Do you have a built-in 12-volt compressor refrigerator in your camper? If you do, take our poll and tell us about how it has performed on the road.
For decades, built-in gas absorption refrigerators were the standard for truck campers and RVs. These units could be fueled by propane and powered by 12-volt electrical systems or 110-volt shore power making them ideal for a wide range of travel and off-grid adventures.
We have personally used built-in gas absorption refrigerators in truck campers for over eighteen years. They’re not perfect, but they are as reliable as just about anything in an RV or camper. For example, the original Dometic gas absorption refrigerator that came with our 2005 Alpenlite 1100 worked until mid-2019. We replaced that unit with a new Dometic gas absorption refrigerator that same year. In the five years since, the door handles have broken once and we had a fuse issue, but the refrigerator itself has worked flawlessly.
Today, built-in gas absorption refrigerators are being phased out in favor of 12-volt compressor models. While manufacturers like Dometic still technically offer gas absorption refrigerators, their newer and top-selling refrigerators all feature 12-volt compressor technology. When we talk to the camper manufacturers, they tell us that they can no longer reliably source gas absorption refrigerators in volume. This has forced most camper manufacturers to switch to 12-volt compressor refrigerators as standard.
The compelling concept of a built-in 12-volt compressor refrigerator is that they can be remarkably efficient in their use of 12-volt battery power. That battery power can be restored by a modern solar panel system, and/or a DC-to-DC charging system from the truck alternator. This eliminates the need for propane, at least to run the refrigerator.
Another benefit of built-in 12-volt compressor refrigerators is that they allow for more refrigerator capacity in essentially the same volume of space. Several camper manufacturers have replaced their built-in 6 cubic foot gas absorption units with 8 cubic foot DC compressor units. Two additional cubic feet of food storage in a truck camper is huge. Additional benefits include not needing to be level, and not needing a roof or side vent eliminating potential leak points.
Owner Poll: 12-volt Compressor Refrigerators
Now that 12-volt compressor refrigerators are standard in the majority of truck campers, we want to know how reliable they’ve been in the field. Are they truly efficient enough for the standard battery banks and solar panel set-ups campers now feature? Do they work in the summer heat? It’s time to find out.
Special thanks to TCM reader, Dave Miller, for suggesting this poll.
