about 1/2" of paneling on the front of the cabinet so I could fit it in the hole, then put the trim back. I did mount brackets to the bottom and secure it to the deck for traveling.

I did the same thing back in 2000 when I was full timing in my Arctic Fox TT. 4 golf cart batteries and an inverter would run everything for a couple of days before I had to plug in or break out the generator and recharge them. I did it again in my Sunnybrook trailer about a month before I upgraded to the DRV. Which also has a 10 cu ft apartment fridge in place of the original one.

 

[John From Detroit]

Many moons ago, when I was full-timing in my TT, my 8/cu-ft absorption fridge went out; $1100 for a new one. Nope, so I measured very closely, then went to a local appliance store and bought a small apartment-sized one that was a hair larger. The only modification I had to make was to remove the trim around the front hole, then cut away about 1/2" of paneling on the front of the cabinet so I could fit it in the hole, then put the trim back. I did mount brackets to the bottom and secure it to the deck for traveling.

Another difference is that the residential units are often "locked" till they are delivered and then a bolt or two is taken out and disposed of so the compressor can vibrate around a bit as it operates.
Since it's not bouncing down Pothole or washboard lane this is no problem.

But in an RV.. I've not yet heard of a problem with that... but I'd assume and RV unit they take that into consideration during the design phase.

 

[Cameodon]

I was under the impression that a "residential" refrigerator was simply one that is compressor-driven, as opposed to the absorption-type. Whether 12v or 120v, if it has a compressor it's "residential". Am I wrong? Does it have to be 120v to qualify as residential?

For whatever it's worth. I just double checked on the size. I have a 2021 Crossroads Cameo 3201RL 5th wheel. It has a 20 cu ft. Furrion residential fridge, runs on 120v ONLY. It is plugged into a 120 v line that feeds the fridge and 50" T.V. This 120v circuit feed off the inverter that WAS fed originally by two 85 Amp/hr deep cycle wet cell batteries from the factory. So naturally when someone says "residential Fridge" I think of a 120V fridge.
Soon after we bought the unit I tried the fridge, NO shore power, batteries only. The fridge was empty, it ran 23 hrs.As I have said before it probably would of run 2-3 hrs or more had IT BEEN FULL.