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Old 07-25-2012, 09:38 PM   #1
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Replacing Dometic with a Domestic type frig'

Dometic refrigerator has leaked all the refrigerant and absorption unit is $400 plus. I am thinking about replacing it with a domestic frig..What are the positives and negatives..I can think of only one negative and that is not being able to keep frig cold for an extended period while pulling..how long would it last before it would need to be hooked back up to power..I do have a generator so that is definately an option..appreciate any comments...
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Old 07-26-2012, 06:29 AM   #2
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A compressor fridge would be considerably cheaper but as you say, you loose
the ability to keep food cold while on the road.

I would not do it because we dry camp on occasion. We love national
parks and forests but many do not have electric hookups. It will impact
the re-sale value of your rig but if you're going to keep it several more
years that's not really an issue.

To answer your question: how long? Not more than a few hours.
You can always go back to tent camping mode and keep your food
in an ice cooler until you arrive. You could also get an inverter to run that
compressor while you are on the road. It would probably require some
re-wire on your tow rig to get enough amps back to the RV but then you
could keep the fridge cold.

You have to consider how much you're going to be on the road away
from 120v power. Keeping the fridge cold at a campground with a generator
is not a good idea IMO. You'd need to run it every few hours day and
night. I guess you could leave it off all nite but food's not gonna be
very cold in the morning. Most campgrounds won't let you run a
generator at night anyway. Plus if you're using a generator to keep your
fridge cold you are stuck staying at the camp site to keep an eye
on things. What if you want to go exploring for a day?

By the time you bought a heavy duty inverter and a mini fridge and ran
the heavy wire from your engine to your trailer, how much are you going
to save?
Is it worth it to you?

Just my thoughts..... maybe others will add their 2¢
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Old 07-26-2012, 06:37 AM   #3
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IMO, bad idea. Get it repaired or replaced.
I could not live without a propane backup or the ability to dry camp.
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Old 07-26-2012, 08:00 AM   #4
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I forgot to mention the noise factor.
A compressor fridge is gonna be noisier than your old RV fridge.
Not a lot but in the small confines of an RV it can be louder than
you think, in the middle of the night.....
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Old 07-26-2012, 08:11 AM   #5
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The true cost of your camper is the difference between buying and selling price. That said, I would not even look at a camper that has a domestic refrigerator. If you were going to keep it forever or park it at a permanent location it could be a good choice.
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