RV 12v fridge

[redbarron55]

The swing compressor does run on AC. The old one I had operated on 60 Cycles / sec and the 120 VAC was dropped to the voltage for the compressor with a transformer and the DC has a circuit that generated the 60 CPS.
The new one operated on 50 CPS like a lot of the rest of the world and the input from the line is converted to 24 VDC for the inverter that drives the compressor. SO the 24 VDC from the AC part or the 12 - 24 VDC from the battery runs the inverter that generates the 50 Cycles for the compressor.
In my experience the plug that connects the 120 VAC power supply to the inverter sometimes gets hot and fails causing the unit to quit working.
That was what I found when I bought the non-working unit I fixed and installed to replace the old unit.

[Kip in Ga.]

Originally Posted by SherryNPaul

We installed a truckfridge 130 a few years ago. We really love it.
It cools down very quickly (usually less than an hour), and stays cold.
There are caveats, explained in the truckcamper link above. Though it uses far, far less than a 3 way in dc, it still uses roughly 2 to 4 ah per hour .
We have 200 watts fixed solar, a 100 watt portable panel, and 2 group 27 agm batteries.
Everything is great if we're travel camping. Highway sun is awesome for charging batteries. If you're camped in partial to full shade, you'll need to break out portable solar, especially in shoulder season, and have a reliable readout to know your status.
We insulated around the cavity with Styrofoam board. Sealed off the exterior vents with plastic sheeting, as no longer needed.
My truckfridge has an indel badge on the front. It comes in black, only. One door swing, only.
It's quiet, no exterior lights to annoy me during the night, and works flawlessly. And, it has an interior light, so you can actually see the content of the fridge when you open the door.
Downsides: power consumption, compared to 3way on gas. The shoebox sized freezer. The door is not superinsulated, and sweats.
It fit through the door of my 2008 Oliver, and through the narrow space between cupboard and shower corner, with a strong 1/8 on each side. We did the install ourselves. Gained a short height drawer beneath, and maybe a half cubic foot of fridge compared to the old dometic .

I'm willing to do the monitoring, and deal with the portable solar/sometimes generator to keep batteries in prime shape in rainy, or overcast strings of days. It's a tradeoff , but one you need to be aware of.
I'd probably never go back to 3way/absorption, because I have been so happy with our results. But, everything is a balance .

Hi, I noticed the truck fridge 130 also. It will go through the door of my Casita, but not so sure about the passage between the shower corner and cabinet containing the fridge.

Will the door of the 130 come off!? If so, what is the depth without the door, front to back?

Thx
K

[Eddie Longest]

When I was having issues with my Escape 21 frig. I bought an Engle 45 swing compressor chest frig or freezer. They now have a combi model 45 which has a divider and will do both functions at once. After fixing the Escape frig. I used it to transport frozen food between Va. and Fl. and the food stayed at 0 deg. F. (snowbird run) I then bought a Lil Joe camper and used it in the LJ. It could run continuously with a 100 Watt panel and two 6 volt LA batteries in Fl. When stocking up on food during this C-19 thing it has been plugged into the house to store extra frozen food. My take away is, if you can deal with a chest freezer/ frig. It can be used for more than just camping and when you open the door and all your cold air does not drop out on the floor. Just my experience YMMV.
Eddie

[SherryNPaul]

Kip in ga,
I am pretty sure the door could be easily removed. Before we ordered ours, I called truckfridge, and a sioer nice guy measured everything for me.
We're cleaning up from storm/ eta, but i can take a look at the doir honges, if you're concerned, later in the week

[Kip in Ga.]

Originally Posted by SherryNPaul

Kip in ga,
I am pretty sure the door could be easily removed. Before we ordered ours, I called truckfridge, and a sioer nice guy measured everything for me.
We're cleaning up from storm/ eta, but i can take a look at the doir honges, if you're concerned, later in the week

Yes please. I need to know that. The fit will be close even with it off. It wont fit thru if door is still in place, unless it will open far enough.

[Kip in Ga.]

Originally Posted by Eddie Longest

When I was having issues with my Escape 21 frig. I bought an Engle 45 swing compressor chest frig or freezer. They now have a combi model 45 which has a divider and will do both functions at once. After fixing the Escape frig. I used it to transport frozen food between Va. and Fl. and the food stayed at 0 deg. F. (snowbird run) I then bought a Lil Joe camper and used it in the LJ. It could run continuously with a 100 Watt panel and two 6 volt LA batteries in Fl. When stocking up on food during this C-19 thing it has been plugged into the house to store extra frozen food. My take away is, if you can deal with a chest freezer/ frig. It can be used for more than just camping and when you open the door and all your cold air does not drop out on the floor. Just my experience YMMV.
Eddie

Certainly food for thought. I don't really understand the difference inner workings between the SWING COMPRESSOR and the DANFOSS type. I've read that the DANFOSS EQUIPPED are super reliable. And have read that the Engle chest freezer/fridge are too.
Is the swing compressor quiet? I would need some kind of slide for a chest type because it would go into the space lengthwise and need to be pulled into the isle to open. . Wouldn't begin to know how to match up something like that. But still....!

