12 Volt fridge replacement

Hi all! Just spoke to the Mothership regarding ordering a new PC with a 12 volt fridge installed.  Keith is a straight shooter when asked anything PC related and said while they will install a 12 Volt of our choosing, there are known issues regarding low battery voltage causing failures in these units.
We love our absorption Norcold but not practical for the type of specialty food we eat in that we live in the Central Valley of California.  The absorption fridge will cool to around 40 degrees from outside ambient temperatures and we love hot weather!  ( well, we love to boondock in summer so we have no choice😂). Since it’s usually mid to high nineties obviously we have a problem keeping our food sufficiently safe.
What think you fine folks about the 12 volt option?

Sufficient  battery capacity is the main concern. Does Phoenix still offer the Volta System option?

Ask Google Gemini “how many amps does a 12v rv refrigerator consume?”

Somewhat related.....

I understand that the absorption fridge in a PC, most especially when mounted inside a slide-out with a high-mounted side discharge chimney, benefit from a low rpm secondary fan added in the chimney to increase air flow during hot weather.  Making it clear that I have no personal first-hand experience, only reading about it.  How effective is it at 90?  95?  100?  I don't know.  I hope someone with experience will chime in and share factual data.

A 12V-only fridge seems to be of concern.  Why not have a 3-way 120V/propane/12V?  This way you have options.  Back in 2007, we had a 3-way choice but decided on the 2-way 120V/propane.

I waited a bit to reply, as I wanted to see what other ideas and advice was offered.  I don't have any advice contrary to what's been offered above. I can understand needing a fridge+freezer that is dependable and versatile.  With that said....


The Norcold line has been around for decades and will be for more, for good reason.  When RV'ing you may have electricity at your destination, but you need a power source when traveling. Sometimes that needs to be a power source that is fiumeless (no propane in tunnels or on ferries) ... And you may be boondocking and reserving your electrical power for lights and AC.  And that's where the 3 way Norcold excels.   TBH, I find my 2way to be as good it better than a 3 way after I upgraded to L-ion batteries.  At least I didn't spend additional money for the 3way... If the 2way quits one day, then I would consider it.


I also took the time to make some improvements to the installation of the Norcold.  Cleaned it up. Added insulation. Added positive air flow on the back side. Improved the air baffles.  It made a huge improvement.  Full details here [size=78%]https://forum.phoenixusarv.com/index.php?topic=4820.0[/size]


This was a high return investment.




I would caution that just replacing a fridge could put you in the same place you are now, just less some cash paid for a new fridge because the problem more likely to be the cabinetry/air flow/insulation. 


The entire purpose of the fridge is to take heat out of the fridge and freezer and keep your cold food cold and your frozen food frozen.  On the really hot days if the  fridge is not able to get the heat OUT OF THE RV, a newer fridge is likely to not do it much better. 


I live in Texas and vacation often in Texas and the gulf coast Mexico to Florida on days over 100F and nights in the upper 80s. - - much hotter than California. (I used to live in Sacramento in the 90s)  I travel with rock solid ice cream in the freezer and a fridge full of produce, meats, dairy and beverages.  After these improvements I've never tossed food because it spoiled from being held at the wrong temp. And, maybe once a year I end up freezing some lettuce in the fridge because it works too well.  I just learned to not put the lettuce in the top shelf near the fins.


If you haven't read my fridge improvements writeup yet, please give it a chance. I think it is better money spent... And whatever fridge you end up with will not work as hard and consume as much energy.  I didn't record propane consumption so I can't provide evidence, but I now fill up the LP tank only once a year. I used to fill it up twice a summer and again in the winter. And I know for certain the interior of my PC is cooler since the fridge is not heating up the inside walls... I very pleased with the results.


Just my 20 cents (including inflation).


Larry

I’ve had my absorption fridge spring an ammonia leak twice.  I was done and decided to try the JC refrigerator conversion.  I wish I had done it after the first time it crapped out. If I was ordering new under no circumstances would I have another absorption system.  I can’t give you a recommendation on which 12 volt but mine would definitely be 12 volt.

I want to thank EVERYONE who took the time to reply…and to Larry specifically, I will try those recommended steps to insure food safety.  Not surprised that my questions will ALWAYS receive well thought out responses fromyou guys.

You are quite welcome. I have learned a lot from this forum and try to contribute whenever I have something worthy.


Feel free to reach out and ask questions when you work on your fridge cabinet/baffles/insulation/fan/etc. It was a big effort, but I am quite pleased with how mine turned out.


Larry

My fridge 2 cents...

