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Old 08-23-2012, 09:27 AM   #21
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f1100 - a good point that takes me on a tangent - there was a thread here while back about the outside refers being only 110 and us (Prime Time) having the opinion that it was too much $$ to upgrade to an RV refer in that location. This thread is starting to shed some light on why there was an unusually high interest in that expensive option.

But, we have a big family that likes to eat . . . and drink . . . that things full, too!

And to go a step further, it made me mad when the door of the outside refer opened and spilled my beer . . . I mean my kid's snack drinks . . . onto the ground. We're working on that one.
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Old 08-23-2012, 09:31 AM   #22
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Originally Posted by Triguy

I know what you mean, Turbo. We would love an outdoor kitchen but the only thing holding me back from buying a new trailer in the future with one is the lack of an RV fridge (Again, don't want to be on electric 100% of the time). Guess I can't have everything, but I wish I could
We camp twice a year without power. So that's the only time we don't use outside fridge. Although we take our gennie we only run it at night till morning.

When we are camping with power we turn residential fridge on and fill it 2 days before leaving . When in route it says cold enough till we get plugged in.
Most of our outings are less than 1.5 hours away.
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Old 08-23-2012, 09:47 AM   #23
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...Would you mind elaborating just a little on why you would not prefer a larger 110 refrigerator instead of the RV type?
Thanks.
Wife and I would like maybe a larger rv type, but a 110v only, no. The inconvenience of being on the road for anywhere from 2-5 days going, would be a big hassle. Even if you pre-cool the frig and never open the door, you can only travel about 4-6 hrs before having to plug in again and an 'onboard' gen is just another item to have to stow/maintain/etc. When we are 'set up' for 3 wks at a time, we are always out and around either sightseeing/shopping or visiting and never very far from a grocery store or Walmart. It's kinda like with clothes, you just plan on taking the real necessities and if something comes up, you just buy what you need and it's fresher. An rv style frig around 15 cu. ft with a 3-4 cu ft freezer would be ideal for us, but not a real necessity. Don't know if this is what you wanted, but just our reasoning. (DW is here contributing also)
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Old 08-23-2012, 09:58 AM   #24
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We camp exclusively at places with electricity. However, on our 19 hour drive to Florida, a residential fridge wouldn't have done well.
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Old 08-23-2012, 10:08 AM   #25
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Thanks, dunnnc.

Let me fish a little further: What if we installed a small wattage inverter that allowed the refer to run off your batteries during transit? Most residential refers only pull about 1-2 amps when running.
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Old 08-23-2012, 10:09 AM   #26
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Originally Posted by RV Guy
Thanks, dunnnc.

Let me fish a little further: What if we installed a small wattage inverter that allowed the refer to run off your batteries during transit? Most residential refers only pull about 1-2 amps when running.
Now your getting somewhere !
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Old 08-23-2012, 10:12 AM   #27
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However, is my family atypical in that we are almost exclusively using the RV a couple hours from home and always with hook-ups? SIDE BAR: My wife would NEVER dry camp no matter how much I need to understand the needs of our customers. Dry Camping to her means it didn't rain.
Can't say if your family is atypical, but you camp the way we do. So far, the furthest we have been away from home is 3 hours. We typically leave on a Friday and come home on a Sunday. We did vacation (for a week) in our TT this year, but went for full hookup. Any place we stay, we look for electricity and water at a minimum... full hookup if possible. That being said, with a family of five, we don't want to mess with another item to store (a cooler) so we try to put everything we can in the fridge before we leave. If we need to buy milk or something when we get to our site, we will.
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Old 08-23-2012, 10:13 AM   #28
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Thanks, dunnnc.

Let me fish a little further: What if we installed a small wattage inverter that allowed the refer to run off your batteries during transit? Most residential refers only pull about 1-2 amps when running.
Now, you may have hit on a viable solution. Getting interested now.
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Old 08-23-2012, 10:16 AM   #29
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sfrye - the cooler comment came up a while earlier in a different post and I'm confused. The rationale for me to have the bigger refer is to avoid the cooler and get it all in before I leave.

Am I missing something on that?
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Old 08-23-2012, 10:20 AM   #30
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sfrye - the cooler comment came up a while earlier in a different post and I'm confused. The rationale for me to have the bigger refer is to avoid the cooler and get it all in before I leave.

Am I missing something on that?
Nope you are spot on... my point is, if you have a 110 refer, then I have to pack a cooler with all my items it in while I travel. Unload it when I get there, then load it back up on my way home just to keep my foods cold.

I like using the propane because I can turn it on the night before. The next day, I load my food in the cold refer and I am on my way... no cooler needed.
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Old 08-23-2012, 10:25 AM   #31
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Maybe herk could do the math on how long you could run the residential fridge on a say a group 24 deep cycle.
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Old 08-23-2012, 10:28 AM   #32
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Originally Posted by RV Guy
Thanks, dunnnc.

