Best Compressor Fridge Recommendations 2005 Roadtrek 190 Versatile

[GeorgeRa]

Congratulation, is thermostat typical cold plate capillary?

[themexicandoctor]

This, I do not know.

The technology was explained to me as simple but bulletproof compared to the Isotherm however the Cruise 100 model is different

[eric1514]

When I installed my Novakool, I used this thermostat LINKY with a probe instead of the crude dial that Novakool supplies. You can tell the fridge to be at 35.5 degrees instead of "3" on the dial and it doubles as a thermometer.

Here's a pic

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by themexicandoctor

This, I do not know.

The technology was explained to me as simple but bulletproof compared to the Isotherm however the Cruise 100 model is different

Just check, they all use capillary thermostat. It is bang - bang control, one compressor speed. Perhaps you could upgrade it to a proportional thermostat, variable compressor speed based on delta t.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by eric1514

When I installed my Novakool, I used this thermostat LINKY with a probe instead of the crude dial that Novakool supplies. You can tell the fridge to be at 35.5 degrees instead of "3" on the dial and it doubles as a thermometer.

Here's a pic

Is your compressor running with variable speeds?

[themexicandoctor]

Thank you!

How long was the wiring? I would have to mount mine some distance away?

Does it affect the Novakool Warranty?

Was it a difficult install? I would have my installer do it.

I see you have brown button by the unit, is that to activate it, or a fan or a completely different function?

I honestly don't know if it is "running with variable speeds ..."

[themexicandoctor]

If I was to build out a unit, this TB92DD unit by TruckFridge would be what I would be tempted to use because of their design & low power draw.

https://www.truckfridge.com/product/...rator-freezer/

The only reason I won't retrofit my Roadtrek 190 Versatile to do so is that in the spaces where the third seat normally goes/everything forward from the Shower on the Passenger side & fixed Cabinet where the fridge is presently housed, I had Custom made two large storage cabinets.

In the Roadtrek you cannot remove the fridge & place these units in their place because of the width/length of the units intrude into shower/aisle area.

And Yes, I think putting them into the space behind the drivers or passenger seats would require a novel way of deflecting all the heat generated by the front window in the hot, summer months.

[themexicandoctor]

Here is a link to the TruckFridge models that are actually made by Isotherm/Vitrifrigo in Italy but sold at discounted rates 15-35% or more.

I would have purchased an Isotherm (was $250 more with the added power saving itec device & ac option than the Novakool R3800), but all the installers I spoke with mentioned the motor at the bottom versus the top would ensure better venting with less modifications.

And I chose to investigate the Isotherm Cruise 100 because they have such a great name in the Marine Industry forever, Sportsmobile install them by the pallet every month & the 100 unit has a cooling unit designed specifically for poor ventilation.

All other smaller Isotherm units would have required some cabinetry build out I wasnt interested in.

The positive of that wouod be Booster's 85 unit of which he was able add more insulation to the outside of the unit.

Its frustrating the average Novakool build is always 4-6 weeks but from their Accounting standpoint they never get overextended.

[themexicandoctor]

GEORGE RA,

Wow!

A quick look at your photos & it seems your Viola is completely custom, better than a RV Builder & that you did it by yourself!

[themexicandoctor]

Thank you dor everyone who made their recommendations & gave advice.

My next question is what type & size cap is needed for the removal of the 3 way Dometic & is there anything else I should buy/know about in the change before I turn up at the installers the day of delivery?

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by themexicandoctor

GEORGE RA,

Wow!

A quick look at your photos & it seems your Viola is completely custom, better than a RV Builder & that you did it by yourself!

Thank you, couldn't get one with desired feature so I built one.

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by themexicandoctor

Thank you!

How long was the wiring? I would have to mount mine some distance away?

Does it affect the Novakool Warranty?

Was it a difficult install? I would have my installer do it.

I see you have brown button by the unit, is that to activate it, or a fan or a completely different function?

I honestly don't know if it is "running with variable speeds ..."

The brown switch is the on/off switch for the fridge. I left the dial in the fridge to some random on position and ran the power through the new switch turning on the fridge and the thermostat at the same time with it.

The probe has a long lead on it. You can mount the thermostat quite a way away from the fridge.

I was going to install this unit LINKY but I sold the van before that happened. I did add a resistor to the wiring to increase the speed of the compressor one notch. I think it was something like 877ohm, but the manual will tell you.

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

Is your compressor running with variable speeds?

No. I was going to install this LINKY but sold the van instead.

[themexicandoctor]

For those of you who want to see a video of a self install conversion of a 3 way fridge to the JC Refrigeration DC units, here it is:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Yte1V3CkDrw

According to the video, it makes a large 3 way fridge, 7-8 times more efficient.

NOTE; JC REFRIGERATION ONLY WORK WITH LARGER REFRIGERATION UNITS, not the small units we have in our Roadtrek 190's.

