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01-22-2020, 04:28 PM
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#1
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,601
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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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Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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01-22-2020, 05:09 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Milwaukie, OR
Posts: 1,389
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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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Jeff & Sandi (and Teddy - 7lb Schnorkie)
2018 Montana High Country 305RL
2015 RAM 3500 Crew Cab 4x4 DRW
Demco Recon Hitch on RAM Puck Ball
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01-22-2020, 06:05 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,238
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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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2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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01-22-2020, 06:06 PM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,846
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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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John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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01-22-2020, 06:16 PM
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#5
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Gone Traveling
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Frostbite Falls
Posts: 325
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH
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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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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01-22-2020, 06:21 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Virginia Beach
Posts: 175
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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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2019 Montana HC 331RL
2017 F250 Super Duty Crew Cab
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01-22-2020, 06:26 PM
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#7
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,846
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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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John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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01-22-2020, 06:35 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Indiana
Posts: 2,666
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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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2019 Montana High Country 375FL
2014 Chevy Duramax HD 6.6 - 3500 Diesel Dully Long bed Crew Cab
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01-22-2020, 07:17 PM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,601
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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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Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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01-22-2020, 07:44 PM
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#10
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,238
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sourdough
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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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.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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01-22-2020, 08:01 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,601
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Thanks Chuck. I'll have them measure and/or tell me the procedure.
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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01-22-2020, 08:02 PM
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#12
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,714
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A saws all will get it out, getting a new one in....
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Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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01-22-2020, 08:04 PM
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#13
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,601
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flybouy
A saws all will get it out, getting a new one in....
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Got it! Got several but if I'm going to do that I'll just pull it out the door and buy another trailer....
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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01-22-2020, 08:26 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Rockett, TX
Posts: 480
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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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Jerry & Debbie
with Fur Babies Sasha & Sam
2018 Alpine 3401RS
2019 Ford F350 SRW
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01-22-2020, 08:53 PM
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#15
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,601
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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.
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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01-23-2020, 03:27 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Germantown, TN
Posts: 6,308
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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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Jim in Memphis, Wife of 51 years is Brenda
2019 F450 6.7 Powerstroke
2018 Mobile Suites 40RSSA
2021 40' Jayco Eagle
2001 Road king w/matching Harley sidecar
2021 Yamaha X2 Wolverine 1000
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01-23-2020, 04:27 AM
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#17
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Gardner
Posts: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by notanlines
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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Jim, how does winterization work with the icemaker? Can you easily remove it to avoid pink glycol getting in it?
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2019 Alpine 3700FL
2018 F350 Lariat DRW 6.2L w/ BD5F air ride 5th wheel
also in driveway: 2017 F150 XLT 5.0
2017 Escape Titanium - 2007 Shelby GT500
2007 E350 Quigley 4wd 6.0 PS
2006 F550 Lariat 6.0 PS
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01-23-2020, 07:19 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Solomons
Posts: 3,874
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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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Tom
2019 Alpine 3651RL
2016 F350 CC DRW
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01-23-2020, 02:09 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Germantown, TN
Posts: 6,308
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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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Jim in Memphis, Wife of 51 years is Brenda
2019 F450 6.7 Powerstroke
2018 Mobile Suites 40RSSA
2021 40' Jayco Eagle
2001 Road king w/matching Harley sidecar
2021 Yamaha X2 Wolverine 1000
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01-23-2020, 04:05 PM
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#20
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Quincy
Posts: 64
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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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