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Old 01-22-2020, 04:28 PM   #1
sourdough
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Residential Fridges

Committing to a new Montana HC with a residential fridge. Always thought I preferred a regular RV fridge (never owned a residential) but we don't dry camp any longer. If I did I would just tote a genny.

My question/concern; we've talked to a couple of folks here in the park that have them and they rave about them so I wasn't too concerned. Watched a walk thru video of the unit we intend to buy (331RL) and the guy commented about the problems with the residential fridges. Never heard that (reliability/failures). Any comments/thoughts/insights? I have a deposit on the unit, have to clear things here and get back to pick it up with the understanding it has to pass muster so I can move to something else if this is a big issue.
Thanks.
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Old 01-22-2020, 05:09 PM   #2
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I say toss a coin. It seems like there is potential for glitches no matter what you choose. With the RV fridge you will likely need to add fans in the rear to better manage temp and keep the fridge cooler. With the residential fridge it will use more battery via the inverter. But, if you plan to mostly camp with shore power then that's a moot issue.

Ours came with the RV fridge and I'm OK with it, it works fine after adding the fans. If it would have come with the residential fridge I think I would have been fine with that as well. We aren't boon-dockers so as long as the food stays cool we're good.
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Old 01-22-2020, 06:05 PM   #3
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Only real issue with residential style refer is if service is needed. As a rule appliance service people WON’T work on them inside the unit. We had to remove the drivers window and seat to get one out of a Tiffen.

Me personally, I wouldn’t own one in an RV. I’ve seen very few have issues, but then it’s just my personal preference. Enjoy, can’t wait to see pics!
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Old 01-22-2020, 06:06 PM   #4
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For me, the biggest drawback is towing in the "heat of summer" with a residential refrigerator. The warnings about not operating the unit inside the trailer when the temp exceeds 110F would be my concern. Apparently the compressor is a variable speed "light duty" unit and can burn itself out trying to pump the refrigerator heat out into air that's too hot to accept it. If that happens during the warranty, no problem, but after Keystone's year, then it becomes an issue. Samsung won't honor the warranty in the trailer and the refrigerator won't fit through the door.... So......
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Old 01-22-2020, 06:16 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
For me, the biggest drawback is towing in the "heat of summer" with a residential refrigerator. The warnings about not operating the unit inside the trailer when the temp exceeds 110F would be my concern. Apparently the compressor is a variable speed "light duty" unit and can burn itself out trying to pump the refrigerator heat out into air that's too hot to accept it. If that happens during the warranty, no problem, but after Keystone's year, then it becomes an issue. Samsung won't honor the warranty in the trailer and the refrigerator won't fit through the door.... So......
That will be a problem. What do ya do pull the slide out?
Only issue I have with mine is the inverter trips sometimes.
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Old 01-22-2020, 06:21 PM   #6
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Love our MHC 331RL with residential fridge. More room than rv fridge, ice maker is amazing, keep it plugged in at home and on the road.

You won't be sorry!
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Old 01-22-2020, 06:26 PM   #7
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If the inverter trips, it could be a low charge on the battery, or the size of the wiring from the battery to the inverter or it could be the refrigerator compressor "telling you it's tired"... I'm certainly not a refrigeration tech, so take this as a "novice opinion"... To me, if the inverter is tripping and the battery isn't low, then I'd suspect that the variable speed compressor is "working at max capacity" shutting off and then coming back on as soon as the delay time is met. The head pressure would trip the inverter breaker. Why would it come back on early? Possibly because the refrigerator isn't cooling efficiently (maybe too hot in the trailer?) and the compressor is overheating at "max speed" then as soon as it's cool enough, coming back on.... Just a SWAG, so don't shoot the messenger if it's a wrong opinioin, but if it's in warranty, I'd get it checked before the warranty on the trailer expires and if the trailer warranty is already gone but the refrigerator's 2 years isn't up, I'd push the dealer to have it checked out. That's a $2500 refrigerator if you have to buy a replacement, and probably $1000 to get it removed from the trailer, a new compressor and reinstalled....
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Old 01-22-2020, 06:35 PM   #8
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Ours has a Samsung residential refrigerator and we keep the camper plugged in 24x7x365 unless on the road actually traveling. So far, not a hint of issues with this refrigerator. I didn't know how the ice maker worked when we first purchased the camper. I had trouble getting it started. The buttons are all backwards. I called Samsung and they walked me through getting it turned on. In the tit-for-tat, back and forth phone calls, there was a point where they were willing to send out a service repair person for me. I made sure they knew the refrigerator was inside an RV and they said that was no problem. Fortunately, I got the ice maker working. What appears to be "off" is actually on.