[themexicandoctor]

https://www.truckfridge.com/all-models/

Above is the link missing from post #163 for truckfridge who market Isotherm/Vitrifrigo (same Italian factory), under the TruckFridge brand for approximately 15-35%.

The only difference, there are less models to choose from.

Doing some more youtube research I discovered a lot of RV owners already are aware of them & happy owners.

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by themexicandoctor

For those of you who want to see a video of a self install conversion of a 3 way fridge to the JC Refrigeration DC units, here it is:

According to the video, it makes a large 3 way fridge, 7-8 times more efficient.

NOTE; JC REFRIGERATION ONLY WORK WITH LARGER REFRIGERATION UNITS, not the small units we have in our Roadtrek 190's.

That's what I'm gonna do to the fridge in my C. In fact that's the video where I learned the existence of JC Refrigeration. The conversion unit is 1/2 to 1/3 the price of a compressor fridge from Dometic or Norcold or Novakool.

[themexicandoctor]

Originally Posted by eric1514

No. I was going to install this LINKY but sold the van instead.

It's $135 - is it a good investment for the Novakool?

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by themexicandoctor

It's $135 - is it a good investment for the Novakool?

I'm not entirely sure. The compressor is capable of running at various speeds presumably for efficiency. This device, if it does what it says it does, takes the guess work out of the user determining what speed is best for the current situation.

On my Novakool, I upped the speed one notch with a resistor like it says you can do in the manual only because I thought
it would cool faster and run less often. I really didn't have any facts to back that up and could not set up a situation to test my theory. It was just a hunch. I figured, maybe incorrectly, that the folks that designed that $135 board had done the homework I couldn't do and that it would be a good investment.

[booster]

Originally Posted by eric1514

I'm not entirely sure. The compressor is capable of running at various speeds presumably for efficiency. This device, if it does what it says it does, takes the guess work out of the user determining what speed is best for the current situation.

On my Novakool, I upped the speed one notch with a resistor like it says you can do in the manual only because I thought
it would cool faster and run less often. I really didn't have any facts to back that up and could not set up a situation to test my theory. It was just a hunch. I figured, maybe incorrectly, that the folks that designed that $135 board had done the homework I couldn't do and that it would be a good investment.

I have posted the compressor efficiency curves a couple of times, and with a BD35 under most conditions the second speed looked to be the most efficient speed if you look at btu/watt of energy. Generally, going faster after that lowered that efficiency and going to the lowest speed also was less efficient, but it was close to the same. That doesn't necessarily mean it would be most efficient in the real world in second speed, though, as the continuous running efficiency gets mixed in with starting inefficiency each cycle so the lowest speed might be better. Our Isotherm came from the factory at the third speed, but we run it on the lowest speed most of the time and it keeps up well in as hot as we have seen, which was 100* with the frig side facing the sun. If we were putting a lot of stuff into the frig regularly we might run it faster so it would cool new things faster, but we don't normally do that.


How well the Merlin chooses the speed would all be in the algorithm, as they must look at historical run times to try to predict need for speed to keep cool, or perhaps at how long it takes to gain heat between cycles on and off. One thing it doesn't appear to do that the Isotherm controls do is to look at the incoming power to determine if it is of the higher "charge" level to indicated a battery charge is happening. If they see charge voltage then the speed up the compressor to overcool the box to store up some non battery energy when it is readily available. This is where the 50% savings claims come from that they tout. I don't recall what that voltage is though, so lithium might mess it up with it's high resting voltage.

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by booster

I have posted the compressor efficiency curves a couple of times, and with a BD35 under most conditions the second speed looked to be the most efficient speed if you look at btu/watt of energy. Generally, going faster after that lowered that efficiency and going to the lowest speed also was less efficient, but it was close to the same. That doesn't necessarily mean it would be most efficient in the real world in second speed, though, as the continuous running efficiency gets mixed in with starting inefficiency each cycle so the lowest speed might be better. Our Isotherm came from the factory at the third speed, but we run it on the lowest speed most of the time and it keeps up well in as hot as we have seen, which was 100* with the frig side facing the sun. If we were putting a lot of stuff into the frig regularly we might run it faster so it would cool new things faster, but we don't normally do that.


How well the Merlin chooses the speed would all be in the algorithm, as they must look at historical run times to try to predict need for speed to keep cool, or perhaps at how long it takes to gain heat between cycles on and off. One thing it doesn't appear to do that the Isotherm controls do is to look at the incoming power to determine if it is of the higher "charge" level to indicated a battery charge is happening. If they see charge voltage then the speed up the compressor to overcool the box to store up some non battery energy when it is readily available. This is where the 50% savings claims come from that they tout. I don't recall what that voltage is though, so lithium might mess it up with it's high resting voltage.

I do remember now seeing the info you posted on compressor speeds and I'm sure it influenced my "hunch".