[Eddie Longest]

Right now my Engel is in my den where I watch TV. The noise is minimal, like a regular frig. kind of a white noise. If you are not listening for it you don't notice it. The slide kit's are available but usually run around $200. a lot of people make their own slide. They are heavy when full, so they really need to have a home.
Eddie

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by CarlD

I don't understand why one would spend the extra money to purchase one of these fridges that is both 12 Vdc and 120 Vac. The only time you would need the ac operation is if your 120 Vac to 12 Vdc charger has failed. Maybe I'm missing something.

Generally the 12 volt mode is for when you are on the road and you want to go longer than you could go without any refrigeration. Probably you should look on these as a 120 volt and propane frig with a 12 volt option for short period when both of those are not available and not as a "three way".

[CarlD]

A compressor fridge in a trailer installation, which utilizes 12 volts DC, can operate on 12 when you don't have 120 VAC and when you have 120 VAC, it can still operate on 12 VDC. If you have a portable unit then things are different. The OP is looking at a permanent installation. Why spend the extra money to have a redundant power supply on the fridge!

[Roger H]

First, your 18 y/o refrigerator is just approaching middle age. I've had forty year old ammonia absorption refrigerators that worked just fine. Don't worry about it until you need to.

Secondly the rush to all-electric is, IMO, premature. If you buy a coach that has multiple LI-ion (or whatever is in vogue THIS week) batteries, solar panels installed and all the other do-dads and gizmos, then fine. Otherwise, you're already equipped with propane... why would you want to spend a fortune jury-rigging a sustainable 12v system unless you're going off-grid for weeks at a time? Most often these trailers are used for a few days a year at most. Ammonia absorption technology has been around at least since the early 1960s... maybe longer. It's clean, maintenance-free, and it just works. It uses so little propane as to be almost free.

You may save a few dollars over buying another ammonia absorption refrigerator, but how much are you going to spend to get it to be reliable for you, and to fit it in place?

[Kip in Ga.]

Originally Posted by CarlD

A compressor fridge in a trailer installation, which utilizes 12 volts DC, can operate on 12 when you don't have 120 VAC and when you have 120 VAC, it can still operate on 12 VDC. If you have a portable unit then things are different. The OP is looking at a permanent installation. Why spend the extra money to have a redundant power supply on the fridge!

I been thinking about that to.

These are just some random thoughts Trying to understand the reasoning behind both a 12v and a 120v. With a 12v only the battery is being used more as is the charger. So their lives may be shortened. If the battery should go out, the fridge may see that as a low battery condition and shut itself down, even thou the charger is still working.

If the battery charger should quit on a 12v only unit, without the ability to automatically transfer to 120v, A problem occurs.

Last March at Gunter hill the power went out. Long enough to be worrisome. So I switched our fridge to propane. Power returned shortly after that. But it was nice having the backup.

[Kip in Ga.]

Originally Posted by Eddie Longest

Right now my Engel is in my den where I watch TV. The noise is minimal, like a regular frig. kind of a white noise. If you are not listening for it you don't notice it. The slide kit's are available but usually run around $200. a lot of people make their own slide. They are heavy when full, so they really need to have a home.
Eddie

My wife would want a fridge at least as big as what we have, and that won't happen with a chess type, Mainly because the larger ones are too long to slide all the way back into the available space, about 25 inches Max, and clear the camper isle which is 24" wide.

And you are right, they are heavy when loaded and will put a lot of stress on the floor of their resting place when they are slidden out and that weight is hanging in space.

I do think a small chess type would be great inside the truck for drinks and snacks.

So that puts it back in the arena of some brand of front load fridge.

[SherryNPaul]

Kip in GA, I went out to look at the truckfridge . The trim covers all the screw attachments, but a parts blowup in an online manual shows 3 screws holding each hingepost in place, top and bottom.
If I were you, I would call the office at Truckfridge and talk to the salesperson. The one I talked to was very knowledgeable and helpful, a few years back.
I think the top flange that covers the screws came installed. Since it's a few years back, it's hard to remember. And, I can't see the bottom, without removing trim and pulling the fridge out.

[Kip in Ga.]

