|
05-31-2018, 11:00 AM
|
#1
|
Winnebago Owner
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 68
|
Compressor/Solar Fridge
We do quite a bit of boondocking (3-5 days at a time), and out Norcold has started it's decline. Despite added fans, it seems to be having a harder and harder time keeping up. Basic checks show AC heaters and Propane burner are good, and fans are coming on when required. I've also added two additional fans in the stack to help exhaust. Most of the decrease in performance seems to be while in motion on LP, but overall there has been a decrease as well. Unfortunately, many of our boondocking spots aren't nearly level, so we will continue to damage the LP fridge.
Although we plan to add some solar, I don't believe we'll be adding enough panels or batteries to adequately support a residential fridge. Searches only turn up one old (2008) discussion about compressor fridges. Anyone with more recent experience? Not just the Norcold versions, but Tundra, Dometic, Novakool etc? Or the solar residential fridges (i.e. Ecosolarcool or Danzer)?
Considering a Novakool RFU9000 AC/DC plus a Dometic CFX75 to make up the capacity difference in our Journey
__________________
2004 Winnebago Journey36G, 2 humans and 9 dogs racing our way across the country!
|
|
|
05-31-2018, 11:50 AM
|
#2
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Glass Creek USFS - north of Mammoth
Posts: 531
|
"Although we plan to add some solar, I don't believe we'll be adding enough panels or batteries to adequately support a residential fridge."
I disagree with your solar goal. Do the system...panels, wiring, controller and batteries adequately to handle a residential fridge. With enough roof real estate for 500 to 600 watts and batteries...probably six GC...it can be done.
|
|
|
05-31-2018, 12:16 PM
|
#3
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Glass Creek USFS - north of Mammoth
Posts: 531
|
"Considering a Novakool RFU9000 AC/DC plus a Dometic CFX75"
AC/DC is a good choice. Inverters don't consume making 120 AC much but you'll save that using DC.
|
|
|
06-01-2018, 07:23 PM
|
#4
|
Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Central America, - Oklahoma
Posts: 149
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cloudrnnr
We do quite a bit of boondocking (3-5 days at a time), and out Norcold has started it's decline. Unfortunately, many of our boondocking spots aren't nearly level, so we will continue to damage the LP fridge.
|
Is there a reason you don't level up your camper in these spots?
__________________
2005 34' Itasca
350 Cat Allison 3000 6 spd.
|
|
|
06-02-2018, 12:18 AM
|
#5
|
Winnebago Owner
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 68
|
Stagger, in a couple of the spots we end up going, the only way to get level is to use all of the jack, plus large blocks--and to have low side wheels far off the ground. I can get to within about six degrees, no way I'm getting to 3.
__________________
2004 Winnebago Journey36G, 2 humans and 9 dogs racing our way across the country!
|
|
|
06-02-2018, 07:08 AM
|
#6
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Glass Creek USFS - north of Mammoth
Posts: 531
|
I’d pass on that campground.
|
|
|
06-02-2018, 08:21 AM
|
#7
|
Winnebago Owner
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 68
|
LOL, if it were a campground, I would do the same! This is event parking at a remote private location. Our Journey does a fair amount of "off pavement" time.
__________________
2004 Winnebago Journey36G, 2 humans and 9 dogs racing our way across the country!
|
|
|
06-02-2018, 11:16 AM
|
#8
|
Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Posts: 415
|
Time for a larger battery bank (at least 6), 400 - 600 watts of solar (or run your generator 2X/day) and a residential refrigerator. You may also need a pure sine wave inverter.
Residential refrigerators (thanks to Energy Star) consume remarkably little amounts of electricity. Most use less than 3 amps when running and they have huge amounts of storage compared to your old propane model. And level is not needed.
An approach you hadn't considered, I'm sure.
__________________
Roger & Mary
2017 Winnebago Navion 24V
2014 Tiffin Phaeton 36GH (Sold)
|
|
|
06-02-2018, 01:30 PM
|
#9
|
Winnebago Owner
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 68
|
Roger,
Thought of that. If I could squeeze in 6 batteries, I'd be going that way. Just can't make it fit, from a space or weight perspective.
__________________
2004 Winnebago Journey36G, 2 humans and 9 dogs racing our way across the country!
|
|
|
06-06-2018, 05:17 PM
|
#10
|
Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 57
|
Yes, I have a Beaver Patriot with an electric residential frig., granted it has 8 house batteries, but with 200W of solar, in the summer it keeps up with the frig. THese new frigs , once cold, don't use alot of watt hours Wh. Take a look at there specs.
I spent a week, dry, running the generator in the mornings to support coffee and the Microwave and was just fine
|
|
|
06-06-2018, 10:08 PM
|
#11
|
Winnebago Watcher
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 3
|
Just a suggestion
Just a suggestion, my fridge wasn’t working well at all on lp, after checking regulator, cleaning orifice and blowing it out, and making sure venting was unobstructed, a dealer even wanted to replace control board. Finally I swapped the orifice with the one in our fifth wheel. The fridge now cools fine. Must have been something really stuck in the orifice, my model has a one piece unit with the burner tube and it is difficult to direct the air into the orifice. The flame looked ok and if you weren’t familiar with the appearance you wouldn’t know it wasn’t strong enough.
|
|
|
06-13-2018, 10:48 AM
|
#12
|
Winnebago Owner
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 68
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Noahsmom18
Just a suggestion, my fridge wasn’t working well at all on lp, after checking regulator, cleaning orifice and blowing it out, and making sure venting was unobstructed, a dealer even wanted to replace control board. Finally I swapped the orifice with the one in our fifth wheel. The fridge now cools fine. Must have been something really stuck in the orifice, my model has a one piece unit with the burner tube and it is difficult to direct the air into the orifice. The flame looked ok and if you weren’t familiar with the appearance you wouldn’t know it wasn’t strong enough.
|
Ours is working well--main problem appears to be worn out door gaskets. Problem is, there is no replacement for the gasket without replacing the doors, and two doors will cost me more than a residential fridge, put all 4 together and I can almost buy a residential plus solar panels!
__________________
2004 Winnebago Journey36G, 2 humans and 9 dogs racing our way across the country!
|
|
|
06-13-2018, 10:51 AM
|
#13
|
Winnebago Owner
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 68
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by luvlabs
Time for a larger battery bank (at least 6), 400 - 600 watts of solar (or run your generator 2X/day) and a residential refrigerator. You may also need a pure sine wave inverter.
Residential refrigerators (thanks to Energy Star) consume remarkably little amounts of electricity. Most use less than 3 amps when running and they have huge amounts of storage compared to your old propane model. And level is not needed.
An approach you hadn't considered, I'm sure.
|
Roger, I'm just about settled in to the idea that we'll end up with a Samsung, 700w of solar, and 4 GC batteries. We'll probably still need the genny from time to time, but we run it anyway for the microwave and air a few times during a weekend. Probably stages--limp the Norcold through until after I do the panels, then a rewire that will include a new pure sine inverter, then the batteries. Projects...
__________________
2004 Winnebago Journey36G, 2 humans and 9 dogs racing our way across the country!
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|