Compressor fridge or replace dead 3-way?

[oldieish]

2002 Flair (for reference). Electrolux RM6505 3-way fridge-freezer seems to have gone the way of all devices. A suite of indecision, starts on gas stops on gas, starts on 12v stops on 12v etc, etc. Probably the now unobtanium PCB.

Input please.

Chap on eBay has some reconditioned f/fs: RM6505, RM7505 and Thetford N150. So replace with like-for-like or fit a 12/240v compressor fridge-freezer? I have no experience of the latter appliance.

 

[Cal54]

I have a small compressor fridge in my PVC and really like it - cools better than previous absorption fridges I have had. However I do keep an eye on the power consumption and do on occasions switch it off overnight if batteries are getting low. I have 2 x 100 amp batteries and 2 x 100wt solar panels. No maintenance is another plus point.

 

[Richard n Ann]

You'll probably need a couple of batteries and solar for the compressor fridge.

 

[Raul]

A compressor takes about 30ah per day in summer, and a bit less when it’s cool or winter. Ppl that complain about power with a compressor, is those that don’t have a tailored system to their needs. A compressor takes 1/7th of the energy a absorption uses to cool like for like.

 

[Two on Tour]

Dometic are now producing compressor fridge/freezers in like for like sizing of some of their 3 way absorption fridge/freezers, but much as I would like to
swap out our poor performing 3 way absorption unit for the compressor version, I rather feel that the over £2k asking price is extracting the urine.

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[funflair]

Dometic are now producing compressor fridge/freezers in like for like sizing of some of their 3 way absorption fridge/freezers, but much as I would like to
swap out our poor performing 3 way absorption unit for the compressor version, I rather feel that the over £2k asking price is extracting the urine.

A few of the liner community in Germany are changing 10 series absorption to the 10 series compressor but there have been adverse comments re the noise of the compressor and also some comments that they are not cooling effectively.

 

[John Barrett]

I bought a Vitrifrgio 115l last year. It made ice in no time at all and was very quiet. It didn't cost 2k either...

 

[JockandRita]

2002 Flair (for reference). Electrolux RM6505 3-way fridge-freezer seems to have gone the way of all devices. A suite of indecision, starts on gas stops on gas, starts on 12v stops on 12v etc, etc. Probably the now unobtanium PCB.

Input please.

Chap on eBay has some reconditioned f/fs: RM6505, RM7505 and Thetford N150. So replace with like-for-like or fit a 12/240v compressor fridge-freezer? I have no experience of the latter appliance.

I think you are the same person I replied to on the N&B FB Group. I changed the PCB a few months ago due tio intermittent functioning, and our RM7605 works a treat now. If I can, I'll be having the PCB repaired and keep as a spare.

Start small and work your way up cost wise, once you have established the exact cause of failure.

Good luck.

Jock.

 

[Gaston aires]

Personally I’d alway have a three way fridge. What will you do if you CL or wild camping without EHU ?

 

[chaser]

Compresser fridge without a doubt.

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[Richard n Ann]

A cheaper option is to keep the broken fridge, remove all the absorption plant and fit a compressor kit
They were about £500

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[Raul]

Personally I’d alway have a three way fridge. What will you do if you CL or wild camping without EHU ?

That’s exactly what we do, no ehu for months on end. Lithium and solar. We run two compressors, one fridge and one dedicated freezer. They take about 50ah per day including pump and lighting.

 

[GeoffnDee]

If you need the PCB board checking / repaired Apluljack engineering repair the RM series boards (according to their website)

 

[Canyon904]

I had the same problem, bought a smallish compressor fridge freezer and a couple of bigger solar panels, 3x100 amp batteries already fitted. I wish I'd done it 4 yrs ago when the Dometic first started playing up, we sleep at the back of the van, the fridge is at the front behind the drivers seat so we don't find any noise issues overnight, the fridge stays safely cold for up to 15 hours when turned off, so battery drain on dull days hasn't been a problem yet.

