12 Volt refrigerator options?

[JRF0st3r]

Lew Farber has recommended Danfoss 12 volt refrigeration compressors but are there refrigerators on the market with this compressor? We have a 1967 Safari with no refrigerator. The trailer is gutted now so we could build for whatever is best. Rather than go with a propane / 120 Volt unit, we would like to consider an efficient 12V unit, preferably one that would look right as a built-in rather than a portable cooler.
Any recommendations?
Thanks,
Jim

[lewster]

Originally Posted by JRF0st3r

Lew Farber has recommended Danfoss 12 volt refrigeration compressors but are there refrigerators on the market with this compressor? We have a 1967 Safari with no refrigerator. The trailer is gutted now so we could build for whatever is best. Rather than go with a propane / 120 Volt unit, we would like to consider an efficient 12V unit, preferably one that would look right as a built-in rather than a portable cooler.
Any recommendations?
Thanks,
Jim

There are lots of these! Try iwmarine.com for Isotherm units (my preference), and google Tundra, Vitrifrigo, and Dometic marine units. A great variety of shapes and sizes.....

[Gnorts]

Also check out Novakool. Danfoss compressor, built in British Columbia.

One thing to remember about the most efficient 12V units is they're not aggressive chillers, and will fail at getting a whole box full of warm food cold in a short time. They won't keep ice cream rock-hard. They do an adequate job, but if you're after the most efficient units (5A current draw or less) don't expect performance like the big Amana at home.

Refrigeration is the biggest single energy user in boats and RV's. Efficiency is important, but it comes with tradeoffs.

[idroba]

Ah, but they are much more efficient and much faster in operation than any propane refrigerator. I had a full RV sized Norcod (52" x 24") in my GMC motorhome and it was a superior unit... and made back in 1975 using a swing motor compressor.

[Beach Bum]

I removed the factory propane fridge and installed a ISOTHERM 195 in it's place. (Actually Lew did the work, with some outstanding supervision ).

The foot print of the new fridge was slightly smaller, with some 2x4 framing and some black trim it looks like a factory install. Stopped by the ISOTHREM USA distributor to swap out a bad controller board. They were taking pictures and commenting on how if looked factory.

We have had our 195 baking in the FL August sun with no problem cooling things down or keeping the freezer at 0 F and the fridge at 37 where we set them. Both could be set lower. We experience about a 3-5 degree difference from the bottom shelf to the top shelf of the fridge.

We arrive at the trailer with our cold food turn the fridge on load it up and take off with no problems. Never give a thought to having to pre cool the fridge prior to loading.

There are many sizes and configuration to fit the space you have. I had a 12v dometic portable in my previous rig for 4 years and it did not miss a beat. Those danfoss compressors are efficient and built to take a pounding.

[FC7039]

Compare truckfridge.com to indelwabastomarine.com. I have a fridge from truck box and am very pleased. It will keep ice cream hard. In fact you have to pay attention to what is on the shelf under the freezer as it too may freeze.


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[FC7039]

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[JRF0st3r]

Lots of good leads for me to look into. Thanks to everyone!
Jim

[wrhjr3]

I have the latest Norcold with unadvertised Danfoss cooling system in my Monaco Crown Royale. Super efficient. I'll never look back at a propane fridge. I installed solar on both my motorhome and trailer. When (if) the trailer Dometic dies - in goes a Norcold. It's a Norcold box only. The entire cooling system is Danfoss.

[boblind]

we have a Dometic RM 2452 120 vac or propane unit, I use a 300 watt invertor to power it while traveling. If I am going to be in an area without shore power, I use propane. It works great.
I have about $200 invested in the invertor lashup including $100 for the invertor, the rest of the cost is a separate 10 guage wire from the TV battery to a separate receptacle on the rear bumper, then to a relay in the AS.
Its great to be able to stop along the road in Nevada and have an ice cream cone break.

[vanster]

We just purchased an Isotherm for our 67 Caravel. From what Lewster said and all
my marine pals say...there are not any better options. Cheaper options but not better. AC/DC only.

[JRF0st3r]

Thanks again to everyone! I've spent a snow day looking around the internet. At this point my wife and I really like the Isotherm DR 65. This would be a drawer type refrigerator only. Using existing floor and roof vents we can get the required air flow in the back. Are there other steps we should take to make it as efficient as possible?
Jim

[Beach Bum]

When you run your AC power to the fridge make sure it's not on the inverter circuit if you have one. The fridge will seek an AC source first. If your are not on shore power you want it to run on DC power. Its much more efficient than converting DC to AC.

[vanster]

Good choice, we bought the 130. Also we found that West Marine has reasonable pricing

[FC7039]

The exact same fridge from truck fridge is $300 less than isotherm from marine suppliers. Both are built by the same people. Look at them. They use the same model size name. Have the same shelfs, same compressor. Also note the door can be made to open left or right and the front panel can be switched as I did with wood veneer or an aluminum sheet.



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[Wolf Alaska]

JRF0st3r, here's a few thoughts on your quest for a candidate 12VDC refrigerator. I'm new to the forum but have a long history with RVs since 1983.

12VDC refrigerators for RV use may be 110VAC/12VDC powered. The refrigerators will run on 110 if it is available and switch to 12 VDC automatically if the 110 goes away. A few are designed to run on 12VDC only.

I have a Norcold DE490 still in service at 19 years. It will run for 48+ hours on one 12VDC 115 A-H battery. The Norcold model that replaced the DE490 is the DE-0788. It has a 0.5 cu. Ft. freezer and a 3.1 cu ft. refrigerator section. The refer uses 0.8 amps @ 110VAC and 3 amps @ 12VDC. Estimated power consumption is 36 A-H per day. Weight is 62 lbs.

A larger Norcold is the DE0061 and EV0061. It has 1.7 cu ft. freezer and 5.3 cu ft. refrigerator section. Power consumption is 0.4 amps @ 110VAC and 3.2 amps @ 12VDC. Estimated daily power needed is 36 A-H. Weight is 105 lbs.

Dometic has a model CR1140E with 4.81 cu ft. It runs only on 12VDC and draws 5.9 amps. Estimated power consumption is 72 A-H per day.

A world famous DC refrigerator manufacturer is SunFrost.A good model for RVs is the SF RF12.This unit offers a freezer with 2.05 cu ft. and a refrigerator section of 8.07 cu ft.Daily power consumption is 24 A-H @12VDC @ 70o and 39 A-H@12VDC@90o.The unit weighs 230 lbs. SunFrost lists a price of $2579 + a $50 crating charge.

To summarize, 12 VDC refrigerators can be continually powered by an adequately sized battery bank supported by a PVC system that can generate a daily A-H harvest equal to the refer’s daily power consumption.With extra battery recharge sources from shore power, genset power, or alternator power from the motor coach’s engine or tow vehicle (TV) engine, there should be no shortage of power to keep the refrigerator running.Other advantages found with the 12VDC refrigerator include: no requirement to level the RV for safe refer operation, no need to buy propane for the refer, no additional load placed on an existing inverter (or possibly eliminate the need to install an inverter or replace an existing inverter with a larger inverter), and possible longer life compared to a propane RV refer.

[JRF0st3r]

Wolf Alaska,
Thanks for sharing your abundant knowledge on this topic! I do appreciate it!
Jim

[MelGoddard]

Look for "Koolatron" plug in coolers. I have four of them, one in each car, and the others as req'd. They drop the inside temp about 40Deg. below ambient. One of them fits between the seats of a van, or in the back floor of our Camry. No Ice Cubes needed, just keep it plugged into a 12VDC outlet and the food stays Kool.