I am in the process of purchasing an RV and struggling with the fridge decision. Curious, As you know, we have the identical Samsung fridge you do. Thanks for the motorhome data, There doesnt seem to be any new motorhome 25 or under in the 69,000 range . I like the fact that I am not using propane for my fridge, its something scares me when I have a flame going in my fridge as I am driving down the road. Operating on propane or electric, these types of appliances have been ideal for off-the-grid camping. We are seriously committed offgridders and run our original RV reefer on propane. When travelling with propane on to keep the fridge cool, does the DC power need to stay on and how about when you stop for the night boondogging. 30F Class C RV W/Ext TV, Residential Refrigerator, 2019 Holiday Rambler Augusta 30F Class C RV W/Ext TV, Residential Refrigerator, https://mhsrv.s3.amazonaws.com/images/homeimage/logo--mhs-bc.png, https://mhsrv.com/2019-holiday-rambler-augusta-30f-class-c-rv-w-ext-tv-residential-refrigerator-new-class-c-tx-i2372369, California Consumer Privacy Act Notice for California Consumers. Swivel seats are awesome and in some cases, a relatively easy DIY project. This post may contain affiliate links or mention our own products, please check out our disclosure policy. NO OUTDOOR THERMOMTER. We had a good size battery bank but no solar. The receivers actually get very warm to the touch even when off. All rights are reserved. I now use my RVs built in fridge to store dry goods. Residential fridge all the way with one big ol caveat! Now I am looking again to buy and all the mfgers seem to think the household is the way to go. Simple question, If anyone can afford a $50,000 rig, why is $30 a night such a concern? Then it will kick to 110 when plugged in. Wow, eight thousand dollar upgrade just to run the res fridge. I really can appreciate the hard work and time that goes into all of this and you ask for nothing really. We have the same fridge as you in our Renegade Verona, and Thanks to your recommendations we are now up to 800ah of deep cycle AGM batteries. The absorption coils are unevenly cast (made in China since at least the year 2000) and the chemicals corrode and leak through thin areas in the coils and onto the wiring below the fridge, dissolving the covering over the wires and shorting the wires. Since I wanted to conserve my propane for heating in the winter and propane is expensive here(I live in Maine), I used my RV fridge at 120v. I am also curious about the difference of outgassing between a residential frig and a propane onemaybe someone can comment on the difference. We are restarting our Fulltimer life this week, after taking a 6 year break. Thanks for this information is is very helpful. I refuse to ever buy a brand that THOR makes , since a lot of the money goes to investor : G. Soros ! Since you claim that lithium batteries have a short shelf life, I must assume that you know practically nothing about lithium batteries. After deciding to install lithium batteries and the solar AE kit we felt wed have no problem running that power hog residential fridge in our RV. One advantage of propane is thats dead silent, yes? John S- you can get a 12v actuator that would work perfect for lifting panels, very common, or be creative and use a power seat motor, pretty much anything that moves back and forth could be made to work. They have the cab-over profile that usually boasts a bed or additional storage. 800-335-6054. If youre really not sure, have the installer put in a controller and heavy gauge wire that could handle another solar panel or two in the future. 100 OBanion Way Alvarado, TX. In fact, each of my four 200aH Weize lithium batteries are actually warrantied for 10yrs! Not sure what you mean by 500 watts, we had a lot more solar and battery in the Bounder RV. This great information for me getting ready to buy a motor home this summer. The main reason for the installation of these large residential fridges is that people want large fridges and they are MUCH MUCH cheaper then a large 18cu/ft or 12cu/ft 2 way (propane/electric) as in 1/4-1/3 the cost. Most of my travelling is done alone, with the exception of my dog, Sam. The cost of the unit, plus extra batteries wouldnt be worth it to me. Second, this type of refrigerator must be relatively level while in operation. Avanti RA7306WT 2-Door Apartment Size Refrigerator 6. Approximately $165 Million Dollars to Choose From. Anyway, just my viewpoint. I will keep that in mind for the next review! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Today, larger 5th wheels and motorhomes boast larger and larger capacity in their RV fridges. Has anyone investigated the use of 12 volt compressor type built in refrigerators? Some variation of this would probably also work on your future catamaran. More Energy Efficient on AC Power 3.6) 6. We have Forest River Forester 2501TS. And the two exterior doors allows you to access the freezer or the refrigeration compartment. I cant thank you guys enough for my experience in purchasing a new RV. If we go that route, it will be used as a last resort. 