Compressor Refrigerators in 2016 Oliver LEII

[routlaw]

Interesting comments @Jim_Oker regarding hot weather and 3-way fridges. While I can't ever remember being in triple digits with our Oliver we have certainly been out in low to high 90's many times without issues or lack of cooling with our Dometic 3-way. Curious different peoples experience with these things. 

[Jim_Oker]

3 hours ago, routlaw said:

Curious different peoples experience with these things. 

Yeah, me too. Hopefully others will weigh in. I'm not going to replace a functioning 3-way at this point but still I'm curious to know.

The guy who told me they were not good enough for hot AZ weather is named Jack Dykinga, btw - he's a pretty sharp and grounded landscape photographer who is tuned in to the tech in his life fwiw (and incidentally a Pulitzer prize winner from his prior career as a press photographer). But that doesn't mean he's always right - just that I give some credence to such opinions from him. He does a LOT of camping in his truck camper in service to his work and passion of photography across western north America.

[routlaw]

Very familiar with his work, never met him but he is a very well respected landscape photographer. Understand too, its also possible in a smaller truck camper internal heat build up might be considerably higher than in our Olivers. For me I have never understood the allure and attraction to a truck camper though. Just don't get it but each to their own. Thanks

[Southbird401]

I think SeaDawg has a good point and I will try our absorption refrigerator out on our upcoming month long first expedition in the Oliver.  We will be in the southwest so will get some hot temperatures.  I appreciate all the information from all the people who have replied.  Thanks.

[Mike and Carol]

6 hours ago, routlaw said:

Interesting comments @Jim_Oker regarding hot weather and 3-way fridges. While I can't ever remember being in triple digits with our Oliver we have certainly been out in low to high 90's many times without issues or lack of cooling with our Dometic 3-way. Curious different peoples experience with these things. 

We’ve camped in heat many times and our Dometic 3-way has performed well.  That includes a few times in triple digits, it kept up.  We’ve also boondocked at elevation and it had no issue working on propane.  It’s 5.5 years old, not sure what we’ll do when it expires, we may go a different route.  But, up to now it has worked well for us.  Mike

[SeaDawg]

On 8/24/2021 at 9:05 AM, Southbird401 said:

It is my understanding the modern absorption units will just shut off if angled too much rather than running the flame at an angle and damaging the refrigerator. 

I wouldn't count on that.  If your fridge were to cut out, it probably would be an overheat situation. If your trailer were that far out if level, you'd probably be very uncomfortable,  anyway.

Absorption fridges work on circulating gases, changing from liquid to gas,and vice versa,  pulling heat from the unit, and venting heat from the top vent. The biggest deal with absorption fridges is getting enough air circulation to exhaust the heat. Putting screen mesh that's too small on the fridge vents is a problem, too. If the liquid /gas can't exhaust heat properly,  it gets super hot, and could lead to a thermal cutoff. I don't know if the norcold or dometic have that cutoff, as we never ran into that situation,  but I suspect they do. It would make sense.

Being too far out of level for too long can cause the liquid to pond, and overheat, and crystallize. All of which are "bad" for the cooling unit, and can cause permanent damage. That's a pretty rare situation,  actually, because  if you're in the trailer, you'd feel it.

What's too out of level? For me, if I needed one extra thin pillow to feel comfy, probably ok. Two is too much, and that's ok, because my neck would hurt, anyway .

If the bathroom door closes ok, you're probably good.

I have a little pocket level velcro'd inside the door. Maybe 5". If the bubble is less than an 1/8 of a bubble out, either way, on the floor, I'm ok.

I've  actually rarely used a level. I just walk around. If I'm feeling ok, the fridge would be, too. Sometimes,  I use a half empty water bottle, turned on its side.  Mostly, we decide if we're level enough on how I feel, walking around, before we take the trailer off the ball. (Same when we had a three way. No different with the compressor fridge. I have a huge problem sleeping on a steep angle of heel on the boat, too.)

 

[Jim_Oker]

20 hours ago, routlaw said:

For me I have never understood the allure and attraction to a truck camper though. Just don't get it but each to their own.

For his uses, it seems he's often moving to a new camp each night based on where he's shooting. And he likes having a low profile vehicle (Four Wheel Campers pop up) that he can take on some very rough 4wd roads and then sleep out where they lead. Everything is best for something at worst for something else. 

[Geronimo John]

On 8/24/2021 at 11:56 AM, Jim_Oker said:

So I'm wondering - some of you clearly camp a bunch in hotter parts of the country. Does it ever get so hot that your 3-way Ollie fridge doesn't quite keep up?

I have camped for a couple of weeks in 106 degree full sun with my OE2 OEM Dometic.  We keep the Dometic pretty full and try not to open it up a lot.  Also, we mitigate the heat for the refer by parking the trailer so the entry is on the north  or NE side to keep the refer in the shade as much as possible. 

Some folks deploy their awning to make the shade, but we spend a lot of time away from Ollie and have concern about winds launching the awning.

[SeaDawg]

@Geronimo John, we avoid those temps, so I'll take your word for it. Good practice to keep the fridge side on the shade.

I have read many reports of absorption fridges not keeping up in extreme heat. But then, I  know I don't do well in that heat, either.