Why no RV refrigerator alternatives?

[two2go]

I'm not trying to start yet another thread about the Norcold recall fiasco, or debate new cooling units and residential type replacements.

The RV industry has been going forward through good and bad for how many years? Yet, the food storage options have been, mainly, ice chests (cheap) or gas/electric absorption refrigerators. There have been a few different players in the market, but primarily Dometic and Norcold. Add the boating industry and other mobile uses, and that has been a market for how many units? Hundreds of thousands? Millions?

So why has the market been ignored by the likes of GE or Frigidaire or Whirlpool, etc.? Why can't some of the geniuses that run the companies see a way to design a super-efficient compressor unit or line of units that is/are RV appropriate? If an RV is designed and built from the outset to have a big side-by-side Frigidaire with the accompanying support built-in, then fine. Some are. But by and large, there are more requirements for lighter, smaller, more efficient units for the average mobile user. And safe, and more reasonable cost. Trying to shoehorn a house refrigerator into a RV that is not designed for it is not an ideal solution.

I see this as another example of the failure of American industry to be competitive. Just try to pad the bottom line and the exec's bloated pay and bonuses, and send all decent jobs offshore. There is a market as I see it. Are there any folks of influence that work for any of these companies who RV? Can't someone see the potential here?

[bluepill]

There are already a few good & efficient 12 volt units that are available. Who needs a side by side - just some marketing hype like thru-the-door ice and water dispensers, so manufacturers can charge double or triple for a fridge with the same guts. If more people order with a delete option for the fridge, maybe the MH builders will get the hint.

[BryanL]

re: "I see this as another example of the failure of American industry to be competitive. Just try to pad the bottom line and the exec's bloated pay and bonuses, and send all decent jobs offshore."

this sort of presumption is quite harmful and untruthful, IMHO.

There are several companies competing against each other and against a number of alternative technologies.

Of course, if you really think it is a cabal and the execs are overpaid or whatever, you can form your own business. It should be easy to compete in an industry that met the description. I think it'd be an expensive education, though.

What really gets interesting - for those whose attention is on data and trends rather than envy - are the advances in both traditional as well as newer technologies. Actual, inflation adjusted, costs are decreasing as well but those don't show much because consumers are demanding ever more.

[az bound]

I believe we are already beginning to see the change. There are several coachbuilders starting to offer res. frig as an option. For them to become standard equipment we have to be loud and clear to the manufacturers not just dealers. If they receive enough e-mails or letters I'm sure they will respond.
The only company I am aware of that has installed residential appliances fron day one is CT Coachworks in Riverside Cal.

[Barrier2]

My 1977 GMC Palm Beach Motorhome had a 12v/110 unit it worked just fine. The ice cream was Hard and the bottom food was at the 38 degree mark. This was run thru the standard 80 amp engine alternator and two 6v Golf Cart Batteries the same as two of the ones in my Dynasty ( I also had the one 12v chassis battery) or the Generator when I used it (only had 180 hrs when I sold it). I would turn it on in June when we left for our trips, and turn it off in September when we returned never a hiccup. I owned this MH for 13 years and when I sold it the refrig was running fine the new owner has no complaints and it still runs fine at 34 years old. As I understand it the company Dometic or Norcold stopped producing them when the Factory was destroyed by fire. Evidently no one has picked up the ball on this. I would buy one of these in an instant.
Robert

[kellylipp]

The original poster had me right up the point where the conspiracy theory kicked in. There is not a business in the world building a product to lose money. If there is a market for a million of an item that costs in the $500 range some company will fill that void. How do you know there isn't that market? Nobody is trying to fill it.

IMHO ...

[beaverjim]

i must be missing something! with all the problems with all of these units, lets just use the norcold 1200 series why hasn't one of the refer. companies built an exact repacement, dimension wise using residential guts. if you go to the aj madison site you can find a refer. in any demension except for what we all need for a simple replacement! somebody is missing the boat. i think one of these companies will eventually figure it out and will make out very well! jim

[Superslif]

When a RV frig. needs replacing, what causes replacement costs to be so high???. Lucky for me we have not had any problems with our frig....

When I visit RV dealers, I'll notice a row of new frigs lined up with price tags well over $1000 plus installation costs.

[Ed-Sommers]

I would suggest that to answer these questions, all you have to do is get a masters degree in business and BINGO, questions answered!

Ed

[beaverjim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed-Sommers I would suggest that to answer these questions, all you have to do is get a masters degree in business and BINGO, questions answered! Ed

i hope that was a joke jim

[two2go]

Well, OK. Guess I should have shut up. I just was venting my frustration with what I see as a lack of innovation and choice. Conspiracy theory? Perhaps. Maybe 10's of millions in salary and bonuses for executives is not true. Maybe GE doesn't have to pay taxes because they are a poor company while my stock languishes. Maybe lots of new jobs are being brought back to the US.
I sincerely apologize for the tone of my original post and for any offense I have generated. I realize how damaging words can be because I see it too much in replies to so many threads, and I do not want to be regarded as another cranky old conspirator hiding behind a nickname.
Perhaps I do not understand business, and I do not have a masters degree in business (it's in engineering).
My OP would be better stated... "Wouldn't it be really neat if an enterprising company could develop a line of refrigerators that are efficient AC/DC powered drop-in replacements for the current gas absorption refrigerators? Is it physically possible to maintain cold storage using a moderate amount of energy that is available in mobile applications? But I don't have a master's degree in business, so perhaps the bottom line is not viable, much less the physics (no degree there, either)."
P E A C E, and Happy Easter (I know where my Forgiveness comes from.)

[beaverjim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by two2go Well, OK. Guess I should have shut up. I just was venting my frustration with what I see as a lack of innovation and choice. Conspiracy theory? Perhaps. Maybe 10's of millions in salary and bonuses for executives is not true. Maybe GE doesn't have to pay taxes because they are a poor company while my stock languishes. Maybe lots of new jobs are being brought back to the US. I sincerely apologize for the tone of my original post and for any offense I have generated. I realize how damaging words can be because I see it too much in replies to so many threads, and I do not want to be regarded as another cranky old conspirator hiding behind a nickname. Perhaps I do not understand business, and I do not have a masters degree in business (it's in engineering). My OP would be better stated... "Wouldn't it be really neat if an enterprising company could develop a line of refrigerators that are efficient AC/DC powered drop-in replacements for the current gas absorption refrigerators? Is it physically possible to maintain cold storage using a moderate amount of energy that is available in mobile applications? But I don't have a master's degree in business, so perhaps the bottom line is not viable, much less the physics (no degree there, either)." P E A C E, and Happy Easter (I know where my Forgiveness comes from.)

two2go, you sure didn't offend me jim

[wkdwitch]

OK Ed Sommers, I have a masters degree in business summa cum laude and taught business classes at the college level but have no answers. So now what is your real answer?

[HobbyTalk]

The problem is there is no way to make an efficient DC operated refrigerator. Heck, most batteries in a rig can't run a furnace all night much less run a refrigerator 24/7. The average wattage of a refrigerator is about 60 watts (300 running) which is 5 amps @ 12v. If they could get that down to 36 watts that is 3 amps or 72 Ah per day. I sure wouldn't want to use that boondocking. A rig would need a minimum of 150Ah of battery just to run a refrigerator for 24 hours. A compressor and motor is much heavier and bulkier too. Couple that to the limited market and there is no profit to be made.