Has anyone used the non-propane fridge long enough to comment on it? We have a Scamp on order and were told this is the only option at this point.
Fri, 02/24/2023 - 19:25
#1
Thoughts on new (non-propane) Scamp Fridge
I am so glad our fridge is able to run on propane. In my opinion it is the best way to keep things cool while boondocking. Our Scamp has enough electrical load without running a fridge. Especially in times when we use the furnace. The 100 watt solar panels we have can usually recharge the battery each day.
Absent first-hand experience, a few thoughts: Obviously it's only an issue when camping without AC power, and I'd bet on only about one day/night with a standard lead-acid battery. However, while towing the compressor fridge has a big advantage -- Less amperage (from the tow vehicle) plus normal temperature control. So it comes down to charging after about 1 day of boondocking. We like our 3-way fridge that will run off propane, but we've never boondocked for more than a day so it actually wouldn't have made much difference for us. Another thought is consume the cold food early, then turn the fridge off and just use it as a cooler.
An AGM battery would fare a bit better, and a Lithium battery might double or triple the usable amp-hours. The tow vehicle can charge, as well as solar or a generator.
In any case, suggest first installing a Victron BMV 712 battery monitor. Mine works really well, has a phone app, and it takes most of the uncertaintity out of how long the battery will last. It takes some electrical aptitude to install, and uses a current shunt in the battery wire. I put the current shunt in the front closet where a lot of the wiring is, and the meter at eye level above the closet door. The short and simple version of how it works is that you configure it with the battery's amp-hour capacity and the current shunt measures the in and out battery amperage. The result is analogous to a fuel gauge for amp-hours, which is way more accurate than just reading battery voltage.
Bottom line is that the Victron BMV will give you a lot of info to determine what, if anything, to change for your particular situation.
I like my compressor fridge on my 22 Scamp. I've used it for multiple days with just a solar panel charging a lead acid battery, and it has done just fine. I admit that I would like to have propane as a backup option, but so far it just hasn't been necessary. I really only use the battery for the fridge, lights and the Maxx Fan. If I were running the furnace or something else that needs lots of 12V at the same time I might have a different opinion, but having had many gas/electric RV fridges over the years, I greatly prefer the compressor fridge I got with the Scamp so far.
Dave
I think I got one of the last 3 way fridges that Scamp installed...and I'm glad I did. I had a Truckfridge compressor refrigerator in a camper I built, and it ran the battery down on very hot days because it ran all the time and couldn't keep up.when temperatures in the camper got in the 80's. Even with 200 watts of solar panels on the roof, it often couldn't keep up...because some days there wasn't enough sun. I'm curious why Scamp discontined the 3 way fridge. I see it is still on the Dometic website.
Just looked here and the smallest Dometic 3-way absorption fridge is 3 cubic feet. If I remember correctly the 13' Scamp fridge is a bit under 2 cubic feet.
Near the bottom of the page is the RM 2193. It is 1.9 cubic feet and runs on 3 way power.
I see it listed near the bottom of this page on Dometic's web site , but it's grouped with a few others that have no list price.
Last year we had the fridge's black plastic latch break on our 2021 Scamp, so my wife called Dometic to get a replacement under warranty. Long story short, they didn't have one and said that fridge was discontinued. She ended up finding a latch elsewhere, and bought it. Wasn't worth the time to try and make an issue out of the warranty, and maybe we were a bit rough with it. We treat it very carefully now!
Indeed, the RM 2193 is discontinued and I'm not seeing any old stock online at other retailers either. Our 2023 Scamp 13 shipped with the Dometic CRX-65 compressor fridge too, and it works well. Ironically, it's also difficult to find one of those for sale online. The DC only version (12/24V) can be found, but I'm not seeing the combo 120V AC / 12V DC version thus far.
I see no reason to have a 120 vac / 12 vdc refrigerator. If you are plugged in at a campground the converter will be providing power to the 12 vdc unit. and I need to make no setting changes.
Scamp only puts this, the 1.9 refrigerator in the 13s. The 16s and 19s still have 3 way (ac, dc, LP) units in all sizes. Scamp says the feedback on these conversion (compressor?) units is good and they take a lot less electricity than older technology.
Carl
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