Would you choose to have a 3 way at home?
No.
If you want a fridge that works all of the time, reliably, in any weather, get a compressor fridge.
Cheers,
Peter
Ketto said
07:31 PM Jul 29, 2025
Some time ago I posted here https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t71302014/domestic-fridge-fitted-to-caravan/. Basically fitted a domestic fridge after my 3 year old 12V compressor fridge was driving us crazy. Been running it for a while now and find the power consumption to be less than or equal to depending on the weather. It keeps up in 40 degree plus days and freezes well. We have 240 AH of lithium and 340w of solar and it does us nicely. It all cost about $160 for the inverter and the fridge was $370 from JB HIFI. I put a fan behind the inverter and the internal fans have never come on as they are noisy if they do. I would do it all again. The Hisense is 205l.
-- Edited by Ketto on Tuesday 29th of July 2025 07:37:12 PM
Some time ago I posted here https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t71302014/domestic-fridge-fitted-to-caravan/. Basically fitted a domestic fridge after my 3 year old 12V compressor fridge was driving us crazy. Been running it for a while now and find the power consumption to be less than or equal to depending on the weather. It keeps up in 40 degree plus days and freezes well. We have 240 AH of lithium and 340w of solar and it does us nicely. It all cost about $160 for the inverter and the fridge was $370 from JB HIFI. I put a fan behind the inverter and the internal fans have never come on as they are noisy if they do. I would do it all again. The Hisense is 205l.
-- Edited by Ketto on Tuesday 29th of July 2025 07:37:12 PM
That's the way to go.. I got a Samsung 320 Litre that use nearly the same power as the old Dometic RPD 218 and best of all, frost free...
Any chance for you to upload another close up picture of the locking mechanism that you used in your fridge? It does look good...
valiant81 said
09:51 AM Jul 30, 2025
Hi all; Gas is good, to a point !!! But a compressor fridge 12/240 volt or even just a 240 volt one with a small inverter to provide the 240 volts. You don't need a big and power hungry inverter just to run your fridge.
Having said that your are going to need a couple of lithium batteries ( forget agm's ). A solar controller, and a lot of solar on your roof. The more the merry with solar, and with lithium batteries a smart current shunt is a good investment as well. Just to keep a eye on what state your batteries are in.
If you want to run other mains powered or 12 volt ( lighting or phone charging, television etc. ) Then you would at the least upgrade the capacity of your lithium batteries. I have one 300 Ah 12 volt lithium battery in my caravan and have more power than in really need. As our caravan is all mainly 12 volts anyway ( bar the hot water heater ( we use gas ) the air con and microwave oven.
all of the management system in my caravan is blue toothed to my phone and makes it easy to see what my set up is doing and how the battery is performing.
stoney123 said
07:44 PM Jul 30, 2025
I use and have Engel fridge or / freezer. I freeze coke bottles and food and put coke bottles in evakool esky which keeps them for 6 days or so. I usually swap one bottle every day.
Best of both worlds.
Hardly any draw on battery. And if all goes kaput you have cold stuff for a week.
Ketto said
11:38 PM Jul 31, 2025
Here are images of the door holding method. Sandwiched velcro between a piece of aluminium flat bar and used countersunk screws so it is flat then applied velcro loops over it. When you are stationary just fold the velcro back on itself. It also works to keep the door partially open to ventilate the fridge after use.
-- Edited by Ketto on Friday 1st of August 2025 10:58:31 AM
-- Edited by Ketto on Friday 1st of August 2025 11:01:18 AM
-- Edited by Ketto on Friday 1st of August 2025 11:01:55 AM
-- Edited by Ketto on Friday 1st of August 2025 11:02:34 AM
Approximatly 9 years ago we replaced a 3 way with a 240v Samsung 228l fridge, when 12v power is required the fridge is powereed through a 500w Inverter, a 100ah AGM, a 100watt solar panel and 20amp solar contoller.
While driving the tug provides power from its battery via a VSR to the van battery, using 6 B&S cable. If we stop for lunch somewhere the VSR isolates the tug battery and the van battery takes over.
*Note*
We do not free camp our KISS (keep it simple stupid) method is an inexpensive relieable system.
Scubadoo said
02:11 PM Aug 1, 2025
Similar here.
Our $700 230VAC 255l Samsung Digital Inverter fridge/freezer has survived 11 years of full-time travel and is still performing perfectly powered by the original dedicated $100 300W PSW inverter. It has never been turned off.
We have not connected to mains power for at least the last 18 months.
The original 5 year old but hardly used 175l Dometic 3-way was sold via Trademe (similar to your Ebay) for $1400.
PS The same model fridge is still on sale here in NZ.
