*[UPDATE:] Haylet RV has chosen to move away from Residential Refrigerators in RV for "general stock" units. Details at **ruclips.net/video/ZU5VUpvQQII/видео.html&lc=Ugzw0xNyO787mkc8U0d4AaABAg** We're still happy to fulfill order requests for RVs with resi-fridges, but are no longer keeping them among our in-stock offerings*
I'm so relieved you have explained the difference. My experience with gas/electric has been so reliable in my motorhome. I like the twin gas/electric combination because it gives the capacity and the fail safe back up.
Man, couldn't have come at a better time. Power is literally out right now in NE Oregon. I am so thankful that my gas/elect fridge is what we have. Even if we buy a new RV to full time in (as we are now) I will only have a gas-elect fridge.
don't have a camper RV yet but I because of you and your organization educating me you are on the top of Mind list for a purchase new or used thank you very much for going against the grain
I agree that a residential refrigerator for a towable is probably a bad idea especially since they don't have AGS (Automatic Generator Start) systems. On the other hand for motorhomes especially DP motorhomes most of the issues you raise are mitigated by the AGS system for the loss of incoming AC power. The Air Ride suspension on DP units helps dramatically with the shock normally encountered on an RV. The other thing you mention is power. There are two broad types of inverter systems the cheap ones which are MSW (Modified Sine Wave) these produce a stepped square wave which residential appliances absolutely don't like and causes premature failure, the other type is a PSW (Pure Sine Wave) inverter which produces power as clean as any utility outlet. So, if you have a DP coach, Air Ride suspension, AGS system, and finally a PSW inverter you can use residential appliances including a refrigerator and have a long life.
It wasn't totally clear that you were discussing the towable market. I don't think that residential refrigerators in a towable is a good idea with the narrow exception of a 5th wheel that has a generator and AGS system. Even then most towable manufacturers don't put good suspensions and stuff gets banged around quite a bit. I'm impressed at your videos!
Thank you for the kid words, Michael! I sometimes forget people can't read my twisted mind. I go into these things with an idea, but run pretty unscripted & sometimes forget those fine-but-important details.
Love this video with all the information. Proof that there are a lot of things to consider when looking for the "perfect one". Nice to see it's a family business also.
Could not agree more on this. I really love Open Range RV's, but almost all of them in my area have residential refrigerators. That is an absolute deal breaker for me. They just seem like a nightmare waiting to happen. Its an RV use RV components!! Thanks for the great vid Josh.
thank you Josh I've always thought that the gas /electric was the thing and now my info is better supported ..thanks I appreciate all you do for these videos..and I say we will be visiting you one day up there for our new fifth wheel..take care man
I agree with everything you said. With that said, we still got the residential fridge in our New Horizon's 5th Wheel. We're full time and sit most of the time wherever I happen to be working. So, that fits part of what you said about not towing every day. An interesting side note is that New Horizons recommends running the generator while running down the road to keep full power to the unit because of what you pointed out. Everything is in standby not shut down. Excellent review by the way.
also everybody don't forget when RV fridge is on gas you still need 12 volt supply to keep it going, has to supply circuit board to keep fridge running, my dometic 6.6 cf uses .6-.8 amps on 12 volt when on gas.
My pleasure! Thx for joining Ben But please take a look here m.ruclips.net/video/b2KyRB5WUeE/видео.html as some things have changed since that video came out!
Great info Josh. Im an electrical maintenance Mechanic. So never overload a circuit. And don't max out your circuits. Like most things in life overworking anything usually causes deficiency and wear. Thank you
My eyes are open! Have much smaller ones in both a van and travel trailer. I run them off of a separate inverter in which the batteries are topped off by solar. No problems at all. The RV one that I had in the travel trailer would most never be cold enough. Works for me! Should I have a problem, 200 plus bucks and I’m ready to go again. On the big refrigerators I cannot comment on, but they would draw more power no doubt.
I do LOVE some LARGE cold storage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT this does make me rethink the MONDO fridge!!!!!!!!!! Backup is a great idea for keeping your stuff COLD!!!!! Thanks Joshua!!!!!!!!!! :)
I will say it would depend a lot on suspension as well. A fifth wheel with a MORryde air suspension has less bounce. I hated my gas/electric refrigerator because, in hot weather, it won't keep food as cold and my ice cream was alway soft. I replaced it with a residential one but I do have a gen-start generator system for when the power goes out. If I ever have problems, I don't have to haul it to a dealership, I can call an appliance repairman whose hourly rate is almost always much less.
Depending on where you live something like a VERY inexpensive fan added to the top vent of a gas/elec fridge to force out hot air and force up cooler air from below can make a huge difference. This is actually on my list of little DIY things I want to start recording when the weather warms up. $10 item provides a $1,000 value.
This made me more comfortable with my decision (and Bill M’s discussions) to go 12v on our not yet built Mini Lite (is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet)”?)
Great info!! also something to consider. residential fridges push all there heat into the living space. this can be a plus in cold/moist environments(get a fantastic fan they work!) but on a hot day with the windows closed and the A/C running that fridge will be working against you. where as an rv fridge will actually push a small amount of heat out out of the camper :-) how fire makes cold still amazes me :-)
I love my gas/electric fridge after several power outages at the campground and nothing was lost. However we cannot leave the gas on when we leave for more then two days do to park policies. A few years ago someone left their gas on when they left for a week and the pilot light went out. The owner returned and noticed it and tried to restart, not realising the trailer was full of propane. You can figure out what happened next, thankfully the gentleman is fine along with his cat, the trailer however ended up a large fireball. And no his LP detector was not working. That's when park policies changed to turning off water and propane(gas) and all trailers must be inspected yearly by a certified gas technician no matter the age of trailer.
We were convinced we wanted a residential refrigerator. As we learn more, we have decided that RV fridges are the way to go. I was very surprised to learn that you cannot keep a residential fridge operating on solar. Thanks for another great video!
Thank you for all your videos. I am in NE Ohio but we pass by on our way to visit family in Kalamazoo. We will be stopping by next time we make that trip North on I69.
1973 Dodge Explorer It’s running its original propane (I think Dometic) fridge. Can’t kill them. All appliances were original and working when we sold it in 2006.
It has sometimes required removing a huge picture window from a super slide -- which the MFG doesn't typically cover via warranty. it's a mess. That's why we just avoid these things.
Not specifically And I should mention this past season we've finally seen a shift in the reliability of residential refrigerators as some better suppliers have re-entered the RV marketplace. I'm beginning to come around on this one. That being said -- once larger 12v models are available you'll see them become the dominant fridge in RVing and all but replace residential models
Isn't replacement cost less on the electric refrigerator and don't they last longer? assuming it's just parked and not driving it all over. I was thinking if it came with the r.v. fridge using it then replacing it with an electric if it was in a permanent site for live in use would be the way to go
Replacement cost is less, but more likely in an RV. If the RV is moved with any level of frequency they're not inclined to last longer as a "residential" refrigerator is not built for "recreational" purposes (aka not meant to be jarred down the road). If you are essentially full-timing at one location with very little towing involved, then an electric fridge makes sense as long as it's larger than an RV equivalent. I think the new 18cu ft gas/elec RV Fridge models have largely eliminated most any reasonable need for elec-only fridges lacking the auto-changeover power loss backup.
