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gschaefer712
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# Posted: 11 Mar 2010 09:38am
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Has anyone used this model of refrigerator? Danby 7.8 cu ft Propane Refrigerator-Freezer
Ive never used a propane fridge and was wondering about reliability, startup time, value, etc. I only go to the cabin on weekends but I have no electricity. I dont plan on storing food there either. Any insights?
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bugs
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# Posted: 11 Mar 2010 10:30am
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Hi gs
We are contemplating the same thing although we are looking for a very compact refrigerator. We only need it for some milk, veg, sausage etc. Cold beer is not a problem as I like my imported British beer tepid.
We first looked at a compact 1.8 electric fridge but the additional power requirement would add mega $$$$$ to our planned solar power setup. We are now thinking of a portable 3way fridge (ac/dc/propane) as an alternative. So far dometic types seems to be popular and this one looks interesting: http://www.mobicool.com/pages/products/outdoor/a40dcacgas_full.htm
The above is an absorption system and will cool -20C ambient. So it might not work in hot climates. But since we rarely get above +25 it should work for our situation. Cdn Tire has some for about $350. Propane usage is rated at less than a pound a day.
We have also seen portable compressor style ones. They run about $1K cdn.
Learning a lot more about refrigeration than I care to learn!
Good luck.
bugs
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dk1393
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# Posted: 11 Mar 2010 02:52pm
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I use a propane fridge I bought used out of an RV. It is a dometic. It uses about 1 lb a day as you stated. It takes a little while to cool down, 2-3 hours. It works very well. It sure beats a cooler.
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Anonymous
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# Posted: 12 Mar 2010 12:37pm
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I recently bought an RV fridge that I was going to put in my van. Once I found out I will need to cut all kinds of holes, I decided to only use it when camping. Think I will have any problems setting it up on a picnic table for a few days? Does it require any fancy vent system?
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gschaefer712
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# Posted: 16 Mar 2010 11:37am
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Thanks for the comments...i think the RV dometic might be the answer.
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bugs
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2010 05:43pm
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We purchased a Mobicool ac/dc/propane, top opening, "cooler" from Cdn Tire last weekend. It has a 40 litre capacity. AC/DC power consumption is 290BTU/Hr and propane is 15g/hr. We also purchased the adapters so it will work off a standard 20 lb propane tank.
On an empty test on ac it dropped the temp from 22C ambient to 5 C in about 4 hours. Using propane it did the same in about 2 hours. By precooling and/or putting in frozen and cold food it should work much faster.
The book says to use it outside or in very well ventilated areas when using propane. Also requires 25 cm space behind it to combustibles.
We are planning on putting it in a well ventilated cupboard on our porch so it will be protected from the elements and hook it up to a propane tank.
So it should serve our purposes and also won't take up any space in our mini cabin.
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Anonymous
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2010 07:01pm
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Tell me,, you guys say some of those units run on ABOUT a pound a day of propane,... thats like 90 bux a month just to run the fridge??
any other alternative to make them more efficient?
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Anonymous
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2010 08:58pm
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Just purchased a Sundanzer DCR 165 5.8 high efficiency fridge that I plan to connect to my small solar system.
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dk1393
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# Posted: 21 Apr 2010 07:12am
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A 20 lb tank will last me about 3 weeks if I leave it on when not at the cabin. It cost me $12.00 (US) to fill the tank. I normally shut it off when I leave. so a tank last quite a while.
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MikeOnBike
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# Posted: 21 Apr 2010 04:26pm
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Quoting: Anonymous Tell me,, you guys say some of those units run on ABOUT a pound a day of propane,... thats like 90 bux a month just to run the fridge?? any other alternative to make them more efficient?
A pound a day, not a gallon a day. At ~4.25lb. per gal. you would use 30 pounds a month which is about 7 gals or ~$21.
Big difference. I would pay a buck a day to have cold meat, produce and beer at my cabin.
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Anonymous
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# Posted: 26 Apr 2010 06:22pm
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I see. .. thanks for the clarification
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Anonymous
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# Posted: 16 Jun 2010 10:50pm
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I purchased one of these a couple of months ago 5 cu feet I think. I use about 1 propane tank every 20 days or so. It works really good and cools in a couple of hours. Mine has a freezer and does well also. I also have to have a 12v battery with mine to operate the computer. I used a regular battery at first and it worked but not for very long. I got a deep cycle and a solar charger and it works good now. would suggest looking at an rv place to get one.
that's my 2 cents worth
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bobrok
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# Posted: 3 Nov 2010 09:40am
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I have a brand called Consul. I believe it is about 7 cu ft..don't have the manual here with me. I had been pleased with the perfomance and we used to keep it running all of the time but on several occasions it malfunctioned while we were gone and, although still lit, was room temp inside.
