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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / April 2007Are conventional fridges working out ok in RV's ??
Im seriously considering junking the highly unreliable Dometic 3-way i have , in favor of a conventional 4.3 cu.ft. 115 v. (only) fridge and running it off of an inverter while travelling and shore power when camping. But, im wondering how conventional fridges stand up to the rigors of RV travel, as well as their life expectancy ?? If anyone has first hand experience , please advise. Thanks. I see where EternityAwaits@webtv.net (Are you ready for Eternity) contributed: >Im seriously considering junking the highly unreliable Dometic 3-way i >have , in favor of a conventional 4.3 cu.ft. 115 v. (only) fridge and [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >If anyone has first hand experience , please advise. Thanks. As posted a few hours ago in rec.outdoors.rv-travel: No problem. We installed an "apartment" fridge in our class B, used it with excellent results for 8 years and 86k miles. We ran it off an inverter while on the road and while boondocking. Will "A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow Man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money." G. Gordon Liddy 'No problem. We installed an "apartment" fridge in our class B, used it with excellent results for 8 years and 86k miles. We ran it off an inverter while on the road and while boondocking. Will' REPLY: Id be interested in knowing the Brand you used (?). The guy in Lowes told me their Frigidaire Compact Fridges are lasting approx. 2 years only whether in an RV or in a house ; I was shocked at that news. > 'No problem. We installed an "apartment" fridge in our class B, used it > with excellent results for 8 years and 86k miles. We ran it off an [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > years only whether in an RV or in a house ; I was shocked at that > news. We bought a small 120v fridge for our Coleman camper, back in the mid 70's. I still have it downstairs in the basement, use it to store my fishing worms. The fridge has seen much traveling duty in its life and it still runs cold. Hugh I see where DaveInLakeVilla@webtv.net (Dave in Lake Villa) contributed: Will: >'No problem. We installed an "apartment" fridge in our class B, used it >with excellent results for 8 years and 86k miles. We ran it off an >inverter while on the road and while boondocking. >Will' D: >REPLY: Id be interested in knowing the Brand you used (?). The guy in >Lowes told me their Frigidaire Compact Fridges are lasting approx. 2 >years only whether in an RV or in a house ; I was shocked at that >news. a) I don't recal the brand b) The Lowes guy was blowing smoke, IMO. I know of no credible evidence to support such a claim, regardless of brand. Will Sill The Curmudgeon of Sill Hill >>REPLY: Id be interested in knowing the Brand you used (?). The guy in >>Lowes told me their Frigidaire Compact Fridges are lasting approx. 2 [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >b) The Lowes guy was blowing smoke, IMO. I know of no credible >evidence to support such a claim, regardless of brand. How could he possibly know that? I don't think they've been out two years yet. They seem to be a new item -- at least by Frigidaire, and in that size. (It's a lot bigger than a "dorm" refrigerator.) I just bought one for my "tea bar" in the new house. It's a compressor-driven, conventional, two-door, top-freezer, Frigidaire refrig, only smaller. I'd be surprised if it lasts less than 15-20 years, based on my past experience with the brand and with refrigerators and freezers in general. In fact, I've never had a refrigerator or a freezer to die. Our spare upright freezer is now close to 35 years old (we bought it used at about 10 years), has been moved four times since we bought it (twice on rough mountain roads), has never had ANY maintenance or attention, and continues to just purr right along. We've never even emptied it to move it. Just strapped the door shut, hauled it away, and plugged it in again as soon as we got where we were going a few hours later. It maintains -5º all the time.... GB in NC 'How could he possibly know that? I don't think they've been out two years yet. They seem to be a new item -- at least by Frigidaire, and in that size. (It's a lot bigger than a "dorm" refrigerator.) I just bought one for my "tea bar" in the new house. It's a compressor-driven, conventional, two-door, top-freezer, Frigidaire refrig, only smaller. I'd be surprised if it lasts less than 15-20 years, based on my past experience with the brand and with refrigerators and freezers in general.' REPLY: I think the guy in Lowes was being very honest with me , actually. Why would he chance telling me something bogus like 'the compact fridges are lasting about 2 years' when its his department that is selling them ? He was taking a chance telling me that because i could have gone to the Store Manager and got him in trouble . Further, he said that the full size home fridges are lasting approx. 10 years now instead of 20-30 years as in the past. He said hes had previous customers come back to report their experiences with the fridges Lowes sells. He works in the Lowes Store in Branson , MO. and he volunteered the info to me last week. I see where DaveInLakeVilla@webtv.net (Dave in Lake Villa) contributed concerning a claim that small Frigidaires crap out after 1-2 years: > I think the guy in Lowes was being very honest with me , >actually. Why would he chance telling me something bogus like 'the [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >He works in the Lowes Store in Branson , MO. and he volunteered the >info to me last week. Minutes later he wrote: >By the way, i just visited Home DePot and they have a Magic Chef 3.6 >cu.ft. fridge/freezer combo measuring 32.5" x 18.5" w x 19"d. for >$119.00 . Running amps are 1.3 . Stainless steel door. Im going to >put it in my Class B. RV . It will just fit. Will a 1000 peak watt Inverter >be sufficient to start it ??? Thanks. Dave, you may not be a moron, but you are sure playing one here. Why you believe a salesguy (who almost certainly wanted to sell you an extended warranty (big profit item) and NOT believe those who actually have experience? A 1000w inverter will only run a fridge if it has enough battery. G'bye, Dave. Will Sill GILLETTE'S PRINCIPLE: "If you want to make people angry, lie. If you want to make them absolutely livid with rage, tell the truth." 