So Josh, 3 years later, provided you even get notices, how do you feel about these today? Also what are your thoughts on the new Furrion 12v compressor models?
Regarding resi-fridges: We feel even more solidified in our opinion of them today. Warranty on them is a nightmare. 12v Compressor fridges are legit. You may notice from our recent videos we're putting them in just about anything we can.
@@JoshtheRVNerd Thanks for the reply. I did see that on the 12v, and got one because of you. They were older videos that I watched, so was checking now that they have some time on them. Good to know still giving a thumbs up. I can imagine the warranty nightmare. We had two LG in our house that failed and couldn't be repaired, and they were both less than 3 years old.
Information is not negative!!! You have educated me. I always wanted to buy a RV with a Residential Refrig. You have made a believer at of me. My RV will be for traveling not sitting in a park Great Job keep them coming.
I know this is an older post, thank you for your explanation. I have been looking at a gas/electric model that has an ice maker/water. Do you know much about them and their dependability? Thanks again.
Where I live Upshur Rural electric has a reputation for going AWOL on us. That reason alone gives me a good reason to have a gas electric refrigerator.
Just picked up my Jayco 30.5MLOK with the 12cuft RV gas/electric refrigerator and is is plenty big! The “residential” refrigerators also often have ice makers (water piped to a plastic valve) which if not winterized properly crack and dump water all over your RV. Also, how do you remove one of those “residential” refrigerators through a 32” RV door? Great advice, thanks!
Perhaps a dumb question, but what happens when the unit needs to be replaced? Hard to imagine it fitting in and out of the door. Does an entire slide need to be removed to take out the old and install the new? As finicky as slides can be, it would make me uneasy wondering if the slide would operate as originally installed, not to mention labor costs.
Sort of depends on the RV in question. Most anything with an elec-only fridge has at least a wider 30" entry door. The doors of the fridge may need to be removed, but can typically be taken out of the RV.
Hi Josh, we are closing on a 2021 Jayco 317 Eagle from a dealer in our part of Texas it has a residential fridge and I'm freaked out it will be a nightmare, wondering if I should back out of the deal and order the same trailer with Gas Electric... its our 1st 5thwheel... very nervous, is it possible to swap the fridge or is it better to walk away? Sorry too many questions
John here's what I recommend: Get some more feedback. You may have seen recently we have stopped stocking resi-fridges here (though we are happy to fulfill an order request for one if a customer feels strongly about them). You can see details on it here ruclips.net/video/ZU5VUpvQQII/видео.html&lc=Ugzw0xNyO787mkc8U0d4AaABAg I don't want to be a dreamcrusher. I don't believe our opinion is the only one worth listening to. I encourage you to ask around a bit (especially locally) to get some feedback And if possible -- try to speak with tech/repair folks as they really tend to shoot you brutally straight.
Josh. I have a 12 ft gas/ electric fridge in my trailer. I can I tell how much electricity it’s using? I pay my own electric on my rented pad site. According to the outside meter I’m using way way wayyyy more electricity than my fellow campers. The only thing different is the size of my fridge. I’ve been all over the internet trying to figure out how much electricity it should be using. Please teach me if you have time. Thank you.
Apologies Melanie - I don't have the knowledge and training to assist you on this one. I'm wondering though.. if you have a bigger fridge, then do you have a bigger RV? Are you running more A/C time also perhaps?
You guys need to Advertise more , after the service we are getting. We would have loved to buy from you guys. We love are Montana 377FL but sure not getting support. When I call the Dealer . Seems you guys care . Keep your customer service like your shown me on your post.
We've actually been doing *less* advertising year-over-year the past 2-3 seasons. We struggle to keep up with phone call volumes as it is. More advertising just means being unable to make all ends meet. We aren't perfect, but we do try. We're a family-owned and operated place. The boss is my dad (married my mother). That's not just our "business name" on that bumper sticker -- it's my *family name* on the back of every RV that leaves here. That means something
Smart info. We're Class C, but I've wondered about the house refrigerators. I'm not nuts, they are a problem. Ours is 6 ft and does feel small. The 18 square foot gas/ electric is sexy if you want something bigger. I also don't understand the love affair with all electric kitchens. Then again, I cook with gas at home, so bottled gas makes sense on the road.
It's fear of the unknown I think, Lisa. People don't understand the propane systems and appliances of an RV & there simply aren't enough people at dealerships that can do even a base level of education. This results in consumers seeking their comfort zone. That general lack of information in this industry is literally the entire reason I founded this video channel.
We're starting to learn about doing full-time RV living. The most likely scenario is that we'll be doing long term stays and moving around less frequently than most since we'll still have a job to go into everyday. We're a family of 8 so we've been leaning towards a residential fridge, but it sounds like that's not necessarily a great option. Can you tell me what the difference between an 18 cu ft gas/electric vs a residential fridge is? Is there a lot less cold storage or is it not as usable? My research hasn't been able to answer that question yet.
Great videos Josh. Very informative. One question on this Res vs. RV fridge topic. I have heard that RV fridges can't get the cold air circulated around inside the fridge as well as the Res versions so the power/fuel source is not as efficiently. The Res fridges can do this with fan circulation. Are some of the newer RV fridges now getting fans to be more efficient?
I've heard it both ways from different RV factories and customers. Some swear Fridge A works better than Fridge B -- sometimes even under the same conditions. So we focus on the ability to give clients backup, peace of mind, and service in the rare event its needed.
Not in a travel trailer -- only in a fifth wheel. It's possible due to the same "loophole" of sorts in Michigan where due to the legal interpretation of how a fifth wheel connects to a truck it's not TECHNICALLY a "trailer," but an extension of the truck (though treated as a trailer in literally all other senses). Doing so does require 2-way communication with the driver. Personally: I think it's a really... really... really really really... really really really bad idea. It's a literal rolling earthquake back there. I sometimes hear about people leaving their pets in the vehicle in transit -- even cats. I can't possibly imagine a cat in a trailer in transit. If the cat doesn't have a heart attack and puke on everything before you get there I'll be impressed.
Have you done a video on traveling while your refrigerator is running on propane? Some people have told me you can do it and others told me I shouldn’t do it.
