How To Select the Finest 12-Volt Fridge for Your RV I Tenting World Weblog

RV homeowners who’re changing, including, or updating a fridge ought to think about a 12-volt RV fridge, particularly those that need an improved off-grid tenting expertise. Not like propane and gasoline fridges, a 12-volt means that you can hold meals and drinks cool on battery energy, lowering your reliance on shore energy or a conveyable generator.

On this article, we’ll cowl all the things you want to find out about 12-volt DC fridges, together with the differing types, extra 12V fridge advantages, how lengthy they’ll run, and the way to decide on the correct fridge dimension in your RV.

Why Are 12-Volt Fridges Fashionable for Van Life and RVs?

Many individuals are interested in van life as a result of it gives freedom from conventional, crowded campgrounds. However Class B campers aren’t the one sorts of RVs that can be utilized for prolonged off-grid tenting. 

No matter RV you select for boondocking, 12-volt fridges are nice as a result of they don’t require you to plug into energy. You additionally cut back propane consumption, retaining that useful resource in your stovetop, oven, water heater, and every other propane-based home equipment in your RV. For those who’re utilizing photo voltaic to cost your batteries, you’ll be able to hold your fridge powered for for much longer stays. 

Is a Compressor or Absorption 12-volt Fridge Higher?

There are two various kinds of 12-volt camper fridges: absorption and compressor. We cowl all of the fundamentals right here, however let’s offer you a quick overview. 

Absorption fridges usually have a number of energy sources: propane, 110/120V AC, and 12VDC. They’re generally known as 2-way or 3-way fridges. 

Nonetheless, if you happen to plan to be off-grid and use your battery to energy the fridge, you’ll wish to select a compressor-style fridge as a result of it’s far more environment friendly. You’ll additionally get pleasure from extra space contained in the fridge and a sooner cooling time. Not like absorption-style fridges, you don’t have to fret about being completely stage for them to work correctly, both. 

Sorts of 12-Volt RV Fridges

For compressor-style 12-volt DC fridges, you’ll be able to select from upright and chest. Let’s evaluate which could go well with you finest.

Upright

The commonest 12V RV fridge fashion is upright, similar to the one in your house and the gas-absorption fridges present in most trendy RVs. Many desire this fashion as a consequence of its group. When you open the door, you’ll be able to see all of your objects for a fast choice. Nonetheless, there’s a draw back to this fashion: You lose a number of chilly air every time you open the door.

Chest

This fashion resembles a standard cooler, however in contrast to your customary roll-behind cooler, it has energy, also called an electrical cooler. They’re more and more standard as a consequence of their handy form and added portability, providing you with extra structure choices. 

The one main drawback of a chest fashion is comfort. You may’t at all times see all the things inside from the highest, resulting in rifling via groceries to seek out what you want.

What Sort of Fridge is Finest for Tenting?

There isn’t one fashion that’s finest for everybody. Sure, the upright fashion is extra organized, however the chest fashion can also be extra environment friendly. Your explicit setup and what works finest along with your structure needs to be the deciding issue. 

For those who’re changing a gas-absorption fridge and need the identical group choices, an upright 12-volt fridge is your most suitable option. You probably have a camper van with restricted house, you may just like the mounting choices a chest-style 12-volt fridge gives.

Does My Fridge Must Be RV Rated?

Sure, you’ll must be positive the fridge you’re utilizing is particularly rated for RVs. You don’t wish to use a regular fridge as a result of it seemingly isn’t constructed to deal with life on the highway. RV fridges are constructed in a different way. They’ve a lot larger shock absorption, which helps them handle the tough trip and can in the end last more. 

Normal residence fridges will nonetheless work inside an RV if you happen to’re prepared to depend on AC energy from a generator or shore connection. Nonetheless, these fridges don’t have the additional safety for the highway, so longevity will at all times be a priority. That is one more reason why RV fridges are usually dearer. 

Elements for Selecting a 12-Volt Fridge

For those who’ve determined a compressor-style 12-volt RV mini fridge fits you, you’ll have some selections concerning dimension and structure. Let’s go over these in additional element to get the appropriate one. 

Measurement and Storage

One of many first questions many individuals have when taking a look at fridges is dimension. What dimension do I would like? The reply to this query varies, however components reminiscent of how many individuals will use it and the way lengthy you wish to keep off-grid are related. 

All of us have completely different consuming habits and preferences, however for a normal information, one individual will want round 70 liters, and two will want round 100 liters. Chest-style fridges supply extra space, so you’ll be able to dimension down a bit.

For those who’re changing or upgrading an RV fridge, you’ll must match your substitute to the scale of your present fridge until you wish to embark on a bigger DIY conversion challenge. On this information’s last part, we’ll spotlight different RV fridge substitute suggestions. 

Freezer House

For those who’re unfamiliar with RV fridges, you might be disenchanted within the lacklusterness of the RV fridge freezer. Sure, they’re small however what’s most annoying is that they don’t get very chilly, sufficient to retailer meat however not sufficient to maintain ice cream from melting. In different phrases, when you’ve got a candy tooth, you’ll wish to search for a unit with a separate adjustable freezer part. 