Originally Posted by Roger H

First, your 18 y/o refrigerator is just approaching middle age. I've had forty year old ammonia absorption refrigerators that worked just fine. Don't worry about it until you need to.

Secondly the rush to all-electric is, IMO, premature. If you buy a coach that has multiple LI-ion (or whatever is in vogue THIS week) batteries, solar panels installed and all the other do-dads and gizmos, then fine. Otherwise, you're already equipped with propane... why would you want to spend a fortune jury-rigging a sustainable 12v system unless you're going off-grid for weeks at a time? Most often these trailers are used for a few days a year at most. Ammonia absorption technology has been around at least since the early 1960s... maybe longer. It's clean, maintenance-free, and it just works. It uses so little propane as to be almost free.

You may save a few dollars over buying another ammonia absorption refrigerator, but how much are you going to spend to get it to be reliable for you, and to fit it in place?

You have good points. And I have not had any issues with my fridge yet. But I am concerned about rust and corrosion on the back side. Just trying to gather good information so that if or when this one gives up I will know what to purchase.

Replacing it with another Dometic 3 way might open a bag of snakes do to size. According to my measurements, and the owners manual, it won't go out the door. And best I can tell it won't go out the back window or any other window. And even if it would somehow wedge thru the back window it still weighs 78 pounds, empty. Removing its door would loose a bit of that weight, but very little. So I have a very heavy fridge that is too large to remove.

Saw one video where they had to slide it out of its house a little less than half way and remove about a foot off the front with a sawzall.

As far as hooking up an electric one, the AC and DC power is already there and being used by the Dometic. The LP would need to be capped off. Anchoring the new one and trimming it out would involve some jury-rigging for sure.

Thx
Kip

[Frank R.]

I installed a Nova Kool 12V compressor fridge in our 17' LD Casita. Perfect fit except for height. I solved that by raising it up and fabricating a panel to cover the space left underneath. True, it won't go through the door. You have to remove the rear window to get it in. Works perfect, turn it on and forget it just like at home. Never again will I put up with one of those 3-way fridges. Worth every penny I spent.

[Kip in Ga.]

Originally Posted by Frank R.

I installed a Nova Kool 12V compressor fridge in our 17' LD Casita. Perfect fit except for height. I solved that by raising it up and fabricating a panel to cover the space left underneath. True, it won't go through the door. You have to remove the rear window to get it in. Works perfect, turn it on and forget it just like at home. Never again will I put up with one of those 3-way fridges. Worth every penny I spent.

Hi frank,

Which Nova Kool did you get? I like what i've read about them.

Being a Casita owner you know what I'm dealing with, in my SD. Maybe you can answer some questions for me.

>How did you anchor the fridge to keep it from jumping around during
travel?

>How did you get the old one out?

>Did you use any type of Nova Kool brand trim up front.

>What year model is your LD. (I think they enlarged the back window after
my 2002 model.)

>Did you close off the 2 windows behind the old fridge.
If so, how did you vent the Nova fridge.

Thanks for any and all help!
kip

[Kip in Ga.]

Originally Posted by SherryNPaul

Kip in GA, I went out to look at the truckfridge . The trim covers all the screw attachments, but a parts blowup in an online manual shows 3 screws holding each hingepost in place, top and bottom.
If I were you, I would call the office at Truckfridge and talk to the salesperson. The one I talked to was very knowledgeable and helpful, a few years back.
I think the top flange that covers the screws came installed. Since it's a few years back, it's hard to remember. And, I can't see the bottom, without removing trim and pulling the fridge out.

Thanks for looking!

kip

[Frank R.]

I posted my story in the Casita Travel Trailer Forum (Not Casita Club). My handle there is fjames. Try this link.
https://www.casitaforum.com/invboard...comment-214575

I put wooden blocks under the new fridge to raise it up about 3" or whatever it took. And secured it with some screws. Actually, the fasteners in the front flange hold it pretty well. Fridge came with a mounting flange.

The old one went out through the back window--just barely. You have to have it turned just so. New one was a piece of cake.

No, I left the vents in place. It gets rid of the heat through them---But absolutely nowhere as much heat as the old absorbtion fridge.

[Frank R.]

To clarify, my Casita has the larger back window.

[Bfleissner]

I'm not sure what is happening with the people that say if they run their fridge on 12v while driving and arrive with a dead or near dead battery in their vehicle.



I run my fridge on 12v the entire time I drive and even leave it running on 12v while I stop for gas and food and when I arrive at my campsite (usually 4-6 hours) both my truck battery and my trailer battery are full.


Any modern charging system in today's vehicles can handle the fridge while driving just fine.