Fridge Upgrade

[dwkhumble]

Has anyone installed a small Apartment size fridge in their rig. What was the approx. cost, including an inverter for the fridge. Was the job extremely involved. I'm looking at a 9 cubic foot fridge. Thanks

[chuckster57]

I wouldn't do it. Unless your current RV refer is not working, the "apartment" fridge your thinking about won't have near the freezer space and won't cool as good.

[Pull Toy]

IMHO... Chuckster +1

Waste of money unless you have constant shore power. Cost = LOWE's / Home Depot, your pick.............

[dcg9381]

I think the Cougar has an 8 or 9 cuft Dometic, right? A 9 cuft would be the same size or maybe an upgrade.

Note, I haven't done this mod - but lots of people do it, especially in the diesel pusher space, likely because they have a better ability to charge. It's on my radar - Dometics are great for 12v use, as long as you don't open them too often.

OP - you need to find the amp or watt draw for that fridge. That's how you start sizing stuff.


Here's ballpark:
Assuming the fridge pulls 6 amps * 120V = 720 watts (largely at start up) is what you need to cover. Running, it should pull more like 80 watts. A 1000 watt, pure sin invert-er is going to run you about $230.

The issue will be batteries. You'll need multiple, probably 2-3 deep cycle batteries at around $130 or so each. In series 6v golf-cart batteries would be better, be need a set of 2 or 4.

Expect to spend $100 wire and connectors. At start up, you're looking at pulling 40-60 amps through that 12V wire.

I can run the calculations for you after you pick a refrigerator, but expect that once fully charged, you'll need to get the RV back on a charger with 12-24 hours or so (rough ballpark, no calculations). That's what you're going to be giving up by going "residential".

Part of the key will be picking a fridge that has decent cooling - with airflow, not just radiant cooling like the Dometic.

Good write up here:
http://janeandjohn.org/pages/NorcoldReplacement.html

[chuckster57]

"Apartment" fridge's are like the dometic, they don't have a circulating fan. And now that I have had more time to think, I would wager that the resale/trade-in value would take a hit.

[dcg9381]

What's the correct name for fridges without fans?

I found one 9.9cuft fridge (just searched for a second) that appears to have fans/airflow. I completely agree that without the fan that the radiant cooling systems isn't going to be much of an upgrade.

If you found the right fridge, it sounds like you're talking at least $600 in an inverter, batteries, and associated wire - add the fridge cost, so $900. Again, I really like the idea of a residential upgrade - so I run contrary to the grain here. Bad upgrade for boondocking. Good upgrade for someone who likes to open/close the fridge.

[JRTJH]

What I'm about to post is my observations through the years. Keep in mind for everyone who likes vanilla, there's someone who doesn't like it and prefers something else, so not everyone will agree with me on this.

I've known a lot of people who RV. Most of them, at one time or another have been faced with a refrigerator death.... Some have just replaced it and "kept camping". Some have balked at the $1000 cost and looked for cheaper ways to replace their "kaput fridge". Some have bought replacement cooling units, some have sent theirs to have it replaced, some have bought "salvage" refrigerators from a wrecked RV, and some have bought a "dorm fridge" which is nearly the same size, plugged the vent holes and "crammed the replacement refrigerator into the space.

After replacing it, most have bragged about how much money they "saved" with their mod and they claim how much better it keeps the beer cold during the summer while parked in the yard. They have no "issues" with summer camping, usually it's at "full hookup" sites anyway.

Here's the rub: They decide to take the RV camping one weekend in the fall (or early spring) when A/C isn't needed, find they have to run their generator nearly full time to keep the beer cold.... They learn, through trial and error, that they are "for the most part" tied to full hookup sites. Over the camping season, they realize the hassle and stop camping as much. Next season, they use the RV even less because it's not convenient to camp where there's no electricity. So, they decide to sell the RV since they aren't using it enough to justify keeping it. That's when they find that their "cost saving mod" has decreased the value much more than the cost of a replacement refrigerator. And, they find that few people consider buying it because of the kind of refrigerator in it. That's when they realize they're "stuck with a significant loss" and until they undo the mod they'll never sell it.

So, by installing the "AC refrigerator", they found they use the RV less, it's more inconvenient, they can't sell it and they don't use it.

That's been my experience with the people I've known that "change out" their refrigerator.

I don't think the "factory residential refrigerator" model RV's are quite the same. They are "equipped to provide power for the refrigerator" during travel, have a significantly larger refrigerator than the typical 6 or 8 cuft Dometic or Norcold, and the "tradeoff" of a "frostfree 18 cuft residential refrigerator with an icemaker" that can be powered during travel makes up for the inconvenience. It's not the same as a "replacement dorm fridge" in a small space. You won't be "overnighting at WalMart" or "camping in the desert off the grid" with a "dorm box mod".....

Some may "like it" others, I think, will find what I've described as their experience. Choose to replace your refrigerator with consideration for more than just "how to power it with an inverter".....

[chuckster57]

As usual, well said.