 

[oldieish]

I think you are the same person I replied to on the N&B FB Group. I changed the PCB a few months ago due tio intermittent functioning, and our RM7605 works a treat now. If I can, I'll be having the PCB repaired and keep as a spare.

Start small and work your way up cost wise, once you have established the exact cause of failure.

Good luck.

Jock.

That's me, thank you for the information - can't have too much.

I've had it looked at by an Approved Engineer who reported the appliance has a decent flame on gas. When running on gas it (presumably) starts satisfactorily, there is a clicking noise followed by no detectable sound. The display panel AES has a green light. Some time later (can't be sure when) this is replaced by a flashing red light on the lower display. Gas supply is ok. Similar occurrence when when running on 12v. Not been able to check whilst on hook-up. The fridge shows no sign of meaningful cooling. A pretty exhaustive internet search suggests that replacement PCBs have passed on to the land of unobtanium. The existing PCB is an older tray model with the components bonded in something like white pva.

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[Gaston aires]

That’s exactly what we do, no ehu for months on end. Lithium and solar. We run two compressors, one fridge and one dedicated freezer. They take about 50ah per day including pump and lighting.

Excellent if you have all the right electrical stuff. Not too many with that level of sophistication but getting better.

 

[Two on Tour]

I bought a Vitrifrgio 115l last year. It made ice in no time at all and was very quiet. It didn't cost 2k either...

The Vitrifrgio 115l would leave a rather large hole above it to fill where our tall 190 litre Dometic was.

 

[Canyon904]

The Vitrifrgio 115l would leave a rather large hole above it to fill where our tall 190 litre Dometic was.

I used the spare space to make a cupboard big enough for two full face helmets, associated m/cycle clobber and the 1000 watt Sterling inverter, made up some strong stays so as to be able to use the lowered door as overflow worktop, made up a fridge door lock that is held closed with a couple of tapered wooden pins, a piece of old inner tube to secure the door open when not turned on. In the fridge, things were moving around, so I fitted some strips of plastic from folders of paper, the freezer has a cheap plastic basket to keep things tidy. The fridge/freezer is smaller but the extra depth means I can carry frozen pizza's more easily and is lighter in weight. The arty one in the crew decorated the door, acrylic string art?

 

[BDM]

Malfunctioning 3 way taken out and a 240v fridge freezer from Currys went in the same space

 

[oldieish]

I bought a Vitrifrgio 115l last year. It made ice in no time at all and was very quiet. It didn't cost 2k either...

Did you connect it yourself? There are a plethora of proposals across the internet regarding installation. I'm moderately fettling competent and am prepared to install one myself if I have clear and suitable guidance. Alternatively I'll call for the services of an engineer. If possible I would prefer both 12v and EHU services.

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[cmcardle75]

Did you connect it yourself? There are a plethora of proposals across the internet regarding installation. I'm moderately fettling competent and am prepared to install one myself if I have clear and suitable guidance. Alternatively I'll call for the services of an engineer. If possible I would prefer both 12v and EHU services.

Compressor fridges just need 12V power (or you can use a 230V with an inverter to save money, but it is a lot more complicated if you don't want the inverter wasting power 24/7). They are extremely easy to install and the vents already installed for the 3 way should make it run pretty efficiently.

Serious wilders speccing new equipment tend to use compressor fridges, as serious wilders have lots of solar/B2B and lithium batteries!

 

[RedFrame]

Personally I’d alway have a three way fridge. What will you do if you CL or wild camping without EHU ?

When our Dometic RMDT 8505 finally gives up the ghost (possibly before), we'll be replacing it with a Compressor based unit. Granted we have 450W (Theoretical) Solar upstairs, with a Victron 30A SmartSolar unit, and 220Ah (Powerframe) Leisure downstairs, but, in the Winter, if we are on a CL it would be for a night or two, if we're Wilding ditto; so then the Alternator would kick in when moving... Our current backup 60l Compressor Fridge/Freezer is drawing way less than 15Ah per 10hours of operation, so, maybe, being a pessimist, we'd be down 15Ah in the morning but (in Summer) the Solar would recharge that in short shrift and keep running the unit at the same time.