Josh, awesome video, as usual! great information. i just bought a 2014 keystone sprinter wide body 299RET, 32 foot travel, like new condition. i rent a mobile home space in a senior park. i am full time permanent parked. the trailer came with a dometic 6 cu.ft. gas/elec. i was concerned at first it would not get cold enough for me. boy was i wrong. (on the highest setting, freezer is 0 to 10 degrees, food section is 20 to 31 degrees). what the majority of people don't realize is the newer rv fridges have come a long way as far as performance. if OR when the dometic dies, the only reason i would go residential is cost. for around $350 i would go for a 10 cu.ft. haire or frigidaire. top/mount freezer, auto defrost. since i'm stationary should be fine. as for the 20 to 30 cu.ft. models now in modern 5th. wheels, i think they could avoid damaging the compressors by turning the units OFF completely and putting two or three bags of ice inside for transit times. once again Josh, i love your videos. i can tell you love your job. your POSITIVE ATTITUDE is contagious. you could sell ice to the eskimos. P.s. if the dometic died, and money were no concern, i would plunk down the two or three grand and go for the quad-door gas/elec. dometic or norcold and be done with it! every time i see a quad-door gas/elec. in a rv i think they are just too slick. (on the flip side, when i see a 25 cu.ft. residential reefer in a rv, i think: MAN IF THE DRIVER TAKES A SHARP TURN THAT FRIDGE IS GONNA COME CRASHING DOWN!). best of luck and shalom, "the rabbi milton schmoolie"
How about an update on this for 2023. Now that more new rVs are going 12 V refrigerator. Now with solar packages and life lithium batteries .Maybe the smaller residential refrigerators with an inverter are a good option like in the 10 cu ft rage. Those RV old school refrigerators are not gonna work in the hotter areas which is the main reason. Most Rv stops are for 3-5 days so if the refrigerator can stay cold that long before you get back on the road and charge everything back up, seems doable. But just like anything else you have to spend more to save more
Yeah this video is long in the tooth for sure I've considered updating it but... 2-way fridges are largely dying out of the marketplace. The big 18cu ft 2-way fridge isn't even being offered any more and the smaller models are quickly shrinking in demand
@@JoshtheRVNerd I would imagine those propane, two-way fridges would go extinct. They’re super expensive. I have to be perfectly level ground to work and highly inefficient. The 12 V or 24 V refrigerators are cheaper more efficient, but still consume power. The residential 10 cu ft refrigerators are way cheaper but you have to install those yourself. Many campers Want more extended stay time, to be able to take food from your refrigerator and put it in the RV refrigerator. Saves money on road trips. A solar package with a battery generator I would think would be decent just to run the refrigerator and a more plug and play feature . When you run the gas generator to use the AC or anything else. It can also recharge your battery generator.. and when the suns out you have solar panel power charging the system back up. The complete solar package including refrigerator even decided to use life lithium batteries instead of a battery generator or vice versa is still cheaper than the 12 V /propane 2way refrigerator. And since were talking about modern technology, and being more efficient here, they need to come out with mini splits to. Especially for those rigs that they’re asking 140 to 250 K for.
Josh, since you're on the topic of refrigerators. What are your thoughts about towing with the propane on for the fridge? Any insight you could provide?
We were slow to adopt the 12v fridges here until we saw them in the marketplace for at least a year and got a good chance to judge their reliability. They seem to be doing well and getting better. We've begun bringing them in on a LOT of RVs
It's a nightmare and reason #37 we dislike them. Often you have to go to pretty extreme measures that may include temporarily removing and island or even removing an entire window from a slide (which is a whole other nightmare)
I would never go residential because we like to camp in provincial parks and very few of them have power. So we have 300 watts on the roof (not enough for a fridge) and a propane electric fridge. When we have power I will switch the fridge to electric to save propane but mostly it runs on propane. Except at home. I like to turn the fridge on a few days before we leave and cool everything down on electricity but then it'll run 2 weeks at a time on propane.
You don't typically see 3-Way fridges in anything but the smallest models and occasionally truck campers with a 6cu ft model. The challenge you encounter is the fridge becomes too large for a 12v battery to make any significant impact on the cooling before the battery is dead.
@@JoshtheRVNerd I had a Residential in my Travel Trailer could never get the Temp below 45f now i have a Electric/12 Volt and Run it off a Electric/ Solar Generator much better and no Temp issuses its a portable 12volt so i can remove it in the Winter, its a chest refrigerator.
I drive truck for a living and deliver refrigerators, washers, dyers, ECT...I'm wondering how Sears can tell you it is better for the fridge to be hauled in the a larger truck vs your pickup truck. The suspension is horrible in those tractor trailers too. Chances are every refrigerator in town came in on a tractor trailer from 3 states away! Sounds like Sears just wants you to pay them extra to deliver it.
A significant difference there is the packaging in place during the retail transit. The boxing is designed to absorb reasonable transit stress. I have a friend who is a packaging engineer. People literally go to school to make better boxes lol Unfortunately, once installed those boxes don't exist anymore.
More so now than ever before. Nothing has changed on the residential fridges to make them more RV travel reliable because they're still residential fridges not made for RV'ing. Thankfully, the introduction of larger 18cu ft gas/elec fridges has largely voided the need for resi-fridges for most cases. You still find resi-fridges around a lot of dealerships simply because it's less expensive. Servicing these things is a nightmare. We've literally had to go to the extent of removing an island AND a super slide window to get a failed Resi-fridge out of a fifth wheel for service (since their techs won't come to an RV facility & expect it to be where they can access everything). If you plan to move around, then I would absolutely recommend avoiding a resi-fridge. If you plan to mostly park, then I feel much better about them. But still like the peace of mind of having that propane backup ready and waiting for a power loss.
It's not a normal option on their build sheet. We would need to contact our factory folks to verify. Even if it were possible it couldn't be done without a special build request (which can be costly) since there is no propane line currently run to the refrigerator area.
*MAYBE.* The answer depends on if there was already a propane line run for the fridge. Often that is omitted if an RV was built with an electric-only. It can still be possible to run a propane line, but it becomes *extremely* costly to do.
Don't have hard numbers available to me, but in the few short years residential fridges have found their way into towable RVs we've seen noticeably higher rates on the elec-only fridges in RVs towed frequently. I would recommend calling our service team to see if our service director, Chase, is available. He can likely give you more direct answers.
Thanks Josh for the fast reply, I have one in our 2017 Fleetwood Jamboree 31U, only 6500 miles on it so far. May have to trade this one in for a class A gas rig. Lol.. not too far from your dealership we like the way you do business.
I'm a little late on the comments sorry, and I hope somebody can give me some advice. We live in our rv full time. We purchased our 5th wheel in Oct of last year. It has an 18 cu. ft. Gas electric fridge. We had issues with the one that came with the unit. Long story short, we had the fridge replaced. Now we have a brand new norcold fridge, it still runs constantly. We pay for electricity at our resort, and of course we have to refill our propane tanks on a weekly basis if we run the fridge on gas. I would love to put a residential fridge in our rv, but that would not only cost an arm and a leg, but void our warranty. Does anyone have any suggestions for our fridge to be more effecient?
Haylett RV it has 3 fans on the back already from factory one at bottom and 2 at the top. I'll see what I can do about shading it, but that's going to be difficult.
Yeah, no lol. The elec only does have it's own advantages that are nice in specific scenarios, but the real reason most dealers push them is because they're less expensive. Cheaper is easier than educating customers & that's the route many (not all) dealers seem to take.