'I think the guy in Lowes was being very honest with me , actually. Why would he chance telling me something bogus like 'the compact fridges are lasting about 2 years' when its his department that is selling them ? He was taking a chance telling me that because i could have gone to the Store Manager and got him in trouble . Further, he said that the full size home fridges are lasting approx. 10 years now instead of 20-30 years as in the past. He said hes had previous customers come back to report their experiences with the fridges Lowes sells. He works in the Lowes Store in Branson , MO. and he volunteered the info to me last week. Minutes later he wrote: By the way, i just visited Home DePot and they have a Magic Chef 3.6 cu.ft. fridge/freezer combo measuring 32.5" x 18.5" w x 19"d. for $119.00 . Running amps are 1.3 . Stainless steel door. Im going to put it in my Class B. RV . It will just fit. Will a 1000 peak watt Inverter be sufficient to start it ??? Thanks. Dave, you may not be a moron, but you are sure playing one here. Why you believe a salesguy (who almost certainly wanted to sell you an extended warranty (big profit item) and NOT believe those who actually have experience? A 1000w inverter will only run a fridge if it has enough battery. G'bye, Dave. Will Sill REPLY: Will, im afraid you have spoken presumptuously as I asked about an extended warranty and the sales guy said that neither Lowes nor the Manufacturer offer one on Compact Fridges. So, he wasnt just trying to sell me a big profit extended warranty . What will the watt surge be on a Compact Fridge which is rated at 1.3 running amps ? Any idea ? Hello Will, Dave. >'I think the guy in Lowes was being very honest with me , actually. Why >would he chance telling me something bogus like 'the compact fridges are >lasting about 2 years' when its his department that is selling them ? He >was taking a chance telling me that because i could have gone to the >Store Manager and got him in trouble . Dave . . . Dave . . . in all fairness, what qualifications do you really figure this Lowes salesman has, beyond failing to posses the basic intelligence and education to advance his career beyond that of a mere Lowes salesman?? 'I think the guy in Lowes was being very honest with me , actually. Why would he chance telling me something bogus like 'the compact fridges are lasting about 2 years' when its his department that is selling them ? He was taking a chance telling me that because i could have gone to the Store Manager and got him in trouble . ' Dave . . . Dave . . . in all fairness, what qualifications do you really figure this Lowes salesman has, beyond failing to posses the basic intelligence and education to advance his career beyond that of a mere Lowes salesman?? REPLY: Stan , (ditto) .... his qualifications / education / socio-economic status, persona / et al... are irrelevant to the issue at hand ; he was simply reporting his personal experience with the longevity of Frigidaire Compact Refrigerators specifically . Since he has nothing to gain from telling me this information (including the sale of an extended warranty for it) , then i have no reason to think he would purposely bad mouth something which he was hired to sell in the first place. He steered me away from Frigidaire Compact Fridges with the information he divulged , and i am appreciative for that. Im going to purchase a Magic Chef brand Compact Fridge tonight from Home DePot instead. I know its a rarity that a salesman would do what he did, but it was info that was good for me to know in making my decision. >On Wed, 25 Apr 2007 (Dave in Lake Villa) wrote: >I know its a rarity that a salesman would do what he did, but it was >info that was good for me to know in making my decision. The only rarity, is that a total loser $6 per hour saleman might know anything of value! > Dave . . . Dave . . . in all fairness, what qualifications do you > really figure this Lowes salesman has, beyond failing to posses the > basic intelligence and education to advance his career beyond that of > a mere Lowes salesman?? As I recall, Lowe's is one of the employers that fulltimers work at, because they can transfer around the country & have a job waiting for them. I have 300+ semester units w/ GPA of 3.865, for my Batch's in CompSci & Electronics. I also have a yr of Law school & 18 mos of Med school. I taught SatComm for a DoD contractor when I got out of the military. I'm retired & renovating a 7 BR/6 bath house in a suburb of Los Angeles, where houses are not cheap (as opposed to my farm) & I w/ my very low socio-economic & educational status am thinking of taking a no brainer job at Home Depot... just for a break. You can't tell about a person just by the job they hold. You don't know that this guy isn't a Physics student at the local university working on his PhD. My understanding from talking w/ a few RV techs about this very issue, is that sticks fridges don't hold up to the constant vibration of RVing. I know a few people (dated one) who've had nothing but trouble doing this. I know because they came to me because they knew my background. 