If push came to shove, then I'd carry a little 25ltr 3way, and run it on gas, in the Garage during winter, I can stick anything that needs freezing outside the van...

The compressor Fridge/Freezer only arrived recently, so tests are ongoing, once I've got more information on performance I'll post it up...

Cheers
Red, Bannock and Chris.

 

[Two on Tour]

I used the spare space to make a cupboard big enough for two full face helmets, associated m/cycle clobber and the 1000 watt Sterling inverter, made up some strong stays so as to be able to use the lowered door as overflow worktop, made up a fridge door lock that is held closed with a couple of tapered wooden pins, a piece of old inner tube to secure the door open when not turned on. In the fridge, things were moving around, so I fitted some strips of plastic from folders of paper, the freezer has a cheap plastic basket to keep things tidy. The fridge/freezer is smaller but the extra depth means I can carry frozen pizza's more easily and is lighter in weight. The arty one in the crew decorated the door, acrylic string art?

Loose towards half of our fridge and freezer capacity, not a chance.

 

[Canyon904]

Loose towards half of our fridge and freezer capacity, not a chance.

The freezer in the new unit is 15% bigger than the Dometic whilst the fridge is approx. 30% smaller, a 12volt cool box would compensate for the difference, don't think that I did not try to save the Dometic but a lightening strike in St Martin did for the AES controller which is now unavailable. The sun is free, the gas isn't.

 

[Two on Tour]

The sun is free, the gas isn't.

An average 30 - 35 pence a day for propane to run ours, I think I can stretch to that, and I hope the sun keeps shining for you.

By the way, we just about to have £8800 worth of solar fitted on the roof of our house, so solar is free is it.

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[Canyon904]

An average 30 - 35 pence a day for propane to run ours, I think I can stretch to that, and I hope the sun keeps shining for you.

By the way, we just about to have £8800 worth of solar fitted on the roof of our house, so solar is free is it.

I live in the south of France & mainly tour Europe in the van, so TOO much sun and heat is the issue I have to deal with.
I visit out of the way places using aires & wild camping, often a long drive from LPG filling stations, have you factored in the cost of going to refill or swap gas cylinders?
Absorption fridges will drop 20 degrees C from ambient, so mid summer 35 degrees heat gives you a fridge full of food poisoning.
I spent €200 on 2x100 watt panels to replace the single 90 watt existing panel which is now providing 12 volt lighting and an automatic pumped watering system on a garden shed roof, all of which I fitted myself.
£8,800 is a lot of solar, with full solar & no mains at all that would take me 20 years to repay! I hope the sun keeps shining for you too.

 

[Two on Tour]

Yes, £8800 does sound like a lot of solar, but it does include a 7.2Kw LifePo4 battery bank for when the sun is not shining and the hours of darkness.

 

[oldieish]

Has anybody any experience/knowledge of this model: Thetford T2160 12V Compressor Fridge Freezer? Or Thetford fridges in general.

 

[John Barrett]

Did you connect it yourself? There are a plethora of proposals across the internet regarding installation. I'm moderately fettling competent and am prepared to install one myself if I have clear and suitable guidance. Alternatively I'll call for the services of an engineer. If possible I would prefer both 12v and EHU services.

I've just noticed this post and my apologies for not answering it. I connected it myself in just a few minutes as the wiring was simple and clearly documented. I spent £60 odd on the 12/240V auto changeover converter and it ran happily on either .

 

[gus-lopez]

Absorption fridges will drop 20 degrees C from ambient, so mid summer 35 degrees heat gives you a fridge full of food poisoning.

On last van & this one mine sit happily at anything from 0º-6º in ambient temperatures up to 44º c recently?

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