I am quite surprised that the fridge makers haven't provided good 12v units. I have factory installed 12v true refrigerator / freezer units in my semi trucks that do about 135,000 miles a year, each. The one in my semi truck has been on, continuously, for almost 5 years and close to 800,000 miles. Still runs great. These are the college dorm size units unlike what the vid is about, but those TT's and such that have outside kitchens with these smaller units could benefit. Mine can run in my semi truck, with the truck off and no shore power charging the batteries, for 2-3 days before affecting the starting ability of my truck batteries. The Fridge makers could come up with 12v units for RV's. They are quite pricey, but would be the cat's meow for travel and boon docking. the ones in my semi trucks are roughly $400 to $500 each. Not some goofy thing that gets sold on shelves that uses a 12v cigarette plug. These are true fridge/freezer units that are hard wired.
More flexibility. USUALLY 12v / 110 / and Propane means Cold, Colder, and Coldest in that order. Better fridges won't have that issue. Usually 12v is a sort of last resort as it will quickly sap batteries. 110 is easier if you have park power. Propane cools fastest, but consumes your propane reserves.
I have to disagree with you on this. Gas/electric take forever to get cold and if it hot and humid, it may never get cold enough. Plus you have to keep them level in propane mode. Also some tunnels you have to turn off the propane.
There are most certainly benefits both ways. We are a service-based dealership first. While 2-way fridges are certainly not always perfect they are far less likely to completely take a customer out of service. Working on and replacing residential refrigerators is a process I hope you never have to experience. All this being said... I feel extremely strongly that this discussion will largely become a moot point as larger 12v compressor models continue development and enter RV production in the next year or two.
Josh, You make excellent points on this subject. We have been going around and around on this very subject in our search. I can see the direction we need to go. What are your thoughts on Rear Kitchen 5th wheels? Thanks.
Personally I *love* them, but I think they're best used for destination camping rather than frequent towing. Since the kitchen storage is behind the axles all the stuff in your cabinets tends to get tossed around *a lot.* That isn't a problem if you're mostly parked. And the storage in them.. oh my Lord... Look at this one: www.haylettautoandrv.com/rv/coldwater+mi/keystone+fifthwheel/7865/keystone+cougar+341rki. The video/pictures DO NOT do it justice. You need to see this RV in person and just start opening everything up. It's obscene the storage.
Absolutely. This video is geared towards a towable audience. Something like a Diesel Pusher with an Air Ride system and auto-gen start is another story. Those features aren't going to be found in the mainstream towing market.
Very true (and often unknown fact -- good for you). For travel limited to the several hours range it's just not a big deal. The fridges are well insulated and provided you're not in/out of it a bunch will hold temps fine to your destination. If you're going to be on the road for extremely extended periods, then it becomes trickier. Having more stuff in the fridge before leaving helps because each cooled item sort of acts like an ice pack. Packing in extra bags of ice in any empty space can help as well.
thunderbird97 . interesting. yeah I've started to see just a few go that way out west here. (I'm in Utah) I've got four solar panels and a 50amp inverter. my 4 batteries are my weak point now.
Thanks for helping educate us! I hate that the industry is moving to standard residential refrigerator. I’m in the market for a new rig and all I find in the floodplan I want is residential refrigerators. Makes me sad.
*laugh* Took me a minute to see what you were talking about. What you're seeing is an optical illusion basically. The switch is simply much closer to the camera than I was when I made the recording. It's a foreground vs. background perspective. This is another reason why I say "the camera sees it different." This is what happens when you take a 3 dimensional space and smash it flat into a 2 Dimensional video.
The same way people have done it for decades: Precool before leaving AFTER packing. The stuff inside will sort of act like iceberg in a cooler. Kick it on during stops to top it off. Ice here and there can’t hurt. The fridges are heavily insulated. They won’t get warm quickly.
Also...you could look into blocks of ice...they can keep the stuff in the freezer...frozen, and the stuff in the refrigerator plenty cold enough for many hours at a stretch.
*[UPDATE:] Haylet RV has chosen to move away from Residential Refrigerators in RV for "general stock" units. Details at **ruclips.net/video/ZU5VUpvQQII/видео.html&lc=Ugzw0xNyO787mkc8U0d4AaABAg** We're still happy to fulfill order requests for RVs with resi-fridges, but are no longer keeping them among our in-stock offerings*
Thanks Josh for the honesty and care for all of us!
I'm so relieved you have explained the difference. My experience with gas/electric has been so reliable in my motorhome. I like the twin gas/electric combination because it gives the capacity and the fail safe back up.
Josh, I enjoy your honesty and your professionalism in your reviews. Too bad I live in Oregon. Lol
You don't realize how many RVs we send to the west coast obviously. You should call us when you're ready. You'll be surprised.
Man, couldn't have come at a better time. Power is literally out right now in NE Oregon. I am so thankful that my gas/elect fridge is what we have. Even if we buy a new RV to full time in (as we are now) I will only have a gas-elect fridge.
Tracy Smith may i know the name/brand of the gas/electric fridge? i live in an island that would be of great help. Thanks...
You are doing a great job of informing folks and we are right beside you! Case by case, depends on how you use it. Thanks
I appreciate that!
don't have a camper RV yet but I because of you and your organization educating me you are on the top of Mind list for a purchase new or used thank you very much for going against the grain
This is the best advice to date. Thank you for your honesty. This shows how much you care for your customers .
Thanks for the kind words, Todd. Good to know the efforts are appreciated!
I agree that a residential refrigerator for a towable is probably a bad idea especially since they don't have AGS (Automatic Generator Start) systems. On the other hand for motorhomes especially DP motorhomes most of the issues you raise are mitigated by the AGS system for the loss of incoming AC power. The Air Ride suspension on DP units helps dramatically with the shock normally encountered on an RV. The other thing you mention is power. There are two broad types of inverter systems the cheap ones which are MSW (Modified Sine Wave) these produce a stepped square wave which residential appliances absolutely don't like and causes premature failure, the other type is a PSW (Pure Sine Wave) inverter which produces power as clean as any utility outlet. So, if you have a DP coach, Air Ride suspension, AGS system, and finally a PSW inverter you can use residential appliances including a refrigerator and have a long life.
Couldn't agree more. Though not overtly specified video was most definitely directed mostly to the towable market.
It wasn't totally clear that you were discussing the towable market. I don't think that residential refrigerators in a towable is a good idea with the narrow exception of a 5th wheel that has a generator and AGS system. Even then most towable manufacturers don't put good suspensions and stuff gets banged around quite a bit. I'm impressed at your videos!
Thank you for the kid words, Michael! I sometimes forget people can't read my twisted mind. I go into these things with an idea, but run pretty unscripted & sometimes forget those fine-but-important details.
Love this video with all the information. Proof that there are a lot of things to consider when looking for the "perfect one". Nice to see it's a family business also.
As a refrigeration tech, tough to service GREAT JOB
good info. Since they make the 18.2 gas/electric now there is less of a need for the residential models.
