Residential Refrigerators
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 27,351
Likes: 5,945
From: Lake Hartwell, GA
Maybe if Tesla cars keep catching fire the batteries will come down in price.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 216
Likes: 0
I have a large residential SxS that runs off a Xantrex inverter. It's 14 years old. To me the big question is whether you boondocks much. If you do, you must have a generator or 500 or so watts of solar and generally 4 batteries. I've set up an extra charging wire to my batteries from my trucks alternator. The 6 gauge wire sends sufficient amps to charge my battery bank while driving. With my setup the frig will run around 24 hours without needing to fire up the generator. Because of our camping habits we very much appreciate the extra space our SxS affords. It's twice as roomy as even the SxS gas/electrics that are absorption. Because we are set up for it, we much prefer the residential.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,745
Likes: 72
From: West Virginia
In the past I have had the tri-power units and liked them a lot. Then, for some reason, manufacturers dropped the 12 volt capability of the refrigerators. I still prefer an absorption refrigerator over a condenser type simply because of the noise. Also, absorption types have the heat vented outside, while compressor types blow their waste heat back into the living space.
The refrigerator on my boat is 12v or 110v - I've always wondered why camper types retained the propane rather than the 12v choice.
The refrigerator on my boat is 12v or 110v - I've always wondered why camper types retained the propane rather than the 12v choice.
More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 618
Likes: 6
Propane is a lot more dangerous on a boat - RV's don't have the propane build up in the bilge problem.
The 12v really has the same problem as the residential - you use a heck of a lot of power. My absorption dometic fridge pulls heater element pulls....7amps @ 120v? So to get a similar heat output on 12V - your looking at nearly 70amps @12v DC! - Granted not continuous, but that will destroy a battery set - just like a residential fridge will through an inverter. for RVs propane makes a lot of sense for a lot of reasons.......
The 12v really has the same problem as the residential - you use a heck of a lot of power. My absorption dometic fridge pulls heater element pulls....7amps @ 120v? So to get a similar heat output on 12V - your looking at nearly 70amps @12v DC! - Granted not continuous, but that will destroy a battery set - just like a residential fridge will through an inverter. for RVs propane makes a lot of sense for a lot of reasons.......
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 405
Likes: 0
From: BC, Canada
And also keep in mind, if you install expensive hi amp/hour batteries, you better seriously consider upgrading your build in charger as the cheap crap they install in trailers will eventually wreck them.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 405
Likes: 0
From: BC, Canada
Propane is a lot more dangerous on a boat - RV's don't have the propane build up in the bilge problem.
The 12v really has the same problem as the residential - you use a heck of a lot of power. My absorption dometic fridge pulls heater element pulls....7amps @ 120v? So to get a similar heat output on 12V - your looking at nearly 70amps @12v DC! - Granted not continuous, but that will destroy a battery set - just like a residential fridge will through an inverter. for RVs propane makes a lot of sense for a lot of reasons.......
The 12v really has the same problem as the residential - you use a heck of a lot of power. My absorption dometic fridge pulls heater element pulls....7amps @ 120v? So to get a similar heat output on 12V - your looking at nearly 70amps @12v DC! - Granted not continuous, but that will destroy a battery set - just like a residential fridge will through an inverter. for RVs propane makes a lot of sense for a lot of reasons.......
Agreed. I can run for days with minimal propane consumption.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Propane is a lot more dangerous on a boat - RV's don't have the propane build up in the bilge problem.
The 12v really has the same problem as the residential - you use a heck of a lot of power. My absorption dometic fridge pulls heater element pulls....7amps @ 120v? So to get a similar heat output on 12V - your looking at nearly 70amps @12v DC! - Granted not continuous, but that will destroy a battery set - just like a residential fridge will through an inverter. for RVs propane makes a lot of sense for a lot of reasons.......
The 12v really has the same problem as the residential - you use a heck of a lot of power. My absorption dometic fridge pulls heater element pulls....7amps @ 120v? So to get a similar heat output on 12V - your looking at nearly 70amps @12v DC! - Granted not continuous, but that will destroy a battery set - just like a residential fridge will through an inverter. for RVs propane makes a lot of sense for a lot of reasons.......
