Imagine you enter your motorhome or caravan after a long day full of activities and can’t get a cold refreshing drink or snack.
This can easily happen if you forget to place the water in the fridge or if your fridge isn’t working correctly. The second situation is worse than the first one. This is among many other reasons to choose the refrigerator for your motorhome carefully.
There are fundamentally two types of fridges available on the market, 2-way compressor fridge and 3-way absorption fridge.
The functionality of both types of fridges is different from one another. This article will discuss the pros and cons of both a 2-way compressor fridge and a 3-way absorption fridge.
Stay tuned till the end to know all about the fridges for motorhomes so that your stuff can stay cool in every season.
Let’s start by understanding how both of the fridges’ function.
2-way Caravan Compressor Fridge
2-way compressor fridges are the types of fridges you see in your home. The functioning of two kinds of fridges is the same, but the source of operation is different. Most 2-way compressor fridges you will see will either operate on 230V AC mains supply or 12V DC from the batteries.
On the other hand, domestic fridges can only function on 230V AC from the main power supply.
Apart from this difference, the functioning of both domestic and holiday 2-way Compressor fridges is the same.
2-way compressor fridges work by decreasing the temperature inside the refrigerator.
3-way Caravan Absorption Fridge
The working of a 3-way absorption fridge is entirely different from its counterpart 2-way compressor fridge. Unlike the 2-way compressor fridge, the 3-way absorption fridge evacuates the heat inside instead of cooling the interior of the compartments.
This heat is transferred to the outer environment in the form of vapours. A heat source like a burning flame or any electrical component is required for this evaporation process.
The 3-way fridge got its name because it can be operated on 230V AC, 12V DC, and even on LPG. When you are away from home, having multiple sources to run the fridge is a good thing.
Advantages Of A 2-Way Caravan Compressor Fridge
Let’s know what the perks of having a 2-way compressor fridge in your motorhome are:
Consume Less Energy
This is probably the most significant advantage of having a 2-way compressor fridge in your motorhome.
When you are out in the wild, even if you have solar panels installed, saving energy should be your biggest concern.
You might not feel this difference in energy consumption on a cool day, but it is pretty apparent in summers. In the cold season, refrigerators don’t have to put much effort into keeping things cold. Fewer effort results in less energy consumption.
On the other hand, when the rise in outside’s temperature is not coming down, fridges have to give their best. This is where the 2-way compressor fridges outperform 3-way absorption fridges in terms of energy consumption.
If you always go to a camping site, spend some quality time, and come back, this point won’t be crucial for you. If this isn’t the case and you love camping in the wild, then you know the importance of this point.
Works Fine On Every Surface
This is another very beneficial advantage of a 2-way compressor fridge. Unlike its competitor technology, a 2-way compressor fridge works perfectly fine even if the surface is uneven.
This eliminates the need to set up levelling ramps just for the sake of refrigerator’s cooling. Once again, a 2-way compressor fridge becomes a better option in nature’s camping park (wilderness).
When you are camping in the wild, finding a completely even surface is quite hard. To completely level your motorhome, you have to set leveling ramps which is a time taking process.
So, a 2-way compressor fridge saves the day when you are not in the mood to set up levelling ramps.
Advantages of A 3-way Caravan Absorption Fridge
Although 2-way compressor fridges have some unique benefits, you can’t ignore the advantages of 3-way absorption fridges either. Here are some salient features of 3-way absorption fridges:
Noiseless
After a day full of activities, all one could wish for is a good peaceful sleep at night. This soothing sleep is only possible if your surroundings are noiseless. The luxury of noiselessness doesn’t come with 2-way compressor fridges because of the mechanical components working in them.
On the other hand, there’s no noisy mechanical component in a 3-way absorption fridge, making it almost entirely noiseless.
Although the noise factor also depends on the refrigerator’s make and model, in general, 3-way absorption fridges are quieter than 2-way compressor fridges.
Can Be Operated On Multiple Sources
Living in a motorhome is truly an adventure. In rare cases, you get access to every facility. Most of the time, you have to act smartly. You have to regularly come up with unique ideas to save energy to keep things going.
Due to these circumstances, a 3-way absorption fridge becomes an excellent option overall. It can be operated on 230v AC main supply, 12V DC batteries, and even on LPG. The addition of LPG allows you to decrease the load on batteries.
Mini Motorhome Camping Fridges
Recently, the trend of having mini-fridges in your motorhome and caravans has seen a rise. It is simply because they are economical, consume less energy, and fit in smaller places. To have all of these things, you have to compromise on effectiveness and storage.
Mini fridges are usually too small to rely upon but can easily be picked up from the likes of Amazon, eBay, or for UK residents, Halfords has a decent range at a good price.
Summary
Whether it is frost or summer, fridges are essential in every season. They become more critical when you are away from home or sometimes even from the population.
One wrong decision will haunt you throughout your holidays. It is why, in this post, we have discussed the pros and cons of the two most prominent types of fridges.
2-way compressor fridges are the best option for those who look for something energy efficient. Moreover, it needs less effort as it can work perfectly fine on uneven surfaces. So, if you are a lazy person, no other option can be better than a 2-way compressor fridge.
On the flip side, 3-way absorption fridges have the edge of operating on LPG. This allows you to have trouble-free cooling even without electricity. In addition, 3-way absorption fridges are much quieter, making them an unbeatable choice for light sleepers.