Could not agree more on this. I really love Open Range RV's, but almost all of them in my area have residential refrigerators. That is an absolute deal breaker for me. They just seem like a nightmare waiting to happen. Its an RV use RV components!! Thanks for the great vid Josh.
thank you Josh I've always thought that the gas /electric was the thing and now my info is better supported ..thanks I appreciate all you do for these videos..and I say we will be visiting you one day up there for our new fifth wheel..take care man
I agree with everything you said. With that said, we still got the residential fridge in our New Horizon's 5th Wheel. We're full time and sit most of the time wherever I happen to be working. So, that fits part of what you said about not towing every day. An interesting side note is that New Horizons recommends running the generator while running down the road to keep full power to the unit because of what you pointed out. Everything is in standby not shut down. Excellent review by the way.
also everybody don't forget when RV fridge is on gas you still need 12 volt supply to keep it going, has to supply circuit board to keep fridge running, my dometic 6.6 cf uses .6-.8 amps on 12 volt when on gas.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience
My pleasure! Thx for joining Ben
But please take a look here m.ruclips.net/video/b2KyRB5WUeE/видео.html as some things have changed since that video came out!
Great info Josh. Im an electrical maintenance Mechanic. So never overload a circuit. And don't max out your circuits. Like most things in life overworking anything usually causes deficiency and wear.
Thank you
I wish I had known this ! He is very good at explaining this . I was concerned about this inverter thing . Was just bought a Montana High .
your reviews are freaking awesome!!!!
No Ken -- You're awesome. You are.
Haylett RV lol..
Great info 👍
I'm surprised that nobody has noticed all of the orbs of light goin every which way pretty interesting
My eyes are open! Have much smaller ones in both a van and travel trailer. I run them off of a separate inverter in which the batteries are topped off by solar. No problems at all. The RV one that I had in the travel trailer would most never be cold enough. Works for me! Should I have a problem, 200 plus bucks and I’m ready to go again. On the big refrigerators I cannot comment on, but they would draw more power no doubt.
I do LOVE some LARGE cold storage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT this does make me rethink the MONDO fridge!!!!!!!!!! Backup is a great idea for keeping your stuff COLD!!!!! Thanks Joshua!!!!!!!!!! :)
I will say it would depend a lot on suspension as well. A fifth wheel with a MORryde air suspension has less bounce. I hated my gas/electric refrigerator because, in hot weather, it won't keep food as cold and my ice cream was alway soft. I replaced it with a residential one but I do have a gen-start generator system for when the power goes out. If I ever have problems, I don't have to haul it to a dealership, I can call an appliance repairman whose hourly rate is almost always much less.
Depending on where you live something like a VERY inexpensive fan added to the top vent of a gas/elec fridge to force out hot air and force up cooler air from below can make a huge difference. This is actually on my list of little DIY things I want to start recording when the weather warms up. $10 item provides a $1,000 value.
This made me more comfortable with my decision (and Bill M’s discussions) to go 12v on our not yet built Mini Lite (is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet)”?)
12v would 100% be my personal choice were I getting an RV myself
Great info!! also something to consider. residential fridges push all there heat into the living space. this can be a plus in cold/moist environments(get a fantastic fan they work!) but on a hot day with the windows closed and the A/C running that fridge will be working against you. where as an rv fridge will actually push a small amount of heat out out of the camper :-) how fire makes cold still amazes me :-)
One tech I listened to said that "it's easier if you think of it as a heater than a refrigerator ".
I love my gas/electric fridge after several power outages at the campground and nothing was lost. However we cannot leave the gas on when we leave for more then two days do to park policies. A few years ago someone left their gas on when they left for a week and the pilot light went out. The owner returned and noticed it and tried to restart, not realising the trailer was full of propane. You can figure out what happened next, thankfully the gentleman is fine along with his cat, the trailer however ended up a large fireball. And no his LP detector was not working. That's when park policies changed to turning off water and propane(gas) and all trailers must be inspected yearly by a certified gas technician no matter the age of trailer.
We were convinced we wanted a residential refrigerator. As we learn more, we have decided that RV fridges are the way to go.
I was very surprised to learn that you cannot keep a residential fridge operating on solar.
Thanks for another great video!
Thank you for all your videos. I am in NE Ohio but we pass by on our way to visit family in Kalamazoo. We will be stopping by next time we make that trip North on I69.
Exit 13 - Turn Left. Can't miss us!
Great video. Always looking forward to your next review. I've been shopping for a 5TH wheel & I prefer the gas/electric fridge.
Excellent advice! Thank you!!
Our pleasure, Edward. TY :)
And i just bought a 5th wheel with a residential fridge before I seen this ! Its a GE , any info how the GE fridge holds up ?
1973 Dodge Explorer It’s running its original propane (I think Dometic) fridge. Can’t kill them. All appliances were original and working when we sold it in 2006.
Wow, finally somebody in the industry who flat out said what I was thinking!
Welcome to Haylett RV! ;)
Not only do you have to move the island, if it needs to be replaced, how does it fit out the RV door. Hope you have a toy hauler with a back ramp.
It has sometimes required removing a huge picture window from a super slide -- which the MFG doesn't typically cover via warranty. it's a mess. That's why we just avoid these things.
This has really open my eyes. Do you have a video about washer and dryer in general and for full time RVers?
Not specifically
And I should mention this past season we've finally seen a shift in the reliability of residential refrigerators as some better suppliers have re-entered the RV marketplace. I'm beginning to come around on this one.
That being said -- once larger 12v models are available you'll see them become the dominant fridge in RVing and all but replace residential models
Isn't replacement cost less on the electric refrigerator and don't they last longer? assuming it's just parked and not driving it all over. I was thinking if it came with the r.v. fridge using it then replacing it with an electric if it was in a permanent site for live in use would be the way to go
Replacement cost is less, but more likely in an RV. If the RV is moved with any level of frequency they're not inclined to last longer as a "residential" refrigerator is not built for "recreational" purposes (aka not meant to be jarred down the road).
If you are essentially full-timing at one location with very little towing involved, then an electric fridge makes sense as long as it's larger than an RV equivalent. I think the new 18cu ft gas/elec RV Fridge models have largely eliminated most any reasonable need for elec-only fridges lacking the auto-changeover power loss backup.
So Josh, 3 years later, provided you even get notices, how do you feel about these today? Also what are your thoughts on the new Furrion 12v compressor models?
Regarding resi-fridges: We feel even more solidified in our opinion of them today. Warranty on them is a nightmare.
12v Compressor fridges are legit. You may notice from our recent videos we're putting them in just about anything we can.
@@JoshtheRVNerd Thanks for the reply. I did see that on the 12v, and got one because of you. They were older videos that I watched, so was checking now that they have some time on them. Good to know still giving a thumbs up.
I can imagine the warranty nightmare. We had two LG in our house that failed and couldn't be repaired, and they were both less than 3 years old.
Information is not negative!!! You have educated me. I always wanted to buy a RV with a Residential Refrig. You have made a believer at of me. My RV will be for traveling not sitting in a park Great Job keep them coming.
I know this is an older post, thank you for your explanation. I have been looking at a gas/electric model that has an ice maker/water. Do you know much about them and their dependability? Thanks again.
I can't imagine they're problem children
Where I live Upshur Rural electric has a reputation for going AWOL on us. That reason alone gives me a good reason to have a gas electric refrigerator.
