Community Forums

fleurdalune · 07-23-2015, 04:46 AM

Hi all, DH and I have finally decided we are going to purchase a 5th wheel in a few months and are in a quandary whether we should have a residential refrigerator or RV refrigerator. Any suggestions or information as to which is best way to go. We will be doing some dry camping but mostly just staying at RV parks. Are the new Norcold better then the residential? Also it will be a brand new 5th wheel so we have to decide what we want.

**CLIFFTALL** · 07-23-2015, 05:21 AM

Residential is my vote. Best of luck with your purchase.

slowmachine · 07-23-2015, 05:25 AM

As recently as ten years ago, I would have chosen a Dometic or Norcold absorption refrigerator. Today, I would opt for electric only. Electric refrigerators becoming increasingly energy efficient and solar panels are becoming increasingly efficient and cost effective. Absorption technology soldiers on, nearly unchanged for decades. For me, it is not even an acceptable safety risk to have the absorption unit in the RV. As long as you can reliably supply the electricity it requires, I think that a 120V residential refrigerator (or a 12V unit marketed toward the RV/marine/truck market) is the better choice.

Mike
2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PBD
Freghtliner XC, CAT 3126B

paz · 07-23-2015, 03:57 PM

For us, a residential refrigerator is a must. Advantages of residential refrigerators include peace of mind (with all the recalls on the Norcold), more efficient cooling and more interior capacity for a similar exterior size. More efficient cooling equals faster cool down, hard ice cream, cold beer and all the ice you can use.

Our current 18 cu ft residential refrigerator plus a couple of LED lights can run for about 6 hours on two 6-volt batteries without drawing the batteries down below 50% charge. If you boondock occasionally, I recommend a minimum of four 6-volt batteries.

fleurdalune · 08-01-2015, 07:59 AM

Thank you all for the information. It helped a lot. Now I would like to ask, if no one minds, bilgerat is curious if the roof vent for the RV frig is a good area for bringing down power cable, antenna cable; solar panel and such.
All input is welcome.

1ciderdog · 08-01-2015, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fleurdalune

Hi all, DH and I have finally decided we are going to purchase a 5th wheel in a few months and are in a quandary whether we should have a residential refrigerator or RV refrigerator. Any suggestions or information as to which is best way to go. We will be doing some dry camping but mostly just staying at RV parks. Are the new Norcold better then the residential? Also it will be a brand new 5th wheel so we have to decide what we want.

Personally, I'd go for the electric residential refrigerator UNLESS I was planning on doing a lot of dry camping. You'll have to have a way to charge the batteries if using an inverter to run the refrigerator or another source of electricity, no?