Residential Refrigerator Issue- Isata 5

[Isata5-RLP]

This is my first motorhome with a residential refrigerator. Purchased the Isata 5 in July - 2017. Here is a little background and then my questions are at the end.

The refrigerator is a Frigidaire model FFHT1621QS

First issue with the refrigerator occurred August - 2018: Repair technician comments - "replaced drier, evacuated and recharged".

Second issue occurred September - 2018 (our next time out): Repair technician comments - "replaced control board and evaporator kit".

Third issue occurred March 2019: Repair technician comments - "evaporator pump leaking and board test bad".

The technicians that did the last two repairs indicated that residential refrigerators are not made to be powered on and off very often, they are made to turn on and keep running. They also indicated that the vibration from driving would cause issues.

Questions:
1. Is anyone else having issues with their residential refrigerator?
2. If the repair technicians are correct, why would RV manufactures put residential refrigerators in in their products?
3. Is there anything I should be doing to help avoid this recurring issue?

I appreciate any help with this issue?

[FFred]

. If the repair technicians are correct, why would RV manufactures put residential refrigerators in in their products?

Cost .

The sad solution long term is installing a proper RV or boat fridge.

Propane + 120 VAC if you plan to boon dock much.

120V only is fine if you stay in camp grounds AND have an inverter to run it while on the road.

Sorry,

[cavie]

Originally Posted by FFred

. If the repair technicians are correct, why would RV manufactures put residential refrigerators in in their products?

Cost .

The sad solution long term is installing a proper RV fridge

Propane + 120 VAC if you plan to boon dock much.


120V only is fine if you stay in camp grounds AND have an inverter to run it while on the road.


Sorry,

So boondocking in a Dynamax is out?

[tomkatb]

Keep in mind that in the past residential fridges lasted 30:years and were built like tanks. Today’s fridges are built to last single digit years. More efficient.

They are not built to handle rattling around, and bumps.

The old style fridge quality units are out there but, start at $8,000.

We opted to go with a 13 cu ft four door gas electric. The list price differential was $2,400. You can buy an 18 cubic foot residential fridge for $800. Cash that fridge is about $2500. The fridge is big enough fir the two of us.

Batteries are also an issue. An inexpensive fridge could wipe out a single battery in east Texas in 4 hours. So one needs to plan ahead.

The most efficient residential fridge might be a good plan with plenty of battery capacity. Boondocking is swell with a generator. Or lots of sun and solar collectors.

Our gas fridge is sort of goofy. Lousy at cooling off that case of beer.

However our fiver works well on 30 amp state park sites. Electric mostly powers the ac. Not much else.

[formerFR]

we have a residential fridge, and 92,000 miles over 4 1/2 years with no issues... whoever 'told you' that fridges don't 'like' to be turned on or off often are full of bunk... the fridge does not care, especially since it's compressor cuts on and off constantly, even while always 'powered' at your home - there's no difference between the compressor turning on 'on it's own', or the compressor turning on when YOU turn it on(such as when you come out of storage for the camping season, or just because you turned it 'off' when drycamping overnight to save amps)...

you have an Inverter, which is the power source for the fridge, but it also remains 'powered' when you are plugged in or the generator is running. There are actually not many times when it's NOT powered.

Don't worry about what 'techs' may say, your fridge is perfectly designed to handle 120v power, whether 'all the time' or whether 'some of the time'!

Now, as for your fridge issues, you didn't mention what the symptoms were for each time you had a problem and called for service. Maybe you simply have a defective fridge from the factory, it happens. I would demand a replacement.

[Whalenss]

Have not had any problems with residential frig in my I5.
It runs full time when using the unit ( shore power, inverter, generator)

Dont have any tips for you. I just use it the same way I use the frig in the house.

I get the "buy extended warranty " requests but the terms exclude use in an RV.

[RET.LEO]

Here is a vid from a man who sells both and their service dept. works on both. Straight shooter just telling how it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Fj5MIHYXGQ&t=1s

Our new TT will probably be a Winnebago Minnie Plus as they offer a 12V compressor fridge. Between a solar fed Li battery bank and generator powering it will not be a issue.

[Whalenss]

Originally Posted by Whalenss

Have not had any problems with residential frig in my I5.
It runs full time when using the unit ( shore power, inverter, generator)

Dont have any tips for you. I just use it the same way I use the frig in the house.

I get the "buy extended warranty " requests but the terms exclude use in an RV.

