Smart RV Products Fridge Fix

[Razorback]

I received the Fridge Fix fan that I ordered from Smart RV Products a week or so ago for our Norcold N841 fridge in our Avion.

https://smartrvproducts.com/shop/norcol ... product-4/

I bet it will help a lot, and they are located near my home town of Tulsa, in Bixby, OK. (Used to be a definite separation between Tulsa and Bixby, but it has all grown together over the years.)

[silverloaf]

We haven't fired up our Dometic fridge yet. Should it not function, we'll be looking for a replacement.

Norcold offers a 3-way power model: 110v, 12v and LP.

https://www.thetford.com/product/nxa841/

Would you ever consider this for a replacement? Being able to run the fridge on 12v while traveling sounds appealing.

[Razorback]

I would consider it. Our 1987 Avion originally had a 3-way in it. Not sure why they didn’t get a 3-way to replace it.
Having never had one myself, I cannot vouch for the 12VDC operation. Would be curious to know, though.

[Tarnished]

I had one 3 way fridge. It emptied the battery in less then 2 hrs. Have since only bought 2 way. Gas consumption is minimal.

[KYAvion]

That's interesting. I wonder if your batteries were shot? I once installed a regular compressor fridge wired up to an inverter. On a hot summer afternoon I unplugged the shore power because I wanted to see how long the fridge would run before my battery voltage dropped too low. I was expecting the voltage to drop rather quickly. However, I waited, and waited, and waited some more. That night I finally plugged the trailer back into shore power, not because the voltage had dropped too low, but because I was tired of keeping an eye on it. Now keep in mind this was a brand new fridge and the door seals were tight, so any cold loss was minimal. That said, I was still surprised at how well it performed.

[silverloaf]

My interest is in travel, not when off-grid. I'm not comfortable running the propane while traveling.

By the way, I learned that Dometic has discontinued their 3-way models in Avion-sized fridges. Norcold might be the only one making them.

[KYAvion]

If the fridge in my Avion (a propane and 110v fridge) were to quit, I'd be inclined to install another inverter and standard compressor fridge from Lowes or HD. The cost is cheap relative to an RV fridge (less than $300 vs $1200 to $1500) which means replacement on the road is as easy as swapping out for a new one at Lowes or HD.

[Rostam]

I had one 3 way fridge. It emptied the battery in less then 2 hrs. Have since only bought 2 way. Gas consumption is minimal.

I think running the fridge with battery would only make sense when you are towing and the trailer battery is being re-charged via the 7 pin connector (this mode of operation during towing maybe safer than propane). I have not tried this yet, but I guess it would not empty the batteries as fast. Was your trailer connected to tow vehicle during those 3 hours?

[Salty]

My idea when traveling is to freeze some 1 liter water bottles the night before and put them in the fridge to keep things cold.

[Tarnished]

No Rostam. Just curious how long the battery would last. Yes the battery may not have been in great shape.
For traveling I think Salty has the right idea, although I've always let it run on gas when underway.
On the other hand my brother has never been able to keep his running on gas when underway, didn't matter how he baffled the grill.