I had it serviced several times and finally they changed out the jewel/nozzle and it has been fine since. Dirt, I'm told.
Also, I was not running the temp setting correctly. In the summer you naturaly want to turn up cold setting to keep the box cool, but I had forgotten that the manual said normal operating setting on the 1-4 thermostat scale was no higher than 2. Well, I had it cranked up to 4 and the high pilot resulted in poor combustion and threw the whole thing out of balance. Not to mention the CO2 emissions inside.
Anyway, we no longer run it when we are gone. If you know how to load it properly it will cool down rather quickly when you start from ambient temps. This was mentioned above by bugs and I have found that this is the secret.
Lessons I learned:
1) READ and UNDERSTAND the operating manual. This is not the same appliance as your household refrigerator. The name is about the only thing they have in common.
2) Keep the combustion areas and flue cleaned of dirt, cobwebs, carbon deposits. Regular maintenance is a must with these.
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nanny
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# Posted: 25 Aug 2011 06:52pm
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We bought a Danby (small one) three years ago for our cabin..worked great the first year. We have tried for two years to talk to Danby because now it soots up as soon as we start it and within 15 minutes it sets off our carbon monoxide detector..No help from danby..they only want to talk to a qualified serviceman
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PlicketyCat
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# Posted: 25 Aug 2011 08:55pm - Edited by: PlicketyCat
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We've opted for high-efficiency electric (Sundazer freezer, and probably SunFrost refrigerator when we get one) over propane or kerosene. The gas and kerosene cooling units do work, but they have problems. They need to be vented. They shouldn't be run unattended for long periods. Fuel is very expensive here and hard to transport (and this is only going to get worse). Temps are not consistent (ice spots in the fridge, warm spots in the freezer) and it takes a long time to recover from opening the door or adding new food.
So, in the end, the super-efficient "solar" options cost less for us from a purchase (same price), maintenance (less), operating (significantly less) and food waste (less) perspective.
For a fuel comparison: gasoline and diesel runs approximately $4/gal here; propane runs approximately $4/lb clear kerosene is closer to $8/gal. For less than 1 gallon of gas in my generator ($4), I can charge my battery and run my freezer for 3-5 days, whereas for 1 lb of propane (same $4), I only get one day. I can't even run kerosene at $4/day. If propane or kerosene are cheaper where you live, it might still be an option.
Of course, you don't need batteries or RE components with propane or kerosene, but you don't have any continuous operating costs if your fridge or freezer is hooked directly to a solar panel or wind turbine. Ours is a DC model and runs directly on it's own dedicated panel with a cheap backup battery and charger. We could have gotten an AC model and run it off the house power system, but we found it more efficient to give it its own dedicated power.
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bobrok
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2011 03:27pm
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Quoting: nanny We bought a Danby (small one) three years ago for our cabin..worked great the first year. We have tried for two years to talk to Danby because now it soots up as soon as we start it and within 15 minutes it sets off our carbon monoxide detector..No help from danby..they only want to talk to a qualified serviceman
After the first year is when we began having problems. One word of wisdom here: MAINTENANCE.
Best way if you don't know what you're doing is to hire a service tech (like from the propane delivery service you use) once, watch him like a hawk when he is working on the unit, ask a LOT of questions, understand what/why he did what he did before he leaves and then after this you can usually do the maintenance yourself.
Also read and understand the manual. These are not refrigerators as you know them from home.. nothing like them at all other than the cold temps.
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2011 05:20pm - Edited by: MtnDon
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Yep, the burner chamber and the chimney tube have to be kept clean. I find once a year in spring just before firing it up after its winter vacation works for us.
Also note that propane refrigerators just like all propane appliances need to have the orifice replaced for altitude once you start to get much above sea level. Each manufacturer should have that information available. Our refrigerator and wall heater came with a chart in the user manual. Without the proper orifice the fuel/air mixture will be too rich resulting in a poor burn and the possible production of CO.
I had to pay for the orifice for the refrigerator but the wall heater manufacturer sent one in the mail no charge after I called their service department. At that point I had not even bought the heater yet; I was just checking on availability of the parts. I did buy their heater the next day.
Our fridge is a Servel/Dometic 400
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PlicketyCat
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2011 05:38pm
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From past experiences, I've found that any combustion appliance tends to need more maintenance in humid locations. I don't know if the wet air combines with the combustion particulates to make more soot or what, but it's certainly noticeable. I have a propane heater that required extensive cleaning and maintenance when I lived in Seattle (70+ RH), but barely takes 10 minutes to do here in Interior AK (40- RH) even though we use it much more here than there. Same goes for the ports in our gas grill and portable stove top. So I'm wondering whether that would also be an issue with a gas fridge.