FYI, we keep the camper plugged in at home, and even in 10 below zero weather, the refrigerator did not freeze up, and when the temperature inside the camper reached over 100, it still kept the freezer at -4 and the refrigerator section at +34 consistently. No issues at all (17 months going and going strong).
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Old 01-22-2020, 07:17 PM   #9
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Thanks all. Seems the things I've read are sort of like this...good/bad. How to remove/replace and not being able to get inside sounds problematic. I don't mind buying a new fridge, if reasonably required, but have no interest in having to have doors and walls removed to do so.
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Old 01-22-2020, 07:44 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by sourdough View Post
Thanks all. Seems the things I've read are sort of like this...good/bad. How to remove/replace and not being able to get inside sounds problematic. I don't mind buying a new fridge, if reasonably required, but have no interest in having to have doors and walls removed to do so.


Tape measure and specs. If the doors are off the fridge will it fit through the entry door? Is there a big “picture window” at the rear? Hopefully you never have to repair/replace it, but if you at least have the ability to get it out of the RV that’s a huge plus.
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Old 01-22-2020, 08:01 PM   #11
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Thanks Chuck. I'll have them measure and/or tell me the procedure.
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Old 01-22-2020, 08:02 PM   #12
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A saws all will get it out, getting a new one in....
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Old 01-22-2020, 08:04 PM   #13
sourdough
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A saws all will get it out, getting a new one in....

Got it! Got several but if I'm going to do that I'll just pull it out the door and buy another trailer....
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Old 01-22-2020, 08:26 PM   #14
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Really like the residential in ours, don't think I would ever go back to an RV fridge. Make sure the dealer installs enough batteries to power it when needed, our 5er has 4 12V batteries, with 2 size 27 dedicated to the fridge. We have traveled for up to 9 Hrs and the fridge held temps in both compartments
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Old 01-22-2020, 08:53 PM   #15
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Mustanger, I told them I wanted 2 for the coach and understood 1 was all it took for the residential fridge. Is that a mistake? We do not boondock.
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Old 01-23-2020, 03:27 AM   #16
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Danny, we are into our third season with the DRV and our residential fridge. So far we have towed a total of 16K miles and it has never missed a lick. The ice maker works great and while towing, the truck and 6 volt batteries handle the inverter just fine. If we had to do it over we would still choose the Whirlpool.
And congrat's on the new RV.
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Old 01-23-2020, 04:27 AM   #17
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Danny, we are into our third season with the DRV and our residential fridge. So far we have towed a total of 16K miles and it has never missed a lick. The ice maker works great and while towing, the truck and 6 volt batteries handle the inverter just fine. If we had to do it over we would still choose the Whirlpool.
And congrat's on the new RV.
Jim, how does winterization work with the icemaker? Can you easily remove it to avoid pink glycol getting in it?
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Old 01-23-2020, 07:19 AM   #18
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22 months with our residential fridge in the Alpine and no problems. Winterizing was not an issue. There are several cut offs and a low point drain. If it ever needs to be replaced the doors on the fridge would come off so it would fit out the door.
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Old 01-23-2020, 02:09 PM   #19
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Dick, there is a water connection behind the fridge with outside access for a drain, and there is a fridge water cut off on the main water manifold in the basement.
That being said, since our pudgy little bodies are in south Florida until May every year it remains a moot issue. (Sorry, I didn't mean to rub it in...)
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Old 01-23-2020, 04:05 PM   #20
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Time to upgrade to the new century and steer clear of the fire breathing dragon absorption fridge.
Furrion has a 12V or 110V Arctic compressor driven fridge which is a direct replacement for a 8 cf absorption. Built to handle a RV lifestyle, built to be energy efficient. Turns a 8 cf into a dependable, safe compressor driven fridge.
Anyone looking to replace a absorption with another will save about one third.
When we buy our new trailer and if there is a absorption fridge it will be replaced before it leaves the lot.
https://furrion.com/products/furrion...saAsDjEALw_wcB
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