Can you ID this fridge for me?

[Rusty99]

Hi All,

Two questions for you.

1)I'm in the market for a fridge and I took this picture last summer at an RV shop of a Fridge that I really like. I think its either a Dometic or Norcold, but I want to try to narrow down the model number and brand.

2) What's the pro's and cons of a 3 way fridge vs a 2 way fridge? I currently don't have a fridge or any electrical what so ever. I like the idea of being "off the grid" and setting up camp on crown land here in Alberta.

I'm aiming to get the biggest fridge I possibly fit under my Boler counter. I will have to cut out the space where the cutlery drawer currently is.

Thanks
Rusty

[Bob Miller]

The 2-way usually lack a 12VDC function, the least used of the three and, really of little need except in special cases such as a trucker that may have lots of 12V reserve available and doesn't want to deal with filling LP tanks. For that reason they usually look at 12VDC only versions with a Danfoss compressor.

The Dometic site has a page with all of the dimensions for each model of refrigerator

[David Tilston]

The 12VDC and 120VAC compressor style fridges are sometimes referred to as a 2-way. Typically they require much less power then a 3-way fridge. Usually only 2A, or less. Low enough that a fairly large solar cell, and battery can power them.
That fridge looks to be installed in a Trillium, or Outback. Maybe call the manufactures to ask what they use.

[ericw]

Originally Posted by Rusty99

2) What's the pro's and cons of a 3 way fridge vs a 2 way fridge? I currently don't have a fridge or any electrical what so ever. I like the idea of being "off the grid" and setting up camp on crown land here in Alberta.

I have seen 2 way propane/120V and 2 way 120V/12V. If the fridge can use propane, realize it generally uses a lot more power when on 12V. The 120V/12V use less power but generally make more noise also.

Most people who like being off the grid use propane while off the grid. If you have enough solar you could run a 12V/120V with solar, but that has not been as common as using propane.

Another consideration is how much time you spend on the road. Assuming you don't want open flame/propane while traveling you need to have a fridge that works on 12V when traveling long distances. Generally, most fridges stay cold for many hours. But if you want to travel 5+ hours in warm weather, it is nice if the fridge can run especially since we like to open it up and take food out when we stop on a long trip. The length of time it stays cold without power obviously depends on many factors.

Any use of a 12V fridge means understanding your battery, the charging system from perhaps the TV and 120V, and making sure you don't run out of power.

We use a 12V/120V and love it but we spend only a night or two off the grid at a time. More experienced boon dockers will hopefully weigh in with their wisdom.

[multi-task]

Not sure if it's the same manufacturer but I use a NovaKool fridge that looks very similar but it's the smaller model. I don't have the second shelf.

They are standard in the Trilliums out of Calgary (or they used to be). Might be worth phoning Joe, he can probably give you a price and bring in the size you need. Not sure what his prices are like on fridges.

Compact lightweight fiberglass Outback travel trailers Calgary | Trillium Trailers

Mine uses around 2.2 - 2.4 amps when running, but that's also because I have two computer fans plugged into it's fan connection to circulate air out of the cabinet. I think it was around 2-2.2 with no fans plugged in.

I never plug in when camping, however I use a solar panel. If you can't charge your batteries while boondocking a 12v only fridge won't last very long.

[jimmied]

Drew, thanks for the info re amps used. I just had installed a Dometic 3 way fridge and also put in 2 computer fans in the upper vent and after 6 days dry camping, the battery read 12.1, although I used very little lights (all LED) and the fridge of course brought the amps down, but still in the safe zone. It was interesting to note that the computer fans did not have to be put on (have a switch) when I was in a shaded area, otherwise fans were needed when in hot sunny weather. Jim

[Rusty99]

I don't understand why you guys are installing computer fans? Am I missing something about these fridges?

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Rusty99

I don't understand why you guys are installing computer fans? Am I missing something about these fridges?

There are two places where computer fans help. Inside, a small fan distributes the cold air more evenly, preventing frozen or too warm spots.

On the back, a larger computer fan takes heat away from the heat exchanger more efficiently than relying on natural convection alone.

[multi-task]

I installed two fans out of curiosity more than necessity. I’ve never had a problem with my fridge staying cold, but I also haven’t camped in extreme heat. The newer Trilliums out of Calgary have no venting to the open air for the fridge (not sure why). I read a thread once that someone was having issues with this in warmer weather. I presume the air under the counter was staying too warm causing the fridge to struggle.

Because I happened to have an old hole in the front of my cabinet from a PO, I wired a fan to pull air away from the fridge at the back and another fan to blow the air out through a vent into the trailer cabin. The fans are plugged into the fan port on the fridge so they cycle on/off with the fridge, but I’ll soon add a kill switch for colder days/nights when there’s no need for them to run.

I’ve yet to camp in good weather this year so it’s unclear if they help my situation or if they’re even necessary. I enjoy tinkering with things so either way it was still fun to do.