BajaNomad

propane fridge

greta-inbaja - 3-22-2009 at 11:23 AM

Hello,
Does anyone have any opinions on consul vs Dometic (servel) propane fridges? The cystal cold is out of my price range. It will be quite while before our solar is up an we are only there a few times a year. We plan on going to wahoo rv in san jose. Thanks, all.

Russ - 3-22-2009 at 11:32 AM

I've had 2 Servel's for 5 years and have never had to even clean the burner area.. yet. However you do need to defrost them regularly. They are small and pretty pricey but work great. When shopping for a propane fridge, keep in mind that many of the newer ones require 12 volts to keep them running. Low voltage will cause a melt down. Not good!

greta-inbaja - 3-22-2009 at 11:40 AM

Thank Russ,
now I'm confused. I need electricity to power my gas fridge?? Any suggestions?

bajalou - 3-22-2009 at 11:55 AM

Get a older rebuilt one. I have a Dometic RM760 rv fridge. Works on propane or elect. I run it on propane only - requires no 12V to keep operational.

schwlind - 3-22-2009 at 12:04 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Russ
I've had 2 Servel's for 5 years and have never had to even clean the burner area.. yet. However you do need to defrost them regularly. They are small and pretty pricey but work great. When shopping for a propane fridge, keep in mind that many of the newer ones require 12 volts to keep them running. Low voltage will cause a melt down. Not good!


Russ, do you know if the 12v is used solely for the ignition? My two Servels have pezo (sp) ignition, so don't need 12 v. Each fridge has an interior light, but that is powered by D batteries. Bought them both online for around $1,025 each plus shipping at $300 for both (shipped to a friend's house in CA)

bajalou - 3-22-2009 at 12:22 PM

A lot of the newer ones (10 years or so) have circuit boards that require 12 all the time or they shut down.

oladulce - 3-22-2009 at 02:29 PM

We've had a Danby/Consul 7.8 cf fridge/freezer for a few years that works "OK". The burner requires frequent cleaning in our dirty environment and my husband checks the flame often, especially in the summer. It keeps things extra cold in the winter, and is able to keep up in the summer.

It's nothing special, but it's no worse than other propane fridges we've had in campers and trailers.

It has the piezo igniter, uses batteries for the light, and does not require any other power.

It's this model
http://www.thesolar.biz/danbyl_lp_gas_refrigerators.htm

Russ - 3-22-2009 at 02:48 PM

Sorry for any confusion. My Servels don't need a 12 volt supply just one "D" battery for the inside light like schwlind mentioned. There are other brands that work well and don't require a 12 volt power source. That's what I meant to express. There are a few people here that are happy with their Danby fridges too. On a defrost note: I put a fan in front and it really cuts the time down. Don't even turn it off, just down.

greta-inbaja - 3-22-2009 at 03:26 PM

Thanks everone for your help. There is a 700.00 usd difference for the consul vs the servel fridge . The consul is 7.7 cubic ft and the servel is 8. So I was wondering if one was that much more reliable than the other.

greta-inbaja - 3-22-2009 at 03:31 PM

Thanks Oladulce, that is the same model Wahoorv is selling I believe. I have heard that all propane fridges can be persnickety. They just fit our needs better for now.

Bob and Susan - 3-22-2009 at 04:00 PM

i'd get a $100 electric apt fridg at home depot

if you only go there a few times a year
why invest in an expensive propane fridg

the little electric ones only use about 60-80 watts
of power when they are on
and they aren't o all the time

a couple of batteries and an inverter will power the thing when you are there

people here complaine about the propane units failing to get COLD in the summer when you really need them

how much fridg space do you really need when you are there a short time...vacationing