Good job!
Thanks!
Just picked up my Jayco 30.5MLOK with the 12cuft RV gas/electric refrigerator and is is plenty big! The “residential” refrigerators also often have ice makers (water piped to a plastic valve) which if not winterized properly crack and dump water all over your RV. Also, how do you remove one of those “residential” refrigerators through a 32” RV door? Great advice, thanks!
Congratulations on the MLOK. That thing is BEAUTIFUL!
Perhaps a dumb question, but what happens when the unit needs to be replaced? Hard to imagine it fitting in and out of the door. Does an entire slide need to be removed to take out the old and install the new? As finicky as slides can be, it would make me uneasy wondering if the slide would operate as originally installed, not to mention labor costs.
Sort of depends on the RV in question. Most anything with an elec-only fridge has at least a wider 30" entry door. The doors of the fridge may need to be removed, but can typically be taken out of the RV.
Very honest and very informative thank you sir!!
Excellent review Josh. I have been unclear on which way to go with an RV frig, now I am clear....thanks.
Hi Josh, we are closing on a 2021 Jayco 317 Eagle from a dealer in our part of Texas it has a residential fridge and I'm freaked out it will be a nightmare, wondering if I should back out of the deal and order the same trailer with Gas Electric... its our 1st 5thwheel... very nervous, is it possible to swap the fridge or is it better to walk away? Sorry too many questions
John here's what I recommend: Get some more feedback. You may have seen recently we have stopped stocking resi-fridges here (though we are happy to fulfill an order request for one if a customer feels strongly about them). You can see details on it here ruclips.net/video/ZU5VUpvQQII/видео.html&lc=Ugzw0xNyO787mkc8U0d4AaABAg
I don't want to be a dreamcrusher. I don't believe our opinion is the only one worth listening to. I encourage you to ask around a bit (especially locally) to get some feedback
And if possible -- try to speak with tech/repair folks as they really tend to shoot you brutally straight.
Josh. I have a 12 ft gas/ electric fridge in my trailer. I can I tell how much electricity it’s using? I pay my own electric on my rented pad site. According to the outside meter I’m using way way wayyyy more electricity than my fellow campers. The only thing different is the size of my fridge.
I’ve been all over the internet trying to figure out how much electricity it should be using. Please teach me if you have time.
Thank you.
Apologies Melanie - I don't have the knowledge and training to assist you on this one.
I'm wondering though.. if you have a bigger fridge, then do you have a bigger RV? Are you running more A/C time also perhaps?
You guys need to Advertise more , after the service we are getting. We would have loved to buy from you guys. We love are Montana 377FL but sure not getting support. When I call the Dealer . Seems you guys care . Keep your customer service like your shown me on your post.
We've actually been doing *less* advertising year-over-year the past 2-3 seasons. We struggle to keep up with phone call volumes as it is. More advertising just means being unable to make all ends meet.
We aren't perfect, but we do try. We're a family-owned and operated place. The boss is my dad (married my mother). That's not just our "business name" on that bumper sticker -- it's my *family name* on the back of every RV that leaves here.
That means something
Smart info. We're Class C, but I've wondered about the house refrigerators. I'm not nuts, they are a problem. Ours is 6 ft and does feel small. The 18 square foot gas/ electric is sexy if you want something bigger.
I also don't understand the love affair with all electric kitchens. Then again, I cook with gas at home, so bottled gas makes sense on the road.
It's fear of the unknown I think, Lisa. People don't understand the propane systems and appliances of an RV & there simply aren't enough people at dealerships that can do even a base level of education. This results in consumers seeking their comfort zone.
That general lack of information in this industry is literally the entire reason I founded this video channel.
Haylett RV And I find you highly informative, even though I'm just window shopping at this time.
Thank you for what you do.
We're starting to learn about doing full-time RV living. The most likely scenario is that we'll be doing long term stays and moving around less frequently than most since we'll still have a job to go into everyday. We're a family of 8 so we've been leaning towards a residential fridge, but it sounds like that's not necessarily a great option. Can you tell me what the difference between an 18 cu ft gas/electric vs a residential fridge is? Is there a lot less cold storage or is it not as usable? My research hasn't been able to answer that question yet.
18cu ft gas/elec and an 18cu ft residential are the same capacity. The Gas/Elec has a backup power source in the event of power loss.
45 foot diesel pusher full time ok for residential fridge
Love my gas/electric fridge in my springdale
Great videos Josh. Very informative. One question on this Res vs. RV fridge topic. I have heard that RV fridges can't get the cold air circulated around inside the fridge as well as the Res versions so the power/fuel source is not as efficiently. The Res fridges can do this with fan circulation. Are some of the newer RV fridges now getting fans to be more efficient?
I've heard it both ways from different RV factories and customers. Some swear Fridge A works better than Fridge B -- sometimes even under the same conditions.
So we focus on the ability to give clients backup, peace of mind, and service in the rare event its needed.
Josh, I just found out in Michigan you can ride in a travel trailer/5th wheel while traveling . That's crazy. What do you think of this ???
Not in a travel trailer -- only in a fifth wheel. It's possible due to the same "loophole" of sorts in Michigan where due to the legal interpretation of how a fifth wheel connects to a truck it's not TECHNICALLY a "trailer," but an extension of the truck (though treated as a trailer in literally all other senses). Doing so does require 2-way communication with the driver.
Personally: I think it's a really... really... really really really... really really really bad idea. It's a literal rolling earthquake back there. I sometimes hear about people leaving their pets in the vehicle in transit -- even cats. I can't possibly imagine a cat in a trailer in transit. If the cat doesn't have a heart attack and puke on everything before you get there I'll be impressed.
Have you done a video on traveling while your refrigerator is running on propane? Some people have told me you can do it and others told me I shouldn’t do it.
I haven't. General road use: It's fine.
Tunnels, ferries, gas stations: Shut it off.
Josh,
awesome video, as usual! great information. i just bought a 2014 keystone sprinter wide body 299RET, 32 foot travel, like new condition. i rent a mobile home space in a senior park. i am full time permanent parked. the trailer came with a dometic 6 cu.ft. gas/elec. i was concerned at first it would not get cold enough for me. boy was i wrong. (on the highest setting, freezer is 0 to 10 degrees, food section is 20 to 31 degrees). what the majority of people don't realize is the newer rv fridges have come a long way as far as performance. if OR when the dometic dies, the only reason i would go residential is cost. for around $350 i would go for a 10 cu.ft. haire or frigidaire. top/mount freezer, auto defrost. since i'm stationary should be fine. as for the 20 to 30 cu.ft. models now in modern 5th. wheels, i think they could avoid damaging the compressors by turning the units OFF completely and putting two or three bags of ice inside for transit times. once again Josh, i love your videos. i can tell you love your job. your POSITIVE ATTITUDE is contagious. you could sell ice to the eskimos.
