12 volt refrigerator

[JABURKHOLDER]

I was just at an RV show and it seems like most RV’s are coming standard equipped with 12 volt refrigerators. I know the main differences like, no propane, runs on DC vs AC, has a compressor like a residential model, more efficient than propane, etc. What I don’t know is how efficient are they compared to an AC residential type.
Anybody have a 12v refrigerator and how do you like it ?

Thanks in advance

[Lee-CI]

Hey Chief,
We had a 10 or 12 cu ft 12V fridge in a Wolf Pup we used to own. We were actually impressed with the unit as it would freeze ice cream hard as a rock in the freezer even during the hottest of summer months.

[Foldbak]

I've heard good and bad. Unless you have a robust solar system and battery bank, it's a problem boon docking.

[Harrisden54]

I have a Dometic 1350 that ran on 110 a/c or propane. Fridge temps would get up in the 40's when outside temps got above mid 80's. I tried all the remedies listed in this forum but it still did not cool well. I took it to JC Refridgeration in Shipshewana this summer and had them install a new 12 volt Dutch Aire cooling unit in the fridge. Fridge now works great even in upper 90's temps.
I like to boondock frequently and purchased a 200 watt portable solar
panel that will keep my batteries charged for the fridge. I use a couple of suitcase inverter generators for cofffe pot, TV, and microwave.

[JABURKHOLDER]

Originally Posted by Foldbak

I've heard good and bad. Unless you have a robust solar system and battery bank, it's a problem boon docking.

I’m looking at a sob that comes with a 12v fridge and a SolarFlex 440i system with 2 Dragonfly lithium ion batteries as standard equipment.

[Sparatacus]

Hello sir and thank you for your service, we have the 12V and I can tell you compare to what we had it's like day and night. We went on a two month long cross-country trip to see friends and my mother and wow it kept everything cold.

My ice cream which I love was cold and hard and ice was forming in the back so I had to turn that sucker down. Unlike the propane and electric that we had, it was a nightmare I had to take 4 computer fans and install them in the back so it could cool our stuff inside and that was a job every time we went out.

Only thing you mention on what upgrades you are planning to do you will need to do that if you are planning on boondocking.

[High5er]

We're full timers and had the standard Propane/110 AC in our last 5th wheel and I thought it was pretty good. A few months ago we traded in and have the 12v in our new rig. I can't begin to tell you how much better it is. This thing has precise temp controls for both freezer and fridge and has 'ultra' modes for both, so when you load it with new groceries (or refill the ice trays), you can get it back down to temp faster. The best part is the freezer. Any ice cream we put in the old freezer was destined to be soft serve. Not in the 12v. It's really like having the fridge/freezer from a house in your RV. It has a built in ice maker, but we keep ours turned off and use the old school ice trays with bottled water. Nothing worse than funky ice ruining a cocktail.

We haven't boondocked and probably won't for more than a day in this thing, so I can't speak to what kind of draw it has on the batteries.

[Sparatacus]

Yep, I would agree High5er, we went to Las Vegas, NV and I did not like the propane/ AC fridge and with the four computer fan I installed in the rear it seem to help a little but not much, with the 12V fridge it is the cat meow.