And … your RV needs to be as close to level as possible to prevent damage to the fridge during operation.Absorption refrigerators don’t always work well at higher elevations 6,000 feet and above.That’s 22 degrees higher than a normal fridge! So if you’re camping in 100-degree heat, you can expect your fridge to be … 60 degrees. Absorption refrigerators can cool down to about 40 degrees below ambient temperature.You don’t want to stick hot lasagna in an absorption refrigerator! Plus, they are much better at keeping food cold than making it cold.RV refrigerators are infamous for taking 8-12 hours to cool down from ambient temperatures.To use the DC Mode, you need to either be plugged into shore power, running your engine/alternator, or powering a generator.* DC Mode should be reserved for emergencies or driving across town.Įither way, you probably won’t be impressed by the fridge’s cooling performance. In fact, the DM2672 refrigerator would drain a 100Ah battery to 50% capacity in about 60-80 minutes! Running the refrigerator on 12 VDC will quickly drain the battery.” “Switch to AUTO or GAS mode when there is no charging of the house battery. Just listen to Dometic talking about their DM2672 refrigerator: You don’t want to run a 3-way fridge off 12V battery power for very long.ĭon’t take my word for it. So each fridge has both a propane burner and an electrical heating element, which can be powered by 120V AC power (2-way) and 12V DC power (3-way).īut let me go ahead and pop your bubble. They are the default choice for almost all towables.Ībsorption refrigerators rely on heat to move the refrigerant. You can find 3-way absorption fridges in every size of RV, from the smallest teardrop to the largest Class A. Your first option is the simplest: Stick with the same fridge your Dad and Granddad used in their campers: An absorption fridge. Because you won’t find a fridge that can do it all. So let me break down some options for you. Because true to their name, compressor RV refrigerators can’t run off propane. Isn’t it wonderful? They walk and talk just like Ol’ Reliable Fridge back home! No more venting noxious gases to the outside air. No more desperately stuffing the fridge with ice packs. No more waiting 8 hours for an absorption refrigerator to cool down. These are made specifically for vans, trucks and RVs.Ĭompressor refrigerators come with a lot of benefits. DC refrigerators can only operate on 12V power.These are also called “marine” refrigerators. AC/DC refrigerators can operate on both 120VAC and 12VAC power.These are also called “residential” refrigerators. AC refrigerators can only operate on 120VAC power.Turn them on, and 15 minutes later, it’s cold inside!Ĭompressor refrigerators come in three flavors: AC, DC, and AC/DC. Introduction to the RV Compressor RefrigeratorĬompressor refrigerators are what you have in your house. The term “2-way fridge” is sometimes used to refer to an AC/DC fridge, and sometimes used to refer to an LPG/120VAC absorption refrigerator. Yes, I know it sounds backward because it’s a fridge, but the appliance uses a heating element to move refrigerant. 2-way absorption refrigerators can operate on propane or 120VAC power.Ībsorption refrigerators can run off gas or electricity before they require heat.3-way absorption refrigerators can operate on propane, 12VDC, or 120VAC power. They’re rather crude, but they work when nothing else does.Ībsorption refrigerators come in two flavors: 3-way and 2-way. I wrote a full guide to the absorption refrigerator here.Ībsorption refrigerators are expensive, hard to fix, and prone to operating problems at high altitudes – but they can run off nothing but propane (and a little bit of 12V electricity for the control board). The most common refrigerator in an RV is an absorption refrigerator. Introduction to the RV Absorption Refrigerator
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