Residential fridge... love or hate it???

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by Clint11

I ordered a propane stove and a bbq t-off the tank on my Winnebago Tour 2014. I did get the residential fridge but not the electric cook top. Works out well. Dry camped for 4 days without a battery problem but the coach has 6 AGM batts and a solar panel- 75watts. Even without the draw from an electric stove I still had the built in surge protector fail and start smoking.

so did you run the gen???how many hours??

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by BeachDude

Virtually every single stick home in the desert has a 120V AC power line installed directly to it from the local utility substation. And those stick homes that have made a dedicated effort to be "off grid" have an alternative power system of wind/solar power genreationwith a very large battery bank to provide power to their A/C, swamp cooler, and refrigerator.

A motorhome with a residential refrigerator is designed to be plugged into 120v AC shore power most of it's life. Yes, they do have a generator. And yes, with a substantial investment of technology and hardware they can be outfitted with a solar power system.

If placed in the middle of the desert with no external 120v AC power to connect to, in the OEM configuration, most motorhomes equipped with a residential refrigerator will need to run the generator. That requires fuel, and wear and tear of the generator.

A motorhome with an absorption refrigerator, (setup in the same desert right next to the coach with the residential refrigerator), with a full propane tank can run for at least a few weeks, with frozen-hard ice cream in the freezer!

When that coach, (with the absorption refrigerator), drives away because it still has fuel in it's tanks, it's driver can arrange for help to have fuel delivered back to the coach who had to run the generator to keep the beer cold.

good answer

[LVRVLUVR]

so is it fact that res. frig in the factor setup.. contribute to the pollution problem??

or is that a rumor that the gen. fumes are toxic??

[Steady_Rest]

We only boondock so like the absorption style reefer and our two battery setup. Hardly ever use the generator except for the microwave, vacuuming and the wifes curling iron. When she plugs it in the morning I make a pot of coffee and vacuum. Only have 150 hrs on the genset after 22 years and lots of use of the mh. Being an older mh it has an abundance of large windows for ventilation so even in hot weather have seldom used the air conditioning. The fridge is original but had to remove it once, take it apart and get the cooling coils repaired.

If we stayed at campgrounds we would probably opt for a residential style, I know the wife would. With that type of travel I don't see any drawbacks to the 110v appliances.

Kevin

[Hamshog]

Originally Posted by LVRVLUVR

whats the deal.. is propane a gonner???

is the only reason so full timers don't have to buy propane..

spoiled food... dead batterys ...short life batterys..extra hrs on gen...
no boon docking... neightbors cry'n about gen starting at 2am...

whats the catch here that I missed??

I think you're missing the efficiency of a residential fridge over the Rv fridge. I replaced my working Norcold 1210 with a Whirlpool 22cu.ft. side by side two weeks ago, and I can watch the electric bill going down! Both fridge and freezer are colder and don't have to worry about a Norcold fire... Like others have said, two added 6 volts and 400 watts of solar, and boondocking should be no problem. Well, you'll probably run out of water or propane first. Oh yeah, Love it!

[az bound]

Originally Posted by LVRVLUVR

so is it fact that res. frig in the factor setup.. contribute to the pollution problem??
My set up has enough solar factored in that I seldom have to start the genny. No polution whatsoever.
or is that a rumor that the gen. fumes are toxic??

Genny fumes are toxic just as LP funes are toxic.
I will have to admit this is one of the better TROLL threads I have read in some time.
With some research it is possible for most to learn and understand that alternative power sources are available, which do not pollute.

When hooked to the power grid is one not adding to the pollution.

When you drive your RV from Arizona to Alaska, is all the polution you well be creating not a concern ?
Sell your RV and save the world from all the polution you will be creating.

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by Steady_Rest

We only boondock so like the absorption style reefer and our two battery setup. Hardly ever use the generator except for the microwave, vacuuming and the wifes curling iron. When she plugs it in the morning I make a pot of coffee and vacuum. Only have 150 hrs on the genset after 22 years and lots of use of the mh. Being an older mh it has an abundance of large windows for ventilation so even in hot weather have seldom used the air conditioning. The fridge is original but had to remove it once, take it apart and get the cooling coils repaired.

If we stayed at campgrounds we would probably opt for a residential style, I know the wife would. With that type of travel I don't see any drawbacks to the 110v appliances.

