New first post ... Frig choice

[frank4711]

Hey first post looking forward to your help and ideas ... will order new Rockwood 8290BS next week ... choice is standard RV frig or 12 CF residential ... will be using 99% plug in parks ... will I be happy with inverter while driving to keep frig running ... Thanks Frank

[jimla]

We have a res. ref. in our TT and have had no problem with traveling with it. When we bought it the dealer tech did mention to get ref. running and cold before switching over to inverter. That way it will run less and draw less on the 12 volt system. Along with that you are drawing power off you TV while traveling.

[tomkatb]

If you do not plan on boondocking or utilization of parks with Minimal electric service the residential is a good choice.

Just pass on the free crap battery at the dealer and ask for the max six volt battery bank. Costco sells them for under $100 each. We have 4. 5x a marine battery.

Otherwise you may run out of juice on long drive days in hot weather.

We have the 13 cu. ft. Rv fridge to allow us flexibility at parks with 30 amp service. Typically state parks. We can run both ac units. Also, 30 amp sites can be cheaper. We use them especially when just passing thru.

[5picker]

With 99% full hook up park utilization, residential is the way to go.

[Capt. Mike]

Originally Posted by 5picker

With 99% full hook up park utilization, residential is the way to go.

X 2. We love our residential refrigerator.

[lewisra]

Originally Posted by Capt. Mike

X 2. We love our residential refrigerator.

x3, and my free crap dealer batteries are working just fine. We drove from Michigan to Colorado no plug in and no problem. And my China bombs survived the 4k mile trip as well. I guess I'm just lucky.

[Rvdixie]

Originally Posted by frank4711

Hey first post looking forward to your help and ideas ... will order new Rockwood 8290BS next week ... choice is standard RV frig or 12 CF residential ... will be using 99% plug in parks ... will I be happy with inverter while driving to keep frig running ... Thanks Frank

This would be a subject worth reviewing in 10 years or so. It will be interesting to see if the manufacturers of the refrigerators can build them strong enough to withstand the bumps and grinds of the woefully horrible road system in this country. It took the makers of the original RV type refers almost 50 years to get their act together.

[rxrdbou1969]

ours was a residential fridge with icemaker. one dealer winterized the icemaker, was impossible to clean out, had to call service tech for Fridgidaire to fix. $$$ We then used fridge for a while, then it totally stopped working. Had to call service tech for Fridgidaire again. $$$ He said it would cost more to fix than it would to replace. We then replaced with residential NO Icemaker. $$$ If you get one with icemaker, do not put pink antifreeze in it, it will never cycle and make ice.

[itat]

We’re doing a PDI on a 8290BS in one week. It has a propane/electric Dometic refrigerator. We never camp without electric either but I would rather have the propane option. We’ve had bad power and power outages while camping so having the propane option is just security. Using an inverter demands better batteries. I’ve had a Group 24 Interstate dual purpose lead acid battery for 4 years with no problems.

If we were going to park it on a seasonal site, I’d go with a residential frig but for travelling and unknown power quality, I want the propane option.

[Jakieboy]

We are on our fifth RV, a lovely 35-ft fifth wheel that DW and both adore. We have never opted for a home-style fridge because of the variety of camping sites that we visit. We also often leave the RV unhooked for days at a time while visiting friends here in the West. We have had zero problems with any of our Dometic fridges, and really like the propane/battery option. Only drawback I can think of is that it needs defrosting at least once per year.

Long time camping friends of ours bought a home-style fridge for their new MH, and have had to repair it twice, and finally replaced it $$$$. Seems they are not built to tough enough standards to withstand our rough roads.

[cruisinhwy66]

I vote for home style frig, worth the learning curve, food always cold in any temperature or humidity. Don't go to Vegas in the summer time without one.
Never dry camp, this would require Generator or solar for charging Battery, but so would gas/elec after a week when you run out of propane should it be cold.

cruisin

[spock123]

Originally Posted by rxrdbou1969

ours was a residential fridge with icemaker. one dealer winterized the icemaker, was impossible to clean out, had to call service tech for Fridgidaire to fix. $$$ We then used fridge for a while, then it totally stopped working. Had to call service tech for Fridgidaire again. $$$ He said it would cost more to fix than it would to replace. We then replaced with residential NO Icemaker. $$$ If you get one with icemaker, do not put pink antifreeze in it, it will never cycle and make ice.

My ice maker on my residential refrigerator works great after I winterize the ice maker. No problems with pumping the pink stuff in

[lewisra]

Originally Posted by spock123

My ice maker on my residential refrigerator works great after I winterize the ice maker. No problems with pumping the pink stuff in

I may be wrong, but I think he was talking about getting the pink stuff out.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by spock123

My ice maker on my residential refrigerator works great after I winterize the ice maker. No problems with pumping the pink stuff in

Originally Posted by lewisra

I may be wrong, but I think he was talking about getting the pink stuff out.

And I may be wrong but I believe spock was saying his ice maker works perfectly fine after winterizing/dewinterizing. I personally never seen a report about antifreeze ruining an ice maker other than the one posted by rxrdbou1969.

While there have been a few reports of issues with residential style refrigerators in various R/V forums, they really have been few compared to absorption style refrigerators.

Usually the biggest gripe when someone has an issue with a residential style is the issue of getting a replacement through the door!

[cruisinhwy66]

Our Home style didn't come with ice maker and I'm glad, one less thing to worry about when winterizing or leaking water. This freg has 2 bottom freezer drawers, not sure how a ice maker would mount anyway, plus leaves room for trays or block ice. I'm choosing better due to complaints about ice makers in RV's, not a good idea because of being towed over poor road surfaces.

cruisin

[frank4711]

Thanks for the feedback it is much appreciated. Going to Super Show in Tampa today, looking forward to placing order for new Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite 5th Wheel 8290BS next week. I think we will get the Res frig. Thanks Frank

[rjshiflet]

I don't think you'll ever regret getting the residential refrigerator. Our previous three RVs (one bumper pull and two fifth wheels) have all had the "camper fridge" that ran off of electricity or propane. Seemed there was never enough space - even though it's just my wife and me.

Our '17 Cardinal has the residential and we love it.

[spock123]

Our residential refrigerator is great, gets food colder than our refrigerator at home. And yes after I dewinterize the ice maker it all works great again. I usually cycle 7 or 8 ice cubes, I like to get all the pink stuff out. DW doesn’t use the ice but I do.

[Bama Rambler]

Originally Posted by Rvdixie

It took the makers of the original RV type refers almost 50 years to get their act together.

We had a standing pilot gas fridge (and lights) in our first RV, and it worked flawlessly.

Could you elaborate on where you got the information that the gas fridges had problems for 50 years?

I realize that absorption fridges were invented when RV's were called wagons. And actually we've gone downhill in longevity, but they are lighter. The first Servel absorption fridges were designed to last 100 years or more.

[Cabinfever97]

I would go with the traditional fridge for many the same reasons others have said. We have been at CG that have had power issues and sure was nice to have the fridge on auto and not need to worry about what the electric did.