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08-21-2007, 10:08 AM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Fergus, Ontario, CANADA
Posts: 1,000
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The only downside to the residential fridge operating on invertor is the weight factor of the fridge/additional batteries/invertor and those solar panels but to get a fridge that would handle the summer heat for a fulltimer it would certainly be worth the sacrifice of leaving something else off the packing/carry list to compensate.
For those of us who don't boondock at all, that approach might make a lot of sense. If you were to find yourself without park power or "stuck" some where for a time you could always fire up the genny and recharge batteries as well as run the fridge for awhile to maintain. The trailer going in for a service call could be handled by insisting that the service facility provide a minimum of 20 amp continuous service to trailer while they replace the air conditioner for the third time. Sorry, I couldn't help myself!
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Sandra, Bruce
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08-22-2007, 09:40 AM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: On the road
Posts: 1,063
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My biggest concern with using a residential style refer is that they are not designed to handle the vibration our units get while traveling. If you are full-time and are essentially using your MS as a small mobile home then it might be OK. We full-time and do sit for months at a time, but we also travel with our trailer. I'd hate to be in the position of being afraid to, say go to AK, for fear my fridge would fail. I don't know what the real failure rate of these RV fridges are, but I think it is low. What would the failure rate be for a residential refer in the same type service? It also bothers me, as an engineer, when some unit has multiple A/C failures while most of us have none. I wonder if these units don't have a wiring issue so that the A/C's are getting low voltage? Just a thought!
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Dave & Barbara
KenWorth T2000
2005 Mobile Suites 38RL3 #2338
MorRyde IS 8K axles, LazyBoy recliners, LCD tv
Full time since '96
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08-22-2007, 08:45 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 423
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rdunk
Quote: "There used to be residential style refridgerators for park model trailers that were dual mode of propane and 115V. I wonder whatever became of those types?
I wonder if googling the major appliance mfgr's would be worth the trouble?"
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There are some RV mfgrs. putting residential fridges in their 5th wheels now, probably as an option. One that we saw at a show was in an Alpenlite. It was a stainless steel fridge with a large bottom drawer freezer, which was the same as we had in out home at the time. It was a 110V fridge. They also offered up to six batteries, plus a solar panel, to provide some power while traveling. I believe they said these would power the fridge for 6 or 7 hours.
For infrequent "camping" for a few days or few weeks at a time, the Dometic/Norcold type fridges might be ok, but for fulltime RV'ing, we need a compressor operated refrigerator/freezer, just like home.
Just FYI - In this hot weather, our fridge was getting down to the 38-40 degree range at night, and then would spend most of the day in the 40-44 degree range, depending somewhat how many times we opened the door. For us, that is not cold enough. So, I disconnected the thermister a few days ago, from the system board on the back of the fridge. Now, over night I am a little concerned about stuff freezing, since the fridge temp gets down to the 31-33 degree range. During the day, with use, it is going up to the 34-36 degree range. Wow, this works good for us! Being concerned about possible freezing, I have taken out one of the two fridge fans from inside the fridge.
With the thermister disconnected, the fridge defaults to run on high. I don't know if this will result in a fridge problem, if left that way, but I do think this shows that the thermister is probably faulty. I probably am going to run it this way for a while, because it is doing a better job of cooling than it ever has since new. (Have had the cooling unit replaced once)
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Ron & Connie
Texas Nomads
""Love your country - - Fear your government!!""
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08-22-2007, 10:18 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 482
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Quote sigo'suite: "................................................. .......................
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.................................................. .................................................. ""!?
Ron, since I have come to know you, I have known you as being a man of "words". You have used words of meaningful help! You have used words of humor! And, you have used words that would require some thought to get the gist of the point. But, I have never known you to be a man of "few words, or "no words", as is the case here.
Now to get your point here, you are really making it hard for us. I think I may just disagree with you here just on the basis of principal, especially since you have an engineering background. Of course, with this background, I guess you would have to be excused, if at times you don't have much to say (or nothing to say), whether you say anything or not!
:P :P
Ron, what did you mean to say to my lengthy post, or did you think I have used all of the "words" already, and did not leave any for you?
So that no one misunderstands, Ron is a friend, and the above is meant in a totally kidding manner!!!!
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Robert
Robert and Carlene
2005 RE3, S/N 2107 (sold Jan. 2010)
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08-25-2007, 12:24 PM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 129
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[quote]SuiteWheels, what is the trick with the hairdryer? Do you turn off the unit and take everything out, YUK. I need to defrost the freezer.
Sorry it's taken this long to answer your question, I just checked back on this thread as our frig. isn't keeping things cold and we have it set on 5!!!
It's miserably hot here in central CA. and maybe with the a/c not working in the living & kitchen area might have something to do with it not being really cold. Freezer seems fine.
Anyway...your question....I only take everything out of freezer and d/h used the dryer on low just for a few seconds at a time...worked like a charm, really made defrosting easy. I cleaned out shevles in frig. one at a time leaving frig. door open. Now that's been a weeks ago and have noticed our seals aren't tight as suggested with the dollar bill test....thinking someone got new seals sent to them but haven't found that post yet!
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08-25-2007, 06:38 PM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 423
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rdunk
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Robert, I must confess that when I scrolled by this thread, I saw my post; and for the life of me I
have no idea why it is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How bad is that?!?!?!?!?
DUHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
I must also confess though, that I thoroughly enjoyed your narrative on the matter!!
Glad to count you and Carlene as friends.
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Ron & Connie
Texas Nomads
""Love your country - - Fear your government!!""
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08-29-2007, 10:53 AM
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#27
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SE TX
Posts: 43
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Check ebay.
Every couple of weeks a vendor lists a RV refer fan for about $14.00.
It has a clip to attach to the fin and one wire that attaches to the hot side of the refer interior light. The fan runs constantly.
My side by side needed 2 fans. I never defrost the fridge, it stays at 34 F (closed door). I periodically defrost the freezer.
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2007 SB3 #3394
2005 F350 DRW
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