13 NFL Stadiums Worth the Trip for Game Day, Keep Your Cool: Replacing an RV Refrigerator With a Residential Unit. We are not living in the RV, just camping up to six weeks a year, so I was okay with getting a used working fridge 10cubic ft. Cook in it, watch movies, work on the computer, etc. Thank you! Newer models have french doors and up to even 18 cubic feet of storage space. Plus, the Quantum has a floor plan with an outdoor kitchen. Their solution was for us to use a bungy cord on our new bounder. oops- I forgot to include our test numbers. I cant say enough about how great this experience was and how great you guys were! New RVs from $19,999 to $1,500,000 and Every Price-Point in-between! We also have a 5500 watt Onan generator on board which we use daily during travel for coffee in the morning and usually during dinner and watching tv. with that said having the regular RV refrigerator that runs on gas which was another camper we were familiar with and kept the gas on most of the time when we were off the grid. Do your research first though so you have some input on your power needs, etc. Before you know it, you could be racking up some big costs to accommodate your new appliances. I bought from Motor Home Specialist. Speaking of solar: Ever since your earlier solar panel videos Ive been looking for the gifted do-it-yourself mechanic to come up with a powered tilt mechanism. The motorhome is built on a Ford E-450 chassis with five floor plans and a beautiful Modern Farmhouse interior design. With a Freightliner chassis and a Cummins B 6.7-liter turbodiesel engine, this Super C RV will tax your budget but provide one of the most spacious floorplans. MHSRV definitely provides the means and professionalism that goes with a great dealership. It makes us so much more appreciative for what We have been given. and your content really shocked me, i dont know why there are many misleading information elsewhere as to the Amp/hour draw these monsters (fridges) need. Have to join the Newmar club to get better manual then the big package that came with the rv. We find the build quality of the little View to be every bit as good as the much pricier and much larger luxury Class A Entegra. 6 days on a parking-lot in Chicago in July, no power hookup, no shade: no problem to keep the fridge/freezer cool (the fridge was never opened). Thanks for your comment Theo What is your favorite Class C for full-time? Now we have a conundrum. Drawers/Crispers: 2. So now that ive debunked all of those big misconceptions, lets talk about fridges. Okay! Excellent Video and test, I am an electrical engineer and I am running the numbers , you are right on. while you have some amazon and advertising i know its like pennies in real life. Properly maintained(which doesnt require much for lithium batteries), quality lithium batteries last more than 10years. The lights were on and the AC was blowing cold and it was just remarkable! Those batteries are isolated from the house batteries and have their own charger too. Motor Home Specialist is the #1 Volume Selling Motor Home Dealership in the World. Great video. Thanks for the great information. So there you are trapped in the back of the RV with the fridge chemicals or fire between you and the exit door. The sales manager personally came to the site we were in and delivered to us a check for $3,000. I like having the thee way fridge but they stop making the 12 volt powered option i hear. They can safely be discharged to 11.8 volts (80% discharge = 20% state of charge) with absolutely no damage whatsoever to the batteries. So residential fridge would be fine for that (in fact that is what we have put in the Boat). The inverter is 1000 watt and we have a 80 watt 10 amp solar panel. 700 Ah lithium battery, 1060W solar, 3000w hybrid inverter, and about 19 cu residential fridge. Add To Cart. We really need to upgrade our batteries and solar so that we can have a love-love relationship with our Samsung, vs the unrequited love situation weve got from a basically stock battery bank. If you have any questions, concerns or you want to share your RV fridge (or Tiny House, Sailboat, etc) tips and experiences please do in the comments below, wed love to hear your thoughts! It took over 6 months before I would write this email. I am running 6 6 volt deep cycle batteries. The Thor Tiburon is built on a Mercedes Benz Sprinter chassis with a 3.0L V-6 diesel engine with 188 horsepower and 325lb.-ft. of torque. The unit also has a versatile lounging space that can be used as an eating or sitting area. DO NOT buy a Samsung refrigerator if you plan to use it for more than 4-5 years. With slightly smaller holding capacities, more frequent stops will be required. With its smooth and sleek design, the Tiffin Wayfarer is perfect for cruising across the country in comfort. What type of fridge lock do you have for when youre on the road? This, in most cases, will result in the need to add some additional batteries, usually two more. Also, do not rule out cruising throughout the inland waterways of America. Aside from the battery what role does the inverter play in this? In hindsight thats what I would do next time. I ran a 2nd week-long test last week. But as I said, no offense intendedwith any luck conversations like this might bring more attention to the preventable problem. I have not done all the Kill a Watt measuring you (Niki) have done, but overall our experience is similar and I would concur with your equipment recommendation. Sun power was far more reliable. Sorry dude, but Im a full time RVr who currently has BOTH types of fridges in his 38 RV and I agree 100% with the author of the article. Day 4: the generator started automatically. Great job on presenting real numbers and I am intrigued that you showed that the power usage label on the refrigerator is not real life use. Sorry to end this on a bad note but when I got home my wife loved it and