With respect to boondocking. I have no problem boondocking with 4 coach batteries and solar panels to help keep batteries charged. The residential frig doesn't have a big draw on the batteries when at operating temp. If needed, supplement by running the generator for a short time during the day.

[caseymyers]

Originally Posted by Isata5-RLP

This is my first motorhome with a residential refrigerator. Purchased the Isata 5 in July - 2017. Here is a little background and then my questions are at the end.

The refrigerator is a Frigidaire model FFHT1621QS

First issue with the refrigerator occurred August - 2018: Repair technician comments - "replaced drier, evacuated and recharged".

Second issue occurred September - 2018 (our next time out): Repair technician comments - "replaced control board and evaporator kit".

Third issue occurred March 2019: Repair technician comments - "evaporator pump leaking and board test bad".

The technicians that did the last two repairs indicated that residential refrigerators are not made to be powered on and off very often, they are made to turn on and keep running. They also indicated that the vibration from driving would cause issues.

Questions:
1. Is anyone else having issues with their residential refrigerator?
2. If the repair technicians are correct, why would RV manufactures put residential refrigerators in in their products?
3. Is there anything I should be doing to help avoid this recurring issue?

I appreciate any help with this issue?

3 motorhomes with residential fridges, no problems with any of them. And you can boondocks, just keep an eye on your batter level.

[High Desert]

Originally Posted by RET.LEO

Here is a vid from a man who sells both and their service dept. works on both. Straight shooter just telling how it is.

Our new TT will probably be a Winnebago Minnie Plus as they offer a 12V compressor fridge. Between a solar fed Li battery bank and generator powering it will not be a issue.

Wow - this guy is "doom and gloom" on residential refrigerators! Is this is such a problem in RV's, then why are more and more moving over to them? I can understand the part about having a domestic frig in an RV and only having one or two batteries to supply the entire coach causing problems, but (most) people moving to a domestic have 4+ coach batteries, bigger inverter system, and probably a solar adder too. If I did not know very much about RV's and watched this video, I'd run from anything with a domestic frig. And fwiw - we just purchased a Tiffin Allegro with domestic frig looking for delivery next week. I am not concerned in the least.

[CSWVK]

Originally Posted by High Desert

Wow - this guy is "doom and gloom" on residential refrigerators! Is this is such a problem in RV's, then why are more and more moving over to them? I can understand the part about having a domestic frig in an RV and only having one or two batteries to supply the entire coach causing problems, but (most) people moving to a domestic have 4+ coach batteries, bigger inverter system, and probably a solar adder too. If I did not know very much about RV's and watched this video, I'd run from anything with a domestic frig. And fwiw - we just purchased a Tiffin Allegro with domestic frig looking for delivery next week. I am not concerned in the least.

We have an all electric DX3. We remote camp for 5 or 6 days each month for the past two years with no issues. Solar and generator for a bit each day keeps the batteries charged. Frig has had no problems

[Winger1]

Originally Posted by High Desert

Wow - this guy is "doom and gloom" on residential refrigerators! Is this is such a problem in RV's, then why are more and more moving over to them? I can understand the part about having a domestic frig in an RV and only having one or two batteries to supply the entire coach causing problems, but (most) people moving to a domestic have 4+ coach batteries, bigger inverter system, and probably a solar adder too. If I did not know very much about RV's and watched this video, I'd run from anything with a domestic frig. And fwiw - we just purchased a Tiffin Allegro with domestic frig looking for delivery next week. I am not concerned in the least.

No kidding! Never has "sears" told me not to put a refrigerator in my truck and take it home. How would anyone ever get a refrigerator to their home if it did not travel on trains trucks, autos? Biased

[cavie]

Originally Posted by formerFR

we have a residential fridge, and 92,000 miles over 4 1/2 years with no issues... whoever 'told you' that fridges don't 'like' to be turned on or off often are full of bunk... the fridge does not care, especially since it's compressor cuts on and off constantly, even while always 'powered' at your home - there's no difference between the compressor turning on 'on it's own', or the compressor turning on when YOU turn it on(such as when you come out of storage for the camping season, or just because you turned it 'off' when drycamping overnight to save amps)...

you have an Inverter, which is the power source for the fridge, but it also remains 'powered' when you are plugged in or the generator is running. There are actually not many times when it's NOT powered.

Don't worry about what 'techs' may say, your fridge is perfectly designed to handle 120v power, whether 'all the time' or whether 'some of the time'!

Now, as for your fridge issues, you didn't mention what the symptoms were for each time you had a problem and called for service. Maybe you simply have a defective fridge from the factory, it happens. I would demand a replacement.