Let me fish a little further: What if we installed a small wattage inverter that allowed the refer to run off your batteries during transit? Most residential refers only pull about 1-2 amps when running.
I will take one, let me know if that option is available for my crusader when I trade my lacrosse in next year. Bigger fridge, inverter while traveling, shore power when available, gas when no hookups...
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Old 08-23-2012, 10:33 AM   #33
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I know there is a lot associated with perspective , I'm from the tent style of camping jumping into a MH and im still giddy about having the ability to have ice cream while camping...
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Old 08-23-2012, 11:02 AM   #34
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f1100, this is a "sales pitch" from the supplier of the refers/inverters that he made to Prime Time regarding an "overnight" scenario:
  • Turn inverter off when your Tow Vehicle is turned off - eliminating 12V draw. At this point, the refer is cold.
  • Turn inverter back on ONLY if you open refer and for approximately 1 hour.
  • The start up draw for the refer will be higher but momentary.
  • The additonal draw for 1 hour to get the refer "cool" again, will be approximately the same as two typical double 12V pancake lights in your unit.
I'm not an Electrical Engineer (and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night) so I can't say if this is right, wrong, good, or bad. Just their sales pitch to us.
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Old 08-23-2012, 11:30 AM   #35
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Originally Posted by RV Guy
f1100, this is a "sales pitch" from the supplier of the refers/inverters that he made to Prime Time regarding an "overnight" scenario:
[*]Turn inverter off when your Tow Vehicle is turned off - eliminating 12V draw. At this point, the refer is cold.[*]Turn inverter back on ONLY if you open refer and for approximately 1 hour.[*]The start up draw for the refer will be higher but momentary.[*]The additonal draw for 1 hour to get the refer "cool" again, will be approximately the same as two typical double 12V pancake lights in your unit.
I'm not an Electrical Engineer (and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night) so I can't say if this is right, wrong, good, or bad. Just their sales pitch to us.
Interesting to say the least.

Mildly intrigued !
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Old 08-23-2012, 03:02 PM   #36
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Don't ya'll offer a bigger double door fridge in some units? It is gas/elec right, I have never seen one in person so I have no idea. Is that something that could be offered in more models, and is that enough room for your wife, or still need a full size res fridge.. And as a side note I sure hope ya'll figure out how to have a gas/elc in the outdoor kitchen. And maybe offer an outdoor kitchen in something other than a bunkhouse model. That way when I get these kids moved off and I am ready for an upgrade I can have the best of both worlds... Prime Time is prob going to be stuck with me for a long time. I was just fixing to post about and experience I had yesterday when I came across this post and had to chime in. I will post on the Prime Time page for all to read..
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Old 08-23-2012, 03:14 PM   #37
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Thanks, dunnnc.

Let me fish a little further: What if we installed a small wattage inverter that allowed the refer to run off your batteries during transit? Most residential refers only pull about 1-2 amps when running.
Now you talking !! We would no longer have to have our propane tanks on going down the road. But I think this has been tried by a member on his absorption fridge, and it still ran the camper battery down.

But, I would still want a propane fridge for dry camping. If you could incooperate both a 12 volt going down the road, 120 volt for hookups, and propane for dry camping, then that would be great. Hey, wait a minute, those types of fridges are in many fold down campers.......but are small, of course.....that is what you are trying to stay away from.
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Old 08-23-2012, 03:35 PM   #38
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Now you talking !! We would no longer have to have our propane tanks on going down the road. But I think this has been tried by a member on his absorption fridge, and it still ran the camper battery down...
Had a 3way frig in our El Camino slide in and on 12v, it was ok while running down the highway, but within about 4hrs, it would drain a LARGE 12v Combine battery and the truck battery(one time). After that, I always made sure we either turned it on 110 or gas as soon as we stopped.
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Old 08-23-2012, 07:02 PM   #39
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Dometic 4-door 12 Cu. Ft. Refrigerator

Prime Time has built several Lacrosse Models with a special promo Dometic 12 cu. ft. 4 door refrigerator. WE HAVE ONE!!! Had it at the FROG Rally in Goshen. Great working refrigerator, as stated earlier, it is important to have the beer cold after set-up. LOL !!
We had the kids stay with us for a week at Darian Lake on the way to Goshen, the refrigerator was great, most meals where done at the campsite, lots of room and it maintained a temp of 35 to 39 during very hot weather.
Prime Time will probally do this promo again in the future. When we purchased ours it was on the basis of the large refrigerator, Prime Time sent me a list of the dealers who purchased them and we negoiated with three of them and purchased the unit last year. As I have said before, my wife bought a $30,000 refrigerator and they tossed the trailer into the deal !!
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Old 08-23-2012, 07:12 PM   #40
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Remember RVguy that 1 to 2 amps at 120v is 10 to 20 amps at 12v. So you will drain a battery fast.
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