said to me; you better get me a Washer and Dryer in here. Enjoy your stay in Florida. We chose the closing day and when we arrived all was in readiness for us. Options include a washer/dryer combo, driver and passenger swivel seats, and dual power theater seats. Whether its a Class A, B, or C, fifth wheel or travel trailer, there is a size and type to fit all needs and budgets. No need for an inverter loss will run off of 120V shore line when available. It offers customers a number of floor plans, and convenient features and everything comes at a fair price. They look slick and have great features. We spend over a year looking at different coaches and went to dozens of dealerships in several states. Out most of day and do not use much other power. You guys say you love your residential fridge, but if you had something like a 12 cu/ft 4 door dometic 2way fridge with built in ice maker you would be loving that even more, you could even run the thing on AC during the day with your massive solar array and propane at nighttime. The difference is some residential refrigerators will require a pure sine wave inverter and only a small percentage will come with this. None of the above issues. All materials are copyrighted by Motor Home Specialist (MHSRV.com). Overall, we are really happy with our setup. Depending on what floorplan you pick, this class C motorhome can accommodate up to seven persons, which makes it an excellent pick for families or groups traveling together. Temps were higher in upper 70s. Less Expensive to Purchase 3.4) 4. 4 days into our staying in the RV it stopped cooling. Prior to going FT we upgraded our power setup with 600 AH (AGM batteries) and 640 watts of solar panels. RVs that have minimal kitchen counter space are not useful to people who are full timing. Did my own bus conversion in the 90s. I would have to spend more on a new LP fridge. Everybody knows grey tanks fill up twice as fast as black tanks. Floor strips and molding trim can do the job and give that finished look. Water heater and space heater problems will be detected by gas leak detectors, and routine smoke detectors will detect smoke from those fires. and see what us readers can do to help. I could see us being on the road 2 or 3 days between locations, and possibly doing the walmart campground at night on the trip. Ive been running solar for nearly 4yrs now and the only time my panels have ever needed cleaning off is during the winter, in cold climates, after a snow storm. You might be able to remove a window from your Class C and get one through, but thats a lot of work. You (especially) could probably find a way to let the melted ice drain straight through to the outside. Really must love that built in ice maker. Comment about CPAP use at night. You are on the right track! Slightly off topic, but where did you find that cool 50 amp plug? My husband and I love to travel across the US and Canada and it cost enough for gas, we are retired and every bit of money saved on spending the night somewhere is money we can spend on other things. We recently purchased a 2014 Dynamax DX3 with a full residential refrigerator. My situation is a little different. So batteries are now the only major expense in a solar power set up but lithiums last a decade or more, require virtually no maintenence, are exceedingly safe(lifepo4), can be charge cycled between 2000 & 10000 times(lead acid a max of 500), and can be discharged up to 90% without harming them. We are from Ireland so cloudy weather has a big impact on solar power We have been living in our Mercedes Hymer for 6 months now. Other common RV fridges are 2-way or 3-way models. Factory installed along with a modified sine inverter and four 6 V deep cycle batteries, 850 watts of solar. From the paperwork that Katy had prepared to the coach itself all was ready for us. When driving, the inverter will be supplying the needed AC power via the inverter. Jerry and Becky aboard Traveling Shoes II. I have a Class C Coachmen Leprechaun 311FS. Check out these articles: Jennifer lives with her husband in a 29 trailer in Mexico. Most of the time, I dont need to run a generator to charge the batteries even if we need to use the furnace at night. For full-timers with kids, there is also an overcab loft bed. I had to check out other dealers. Price and payment do NOT include TT&L or any other fees that may apply. Norcold 3.7 CU FT N3150AGR 2. You guys could probably go 10 days without needing to replenish ice or run the genny. This unit has two twin beds in the back with the option to convert them into one king size bed. We began to second guess if a residential fridge was really a good option for an RV or not. I assume your position on a residential refrigerator on a catamaran is a no-go because of the massive solar involved or requirement for a frequent generator session. I searched the USA for the best price and the best sales staff! FREELANDER POOR QUALITY NO PRIDE IN CONSTRUCION. Only run generator if we experience overcast day. Time to install a mini split air conditioner/heat pump and run cold air 24/7 when needed all while off grid. I have been following your adventures and I enjoy the videos. While it is true these tests did not use 12Vdc to produce the power, watts is watts; force behind the current doesnt matter. This page took too long to load. One dealer says to us you would not want the residential fridge with the converter because they are not made to go down the road and bounce around. Hi Joyce, thanks for your comment and opinion!