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bobrok
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2011 06:06pm
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P-Cat,
That humidity thing could be true for more than the one reason most might think. Spiders and ass't other damp-loving creepy-crawlies will gum up your works, too! They do mine :)
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PlicketyCat
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2011 10:40pm
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And don't forget to screen your vent/flue!! Bird, mice and squirrels just LOVE building nests in warm pipes :) It's totally not special to pop your appliance open to relight the pilot and come face to face with a nest of naked baby mice... or a ticked off possum (yes, that did happen to me with a water heater once).
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Suitcase
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# Posted: 13 Oct 2011 12:32pm
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We are experiencing the same problem. We think the problem is with the venting of the fridge. There is a kit that you can buy that may do the trick. I was in the process of looking for the kit on-line when I came across this blog.
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beachman
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# Posted: 17 Oct 2011 06:13pm
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Reading this thread and thought about adding a few thoughts. We have had a Servel Fridge for years in our old camp. It does not vent to the outside since the camp is very drafty with an open ceiling. We have to clean the burner and the chimney every Spring and maybe clean the burner once per season - very easy.
We have 100lb tanks and with a stove with pilot lights, two propane lights and the fridge going full-time, we go through 100 lbs in about 6-7 weeks. There is no electricity so really no chioce for electric - but propane works fine and the fridge has a freezer that keeps food frozen and make great ice. You have to adjust the setting for the weather as it warms up to keep things cold - or to keep from getting too cold.
We've had such great luck with the old fridge that we ordered a new Dometic 7 or 8 cf fridge for our new camp. We ordered a vent kit for the new one since the new place is tight and insulated. We will not install until next spring. One problem I forsee is getting the fridge hooked up with no access to the back (the old one has the whole burner ass'y underneath with good access). The new fridge goes right to the floor and must be slid out to acces the burner - and the batteries for the light when you open the door. Not sure how that is going to work and still keep the in-vent and out-vents connected after moving it back.
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 17 Oct 2011 09:43pm
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Quoting: beachman and the batteries for the light when you open the door.
I don't like the battery placement either. I ran a new wire up to a the top of the fridge to a battery holder I bought at Radio Shack. It's in a small box ans sits beside the microwave beside the adjacent wall.
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tbjohn
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# Posted: 11 Dec 2011 07:27pm
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We have a Danby propane. Overall is great. Have had it for 3 years. It does blacken the cabinet above it. Have cleaned it and the flame looks good. any ideas?? Also had anyone left on in a unheated place with real cold weather like Maine??
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coolerbouncer
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# Posted: 16 May 2012 12:38pm
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There is a propane cooler on the market now, it runs on propane, 12 volt and 110 household ac.
URL
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justincsasei812
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# Posted: 16 May 2012 01:56pm
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I have a Consul propane fridge/ freezer at the cabin. I am not sure how big it is (apartment size) or how much propane it uses. Only due to using for a few weekends now. It came with the cabin and since it is in the north we use mother nature during the colder months. It has worked pretty well for the few times (4-5) we have used it. If you pack your cold stuff in a cooler on the way up the fridge will get to temp faster. I bought a thermometer to keep the temp in check. It seems to be about the same to get it down to temp propane vs. electric (about 4 hours) unless you are putting room temp items in it. I have to say it has been pretty nice so far and will be very useful this summer. Food in the fridge/ freezer and fluids in the ice cold cooler.
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tbjohn
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# Posted: 16 May 2012 02:04pm
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We also have the Danby. Love it and leave it stocked and running for about 9 months in Maine. It does not love the real cold weather. We also experiamce the blacked cabinet above and am thinking about a vent. My buddy just ran a pipe above his to the ooutside then an elbo down. That seems to work just don't have it sit directly on top the fridg. vent. I am told that the wind could suck the flame out. Sure beats getting ice.
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sparky1
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# Posted: 17 May 2012 06:15pm
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I have a Norcold 5 cuft-3 way---
I have 120 available it's on it---on propane lasts about 3 weeks but needs a 12 volt battery, to keep it going, not a problem I have solar on the battery never runs down.
sparky1
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proudfoot
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# Posted: 18 May 2012 10:52pm
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We have a Danby propane fridge, and almost right from the beginning it hasn't worked, the carbon monoxide shut off won't even allow it to turn on. No way to resolve this, as we have been trying for a few years now. Previously we had a 40 year old propane fridge that worked wonderfully until the end.
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Cabin boy
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# Posted: 19 Aug 2012 12:23pm
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I just found a Danby propane fridge and have lit it up, been running now for three days,(inside me garage), and the freezer is great but the main fridge part does not seem to get down in temp it stays about 48-50f I don't think that's cold enough. I don't have the owners manual so I'm not sure what's the coldest setting 1 or 3. Any ideas?
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