RV Refregerators

[JohnEd]

http://www.gasrefrigeration.net/findus.htm


Here is a site that takes you thru all the theory of operation with great color coded diagrams and explains it in layman's terms.  Seemingly all the info you need to know.  Half price reconditioned/re-manufactured units that are warrantied.  There are others that offer a longer warranty.  Investigate.

For those enquiring minds and those, like me,  that are nauseated by the replacement costs of a Dometic.

Good news here.

John

[FloridaCliff]

JohnEd,

Tis the invisible sight?

A link please..........LOL

[JohnEd]

Cliff,

Sorry, I updated it.  My bad.

John

[Dreamscape]

Good information John,

Almost makes me wish we had bought a house style instead. NOT! We got such a good deal on our Norcold, about what a house style cost, we coudn't pass it up. Sofar So good!

If I need a part I'll call them first!

Paul

[gus]

I've had really good luck and performance from my Norcold 6CF three-way which came in the bus. It isn't too good on DC but it is useful in an emergency, the current draw is fierce and cooling is so-so. It actually seems to work better on LP.

I've read quite a bit of not-so-good things in RV magazines about Dometic concerning their service response and recalls so I'll stick with Norcold.

[pvcces]

Gus, the manual for our 8 CF Norcold says that the DC function is only enough power to keep a cold reefer cold; it is not designed to make a warm unit get cold, IIRC.

Generally, these burners use about 1500 BTU while the burner is on. 1500 BTU at 12 volts is over 35 amps. The DC current when the unit is set for DC is quite a bit less than 35 amps, working from memory.

At least, there is no inverter loss when on DC. That's more than 10% added to the 440 watts used on AC.

For what it's worth.

Tom Caffrey

[gus]

Tom,

Yes, thanks, I should have said DC is only good for keeping it cold and, in my case with no inverter, only when under way.

[TomC]

6 or 8 cu ft for $7-800 is not what I call a bargain, and rebuilt used refers at that.  Just my opinion, but the refer I'm considering is the 13.8 cu/ft Summit (FFBF280W)-granted it runs on 120vac, but is a compressor type, which means will run in any angle, not affected by weather, doesn't use propane that can blow out overnight.  The price for brand new shipped to my house-the lowest so far is $1069.00 total.  For that extra $2-300, having a refer that's 50% bigger is better.  Besides, I'm going to have an inverter anyway, and adding an extra 4 deep cycles won't cost much more.  Just another way to go-no way is the wrong way as long as it works for you! Good Luck, TomC

[gus]

I forgot to mention that RVs don't have to be level side-to-side, just fore and aft if the frige is mounted so it faces the side of the RV.

It took me a long time to find out why they have to be level and I always thought it was both ways.

[belfert]

6 or 8 cu ft for $7-800 is not what I call a bargain, and rebuilt used refers at that.  Just my opinion, but the refer I'm considering is the 13.8 cu/ft Summit (FFBF280W)-granted it runs on 120vac, but is a compressor type, which means will run in any angle, not affected by weather, doesn't use propane that can blow out overnight.  The price for brand new shipped to my house-the lowest so far is $1069.00

Is the Summit really worth paying twice what the same size Frigidaire with Energy Star rating costs?  Even Whirlpool and GE in that size don't cost that much.

[TomC]

So far, I haven't been able to find a Whirlpool or GE or any other refer that is only 24" deep and 27" wide.  Most are at least 29 to 32" deep-of which I don't have the room for that.   I'll look again at the Frigidaire, Whirlpool and GE sites to see what they have in an apartment sized refer.  I know GE has one that's almost identical, but it is made in Korea.  Good Luck, TomC

[BG6]

I went to Costco and paid just under $400 for a 14cu ft house fridge.  When I'm going from one campground to another, I first freeze several gallon jugs of water, stick them in the fridge, the night before and freeze several more jugs over night, leaving them in the freezer.  This trick held everything cold for three days in the middle of summer, when I had to park and leave the coach.

[belfert]

So far, I haven't been able to find a Whirlpool or GE or any other refer that is only 24" deep and 27" wide.  Most are at least 29 to 32" deep-of which I don't have the room for that.   I'll look again at the Frigidaire, Whirlpool and GE sites to see what they have in an apartment sized refer.  I know GE has one that's almost identical, but it is made in Korea.  Good Luck, TomC

I forgot about the depth thing.  The Frigidaire and others are only 28" wide, but almost 32" deep.

[luvrbus]

Guys when you install the travel latch on Summit or some of the other house type don't use screws Kevin Downy did on his Summit and punched a hole in line on the cooling coil and was not repairable . 
He had no idea the lines were at the front of the fridge costly mistake for him 


good luck

[John316]

Clifford,

What kind of latch should we use? We have a regular style fridge, not RV.

God bless,

John