Common compaint number one - "It doesn't stay cold!"

Cause? An RV fridge cools much more slowly than a house unit with a compressor.

RV units use what is called "Evaporative Cooling", and are intended to use a lot less energy. Less energy in, less cooling capacity, try not to open the door a lot...

They are intended for storage on trips, it isn't something you want to load up with beer and soda's & go in and out of constantly. For that I would highly recommend getting one of the chest type coolers that are found at truck stops, they plug into a cigar lighter, or other 12 volt power outlet of similar design, and most trailers have at least one installed in them.

Since they load from the top, when you lift the lid the cold stays inside them, it doesn't fall right out the door like a stand up refrigerator.

Price of an RV reefer? Usually around a grand or so. 12 volt cooler chest? About two hundred...

Then there is the tried and true sony mini-fridge for use on-site. 120 volt A/C, stays cold, will NOT use up LPG. Downside? You may have only a thirty amp service, a mini-box will draw on it so it will affect your energy budget. 15 to 18 amps for the roof air, however much for the entertainment system, a few amps for the mini-box, it adds up quickly...

Turn on the microwave and BINK! There went the breaker...

One advantage of the 12 volt chests is you don't need to get a WHOPPER. They are in many sizes, two hundred bucks gets you one the size of a full blown coleman, you may only want one that can sit on the bench seat of your truck to hold sandwiches and things.

Another advantage is where you find them. Any truck stop. Sometimes you find great deals on them, without an RV Dealer markup.

But yep - an RV fridge is intended to keep stuff from spoiling on the way down the highway when there is no external A/C connection. In real terms, this means plan meals and avoid opening them a lot. Some even have an interlock that won't let you open the door within five minutes of the last time it was open.

 

Hi Greywolf,

What do you reccomend for an older rig, where one may just want to go with a 12O V A/C Refer as apposed to the ammonia-absorb. type? My rig is 12yrs old and still has the original Dometic Refer that is going strong, but I fear one day it may give up on me and I really don't want to sink 1200+ into a older rig like mine. I thought the smaller "dorm" style A/C Refer's may be the way to go? I don't ever run it on Propane, as I take short trips from home and before I leave I just put some frozen jugs in with the soda and burgers to keep things cold until I get on shore power.

Any thoughts/reccomendations? This is something I have wondered a lot about. I have seen others put 120 V A/C refers in place of the ammonia-absorb. RV Refers, but no consitency on brand.

Thanks,
Greg

 

Just about any small refer that fits the space will do, it will only run on A/C so running a battery down is not an issue. You may have to find a receptacle to plug it into - but there is normally one already in the back.

You will need to seal around the top bottom and sides somehow for insulation of the rig, weatherproofing, and to prevent bug intrusion if it goes in the spot the old one came out of. Or wall off the outside of that space, and leave room for the coils on the back of the unit, which is simpler.

Make sure it's emptied of all food before laying up the trailer or taking it to be serviced though. I've walked into RV's with spoiled food in them a few times and it drove me right back out the door!

 

LOL, thanks! I am sure that was quite a nasty smell for sure! YUCK!

 

even though Greywolf had given all the answer one needs, I just want to add my $.02. I rebuilt a 38 yr old TT. obviously, the original 3 way fridge was WAY past dead. I replaced it with a 120V A/C dorm type from Sears for under $125.00. I did exactly what Greywof suggested - I closed in the outside vent with sheet metal and painted over it. can't hardly tell it was ever there.

 

The only drawback to Thermo-electric coolers is, they only chill to 40deg. below ambiant temperature. So, if it is 100 deg. in your car, the cooler will on chill down to about 60 deg. Too hot for food to be kept.
But, during the winter months, they will freeze sodas
Most of the trucks stop will have the 40 quart thermoelectric coolers for under a hundred bucks. I use one in my truck. so far it has 200,000 miles on it. I also have a 17 quart i keep between the seats for cold drinks and snack going down the road. It has about 500,000 miles on it, and so far, have only needed to replace the fan inside the cooler.

p.s. They also make A/C adapters for the so you can take them in the house/garage to pre-chill.