Mains Fridge - Why Not? (1 Viewer)

[Exasperant]

New here, have just started tackling my needs everything Bedford.

The fridge that came with it (rm212) doesn't appear to do much, and is a real sod to light. I've not left it running more than 20 minutes or so on gas, buut I did notice the pipe across the back, at the top, got quite hot - The fins inside didn't appear to get at all cold. Nothing at all seemed to happen on mains when left for an hour or two, and I've not yet tried the 12v side.

Because a previous owner was.. someone who should never be let loose with tools, not even Fisher Price ones.. the inside is a bare shell right now. He did hack a fridge sized grilled into one wall - Behind the cooker. And chopped off the pipe from the old Electrolux metal exhaust vent. This means I can be quite flexible with fitting things.

Given all the above, I can't help thinking a mains fridge is the way to go. It'd be mains (the 12v caravan ones are obscenely pricey IMO and I'm getting a pure sine inverter anyway), and the ones I've looked at reckon they'd draw about 300W/24h, which I don't consider a problem. Size wise they look compact enough to not overwhelm the space available. And yes, they might not like being bounced around mile after mile, but I'm wondering if some custom supports for the coil might help make things more robust.

tlr - Is there any reason not to do this?

 

[Nasher]

I'm sure someone with more knowledge than me will give a better answer than me, but I think a mains domestic type fridge may have a power surge on startup and you would need a fair sized inverter...

 

[hilldweller]

And yes, they might not like being bounced around mile after mile

tlr - Is there any reason not to do this?

No reason not to try as long as you accept failure is on the cards and you investigate what will be the consequences of total fluid loss into your MH as you are belting down a motorway.

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[Dazzlin]

I know folks who have used domestic fridges for mohos. If you want to refine it you can fit a 12v compressor to replace the 230v. Will have to rig up a latch for the door/s as well.

Thought about this a lot on ours if the 3 way went bust.

 

[Terry]

Hi no reason not to try it out.Plenty of self builder's do just that.
I don't know how much battery power a domestic fridge uses but most have a decent battery bank

 

[EuroTrotters]

I have run 240v freezers since we first got a motorhome. I had a tiny A rated two door fridge / freezer we took to Anncey with us back in 2005 in the MH Garage. Mrs TM said I had lost the plot as we have a 3-way fridge in the MH.

Got to Annecy and the 3-way stopped working, faulty AES module.

But guess what?......we had in the Motorhome Garage!

Now we have this in our current MH.

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/redundant-hymer-tv-cupboard-now-a-freezer.164292/

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[EuroTrotters]

We had an older version of this.

Made in China, lots of internal foamed in evaporator / pipes to leak. But they are all designed the same. Mot much choice.

But available in different colours.

Broken Link Removed

 

[Richard n Ann]

consequences of total fluid loss into your MH as you are belting down a motorway.

If you mean refrigerant, nothing. There's only about 50g in a domestic fridge and it's supposed to be non toxic anyway. Oh, and it never comes out fast.

 

[Exasperant]

No reason not to try as long as you accept failure is on the cards and you investigate what will be the consequences of total fluid loss into your MH as you are belting down a motorway.

It's a 40 year old CF. Belting anywhere is a tad beyond it!

Fluid loss of a domestic fridge, from memory of having one go pop, was nothing. A bit of hiss of escaping gas, and that was it.

Will have to rig up a latch for the door/s as well.

Which reminds me, the latch on the 3 way I've got is broken. More reasons to not persevere.

We had an older version of this.

That i like! But the power consumption seems to be considerably higher than the things I've been looking at. I'd be happy enough with one of the mini/ counter top ones, except every one I've found reviews for complain of water drips from the ice box. So now thinking something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152702047449 - A 60W when running should hopefully mean 600W or less startup, and I was thinking of going (admittedly cheapie) 1kw sine inverter (usually 1.5 - 2kw surge/ peak) which ought to more than handle that.


I'm so far seeing no real disadvantage to this other than losing convenience of gas, and the risk of premature failure (which I'm happy to chance). I just can't stop thinking "there has to be more of a catch here, surely?".

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[mitzimad]

doesnt @vwalan use a mains fridge and invertor?

 

[vwalan]

doesnt @vwalan use a mains fridge and invertor?

yes i do, either an under counter fridge with a small freezer box . or an undercounter fridge freezer . half fridge half freezer. depends when where i,m going etc .
fridge is an iceking unit . i bought new a few years ago.
the fridgefreezer is a proline i bought secondhand off a neighbour again a few years ago.
either work off my 1kw inverter . its a pure sine wave one .
older fridges worked off modified sine wave but it seems many newer ones only work off pure sinewave.

 

[EuroTrotters]

It's a 40 year old CF. Belting anywhere is a tad beyond it!

Fluid loss of a domestic fridge, from memory of having one go pop, was nothing. A bit of hiss of escaping gas, and that was it.



Which reminds me, the latch on the 3 way I've got is broken. More reasons to not persevere.



That i like! But the power consumption seems to be considerably higher than the things I've been looking at. I'd be happy enough with one of the mini/ counter top ones, except every one I've found reviews for complain of water drips from the ice box. So now thinking something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152702047449 - A 60W when running should hopefully mean 600W or less startup, and I was thinking of going (admittedly cheapie) 1kw sine inverter (usually 1.5 - 2kw surge/ peak) which ought to more than handle that.


I'm so far seeing no real disadvantage to this other than losing convenience of gas, and the risk of premature failure (which I'm happy to chance). I just can't stop thinking "there has to be more of a catch here, surely?".

The one you link on ebay is an open aluminium Evaporator, so no most likely, internal pipework.

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[Exasperant]

Seeing as my knowledge of fridges extends to a basic understanding of the science, and once getting too heavy handed with ice removal (hence knowing what happens when one goes pop) I'm going to go with aluminium evaporator being even better then

I keep looking at that Currys one, but it looks to (if official figures can ever be believed) use 70% more power. That's probably quite significant in this application. The Ebay one benefits from having an alleged long warranty.

I'd be happy enough with one of those table top ones in terms of size, and there are a couple of used ones going cheap locally. But I don't think I'd be impressed with the apparently constantly dripping, food soaking, ice boxes on them.

 

[autorouter]

Is there any reason not to do this?

The traditional reason to prefer absorption to compressor fridges in motorhomes and hotel rooms is the compressor noise and vibration. Presumably the caravan ones are quieter, which may be why they are more expensive. I've no experience of compressor fridges in a MH, but others seem to live with them OK.