Time to replace defective and potentially dangerous absorption fridge

[gondolaguy]

(06-26-2013 21:44)davidmbrady Wrote:  Hey Corey,

If you're really convinced to get rid of it then I'd look for one of the low power DC refrigerators that can run on modified sine wave inverters. Someone once mentioned the Samsung RF197ACWP. I believe the RF197 will fit in the space allocated to our Dometics, but you may want to take detailed measurements, or build a mockup. The dimensions are 32"x24"x69". Some modification may be necessary for the height. It has a bottom drawer freezer with an ice maker, french doors, and LED lighting. The cost is around $1000 delivered. Here's a link. I know of at least two conversions using this refrigerator, one in WideBody and one in an LXi - installation is trivial. I haven't heard much about it's real world power consumption or noise, or it's compatibility with boondocking requirements.

One of the things that I've always liked about the absorption cycle refrigerator is it's utter silence. That and the ability to run on propane which significantly reduces battery draw in boondocking scenarios. Someone here mentioned having upgraded their Dometic to an absorption cooling unit from the Amish Refrigerator Company. We never did get too many details about the conversion, but there's plenty on the web about doing it. I'm going to give this approach a good once over before I make up my mind.

Our absorption units in our coaches are ten years or older now and that's probably about all we can expect from them. Mine has performed flawlessly in that time and I love the technology. Replacing a cooling unit every ten years isn't unreasonable.

Like you, I liked the ability to use propane and tried to justify keeping the Dometic LRIP. After reading multiple on-line horror stories of charred ceilings and defective cooling units (far more than once a decade), I've pretty much made up my mind to trash it on this go-round. Naturally, I may be only hearing one side of a story as people don't often get motivated to praising equipment that just plain works, it's the stuff that goes bad that motivates the writer in me!! When I look at the cost of a cooling unit replacement being about equal to a new modern fridge like the Samsung, it's hard to go backwards. Plus, hey, I love upgrades (even if they are downgrades)!