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12v fridge


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#11 ntsqd

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Posted 07 May 2023 - 12:50 AM

I believe that we have the same fridge as JonR. We're on our third one. We sold the first camper with the first one still installed. I ordered a second one almost exactly the day that I brought our second camper home. We've had one issue that I think was my fault. The controller failed. I think that I managed to voltage spike it with a short. After replacing the controller the fridge still didn't work. Crating & shipping it to the mfg's rep was going to cost nearly half as much as a new one. We had a trip coming up and I didn't have time to deal with that. No other compressor fridge is this outside size, so I ordered another one. And have been very careful to not short things out. It is now going in our newest camper. Total, we have maybe 9 years on the three fridges.

 

The freezer is small, hard to get many push-ups in there, a granddaughter's test of what's important.

 

The 100 watts of solar on the first camper had no trouble staying ahead of the fridge, even in hot desert weather. I don't think that 100W will stay ahead of the granddaughter so this camper is going to get a lot more solar.


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Thom

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#12 ntsqd

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 07:55 PM

Data point of one in a portable size fridge, I've got an ARB that I've had for ~17 years that still works fine.


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#13 craig333

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 08:57 PM

The National Luna is a fine fridge but you pay for it too. Both my Truckfridge and Engel are still running strong.


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#14 buckland

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 10:46 PM

Isotherm we've had is great.


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#15 ntsqd

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 10:53 PM

Isotherm we've had is great.

Likewise, the Isotherms that we have had were great too.

 

A distinction must be made, our Isotherms were not chest fridges, they are built-in's primarily made for marine applications.


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Thom

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#16 ckent323

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Posted 31 May 2023 - 01:39 AM

The heart of all 12 v refrigerators and Freezers is the compressor.

National Luna uses the same Secop (formerly Danfoss) compressors that several other manufacturers use.  There are several other very reliable brands including Dometic (Wayco), Indel B, Engle, Isotherm and ARB.  Indel B, Isotherm and ARB use the Danfoss compressor. Dometic used to use the Danfoss but now uses a proprietary variable speed VMS03 compressor.  Engle uses the Sawafuji Swing compressor.

National Luna refrigerator construction and insulation is highly regarded.  Dometic is also highly regarded as are the others listed above.


https://expeditionpo...ridge-freezers/

https://www.mygenera...camping-fridge/


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#17 Vic Harder

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Posted 01 June 2023 - 01:54 AM

Craig, you forgot TruckFridge in the list that uses the Danfoss... 


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#18 ckent323

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Posted 01 June 2023 - 06:17 AM

Vic,

 

I did not forget TruckFridge.  As I recall they are made by Indel B and Vitrifrigo but some regard them as second tier compared to the Indel B and other brands like Dometic and National Luna.  There are at least 6 more 12 v refrigerator brands I did not list (probably more).

Many 12 v refrigerator brands are made by a handful of Chinese companies and then have some "branded" components added to them after recept by the buying brand.   I did a bunch of research on this when I was trying to decide on a refrigerator back in 2018.  I'm sure some consolidation and other industry changes have occurred since then

Far and away the Danfoss compressor is the compressor most commonly used by all these brands. 


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#19 TacomaAustin

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Posted 01 June 2023 - 12:08 PM

Since 2018 - a lot of new 12 volt DC fridges have entered the market in the sub $600 range.

 

Most of these are Chinese "white label" fridges that do not use a Danfoss SECOP compressor.  By white label, I'm referring to those units built at one or two factories for a multiple of brands that one sees on Amazon.

 

ICECO is the exception to the above.  Their offerings at priced about $200 higher than the above "white label" 12V DC fridges - but all but one or two of the ICECO units utilize a licensed Danfoss SECOP compressor.  

 

Interestingly, three of the ICECO offerings, the JP30, JP40 and JP50 are housed in cabinets that are identical to the Indel-B chest style fridges. ICECO also offers a pro range with prices that begin in the $700 range.

 

An important caveat emptor to consider when buying a Chinese "white label" 12 volt DC fridge is what if something goes wrong, who are you going to call as opposed to a couple of the more established brands?   Correct me, if I am wrong, but both ARB and Dometic have customer representatives here in the USA with a 1-800 service number.  It is something to consider should the fridge have issues soon after the purchase.


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#20 ntsqd

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Posted 01 June 2023 - 12:37 PM

Indel does as well. I talked to one of their techs when I surged our fridge.


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Thom

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