New 4.3 & 6.7 fridge info

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

I know this is only hearsay, but he insists that the 8 series fridges are made with different cooling units depending on the climate class required and the market they are sold in.

So a "tropical" rated RM8551 and RM8555 series should be available. The fact that the Dometic reps don't know this is saddening.

Good to know. This may mean that an RM8551 (for instance) for North America is different from one for another area; to me it doesn't necessarily mean that more than one cooling unit is available in North America. I wouldn't be surprised if local reps only know about what is available in their own market.

The Dometic web listing of refrigerators for the USA, UK, and South Africa (my quick sampling of English-speaking markets in which I could find an 8xxx series) all list only one version of an RM8555, and all have the same specs for power/gas consumption. Perhaps they have different cooling units with the same heaters and burners (although that seems unlikely to me), but at the very least this suggests that in each of these markets there is no cooling choice for a Dometic rep to offer.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Good to know. This may mean that an RM8551 (for instance) for North America is different from one for another area; to me it doesn't necessarily mean that more than one cooling unit is available in North America. I wouldn't be surprised if local reps only know about what is available in their own market.

The Dometic web listing of refrigerators for the USA, UK, and South Africa (my quick sampling of English-speaking markets in which I could find an 8xxx series) all list only one version of an RM8555, and all have the same specs for power/gas consumption. Perhaps they have different cooling units with the same heaters and burners (although that seems unlikely to me), but at the very least this suggests that in each of these markets there is no cooling choice for a Dometic rep to offer.

That could be it as well. Just because they make it, doesn't mean they offer it.

[rbryan4]

More evidence that Dometic does indeed make 8 series fridges that are T rated:

The ruggedized Lotus trailers made in Australia have the Dometic RMD855x fridges. They only put tropical rated fridges in all their caravans, as evidenced by several owners on Aussie forums who have enquired. Doesn't mean you can get them here though. Maybe its a case of 'ask and ye shall receive'. At this point I'd be more than asking.

Lotus Caravans

[rbryan4]

And, proof positive:

Here is the manufacturers plate for a Dometic RMD 8551 sold in Australia, made in Germany. My friend was right.

TROPICAL Climate Class rated.

[Seef]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

And, proof positive:

Here is the manufacturers plate for a Dometic RMD 8551 sold in Australia, made in Germany. My friend was right.

TROPICAL Climate Class rated.

And 240V! Darn, that would have been nice.....

Have fun!

Severinus and Yvonne

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Ron, I assume you mean Dometic when you refer to "factory"?

Yes, absolutely, they have a responsibility to provide a product suitable to the area that it's being used in. They should know that the Southern US and other places are very hot. I had a Sprinter camper van in the tropical part of New Zealand last fall. I wish I'd known what I know now. I'd have been looking very closely at the information plate to see what model it was. It preformed really well.

Ron

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Yes, absolutely, they have a responsibility to provide a product suitable to the area that it's being used in. They should know that the Southern US and other places are very hot. I had a Sprinter camper van in the tropical part of New Zealand last fall. I wish I'd known what I know now. I'd have been looking very closely at the information plate to see what model it was. It preformed really well.

Ron

I agree with this 100%. Dometic should offer a tropical rated fridge in all hot climates, regardless of country. Its not only good business practice-- its common sense.

[J Mac]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Yes, absolutely, they have a responsibility to provide a product suitable to the area that it's being used in. They should know that the Southern US and other places are very hot.

Ron

But how would Dometic know, when you're buying a trailer in Canada, that you residing in the Southern US or other places that are very hot?

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by J Mac

But how would Dometic know, when you're buying a trailer in Canada, that you residing in the Southern US or other places that are very hot?

I don't think they have to know. They should offer varying climate rated models. They're probably not going that far. ETI is in Canada, so perhaps the suppliers are simply thinking a sub-normal climate model will do, not realizing that ETI sells alot of trailers to customers in the southern US and other hot climates. Besides, even Canada can get pretty hot in the summertime, when the vast majority of trailer owners will be camping anyway. It's short sighted.

[J Mac]

Maybe all refrigerators sold by Dometic should be 'tropical climate class'.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by J Mac

Maybe all refrigerators sold by Dometic should be 'tropical climate class'.

Or at least, reduce the number of different climate class models. The whole climate class issue stems from EU energy efficiency requirements, so maybe offer the tropical or sub tropical rated fridges everywhere else.

[LeonW]

It seems to me that if one buys a trailer in North America, the odds are high that sooner or later it will go to someplace like Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc. And even places like Montana and N.D get temps in the low hundreds on occasion. So Dometic would be wise to install "T" class refrigerators no matter where the manufacturer is located.

[dave macrae]

I imagine some of this stems from a big corporation trying to maximize profits . Build the unit as cheap as Posible for the market you are in. I would imagine most of us would happily poney up a bit of extra cash for a awesome fridge

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by dave macrae

I imagine some of this stems from a big corporation trying to maximize profits . Build the unit as cheap as Posible for the market you are in. I would imagine most of us would happily poney up a bit of extra cash for a awesome fridge

Sure. On the outside, it looks simple, but who knows what criteria they are using to determine what gets offered in what market? I'm sure if they can make more money selling the lower performing fridges, they probably will. But, there's some evidence out there, at least from what I've read in the Aussie and other forums, that T rated fridges actually cost more. So the idea that they make more money selling the SN models or N models doesn't make sense, if they charge more for the T rated fridges anyway.

[J Mac]

Originally Posted by LeonW

It seems to me that if one buys a trailer in North America, the odds are high that sooner or later it will go to someplace like Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc. And even places like Montana and N.D get temps in the low hundreds on occasion. So Dometic would be wise to install "T" class refrigerators no matter where the manufacturer is located.

I think that's what I said.
The thing is, Dometic doesn't install them. Dometic sells them. Trailer manufacturers install them. Maybe trailer manufacturers should just order "T" class units.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by J Mac

I think that's what I said.
The thing is, Dometic doesn't install them. Dometic sells them. Trailer manufacturers install them. Maybe trailer manufacturers should just order "T" class units.

If the distributor doesn't make the trailer manufacturer aware of options they're not doing their job.

As a comparison, I used to use Japanese diesels in a product I manufactured. When, via the distributor, they learned that my product was now being exported from Canada to warmer climates they sent engineers to my factory and ran all sorts of tests to determine that the cooling system etc. was suitable for warmer climates. This allowed them to still cover the diesel under warranty.

It is especially disappointing that a major manufacturer like Dometic didn't monitor the climatic conditions their units were being used in.

Ron

[hotfishtacos]

I would love to know the technical difference between the same model of climate classes. Is the system charged differently? Are there physical differences?...and most importantly for some of us...can an N or SN class unit be upgraded to T?

[J Mac]

Actually Ron in BC we don't know if Dometic makes manufacturers aware of options or not.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by J Mac

we don't know if Dometic makes manufacturers aware of options or not.

Gave ETI the benefit of doubt in this case based on their efforts to make an under performing fridge work better.

Ron

[Zardoz]

It would be helpful if Rease could get a Dometic representative (not sales rep) to read through this entire thread and respond. I'd like to think that there is some logical rationale to their marketing program.