Burt65 said
08:09 AM Aug 2, 2025
Ketto wrote:
Here are images of the door holding method. Sandwiched velcro between a piece of aluminium flat bar and used countersunk screws so it is flat then applied velcro loops over it. When you are stationary just fold the velcro back on itself. It also works to keep the door partially open to ventilate the fridge after use.
-- Edited by Ketto on Friday 1st of August 2025 10:58:31 AM
-- Edited by Ketto on Friday 1st of August 2025 11:01:18 AM
-- Edited by Ketto on Friday 1st of August 2025 11:01:55 AM
-- Edited by Ketto on Friday 1st of August 2025 11:02:34 AM
Off course... Velcro And in white, you can barely see it. That's why it didn't look bad in the first picture... I have seen people using metal locking slider and latching mechanism rivet to the body of the fridges, but they all look big and ugly..
When Velcro is so easy and simple and definitely non intrusive.. Thanks again for the pictures..
hello all
our old fridge died and I would like advice on a replacement.
what are the pros and cons of compressor v 3way
it appears that whatever I get modifications are going to be needed
Thanks Peter
Have a look here: HERE
No.
If you want a fridge that works all of the time, reliably, in any weather, get a compressor fridge.
Cheers,
Peter
Some time ago I posted here https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t71302014/domestic-fridge-fitted-to-caravan/. Basically fitted a domestic fridge after my 3 year old 12V compressor fridge was driving us crazy. Been running it for a while now and find the power consumption to be less than or equal to depending on the weather. It keeps up in 40 degree plus days and freezes well. We have 240 AH of lithium and 340w of solar and it does us nicely. It all cost about $160 for the inverter and the fridge was $370 from JB HIFI. I put a fan behind the inverter and the internal fans have never come on as they are noisy if they do. I would do it all again. The Hisense is 205l.
-- Edited by Ketto on Tuesday 29th of July 2025 07:37:12 PM
That's the way to go.. I got a Samsung 320 Litre that use nearly the same power as the old Dometic RPD 218 and best of all, frost free...
Any chance for you to upload another close up picture of the locking mechanism that you used in your fridge? It does look good...
Having said that your are going to need a couple of lithium batteries ( forget agm's ). A solar controller, and a lot of solar on your roof. The more the merry with solar, and with lithium batteries a smart current shunt is a good investment as well. Just to keep a eye on what state your batteries are in.
If you want to run other mains powered or 12 volt ( lighting or phone charging, television etc. ) Then you would at the least upgrade the capacity of your lithium batteries. I have one 300 Ah 12 volt lithium battery in my caravan and have more power than in really need. As our caravan is all mainly 12 volts anyway ( bar the hot water heater ( we use gas ) the air con and microwave oven.
all of the management system in my caravan is blue toothed to my phone and makes it easy to see what my set up is doing and how the battery is performing.
Here are images of the door holding method. Sandwiched velcro between a piece of aluminium flat bar and used countersunk screws so it is flat then applied velcro loops over it. When you are stationary just fold the velcro back on itself. It also works to keep the door partially open to ventilate the fridge after use.
-- Edited by Ketto on Friday 1st of August 2025 10:58:31 AM
-- Edited by Ketto on Friday 1st of August 2025 11:01:18 AM
-- Edited by Ketto on Friday 1st of August 2025 11:01:55 AM
-- Edited by Ketto on Friday 1st of August 2025 11:02:34 AM
Thank you. Appreciate it...
Posted in my original reply above.
Approximatly 9 years ago we replaced a 3 way with a 240v Samsung 228l fridge, when 12v power is required the fridge is powereed through a 500w Inverter, a 100ah AGM, a 100watt solar panel and 20amp solar contoller.
While driving the tug provides power from its battery via a VSR to the van battery, using 6 B&S cable. If we stop for lunch somewhere the VSR isolates the tug battery and the van battery takes over.
*Note*
We do not free camp our KISS (keep it simple stupid) method is an inexpensive relieable system.
Our $700 230VAC 255l Samsung Digital Inverter fridge/freezer has survived 11 years of full-time travel and is still performing perfectly powered by the original dedicated $100 300W PSW inverter. It has never been turned off.
We have not connected to mains power for at least the last 18 months.
The original 5 year old but hardly used 175l Dometic 3-way was sold via Trademe (similar to your Ebay) for $1400.
PS The same model fridge is still on sale here in NZ.
Off course... Velcro
And in white, you can barely see it. That's why it didn't look bad in the first picture... I have seen people using metal locking slider and latching mechanism rivet to the body of the fridges, but they all look big and ugly..
When Velcro is so easy and simple and definitely non intrusive.. Thanks again for the pictures..