If you are looking for a motorhome fridge for your caravan or RV the most common type is what is known as a 3 Way Fridge. The term three way refers to the three types of power the fridge can run off:
- 12 Volt: From a battery of some type. Generally a car battry
- 240 volt: Mains power
- LPG Gas: Gas from a portable gas bottle
This 3 way option is handy if you are travelling for long periods of time. Generally when you are driving around you will run the fridge off the motorhome battery. When you come to a camping site however you will want to switch over to mains power or even gas if there is no mains available. If you don’t switch the motorhome fridge over, then it may drain the RV’s battery.
Depending on where you live in the world you may require a motorhome fridge that has a different Climate Class rating than the all-purpose fridges. The T Rating suits Tropical climates where temperatures can reach high levels and a different system is required to keep the fridge cool.
When you are travelling in an RV the emphasis is on making your surroundings comfortable and as close to your own home without actually being there. As a result the most common type of motorhome fridge is one that has a single door that opens outward. These are known as upright fridges and can be as small as 80 litres or as large as 180 liters.
It has the freezer section, generally small and not able to store much more than ice cube trays or slim meat slabs and the main fridge section. This type of sytem assumes that you will either not be travelling for long or picking up food supplies regularly and storing them for short periods.
If you are travelling for longer lengths of time without coming into contact with stores to stock up from you may require an additional camping fridge or freezer which can be stored somewhere out of the way.
Having this additional fridge will take the pressure off your main motorhome fridge and it can be used for everyday purposes like milk, eggs and ice. As you run out of supplies in this main fridge, transfer food from the secondary fridge as required.
Main brands of upright motorhome fridge models include Engels, Dometic and Waeco and vary in size and price.
Some recommended models:
DOMETIC - RM4065 184 litre 3 Way Fridge/Freezer
DOMETIC - RM4211 - 60LT: 3 way 60lt fridge & freezer (12v/240v/gas) compact design with electric re-ignition.
DOMETIC - RM2350 - 90LT: The Dometic RM2350 is a 90lt 3 way (12V, 240V & LP gas) refrigerator/freezer.
DOMETIC - RM2553 - 150LT: The Dometic RM2553 is a 150lt 3 way (12V, 240V & LP gas) refrigerator/freezer.
DOMETIC - RM4601 - 184LT: 2 door full size 3 way 84lt fridge & 47lt freezer combo.
WAECO - CR110 - 108LT: Upright fridge / freezer 12v & 240v.