[tomkatb]

Another issue for thought is standard, not more expensive counter depth models residential refrigerators, are more than 30” deep with the door off.

Removing and replacing it could be a slide removal challenge. Not all exit doors are that big.

Easy to install without walls.

Refrigerators should not be laid down. If you do it, is well known that you must wait. 24 hours to start them. Or the compressor is shot.

Our last fridge at the house lasted 30 years. The popular models are built as light as possible! Salesmen tell you they seldom make 10 years.

No major manufacturer makes rv fridge in all electric. There is a couple of boat fridges. Dometic makes great rv coolers, but, they are not cheap. My sons holds about a case of beer. Cost about $700.

The point here is to know what you are buying into. Know both sides.

You have to be certified with Freon to work on a residential fridge.

[jvalich]

Originally Posted by tomkatb

Refrigerators should not be laid down. If you do it, is well known that you must wait. 24 hours to start them. Or the compressor is shot.

Our last fridge at the house lasted 30 years. The popular models are built as light as possible! Salesmen tell you they seldom make 10 years.

No major manufacturer makes rv fridge in all electric. There is a couple of boat fridges. Dometic makes great rv coolers, but, they are not cheap. My sons holds about a case of beer. Cost about $700.

The point here is to know what you are buying into. Know both sides.

You have to be certified with Freon to work on a residential fridge.

I sell appliances. Most of the refrigerators we have on the floor a, ditto for one we have delivered or a customer has picked up have been laid down. The shipping skids are bolted to the bottom frame with a 5/16" bolt on all corners. Unless you can dead lift that puppy over your head and hold it there until someone removed the 2" long 5/16" bolts holding the skids on, you are laying that bugger down on it's back. WE do not wait 24 hours to power them up after we lay them down for 10 minutes. Never have I killed a compressor by laying it down for a few minutes.

As to the fragility of a residential and the weight, they are not as "heavy" (still plenty heavy) as the ones of years past because compressors have gotten much more efficient and smaller. Also, materials from 30 years ago have changed. I won't say good or bad, just different. Shipment of a residential, from manufacturer through distribution, sales and home delivery has been far more brutalized than installed in an RV that is going down the road.

A boat refrigerator is an RV refrigerator, they are no different. How they are powered are. You will not find a propane based frig in a boat. Simply the unit would not work because it would never be level. Most boats have a 5 - 7 deg run angle, unlike an RV. So, running up on plane with the bow rising and falling, you would never be able to use it until you hit an idle zone , at anchor, or tied up in a slip. What is a requirement of an RV ammonia based unit... must be level. A RV frig installed in a boat will be 12VDC/120VAC with automatic switching. Many basically have an inverter built in.

I'm guessing the OP just got a lemon of a residential refrigerator. I've seen them over the years... just like cars or anything else.

That video was relatively crap, about the only thing useful was pointing out you should be getting what you need based on how your rig is setup power-wise and what your intent is.

[The Newsoms]

Residential fridge is a priority for me. After I had the first one, I can’t go back. Whatever downsides there are, (and there are some) the good outweighs them.

[CHICKDOE]

so what is different about a residential refrigerator in an rv and the air compressors on the roof? don't they both get powered on and off repeatedly, have compressors, evaporators, coils, and circuit boards?

[jvalich]

Originally Posted by CHICKDOE

so what is different about a residential refrigerator in an rv and the air compressors on the roof? don't they both get powered on and off repeatedly, have compressors, evaporators, coils, and circuit boards?

Not much that I can think of. If you want to talk about rough treatment, the Norcold refer in my 30' Express cruiser took 15 years of teeth loosening bumps over 15 yrs we owned the boat. It worked as good in year 15 as it did in year 1.

[caseymyers]

Originally Posted by High Desert

Wow - this guy is "doom and gloom" on residential refrigerators! Is this is such a problem in RV's, then why are more and more moving over to them? I can understand the part about having a domestic frig in an RV and only having one or two batteries to supply the entire coach causing problems, but (most) people moving to a domestic have 4+ coach batteries, bigger inverter system, and probably a solar adder too. If I did not know very much about RV's and watched this video, I'd run from anything with a domestic frig. And fwiw - we just purchased a Tiffin Allegro with domestic frig looking for delivery next week. I am not concerned in the least.

I'd bet he's never camped with one. To each his own, but I'm not subscribing to his channel.

[bclemens]

men mock what they do not understand. Easy thing to do is "blame the RV environment" for fridge issues. More than likely they never actually found the root cause of the problem.