The Stellar Land Yacht: March 2017

Disclaimer: We are not RV professionals and highly recommend you do what we have done on several occasions . Consult with experts and do research… lots and lots of research. You will rarely regret making an informed decision.

This might look like a fancy refrigerator, but only the doors are stainless steel.

The rest of the appliance is black and designed to be concealed.

No, we’re not referring to relaxation. Have you taken the plunge and purchased your fantasy camper, only to discover the beautiful dream was something else altogether? Welcome to the world of RV ownership. In some ways, an RV is like a mini house on wheels. Longevity depends on good maintenance, making repairs in a timely manner (especially if it involves a leak), and replacing appliances.

There are 3 reasons someone might replace an RV appliance.

It’s old and no longer working properly or safely. Unless it’s a desirable, mid-twentieth century model, may not be worth making repairs.

It’s not old and isn’t working properly or safely.

There may be nothing wrong with the original equipment installed by the RV manufacturer. But there is a better, easier-to-use model available. Time for an upgrade!

RV appliances usually require propane, though there are a couple of exceptions, like microwave/convection ovens and some refrigerators. We’ve replaced all the appliances in our AS. In this post, we’re going to discuss the refrigerator.

Traditionally, RV refrigerators are 2 or 3-way appliances. 2-ways run on shore power electricity and propane. 3-ways run on shore power or 12V, and propane. As you will discover, RV appliances can be expensive to replace, even though they are considerably smaller than residential models. Refrigerators are no exception. Most models which run on propane are called gas absorption. It is not similar to the system you will find in your house. Gas absorption models are kinda picky about being level, something that’s not always easily achieved, depending on the type of RV and where you’re camping. Being kept level is also important even when your RV is in storage and the refrigerator isn’t running. They can also be a fire hazard. Then there is the dilemma of running propane while traveling to keep the refrigerator cold. It’s our opinion it isn’t a good idea, but there is plenty of info out there concerning pros and cons of keeping the propane running vs. shutting it off. Bridges, tunnels and some roads are “no go” zones for something running on propane. The propane should always be turned off before refueling at a gas station. No exceptions, period. Do yourself a favor and research the issue thoroughly before you decide what works best for you. This research includes consulting federal, state and local laws governing the use of propane in a moving vehicle.

Here is a brief article explaining how an RV refrigerator works. If you read this, note the word “ammonia”. Full-strength ammonia is a colorless, caustic gas and is classified as hazardous. There may not be a lot in an RV refigerator, and an ammonia leak may be a rare occurrence. But it’s still a good idea to pay a certified professional for an annual health check of your appliance.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/refrigerator5.htm

Marine appliances are sometimes substituted for RV appliances, since they are also designed to operate under less than ideal conditions. For some reason, boaters don’t want many fire hazards --- Go figure. 12V is the preferred source of power for appliances you might find on a boat. (Long-haul truckers like them too.) Unlike RV appliances, which are purposely designed to look more home-like, it may not be true for all 12V appliances. The most common 12V refrigerator to be found often looks like a cooler on steroids. That doesn’t mean a marine grade refrigerator with a residential appearance doesn’t exist. The ones we found didn’t fit in our craft beer budget. Think something you might find on a high-end cabin-cruiser or yacht. These appliances often cost twice as much as the largest RV refrigerators on the market.

Residential refrigerators are starting to make more appearances in RVs. If you go shopping for a new model, you’re more likely to find a full-size residential refrigerator in some 5th wheels, large Class Cs, and Class As. This is going to be a shore or generator powered appliance. Experienced owners, who spend a great deal of time in their rigs, are generally well-versed in their RV electrical, and might know what kind of inverters can handle a residential fridge. Not to mention how much battery capacity is needed to power it. This is useful information if one is planning to replace an RV model with a residential. Now, just so you know, many RV and Marine technicians will advise against using a residential refrigerator, stating such appliances are not designed to handle the rigors of travel. They will also point out a residential unit isn’t designed to be enclosed in the cabinetry like the RV models. So, why are RV manufacturers installing them in some rigs? Two words. Customer demand. All of the RV types listed at the beginning of this paragraph are the most popular for full-time RVers or folks with families. (Let’s not forget pockets deep enough to handle the cost of these RVs). Large, fancy motorhomes with air-ride suspensions probably don’t bounce their contents too much. As for 5th wheels, we can’t say with any certainty they ride smoother than bumper-pull travel trailers. But many of them are interior designed to feel more like a traditional residence.

For the after-market shopper, which is the best choice? Like all the decisions you’ll be faced with, the answer is “It depends.” We’ve mentioned before that we belong to the Airstream forum. A few fellow members have replaced their old RV refrigerators with apartment-size residentials. The same can be said of some RVers on other forums. Why would they make such a choice?

Cost. A decent 10 cu. ft. residential model can be half the price of an 8 cu. ft. designed for RV use.

They are not as much of a fire-hazard as RV refrigerators might become.

Those who have made the switch to residential units say their new refrigerators are better insulated, stay colder, and are more efficient.

These are the main reasons we bought a residential refrigerator. But won’t it suffocate in the cabinetry? Not necessarily. How many current residential refrigerators are designed to be sitting off in their lonesome corner of your kitchen? Most people these days want their appliances to be within easy reach of each other, not to mention they don’t want to see the entire appliance sitting out in the open. They also don’t want to hear them running, or sucking up mega-watts of electricity. Which means modern residential appliances don’t have the exact same components as their ancestors. An RV refrigerator running on propane needs ventilation. If the residential is going into the same location, it’s not in much danger of suffocating. However, some folks switching to the “dark side” get piece of mind by installing a temperature-activated computer fan, or two, behind their units for circulation and cooling. When it comes to the rigors of travel, time will tell how well a residential model will do.

For those who picture themselves doing a lot of boondocking, a residential refrigerator may not seem like a viable choice. It probably isn’t if you’re not well-educated on the amount of power you need for all your electrical goodies and how to supply it. Those calculations should include the energy hog, otherwise known as the air-conditioner. Keeping a residential fridge running while traveling is the other issue. No juice equals no chill. With a proper inverter wired to the house batteries, you can recharge the batteries from the vehicle through the 7-way. This makes it possible to have the refrigerator running going down the road. However, if you’re concerned about too much wear and tear on your vehicle’s alternator, not running it would use the same strategies as keeping the propane off while in transit. If a residential refrigerator happens to suit you, there is another issue you must resolve. How will you keep the cold where it belongs while bumping down the road?

We didn’t have much time to solve that issue before our trip last year. So we used the “Red/Green” solution otherwise known as duct tape. Not ideal or attractive, though it solved our problem short term. We’re wrapping up a lot of our projects now and starting to plan our summer travels, and duct tape just isn’t going to cut it. It seems like the internet is littered with millions of products, but a simple device to keep a traveling residential fridge closed, doesn’t just jump out at you. We were starting to give up hope when Karl stumbled upon a YouTube video by RV Vagabond Jerry, who was showing off some recent additions to his motor home. One of them was a nifty hinged latch which kept the door of his residential refrigerator/freezer doors closed. Yes, it’s a little gem which secures both doors at the same time. This is the link to Jerry’s video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtLIrV8CzfI&feature=youtu.be

We can personally attest his information is correct. We ordered our latch from the same RV dealer he did. The order was placed early enough that Thor shipped it the same day. It has arrived and is now installed on our refrigerator. Our photos of this device are posted below. And we must say, “Mr. Jerry, you are the man! We’re very grateful for your video review of this device.”