Operating costs?

[Chip Arnold]

This is not really a repair question but I didn't know where else to post it.
We will soon be living (full time and stationary) in our '76. The Dometic fridge is now working well. Does anyone know the difference in electrical usage (cost) between the Dometic and a comparable house style electric only fridge? Thanks for any info.

[Boondocker]

I full time, much of the time boondocking. I can tell you that when I am not running a heater, but just cooking and running the refer on propane, a 30# tank goes a long time. So while that doesn't get at the actual difference in price I think it does indicate that the cost is minimal.

[richinny]

if you have your model number, the specs. might be available. try looking on the back of the fridge, you might find the info there.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Chip Arnold

This is not really a repair question but I didn't know where else to post it.
We will soon be living (full time and stationary) in our '76. The Dometic fridge is now working well. Does anyone know the difference in electrical usage (cost) between the Dometic and a comparable house style electric only fridge? Thanks for any info.

I would think that the Dometic would be a bit less, no compressor. It is an absorption type system. All the electricity is providing is power to a heating element, and possibly a control board. If you are looking at minimal power consumption and think you want a new all electric take a look at the Sun Frost line of fridges and freezers. They aren't cheap, but they do very well on energy consumption.

Aaron

[mustang]

The big factor is the size of the house fridge. Keep in mind that a house fridge works different from a camper fridge. The house one has a compressor. It will cool better, The trailer one is a chemical reaction that takes place when amonia is heated whick inturn cools. If you open and close a camper fridge it slowly warms up, but over night when it is kept closed the milk has ice in it. The house fridge will most always use more juice unless you got a amall dorm size unit. For the camper fridge electricty ussually only runs an element to heat the coil of amonia like chemical. I reapeted what wahoonc said also

[HiHoAgRV]

I looked at a new fridge for the homestead and the estimated annual electrical usage was $38 per year compared to my 25 year old house units cost of $150/yr. These new energy star units are efficient!
$38 might pay for a tank of propane that would last about a month I guess.
It seems like I remember the heating unit in an absorbtion type fridge is around 50 watts making the 75% duty cycle annual electric cost under $40.
The biggest difference between a $40/yr absorbtion unit and a $38/yr new energy star is cooling capacity.