P.s. if the dometic died, and money were no concern, i would plunk down the two or three grand and go for the quad-door gas/elec. dometic or norcold and be done with it! every time i see a quad-door gas/elec. in a rv i think they are just too slick. (on the flip side, when i see a 25 cu.ft. residential reefer in a rv, i think: MAN IF THE DRIVER TAKES A SHARP TURN THAT FRIDGE IS GONNA COME CRASHING DOWN!).
best of luck and shalom,
"the rabbi milton schmoolie"
Great video and good information. Thanks
How about an update on this for 2023. Now that more new rVs are going 12 V refrigerator. Now with solar packages and life lithium batteries .Maybe the smaller residential refrigerators with an inverter are a good option like in the 10 cu ft rage.
Those RV old school refrigerators are not gonna work in the hotter areas which is the main reason.
Most Rv stops are for 3-5 days so if the refrigerator can stay cold that long before you get back on the road and charge everything back up, seems doable.
But just like anything else you have to spend more to save more
Yeah this video is long in the tooth for sure
I've considered updating it but... 2-way fridges are largely dying out of the marketplace. The big 18cu ft 2-way fridge isn't even being offered any more and the smaller models are quickly shrinking in demand
@@JoshtheRVNerd I would imagine those propane, two-way fridges would go extinct. They’re super expensive. I have to be perfectly level ground to work and highly inefficient.
The 12 V or 24 V refrigerators are cheaper more efficient, but still consume power. The residential 10 cu ft refrigerators are way cheaper but you have to install those yourself. Many campers Want more extended stay time, to be able to take food from your refrigerator and put it in the RV refrigerator. Saves money on road trips.
A solar package with a battery generator I would think would be decent just to run the refrigerator and a more plug and play feature . When you run the gas generator to use the AC or anything else. It can also recharge your battery generator.. and when the suns out you have solar panel power charging the system back up.
The complete solar package including refrigerator even decided to use life lithium batteries instead of a battery generator or vice versa is still cheaper than the 12 V /propane 2way refrigerator.
And since were talking about modern technology, and being more efficient here, they need to come out with mini splits to. Especially for those rigs that they’re asking 140 to 250 K for.
Josh, since you're on the topic of refrigerators. What are your thoughts about towing with the propane on for the fridge? Any insight you could provide?
In very short terms: You're not supposed to, but everyone does anyway.
Thanks for all your great information! Very helpful.
Hi make sense, is it the same issue with 12 volt fridge.
We were slow to adopt the 12v fridges here until we saw them in the marketplace for at least a year and got a good chance to judge their reliability. They seem to be doing well and getting better. We've begun bringing them in on a LOT of RVs
Subbed. Am looking to get a new trailer on Thursday and it has this. Glad I seen your channel.
Great information. Thank you Josh
I always wondered, if you had to replace one of those how do you get it out of the camper.
It's a nightmare and reason #37 we dislike them. Often you have to go to pretty extreme measures that may include temporarily removing and island or even removing an entire window from a slide (which is a whole other nightmare)
Thank you. I haven't been able to get a straight answer on this from anyone. And off subject, what is with all the orbs floating around?
The orbs happen when I go power level 9000.
Thank you so much for the great info!
I would never go residential because we like to camp in provincial parks and very few of them have power. So we have 300 watts on the roof (not enough for a fridge) and a propane electric fridge. When we have power I will switch the fridge to electric to save propane but mostly it runs on propane. Except at home. I like to turn the fridge on a few days before we leave and cool everything down on electricity but then it'll run 2 weeks at a time on propane.
What is your opinion of the furrion 12 volt fridge??
Personally I like it BUT I have very little experience actually using it.
I've heard a few folks have had hiccups with them but I don't know specifics
Only that if it ever goes out you figure out how to get that out of the rv. If you don't have big enough windows. A slide has to be removed.
And we've had to do that as well. While we're perfectly capable it's definitely the type of job we don't like doing
@@JoshtheRVNerd if I ever update to a large 5th wheel I'd go with the big 4 door rv fridge. I think they look better in a rv.
i wished there was some information about the gas/electric with 12v fridge in some smaller units (or how big can they go now is it a popular option)
You don't typically see 3-Way fridges in anything but the smallest models and occasionally truck campers with a 6cu ft model. The challenge you encounter is the fridge becomes too large for a 12v battery to make any significant impact on the cooling before the battery is dead.
@@JoshtheRVNerd I had a Residential in my Travel Trailer could never get the Temp below 45f now i have a Electric/12 Volt and Run it off a Electric/ Solar Generator much better and no Temp issuses its a portable 12volt so i can remove it in the Winter, its a chest refrigerator.
I drive truck for a living and deliver refrigerators, washers, dyers, ECT...I'm wondering how Sears can tell you it is better for the fridge to be hauled in the a larger truck vs your pickup truck. The suspension is horrible in those tractor trailers too. Chances are every refrigerator in town came in on a tractor trailer from 3 states away! Sounds like Sears just wants you to pay them extra to deliver it.
A significant difference there is the packaging in place during the retail transit. The boxing is designed to absorb reasonable transit stress. I have a friend who is a packaging engineer. People literally go to school to make better boxes lol
Unfortunately, once installed those boxes don't exist anymore.
What are your thoughts about all of lawsuits for RV absorption refrig fires? Thanks
If it were even a fraction of the issue of something like the hidden automotive recalls, then I'd feel a lot more strongly about it.
How does the 12v compressor fridge's hold up?
They’re newer so we don’t have a lot of long term data yet
Initially furrion had some hiccups they’ve ironed out
Is this still your opinion? I just got one for my fifth wheel because I need a full size one! I want to know before I install 😂
We are full timers as well
More so now than ever before. Nothing has changed on the residential fridges to make them more RV travel reliable because they're still residential fridges not made for RV'ing.
Thankfully, the introduction of larger 18cu ft gas/elec fridges has largely voided the need for resi-fridges for most cases.
You still find resi-fridges around a lot of dealerships simply because it's less expensive. Servicing these things is a nightmare. We've literally had to go to the extent of removing an island AND a super slide window to get a failed Resi-fridge out of a fifth wheel for service (since their techs won't come to an RV facility & expect it to be where they can access everything).
If you plan to move around, then I would absolutely recommend avoiding a resi-fridge.
If you plan to mostly park, then I feel much better about them. But still like the peace of mind of having that propane backup ready and waiting for a power loss.
Wonder when I order a Bungalow if I can order a Large cu ft gas/elec fridge to replace the standard residential fridge? Josh or anyone know?
It's not a normal option on their build sheet. We would need to contact our factory folks to verify. Even if it were possible it couldn't be done without a special build request (which can be costly) since there is no propane line currently run to the refrigerator area.
Great review, yea that freezer door comes really close to the island especially when it is in on those 377's.
Could you retro-fit from an all electric residential to a gas/electric rv model?
*MAYBE.* The answer depends on if there was already a propane line run for the fridge. Often that is omitted if an RV was built with an electric-only.
It can still be possible to run a propane line, but it becomes *extremely* costly to do.
Josh, what is your warranty rate on residential vs gas/electric? Loaded question I know, but if you had to take a stab at it. Great video. Thanks
Don't have hard numbers available to me, but in the few short years residential fridges have found their way into towable RVs we've seen noticeably higher rates on the elec-only fridges in RVs towed frequently. I would recommend calling our service team to see if our service director, Chase, is available. He can likely give you more direct answers.