Vitality Consumption

Chances are high, if you happen to’re contemplating a 12-volt RV fridge, you’re doing so due to its effectivity. However how do you identify which one is essentially the most environment friendly? One of the best ways is to seek out the producer’s specified amp ranking. For instance, if the fridge has a ten amp ranking, you recognize you’ll be able to run that fridge for about 10 hours with a 100 amp battery. If solely the wattage ranking is supplied, merely divide the watt ranking by the volts to get amps. 

Fashionable 12-Volt Fridge Manufacturers for RVs and Van Life

Selecting a model could be troublesome, particularly in case you are unfamiliar with the product. You need one thing inexpensive, well-made, and sturdy. If there are any points, you need to have the ability to get them mounted in a well timed method. Let’s evaluate some standard selections.

Dometic

Probably the most well-known producer of RV fridges, Dometic, has a longstanding popularity because the chief within the business. They provide a number of choices, each upright and chest fashion.

Everchill

Everchill is a model owned by Lippert, which is likely one of the main RV suppliers in North America. They’ve a variety of upright choices.

GE

GE is a very fashionable equipment producer that has been round for a very long time. They provide upright fridges in varied sizes. 

Norcold

A small firm specializing in RV fridges, Norcold gives some nice choices and a guaranty to again them up.

How Lengthy Can You Run a 12-Volt Fridge?

12-volt RV fridges are extraordinarily environment friendly, which is a part of the explanation they’re so standard. With a correctly outfitted vitality storage and administration system in your RV, you’ll be able to run all of them day and thru the evening. Nonetheless, variables reminiscent of the scale of your battery financial institution and the unit’s energy calls for will affect simply how lengthy you’ll be able to run a 12V RV fridge.

Let’s say your fridge attracts round seven amps. To run this fridge for twenty-four hours, you would want about 168 amp hours (Ah). Most off-grid RVs have a battery capability of not less than 200 Ah, leaving some energy for different requirements. Add a photo voltaic panel to the combination, and also you’ll have much more energy to spare. 

Do 12-Volt RV Fridges Require a Vent?

12-volt RV fridges have to be vented for correct operation. Nonetheless, compressor 12-volt fridges don’t require an exterior vent like absorption-style fridges. 

As an alternative, you’ll merely want to make sure sufficient house across the fridge as specified within the proprietor’s handbook. This implies no extra holes within the exterior of your RV, which might change into entry factors for critters and pests.

Preserving Your 12-Volt Fridge Operating

It doesn’t matter how environment friendly your fridge is; if you happen to don’t have a option to replenish your battery financial institution, you’ll ultimately be left with heat and spoiled meals. There are just a few choices for maintaining your batteries charged. For those who’re at a campground, you’ll be able to merely plug into shore energy.

Nonetheless, in case you are boondocking, you’ll want to make use of a generator, solar energy, or a mixture of the 2. Photo voltaic is the best choice because it’s sustainable and renewable however you might also want a generator for cloudy days, or for powering bigger home equipment like your microwave and air conditioner. 

What’s the Life Expectancy of a 12-volt Fridge?

It’s troublesome to find out the life expectancy of a 12-volt fridge as a result of it’s a newer know-how within the RV business. Residential compressor-style fridges have confirmed dependable, however the identical can not but be mentioned for 12-volt RV fridges. 

However, absorption-style RV fridges have confirmed their sturdiness, with a mean life expectancy of 10-15 years. It’s not unusual to listen to of some nonetheless kicking even after 25 years of service. 

If reliability is what you worth most, you might wish to follow the tried-and-true absorption-style RV fridge. Nonetheless, if you happen to worth effectivity most and the power to make use of battery energy in your fridge, it’s value taking the dive right into a 12-volt RV fridge. 

Putting in an RV Alternative Fridge 

For those who’ve selected a 12-volt RV fridge substitute, there are some stuff you’ll must know. For starters, you’ll wish to measure the tough opening to make sure the fridge chosen both matches or is lower than its size, width, and depth. As a result of compressor-style fridges don’t require an exterior vent, you’ll additionally want house across the fridge for air flow. It’s additionally a good suggestion to shut and seal any current exterior vents which can be now not used. 

You probably have house in your new fridge, you’ll be able to start by eradicating the outdated one. Hopefully, it suits via the doorway, and also you don’t must take away a door or window, however be ready for this, because it has occurred earlier than. To find out the most effective elimination technique, measure your doorway and the present fridge. You’re good to go if the fridge is smaller than the doorway. In any other case, you’ll want to start eradicating a window or door. That is finest left to an expert at one among our service facilities.  

After you have the outdated fridge eliminated and the brand new one in place, you’ll must route wires from the fridge to the battery. The dimensions of the wire and circuit safety you employ is vital, so you should definitely reference the proprietor’s handbook for this.

There are lots of advantages of including a 12-volt fridge. Whether or not you’re trying to exchange an outdated, non-working fridge or improve to a extra environment friendly mannequin, we hope you discovered this information useful. If a 12-volt DC fridge isn’t a great match for you, there are many different choices to contemplate.  

Tell us within the feedback under which fashion of RV fridge you favor!