So to be fair this is my 1st RV with an absorption fridge so i have no real reference other than what ive researched on youtube. Also im at least the 3rd owner so i have no idea of what the original owner added/deleted/improved upon until i discover it for myself. All that being said im quite surprised with the fridge performance. Before camping the first time i tried various settings on the fridge checking with thermometers to gauge what settings i need to run it at. Ive settled on 5 or 6 depending on the load as setting it any higher it will freeze stuff in the lower part. Even in the extreme heat we have been having in Tennessee the past month with 100 degree days for most of September i maintain 30 degrees in the freezer and about 40-42 in the refer section. I wasnt expecting those numbers in the heat but i did keep the inside AC temp on 68 the whole time we were camping over labor day weekend. I also keep it to within 1/4 inch of level in all directions as i understood thats optimal for good fridge performance. I havent even opened up the service door to clean it reall good yet but its on my to do list.

My fridge 2 cents...

So to be fair this is my 1st RV with an absorption fridge so i have no real reference other than what ive researched on youtube. Also im at least the 3rd owner so i have no idea of what the original owner added/deleted/improved upon until i discover it for myself. All that being said im quite surprised with the fridge performance. Before camping the first time i tried various settings on the fridge checking with thermometers to gauge what settings i need to run it at. Ive settled on 5 or 6 depending on the load as setting it any higher it will freeze stuff in the lower part. Even in the extreme heat we have been having in Tennessee the past month with 100 degree days for most of September i maintain 30 degrees in the freezer and about 40-42 in the refer section. I wasnt expecting those numbers in the heat but i did keep the inside AC temp on 68 the whole time we were camping over labor day weekend. I also keep it to within 1/4 inch of level in all directions as i understood thats optimal for good fridge performance. I havent even opened up the service door to clean it reall good yet but its on my to do list.

Regarding keeping the unit at 1/4 “ level, what method do use for leveling as I’ve always been instructed to level from the refrigerator with the slide out. We use a bubble level and place it in the floor of the freezer. The problem we have is that by the time we determine true level the fridge has lost considerable temperature! There must be a better way, right?

Funseekers...

I installed the Beechlane leveling system. Its an electronic level sensing device that has a phone app. When you install it you calibrate it by perfectly leveling your rig with the slide out, then run the slide in and set the beechlane "zero" to that position. Then when you get to your camp site you can turn on the system while you are parking to pick the most level spot. I then can reference the numbers it displays to show me where the low points are and set up leveling blocks to drive onto that get it really close. I then use manual stabilizer jacks wherever i need to get the beechlane to read as close to zero as i can. I can usually get it to between 0 and .25 inches easily. If i had 3 jacks i can make it perfect everytime but i only have 2 currently. You do have to go back and forth between the jacks to make it perfect. Once you are set you can then run the slide out and and check with a level if you like but it will be pretty much perfect . It is of course up to the individual to decide how perfect you wish to be. Its much easier than using just a level and repeated trips in and out for every adjustment you need to make. I like just having my phone with me to see the live results as i crank a jack. The stabilizer jacks im using are the bigfoot 5000 pound ones and to be honest you really dont have to do that part as just the blocks can get you close enough to be withing tolerance per the fridge manufacture. Im just one of those people who prefers to be as perfect as possible. The last camping trip i did the pad was level enough to put me at 1/4 inch out on 1 side with no leveling blocks so i didnt do any extra leveling at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrH-O4Kwh4Q

Here's a thought on how to avoid opening the fridge for often and warming it.   As an engineer I would say you need to find a parallel plane for your leveling.  This is where my mom would say, "in English Larry!"  As a fellow RV'er I'll walk thru the concept step by step.


Sometime when you are not camping and the fridge is warm, park it where you can extend the slide(s). Some might debate that loading the fridge with some weight would be beneficial just in case there is any flex in the slide under load. Open the fridge and do your normal leveling as you described.


Once you have the fridge "level" to your satisfaction take the level out and place it on various solid surfaces in the coach (not cab). Kitchen countertop, bathroom countertop, the floor, even the bottom of the entry door frame come to mind. They need to be a surface that is fixed static, not flexing or moving in any way.. Not a drawer, lift up countertop extension, recliner table, or engine doghouse (I excluded the entire Ford cab because it can flex independent of the coach).  One or more of the spots should be very close to the fridge.


If your parking area is slightly inclined, all the better.   Repeat the entire process parked in the opposite direction, or 90 degrees off if possible. That would give a chance to observe if any ground slant affects the slide's angle of measured "Level-Ness" compared to the other surfaces.


Once you find that matching spot, you can from now on level the coach using it. And if you want to verify your final position after leveling using that spot, check the fridge ONCE at the end. It should (still) match.


BTW, I do this.  They're is a small triangle table behind the passenger seat on my 2900. It's 'Level-Ness" is identical to my fridge, and I can see a bubble level on it from the driver's seat if I tip/unrecline the passenger seat forward.


Hope that makes sense. Feel free to ask questions.


Larry