Dometic 3 Way Fridge, also known as absorption fridges for caravans, motor homes, campers and 4WD’s are built to provide excellent cooling performance, even in high ambient temperatures and when camping off the grid.  Difficulties with the performance of a caravan refrigerator can be avoided by installing it correctly, and by improving both the installation and ventilation of the installation.

The correct installation has not been followed in this example.  Here Dan; Qualified Electrician who installs 12 volt and 240 volt caravan power set-ups, shows what he found when removing a fridge vent to run electrical wires and cables to upgrade the 12 volt caravan power system.

Before you ask, we are not going to name the caravan brand...  

Scroll down 👇👇👇 to watch the caravan fridge video.

Below is an excerpt from the video taken by Dan, although it is easier to watch the video to see how the fridge exhaust was installed:

“This is a three way fridge - they burn gas to cool the fridge, so it needs an exhaust (gas flue).  Now this particular (caravan) manufacturer has cut a hole in the side of the caravan here to fit the exhaust, which I have had to remove because where I run my cables I need to get access to the fridge cavity. 

BUT if you look in through that hole you can see that the elbow that you can see in there is pointing the wrong way.  It is pointing inwards towards the fridge so if you can picture, if that is the exhaust coming up, would have an elbow which draws in the air and forces the gas out through the elbow, which this pipe connects to.  

BUT when I have moved the fridge forward a little bit I have looked in here - (the exhaust was taken off to get the fridge out).  And I have had a look in here (in the hole) and seen that the exhaust is pointing the wrong way.  It is pointing backwards into the fridge cavity, so the exhaust was exhausting into the fridge cavity and not out through the exhaust.”

Fortunately no damage has been done and nobody was injured as a result.  The correct installation of the caravan fridge has now been rectified.  

Do You Need A Specific Fridge For A Caravan?

It is recommended to choose a 12V compressor fridge or a 3 Way Fridge for use in a caravan or 4WD  as they're designed specifically for mobile use.

How to Choose the Right Caravan Fridge?

Most caravan owners will be faced with the question of which fridge to choose for their caravan.  There is the Compressor (2-way) and 3 Way (absorption) refrigerator.  Most portable fridges today belong to one of these two categories, and each variety and at times brand has pros and cons.

What's the Difference between a Caravan Compressor Fridge and Caravan 3 Way Refrigerator?

A compressor fridge (2- way fridge) gets its name from the compressor unit that generates its cooling power - it has two ways of providing power to its compressor – the 240V mains or a 12V battery.

A 3-way fridge (absorption fridge) has 3 modes of operation – the 240V mains, a 12V battery, and LPG gas. 

What is a 3-way refrigerator?

A 3-way refrigerator, (also known as an absorption fridge) has 3 modes of operation – the 240V mains, a 12V battery, and LPG gas. This type of portable fridge does not include a compressor, and cools instead by means of a gas flow heat exchange system. 

What is a Compressor (2-way) refrigerator?

A compressor fridge gets its name from the compressor unit that generates its cooling power. This type of caravan fridge is also known as a 2-way fridge which is powered via either 240V mains such as when staying at a  caravan park powered site or via the vehicle 12v battery or the caravan 12V battery system.

Why Choose a 3-way Caravan Fridge

Due to their capability to operate on LPG, 3-way refrigerators do not depend on an electrical power source, making them extremely popular among caravanners.

Why Choose a Compressor 2-way Caravan Fridge?

Compressor fridges run very efficiently when plugged into the caravan 12v battery setup.  Additionally, compressor caravan fridges are typically better than 3 Way Fridges because they achieve lower temperature consistently in even the hottest climates, which is perfect if you’re planning to camp in the north parts of Australia.  

Which Caravan Fridge Do We Recommend?

Our Leader caravan came with a Dometic 3 Way Fridge, but we later changed it out for a Bushman Compressor Fridge.  

How to choose the right caravan comes down to a matter of personal choice and unique needs.  When deciding which RV fridge to choose It is important to consider the latest innovations. Some of the latest 3 Way Fridges have improved their cooling function and can reach lower temperature than earlier fridge models in the RV market.  

Personally we will continue to opt for a compressor fridge so that we don’t have to rely on carrying gas.  

Having the appropriate off-grid caravan power system, with quality RV lithium batteries and sufficient caravan solar panels, allows us to choose a compressor fridge as our preferred option.

What Power Do You Need to Run Your Caravan 12 volt Fridges?

Ask Dan at Outech Offgrid - Caravan Electrician; qualified to install both 12 volt caravan electrics and 240 volt caravan electrics, giving you the caravan power setup making it easier to stay off the grid for longer.