Kevin

we're about the same,.. for some reason I have never liked using the generator and use it only sparing when needed...
to be truthful here...I thought the frig was 12v as I said earlier.

I never like to sleep in the coach over night with the gen running....
although we have a couple times,,

I know that the new frig's are really getting to be very efficant...

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by Hamshog

I think you're missing the efficiency of a residential fridge over the Rv fridge. I replaced my working Norcold 1210 with a Whirlpool 22cu.ft. side by side two weeks ago, and I can watch the electric bill going down! Both fridge and freezer are colder and don't have to worry about a Norcold fire... Like others have said, two added 6 volts and 400 watts of solar, and boondocking should be no problem. Well, you'll probably run out of water or propane first. Oh yeah, Love it!

that must'a quite a chore..good job glad it worked out for you

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by HVAC Bill

We love our 18.5 cu.ft. Residential refrigerator. Our old 5er had the standard combo fridge, way too small. We boondock most of the time when we RV, my gen does cycle on usually once during the nite, but runs pretty quiet and no complaints, but then again, no neighbors around to complain.
2013 Palazzo 33.3

where,... and what do you ride??

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by nothermark

The batteries are pretty much my point. That is two batteries for the refer and two more for everything else. Our current C only has room for 2 batteries. I have not seen anything int the 30 and under classes that have room for 4 house batteries.

We use no electric to cook and only a bit to run the propane refrigerator and hot water tank. OTOH when I am on shore power we use it all. Reality is we are more inclined to put a kettle on a burner than a cup in the microwave. Water heater is dual fuel.

FWIW The survey is missing the choice of "understand it but do not want it". ;-)

Sorry, should have put like and don't like...love and hate are pretty bold statements

[Davdeb1]

Originally Posted by LVRVLUVR

so is it fact that res. frig in the factor setup.. contribute to the pollution problem??

or is that a rumor that the gen. fumes are toxic??

I can't believe people worry about the wear and tear on their Genny! They are made to run 10,000 hours(diesel).
As far as fumes being toxic, everyone worries about the 1/3 gph the Genny uses, and think nothing of the 5-8 gph their RV uses while running.
Here is food for thought..... Some folks are foolish enough to pay extra for a residential refer when they buy a new RV.

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by Davdeb1

I can't believe people worry about the wear and tear on their Genny! They are made to run 10,000 hours(diesel).
As far as fumes being toxic, everyone worries about the 1/3 gph the Genny uses, and think nothing of the 5-8 gph their RV uses while running.
Here is food for thought..... Some folks are foolish enough to pay extra for a residential refer when they buy a new RV.

is that a correct figure..1/3 gph???

I have no idea on diesel...we have a 6kw.. would that be about right???

thanks...
in the 70's I got used to no gen...in the summer we went where it was cold... or at least cool at night to camp... mountains
never had anything that was 120v in the coach...made coffee with a coffee
pot..keep all the drinks in the ice chest... never opened the frig...


guess it's how you were in the beginning and what you're used to...

I am getting used to this diesel pusher though...

[Steady_Rest]

Originally Posted by Davdeb1

I can't believe people worry about the wear and tear on their Genny! They are made to run 10,000 hours(diesel).
As far as fumes being toxic, everyone worries about the 1/3 gph the Genny uses, and think nothing of the 5-8 gph their RV uses while running.
Here is food for thought..... Some folks are foolish enough to pay extra for a residential refer when they buy a new RV.

Not disagreeing with your thoughts, especially the vehicle use of fuel compared to the generator. We are miserly in our use of the gas generator simply because we like it quiet, only use it a few minutes a day and that is all we need or want. The older gens are also pretty noisy, though we usually have no one even remotely close to us.

Kevin

[Dr4Film]

Originally Posted by LVRVLUVR

We're about the same,.. for some reason I have never liked using the generator and use it only sparing when needed...

If you only plan to use your generator sparingly, then I would prepare yourself for possible problems and repairs.

Generators, at least the Onan QD units are made to be used and run even when in storage.

Onan recommends exercising the generator for 2-3 hours at 50% load every month if not in use.

If used sparingly like you are stating, then one day when you go to push that button to get some AC to run you A/C's and it spits and sputters and doesn't run, it will be off to the repair shop to have it looked at.

It's your generator, your coach and your money, do as you please.

JMHO.

Dr4Film ----- Richard