Thanks Josh for the fast reply, I have one in our 2017 Fleetwood Jamboree 31U, only 6500 miles on it so far. May have to trade this one in for a class A gas rig. Lol.. not too far from your dealership we like the way you do business.
I'm a little late on the comments sorry, and I hope somebody can give me some advice. We live in our rv full time. We purchased our 5th wheel in Oct of last year. It has an 18 cu. ft. Gas electric fridge. We had issues with the one that came with the unit. Long story short, we had the fridge replaced. Now we have a brand new norcold fridge, it still runs constantly. We pay for electricity at our resort, and of course we have to refill our propane tanks on a weekly basis if we run the fridge on gas. I would love to put a residential fridge in our rv, but that would not only cost an arm and a leg, but void our warranty. Does anyone have any suggestions for our fridge to be more effecient?
Shade the top of the slide. Add fans to exhaust the heat coming off the back of the fridge.
Haylett RV it has 3 fans on the back already from factory one at bottom and 2 at the top. I'll see what I can do about shading it, but that's going to be difficult.
Great review!!!!
Great job I love this video. A salesman tried to tell me the whole industry is moving away from gas/electric. Really?
Yeah, no lol.
The elec only does have it's own advantages that are nice in specific scenarios, but the real reason most dealers push them is because they're less expensive. Cheaper is easier than educating customers & that's the route many (not all) dealers seem to take.
I am quite surprised that the fridge makers haven't provided good 12v units. I have factory installed 12v true refrigerator / freezer units in my semi trucks that do about 135,000 miles a year, each. The one in my semi truck has been on, continuously, for almost 5 years and close to 800,000 miles. Still runs great. These are the college dorm size units unlike what the vid is about, but those TT's and such that have outside kitchens with these smaller units could benefit. Mine can run in my semi truck, with the truck off and no shore power charging the batteries, for 2-3 days before affecting the starting ability of my truck batteries. The Fridge makers could come up with 12v units for RV's. They are quite pricey, but would be the cat's meow for travel and boon docking. the ones in my semi trucks are roughly $400 to $500 each. Not some goofy thing that gets sold on shelves that uses a 12v cigarette plug. These are true fridge/freezer units that are hard wired.
Josh or anyone, What, if any, are the advantages of 3 way refer 12v,Lp gas, 110v and how do these work???
More flexibility. USUALLY 12v / 110 / and Propane means Cold, Colder, and Coldest in that order. Better fridges won't have that issue. Usually 12v is a sort of last resort as it will quickly sap batteries. 110 is easier if you have park power. Propane cools fastest, but consumes your propane reserves.
you have great advice I wish you guys were near New England looking at a rockwood signature 5th wheel
James Haylett RV is just a phone call away
How the heck do you fit a refrigerator that big through the door
That was a problem in many rvs though designers are getting better about allowing for it thankfully
I have to disagree with you on this. Gas/electric take forever to get cold and if it hot and humid, it may never get cold enough. Plus you have to keep them level in propane mode. Also some tunnels you have to turn off the propane.
There are most certainly benefits both ways. We are a service-based dealership first. While 2-way fridges are certainly not always perfect they are far less likely to completely take a customer out of service.
Working on and replacing residential refrigerators is a process I hope you never have to experience.
All this being said... I feel extremely strongly that this discussion will largely become a moot point as larger 12v compressor models continue development and enter RV production in the next year or two.
Wow!!! Thanks for the insight!!!
I have a 8sq ft refrigerator now can I up grade to 12sq ft refrigerator
Depends on your RV and if there's enough physical space around the enclosure
Josh, You make excellent points on this subject. We have been going around and around on this very subject in our search. I can see the direction we need to go. What are your thoughts on Rear Kitchen 5th wheels? Thanks.
Personally I *love* them, but I think they're best used for destination camping rather than frequent towing. Since the kitchen storage is behind the axles all the stuff in your cabinets tends to get tossed around *a lot.* That isn't a problem if you're mostly parked.
And the storage in them.. oh my Lord... Look at this one: www.haylettautoandrv.com/rv/coldwater+mi/keystone+fifthwheel/7865/keystone+cougar+341rki. The video/pictures DO NOT do it justice. You need to see this RV in person and just start opening everything up. It's obscene the storage.
A great deal has to do with suspension of the rig. I understand your geared towards trailers/5th's...where this topic may have a bit more relevance.
Absolutely. This video is geared towards a towable audience. Something like a Diesel Pusher with an Air Ride system and auto-gen start is another story. Those features aren't going to be found in the mainstream towing market.
Yay! We agree! 😂
I have a coach conversion and love my residental fridge but I also have airride
That air ride is 100% of the difference. Happy Camping :)
Should not have propane on while on the road. What are the options keeping refrigerator cold?
Very true (and often unknown fact -- good for you). For travel limited to the several hours range it's just not a big deal. The fridges are well insulated and provided you're not in/out of it a bunch will hold temps fine to your destination. If you're going to be on the road for extremely extended periods, then it becomes trickier.
Having more stuff in the fridge before leaving helps because each cooled item sort of acts like an ice pack. Packing in extra bags of ice in any empty space can help as well.
People managed to get by like that for the better part of 40 years. It's not the major scary item people think it to be.
are you starting to get into lithium batteries yet? or is that still too much money for most people.
Not something I've seen to date
one I seen out west in AZ this past winter at a RV parts store was a little over $1,400.00
thunderbird97 . interesting. yeah I've started to see just a few go that way out west here. (I'm in Utah) I've got four solar panels and a 50amp inverter. my 4 batteries are my weak point now.
50 amp inverter or is it a converter and have you checked batteries with a hydrometer, to see if they are weak
It's an inverter from Magnum. And I think your right. The batteries seem to be getting weak.
Thanks for helping educate us! I hate that the industry is moving to standard residential refrigerator. I’m in the market for a new rig and all I find in the floodplan I want is residential refrigerators. Makes me sad.
Not at our place ;)
Wish you guys were in central Florida
Wish you were in Southern Michigan.
"i dont care BALDY" LMAO!!!!
WOW! look at the size of that wall switch! Is that aftermarket?
*laugh* Took me a minute to see what you were talking about. What you're seeing is an optical illusion basically. The switch is simply much closer to the camera than I was when I made the recording. It's a foreground vs. background perspective.
This is another reason why I say "the camera sees it different." This is what happens when you take a 3 dimensional space and smash it flat into a 2 Dimensional video.
Ok so you are not supposed to run the propane while traveling. How does one keep food cold going down the road for hours at a time?
The same way people have done it for decades: Precool before leaving AFTER packing. The stuff inside will sort of act like iceberg in a cooler. Kick it on during stops to top it off. Ice here and there can’t hurt. The fridges are heavily insulated. They won’t get warm quickly.
Also...you could look into blocks of ice...they can keep the stuff in the freezer...frozen, and the stuff in the refrigerator plenty cold enough for many hours at a stretch.