Residential refrigerator vs RV refrigerator

[Bllogsdon]

We are planning on full time rving in 2017. We are trading in our travel trailer for a 5th wheel. I am leaning toward the RV refrigerator so if/when we boondock we will be able to use the refrigerator longer. For those of you that had both can you give me the pros/cons of each?

Thank you!

[Jerry Dixon]

For that very reason, 3-way power refers are always better to have. But they are much more expensive than electric only models, so RV manufacturers are phasing 3-ways out in favor of electric only refers. They claim that the public is demanding electric only, but they really just want to save money by installing the cheaper types.

[spock123]

Originally Posted by Jerry Dixon

For that very reason, 3-way power refers are always better to have. But they are much more expensive than electric only models, so RV manufacturers are phasing 3-ways out in favor of electric only refers. They claim that the public is demanding electric only, but they really just want to save money by installing the cheaper types.

You got that right. They have both got good points but for the manufacturer it's about cost. RV manufacturers will do anything to save a buck, just like Cedar Creek now says they can't get the Goodyear tires so they buy cheap China tires. I have a residential refrigerator and a electric one will get the ice cream colder and beer too. I have a bank of 6volt batteries and mine stays cold all the time. Electric refrigerators are bigger, if the electric ones quit I don't know how you will get another one in the camper. I have had both but if I had to choose I would keep the RV refrigerator, we are never that far away from Walmart


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[Jerry Dixon]

Models like the Georgetown XL come standard with a 22.5 CF residential, with an option for a gas/electric fridge/freezer, but do not state the size, which I suspect would be a 12 CF. Maybe the solution would be a 12 CF refrigerator only, with a separate gas/electric freezer. For boondocking with an all electric fridge, you are going to have to have a roof full of solar panels to keep the batteries charged, or plan on running the generator for several hours a day, which gets expensive consuming a gallon of gas an hour. Gas fridges are not too bad on propane consumption though.

[nemike]

I wonder how well the residential models would hold up to all the bumps and vibrations of traveling down the road.

[pjnlorrie]

A big factor is how you will use your RV. If you spend time in "no services" locations the RV/2 or 3 way type wins hands down (IMHO). If you stay in developed CGs & parks the residential is cheaper to run and probably longer lasting. We like to camp off grid, so last year I lit the gas on our RV fridge and did not shut it off till we returned 5 weeks later.

[CaptnJohn]

For the 2 of us the bigger capacity is not required. Harder to find a 3 way today, most have done away with 12V and are just gas or 110. Never used the 12V anyway, if electric that was the way to go, if not seemed not much propane was used.