'You can't tell about a person just by the job they hold. You don't know that this guy isn't a Physics student at the local university working on his PhD.' REPLY: Very true. I once knew a PharmaCology Graduate who couldnt get a job so he pumped gas for quite awhile. 'My understanding from talking w/ a few RV techs about this very issue, is that sticks fridges don't hold up to the constant vibration of RVing. I know a few people (dated one) who've had nothing but trouble doing this. I know because they came to me because they knew my background.' REPLY: Im sure vibration is not a friend to conventional fridges. I ended up buying a Haier (chinese) compact 4.4 cu.ft. fridge this morning at Menards for $119.00 . I examined the back of it beforehand, and shook the compressor ; it appears very sturdy with little movement so i hope it lasts awhile. Since i dont RV a whole lot, that should be in my favor. >my very low socio-economic & educational status am thinking of taking >a no brainer job at Home Depot... just for a break. >You can't tell about a person just by the job they hold. You don't >know that this guy isn't a Physics student at the local university >working on his PhD. I have far too many PhDs in my life, to trust their judgement beyond the narrow focus of their own particular specialty; and even then I have some reservations. :-) 1. To acquire a PhD, you are pretty much stuck with abandoning or ignoring anything and everything outside of your field of study. 2. The concept of working at Home Depot, is a totally unrealistic scenario: a) You don't have the time top do that sort of stuff; and b) If you've managed to make it to the graduate or post-graduate level of your education, then $$$ is hardly a significant factor. If you've made it that far, then via grants and scholarships etal, you are already being paid $20,000 to $30,000+ per year, to just study and do research! A CV that includes wasting your gradutate time and talent working for McDonalds, Home Depot or wherever is hardly likely to win bonus points from a potential employer. >My understanding from talking w/ a few RV techs about this very issue, >is that sticks fridges don't hold up to the constant vibration of >RVing. I know a few people (dated one) who've had nothing but trouble >doing this. I know because they came to me because they knew my >background. Never heard of anything like this. High-end motorhomes of the half-million+ variety, commonly employ a totally electrical system for the entire coach. Hard to imagine, but in the absence of so much as a propane backup, even heating electrical!! So . . . high end units obviously operate just fine with standard compressor fridges. > I just bought one for my "tea bar" in the new house. It's a > compressor-driven, conventional, two-door, top-freezer, Frigidaire > refrig, only smaller. I'd be surprised if it lasts less than 15-20 > years, based on my past experience with the brand and with refrigerators > and freezers in general. Frigidaire is now owned by Electrolux, a British company that is better known for long-lasting vacuum cleaners. All of the appliances in our house are Frigidaire except for the washing machine which was built by Frigidaire for Sears. Frankly, I am not enamored with the quality of the shelves in the freezer. It was a high-end model, too.  SignatureJanet Wilder Bad spelling. Bad punctuation Good Friends. Good Life >Frigidaire is now owned by Electrolux, a British company that is better >known for long-lasting vacuum cleaners. We have, at last count, four Electrolux cleaners -- one new (rechargeable, combination stick/handheld) and three older tank-types. They're great. (We also have a relatively new Dyson.) >All of the appliances in our >house are Frigidaire except for the washing machine which was built by >Frigidaire for Sears. Frankly, I am not enamored with the quality of the >shelves in the freezer. It was a high-end model, too. I guess we'll find out. I'll let you know.... GB in NC > I see where DaveInLakeVilla@webtv.net (Dave in Lake Villa) > contributed: [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > Will Sill > The Curmudgeon of Sill Hill And I agree. Hugh By the way, i just visited Home DePot and they have a Magic Chef 3.6 cu.ft. fridge/freezer combo measuring 32.5" x 18.5" w x 19"d. for $119.00 . Running amps are 1.3 . Stainless steel door. Im going to put it in my Class B. RV . It will just fit. Will a 1000 peak watt Inverter be sufficient to start it ??? Thanks. > Im seriously considering junking the highly unreliable Dometic 3-way i > have , in favor of a conventional 4.3 cu.ft. 115 v. (only) fridge and > running it off of an inverter while travelling and shore power when > camping. But, im wondering how conventional fridges stand up to the > rigors of RV travel, as well as their life expectancy ?? > If anyone has first hand experience , please advise. Thanks. Alpenlite even offered a house-size 110-volt side-by-side in their top model. Our manufacturer has put house-type refrigerators in trailers for years. Paul Johnson > Im seriously considering junking the highly unreliable Dometic 3-way i > have , in favor of a conventional 4.3 cu.ft. 115 v. (only) fridge and [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > If anyone has first hand experience , please advise. Thanks. Do three very close friends with fifth wheels and two friends with bus conversions count as first hand? <g> Seriously, it's not a problem. I don't believe that the friends in the trailers use inverters. I'm absolutely certain that 2 out of the 3 don't. They don't open the door when traveling and hook up to electricity every night. One not only uses an apartment fridge he also has a small freezer chest that is also a domestic-style (as opposed to Dometic-style) SignatureJanet Wilder Bad spelling. Bad punctuation Good Friends. Good Life |
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