New 4.3 & 6.7 fridge info

[Parker-ESC]

Have y'all ever had an ambient temperature craft beer? You'll never drink a COLD one again, I promise.

If I wanted warm beer I would have bought a Lucas refrigerator! (memories of a past life around English cars)

 

[Donna D.]

HAHAHAHA Lucas elecrics... two wires short of power. Parker, I still own a 1952 MGTD... don't talk to me about Lucas! Fabric covered wire looms.

Still, room temp craft beer is YUMMY. Kinda got used to it and saved space in the cooler and the frig! Besides, no one mooches because the idea of having "warm" beer is ICKY. Works for me! ... ;D

 

[rbryan4]

The confusion about climate class is understandable. If the fridge was manufactured to be in compliance with EU regulations, and to be sold in the EU, as the rm855x series fridges were, then it will have a climate class rating. If it was not manufactured to be sold in the EU, it will not display anything about climate class because that is an EU specific requirement. That's why one of the labels above has no climate class info-- because it cannot be sold in the EU, so it needs no such rating or compliance. This is why many north american dometic reps know nothing of climate class. But, the rm855x series fridges can be sold both in the EU, and in North America, so dometic reps are confused.

The trick would be to use fridges that are NOT EU compliant, and not available in the EU. Climate class is then irrelevant. If it had to be an EU compliant fridge, then one with a tropical climate class would cool best.

 

[hotfishtacos]

....The trick would be to use fridges that are NOT EU compliant, and not available in the EU. Climate class is then irrelevant.

I'm guessing the primary market for T would be Australia.

 

[Brian B-P]

The confusion about climate class is understandable. If the fridge was manufactured to be in compliance with EU regulations, and to be sold in the EU, as the rm855x series fridges were, then it will have a climate class rating. If it was not manufactured to be sold in the EU, it will not display anything about climate class because that is an EU specific requirement.
...
This is why many north american dometic reps know nothing of climate class. But, the rm855x series fridges can be sold both in the EU, and in North America, so dometic reps are confused.

I agree.

The trick would be to use fridges that are NOT EU compliant, and not available in the EU. Climate class is then irrelevant. If it had to be an EU compliant fridge, then one with a tropical climate class would cool best.

Climate class would then be undefined, but the appliance would still have an operating temperature range, and I don't see any reason to expect that it would be any better (or worse) than an EU-spec unit.

 

[Dave&Jane]

A big thank you to Reace for his diligent attempts at solving fridge issues. We did a month in our 17 B in July throughout Washington and Oregon at 35+Celsius. The 4.3 8 series worked well on all settings. 12v when travelling, propane when boondocking, and shore power in campgrounds. We only open the fridge 3 or 4 times a day, and try to do it as quickly as possible. Ice in a cooler serves for cold beverages.

Thanks for all the reassuring comments about the 4.3. I could be satisfied if we get performance similar to dglasrud's.

-Dave

 

[rbryan4]

Climate class would then be undefined, but the appliance would still have an operating temperature range, and I don't see any reason to expect that it would be any better (or worse) than an EU-spec unit.

The main driver of the EU regulations is energy efficiency though. Reduced energy consumption comes at the cost of cooling capacity. If dometic (or anyone else) makes a fridge that will not be EU compliant, its because it does not meet their energy consumption requirements. In order to make it 'EU compliant', they'd have to reduce energy consumption, which DOES reduce cooling capacity. As to the equivalent 'climate class' for fridges not available in the EU, who knows. As you said, its undefined.

 

[Jubal]

Also Dave and Jane, not all members are having issues, only those in the extreme southern portion of the US and then only some of them. I'd get the unit you want not the unit you think is better.

Not correct. We have refer cooling problems above 85 degrees F. here in the Great Lakes region with the 4.3 frig.

 

[daveandsandyclink]

There must be at least 20 Escapes here in Texas. Your most likely not to hear about their fridge problems. Unlike me, they just deal with it and say nothing on this forum.

 

[Klem]

Please read this document and you will understand EU Climate Class 'scheme' to increase energy efficiency while recognizing that operation in hotter climates require a bigger 'engine' in your refrigerator.

Dometic reps may be saying they are not aware of this ... but is the corporate office (in the EU area) keeping them 'in the dark' to sell cheaper to produce refrigerators (more energy efficient) whenever they can?

It explains the history, rationale, and current classes.

http://ec.europa.eu/danmark/documents/alle_emner/energi/100928_6481_en.pdf

 

[floorpanel]

I am a second from Texas that is not happy with the fridge and I haven't really camped in temps above 85 degrees.

 

[Brian B-P]

The main driver of the EU regulations is energy efficiency though. Reduced energy consumption comes at the cost of cooling capacity. If dometic (or anyone else) makes a fridge that will not be EU compliant, its because it does not meet their energy consumption requirements.

I'm not so sure that all Dometic products are high-power / high-performance designs except where EU standards have forced them to be otherwise; however, I get the point.

On this power-equals-performance basis, rather than selecting non-EU models, perhaps one should just look for models with high power ratings for their size. The power consumption (for each energy source) is listed on the labels... even non-EU labels. Higher power will indicate a higher-capacity cooling unit.

I have collected (from photos of labels, and spec pages) size, power, and class rating data for two models used in Escapes:

• RM2510 (5 cu ft)
• RM8551/8555 (4.3 cu ft)

and I can throw in others that I own

I would be interested in the other models:

• 3 cu ft
• RM8555L (6.7 cu ft)

I can check Dometic documents, but the labels are a nice consistent source.

 

[gbaglo]

Are you going to make some sort of comparison chart?

 

[Brian B-P]

Are you going to make some sort of comparison chart?

Yes, it's under construction; I just need enough data sets to make it useful.

 

[padlin]

Here's the RML8555

 

[Jubal]

Yes, it's under construction; I just need enough data sets to make it useful.

Comparing series 7 to series 8 ?

 

[Klem]

Here's a 8 series from Australia with a S\T climate class. Hard to find apples and apples comparison.

 

[Parker-ESC]

1126 Btu/hr translates to about .33 KW, meaning the 8555 is using more energy than the Australian model at .252 KW, unless I'm misreading something. It also looks like the 8555 is larger, so I'm not sure this is a good comparison yet. I guess we could look at power per unit volume or something, but that's going to be approximate at best.

 

[tractors1]

At least they're using the same refrigerant - R717 formulation is NH3

 

[JaneM.]

Reace, thank you! You have gone WAY above and beyond any expectation most of us could have! Thanks for all of your efforts! Hope you are getting a little R & R!

Ditto!