Re: Dometic RM 3663 in 93 GV
Reply #9 –
Converting to residential fridge is, I think, a "lifestyle" choice. Some owners get along fine with the OEM fridge, because it suits their needs and wants. Other members desire their RV to more closely approximate living in a house, especially in terms of the kitchen appliances. In our case, we bought our coach with the OEM fridge working OK, but not great. It "cooled", but never really got "cold". We did not completely trust it to safely preserve fresh food (meat, milk, etc) because it did not cool like our household fridge. When the 2-year-old replacement (Amish) cooling unit failed, we took the opportunity to upgrade. Now we have complete faith in the RV fridge, both on the road and at home, where we use it for our backup "overflow" fridge and freezer. Makes us happy!
Here (off the top of my head) are a few of my personal pros and cons:
Original 12v - propane fridge:
Good:
1. Already in place
2. When it is working right, it does the job
3. Dual power source is versatile
Bad:
1. The coach must be level
2. Limited interior space
3. Possible fire hazard
Residential fridge:
Good:
1. Larger capacity
2. More reliable
3. Works regardless of levelness (is that a word?)
Bad:
1. Requires 110v (shore power, generator, or inverter)
2. Requires custom install
3. Some loss of adjacent cabinet storage space