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Racer View Drop Down
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Joined: 03 Nov 2024
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Posts: 5 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Racer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: List Your Mods:
    Posted: 17 Nov 2024 at 10:03am
From my research the move is clearly from propane to 12v compressor, most new model RV's no longer offer propane options. For serious boondockers this means we now need at least 400w solar and minimum 300ah lithium battery bank along with a dc/dc charging set-up and/or generator should you have a shady spot or poor weather. This adds thousands to the cost. However if you watch comparison videos, the plus is the refrigerators are much larger inside, get cold almost instantly and maintain their temp better in hot weather. Solar components are dropping in price and there is a federal tax credit available as well. But like you our current fridge is a 3 way and once it dies I'm afraid we are stuck.
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gpokluda View Drop Down
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Posts: 393 		Post Options Post Options   Quote gpokluda Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 2024 at 9:19pm

[/QUOTE]

I am now on my 2nd Dometic RM 8501 fridge which was purchased at the end of 2020 after my first one got an ammonia leak after 10 years of service.  Question is what options are available in the event this one pukes down the road and I need to replace with another propane fridge?  We normally boondock or at least camp where there is no electricity.  Thanks
[/QUOTE]

Not many options and there seem fewer and fewer every year. This is a common complaint on the Escape forum. All new campers from Escape are coming with compressor fridges, but then Escape tends to put a bigger fridge in their campers. Hoping we can get ours repaired should it ever go south on us.
Gpokluda
2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023)
2022 Escape 5.0TA
2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB
Kawasaki KLR650
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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3325 		Post Options Post Options   Quote jato Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 2024 at 4:56pm
Sounds like a wonderful rig. Modern compressor fridges are way more efficient on 12V and 110v than absorption fridges. We still like having the propane option though. 

Safe travels.
[/QUOTE]

I am now on my 2nd Dometic RM 8501 fridge which was purchased at the end of 2020 after my first one got an ammonia leak after 10 years of service.  Question is what options are available in the event this one pukes down the road and I need to replace with another propane fridge?  We normally boondock or at least camp where there is no electricity.  Thanks


Edited by jato - 26 Oct 2024 at 4:57pm
God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
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gpokluda View Drop Down
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Posts: 393 		Post Options Post Options   Quote gpokluda Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 2024 at 8:08am
Originally posted by Starchild

400w Solar with 4 batteries in a lockable trailer storage on the front behind the propane tanks.  Fridge is only a 2way Dometic. The Silverado is a Duramax and we can hold 105gal of diesel at a time.  This allows us to travel approx 1400 miles between fill ups.  We use a discount fuel program that also lets us us the semi pumps which makes life soooooo much easier to get in and out of fuel stations.


Sounds like a wonderful rig. Modern compressor fridges are way more efficient on 12V and 110v than absorption fridges. We still like having the propane option though. 

Safe travels.
Gpokluda
2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023)
2022 Escape 5.0TA
2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB
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Posts: 3 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Starchild Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Oct 2024 at 10:53am
400w Solar with 4 batteries in a lockable trailer storage on the front behind the propane tanks.  Fridge is only a 2way Dometic. The Silverado is a Duramax and we can hold 105gal of diesel at a time.  This allows us to travel approx 1400 miles between fill ups.  We use a discount fuel program that also lets us us the semi pumps which makes life soooooo much easier to get in and out of fuel stations.
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Posts: 393 		Post Options Post Options   Quote gpokluda Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Oct 2024 at 7:45am
Originally posted by Starchild

I am very sorry that I didnt state that we have a 2000w inverter along with the solar panel.  Between these components, we have safely driven 792,450 miles without any issues regarding food going bad or not enough power to set up our 195 without shorepower.  We plan to keep traveling and seeing new things until our Silverado turns 1 million miles and then maybe sit back and watch the world go by for a while.


LOL. That makes a tad bit of a difference! Smile. How much solar you running up top? LiFePO4 batteries? We have about 400w of solar on our rig with 400ah of LiFePO4 batteries and 1500W inverter that will power everything but the AC. We still run our 3way Dometic fridge on propane since it is the most efficient way to run an absorption fridge plus we have twin propane tanks. We just follow the necessary precautions when filling up at gas stations and other situations.

~800K? You may just hold the record for mileage on an Rpod. Good on you!
Gpokluda
2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023)
2022 Escape 5.0TA
2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB
Kawasaki KLR650
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Starchild View Drop Down
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Posts: 3 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Starchild Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Oct 2024 at 7:09am
I am very sorry that I didnt state that we have a 2000w inverter along with the solar panel.  Between these components, we have safely driven 792,450 miles without any issues regarding food going bad or not enough power to set up our 195 without shorepower.  We plan to keep traveling and seeing new things until our Silverado turns 1 million miles and then maybe sit back and watch the world go by for a while.
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Posts: 393 		Post Options Post Options   Quote gpokluda Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 2024 at 7:53am
Originally posted by Starchild

My best Mod that I have done to my 2020 195 is to have the fridge not run on gas while traveling.  My wife and I have heard many stories about RV'rs units catching fire while driving, so we tied the inverter into the electrical so that when the 7way plug is hooked up to our tow vehicle, it it charging the onboard batteries. This in turn will allow the fridge to run on 110v while traveling.  Saves on propane and gives us peace of mind.


Unless you have an inverter that is turned on, you are most likely running your fridge on 12v, not 110v. Also, assuming you have a 3-way (110v, 12v, gas) fridge, running on 12v or 110v is hugely inefficient. Unless there have been some serious modifications made to the tow vehicle charging system including running a thicker gauge wire from the alternator to the camper, there is no way the TV can meet the charging demand caused by running a 3-way fridge on 12v mainly because the light gauge wire used in the stock vehicle wiring harness and the distance from the alternator to the rear of the vehicle is too great to be effective. If running the fridge on 12v gives your peace of mind, then by all means do so but you do run the risk of arriving at your campsite with a depleted battery which would not be good especially if you are boondocking.

We have towed near 100 thousand miles with our 3-way fridge running on propane while traveling. I believe it to be perfectly safe as long as certain precautions are followed:
  • Heed all warning that prohibit propane use such as tunnels and where open flame is prohibited
  • Turn-off the propane feed to your fridge when filling up at gas stations
Safe travels
Gpokluda
2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023)
2022 Escape 5.0TA
2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB
Kawasaki KLR650
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JR View Drop Down
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Posts: 375 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Oct 2024 at 10:40am
You may have found a solution to your situation, but be aware that the voltage being input to the trailer's batteries may not be enough to offset the power required to operate the fridge.  So on long trip you my be depleting the energy in you trailer's battery bank.  When you get to your destination your trailer's batteries may have little or no power left in them. It would be good to analyze your power requirements and the power supplied by the tow vehicle, keeping in mind that about 20% of the available power in the batteries will be used by the inverter to convert the 12 volt power to 120 volts. Hope this helps.
Jay

179/2019
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Starchild View Drop Down
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Posts: 3 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Starchild Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Oct 2024 at 10:08am
My best Mod that I have done to my 2020 195 is to have the fridge not run on gas while traveling.  My wife and I have heard many stories about RV'rs units catching fire while driving, so we tied the inverter into the electrical so that when the 7way plug is hooked up to our tow vehicle, it it charging the onboard batteries. This in turn will allow the fridge to run on 110v while traveling.  Saves on propane and gives us peace of mind.
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