Fridge or cabinet?

[Silvertip47]

OK, I've been hearing it is better to order your camper without the ice box as it is very inefficient, replace it with a regular cabinet for more storage and use an ice chest.

I can see where that might make sense but I was wanting the bigger freezer/fridge when I ordered mine. If you have a fridge, does it work good?

Thanks

 

[MarkBC]

The Norcold refrigerator in my FWC Hawk works great. If by "inefficient" it's suggested that the 'frig drains the propane tank too fast, well that hasn't been my experience. I'm sure it doesn't have the efficiency of a modern home refrigerator...but so what?
And my 'frig also has a freezer; No regular ice chest (without using dry ice) will ever keep frozen things frozen. The temperature in a regular ice chest is never -- it can't be -- colder than 32°F. Bringing along ice cream is a treat

and keeping meat and vegetables and homemade chili safely frozen is a convenience that I appreciate a lot!
I was a tenting car-camper for many years, and I used an ice chest for many years: An ice chest is not the equal of a refrigerator, if I have a choice...if it was I'd use one in my home.

 

[Barko1]

I just installed a Stirling/Coleman cooler/freezer but haven't field tested it yet. Pros is that it is more efficient on DC than any other fridge, at least from what I have been able to determine. Also can freeze to below zero if that's you thing! Not fussy about being level, no pilot to ever blow out. Cons is that it is a large box and limited cold space. I have 30w of solar connected to 2 cheapo deep cycle batteries and the little fridge has been sitting in the camper running for the last two days with temps over 90 and some cloud cover and the batteries are measuring 12.5 right now running on the warmer setting. I'm going to go set it to 37 degrees and see what that does and decide if I want to add another solar panel.

 

[fish more]

MY HAWK HAS A DOMETIC REFER, IT WORKS GREAT ON PROPANE, AC WORKS OK IF PLUGGED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, 12 VOLT ALSO WORKS VERY WELL. I WOULD RECOMMEND A DOMETIC REFER. ALSO I MAY NOTE THE FREEZER WORKS GREAT, WILL MAKE ICE FOR THE JACK, ALSO FREEZE ICE CREAM.

 

[Overland Hadley]

I would look at the Engle fridge units that FWC can install in your camper.

Engle's are top of the line.

 

[bike4mee]

Hi
Our new 2009 Kestral model came with a frig that works well. It takes a day to get cold so we plug it into AC a day before we leave. It has to be close to level to work well but thats not too hard

 

[mtn-high]

Another vote here (so far!) for the Dometic freezer/refrig combo that FWC installs. I like what barko is doin with the solar panels and a fridge that will actually operate in such a mode, but "ice chests"? Not here. I left that crap behind with "camping" in the Snugtop shell!

If I still drank alcohol I might have a different approach. As it is, our favorite drug needs no refrigeration so we're good to go anywhere. (just don't forget the lighter or the Twinkies)

good luck in your decision

mtn

 

[leadsled9]

The 3.0 refrigerator/freezer installed in my Hawk works great. I also came from a tent camping background....and the fridge is a welcome upgrade from an ice chest.

 

[silverstriketim]

I used to own a pontoon houseboat with a Dometic, it was old and performed great for the 12+ years I owned it. When I ordered my 2007 Hawk I ordered the ice box, after 1 summer I installed a Norcold with the freezer and it has performed perfectly since the install. I also have a 2008 motorhome with a 4 door Dometic (We are currently living in) and with it on 24/7 it has not had any issues at all. As far as the FWC icebox IMO it is a waste of space!

 

[SLOJET]

I just finished replacing the icebox with a Dometic 2191 3 way and I love it. Works great so far. No regrets... I don't haul enough dry goods to justify using it as a pantry. You have to be brave to make that first cut into the side wall, but it's pretty easy if you're handy. The framing is already sized for the openings so you can just plunge a rotozip in there and the framing will guide the way. I had to do a little exploratory work before I was confident of that though.....

 

[SunMan]

Very nice work!

 

[DLN]

Nice work jet, way to go.

 

[BSS]

I installed the same Dometic 2193 fridge as SLOJET and am very happy with it.

Except I reversed the hinges so I wouldn't have to actually get into the camper when I wanted a beer.

Nothing wrong with a 3 way as long as you understand its capabilities/limitations and learn to work around them.

 

[SLOJET]

Very nice work!



Nice work jet, way to go.


Thanks guys..

 

[Silvertip47]

That is a very nice, clean install.

Thanks to everyone. The big fridge with freezer will be in my new Hawk!!!!