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 8,653
Likes: 4,737
From: Itinerant
Propane is a lot more dangerous on a boat - RV's don't have the propane build up in the bilge problem.
The 12v really has the same problem as the residential - you use a heck of a lot of power. My absorption dometic fridge pulls heater element pulls....7amps @ 120v? So to get a similar heat output on 12V - your looking at nearly 70amps @12v DC! - Granted not continuous, but that will destroy a battery set - just like a residential fridge will through an inverter. for RVs propane makes a lot of sense for a lot of reasons.......
The 12v really has the same problem as the residential - you use a heck of a lot of power. My absorption dometic fridge pulls heater element pulls....7amps @ 120v? So to get a similar heat output on 12V - your looking at nearly 70amps @12v DC! - Granted not continuous, but that will destroy a battery set - just like a residential fridge will through an inverter. for RVs propane makes a lot of sense for a lot of reasons.......
Running a residential fridge really won't destroy your inverter as long as you get a quality inverter. I'm running Magnum 3012H and it has not been turned off in a year so far and it runs my entire rv and I live off grid the same as if I was plugged in to shore power.
As far as propane goes I can get a 30# bottle to last 19 days using it to run the fridge for at least 18+ hours, heat my 10 gallon water tank turning it on twice a day plus misc. stove top/ oven cooking.
This is going the past 83 days with no shore power hook ups. Just solar and using the small generator less than a dozen times for maybe 1.5 hours each time as average.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Maybe you fridge is pretty efficient but from my real world experience with a Norcold 821 when I switch to 12v it consumes 27 amps while it's working (that's read from solar display monitor).
Running a residential fridge really won't destroy your inverter as long as you get a quality inverter. I'm running Magnum 3012 and it has not been turned off in a year so far and it runs my entire rv and I live off grid the same as if I was plugged in to shore power.
As far as propane goes I can get a 30# bottle to last 19 days using it to run the fridge for at least 18+ hours, heat my 10 gallon water tank turning it on twice a day plus misc. stove top/ oven cooking.
This is going the past 83 days with no shore power hook ups. Just solar and using the small generator less than a dozen times for maybe 1.5 hours each time as average.
Running a residential fridge really won't destroy your inverter as long as you get a quality inverter. I'm running Magnum 3012 and it has not been turned off in a year so far and it runs my entire rv and I live off grid the same as if I was plugged in to shore power.
As far as propane goes I can get a 30# bottle to last 19 days using it to run the fridge for at least 18+ hours, heat my 10 gallon water tank turning it on twice a day plus misc. stove top/ oven cooking.
This is going the past 83 days with no shore power hook ups. Just solar and using the small generator less than a dozen times for maybe 1.5 hours each time as average.
Steve
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 8,653
Likes: 4,737
From: Itinerant
I would hope if a person is going to take the step towards LFMP battery they are going to do some serious home work when your going to drop $1200-$6000+ in batteries alone.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 8,653
Likes: 4,737
From: Itinerant
More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 618
Likes: 6
27a@12v = ~320watts, verses 7a@120v ~800watts. being that these fridges work by adding heat...the less heat, the less cooling capacity.t
My absorption fridge temps change all over the place, we have a temp monitor hooked to it 24/7, 120v or Propane (and the fridge is working fine....nature of the beast) I can't imagine its very steady on 12v with such a little power consumption vs a residential which I would expect is steady as a rock.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Yeah my comment was saying to get an equivalent BTU output 12v to 120v. Sounds like they run a less powerful element on the 12v side (which makes sense...) I would assume it runs far more?
27a@12v = ~320watts, verses 7a@120v ~800watts. being that these fridges work by adding heat...the less heat, the less cooling capacity.t
My absorption fridge temps change all over the place, we have a temp monitor hooked to it 24/7, 120v or Propane (and the fridge is working fine....nature of the beast) I can't imagine its very steady on 12v with such a little power consumption vs a residential which I would expect is steady as a rock.
27a@12v = ~320watts, verses 7a@120v ~800watts. being that these fridges work by adding heat...the less heat, the less cooling capacity.t
My absorption fridge temps change all over the place, we have a temp monitor hooked to it 24/7, 120v or Propane (and the fridge is working fine....nature of the beast) I can't imagine its very steady on 12v with such a little power consumption vs a residential which I would expect is steady as a rock.
Steve