It is unfortunate that misinformation continues to proliferate towards absorption refrigerator units and is pushing the consumer in a different direction, and I personally think it's the fault of the major manufacturers of those absorption units through the years. Technicians and dealers even today yet are STILL taught and commonly believe that the only solution to a malfunctioning absorption units cooling system (plugged) is full replacement. They sure had to have known that virtually all the downsides like overheat fire dangers and off-level operation accumulative tube plugging could be eliminated by simply controlling the boiler temperature instead of ignoring it and only using the internal cavity temperature as a full on/full off control system. That's like running your vehicle without a heat gauge or over-temp indicator. There has been an add-on control that someone figured out available aftermarket for many years now, but the main manufacturers could have easily designed something into their units as well. Once that boiler is prevented from getting too hot, the common reasons people have traditionally had trouble are minimized or eliminated and their advantages easily rival all the disadvantages of the compressor technology in mobile situations, especially the need for more solar and larger battery reserves just devoted to refrigeration.
Based on my 2017 Sprinter 3500 wheelbase and track, with a Norcold 611 mounted with its back to the side of the vehicle, the nose of the van must be off by 8.9" to equal a 3° angle, or side-to-side tilt of 7" to equal a 6° angle.
Great article! Thanks Mike and Chris! Nice to read a good overview. I love the fact that my absorption fridge is not a limiting factor on my boondocking time but I don’t like how hard it is to regulate the temperature. I don’t think the unit will fit through the door so changing it out is problematic at best. A new trailer is the best solution and the cost of lithium batteries has been coming down this may be in the cards someday. A quick check finds 12V lithium batteries priced from just over $150 / kW-hr to as high as $580 / kW-hr. There are a lot of variations but I also wonder about the effects of tariffs.
It is unfortunate that misinformation continues to proliferate towards absorption refrigerator units and is pushing the consumer in a different direction, and I personally think it's the fault of the major manufacturers of those absorption units through the years. Technicians and dealers even today yet are STILL taught and commonly believe that the only solution to a malfunctioning absorption units cooling system (plugged) is full replacement. They sure had to have known that virtually all the downsides like overheat fire dangers and off-level operation accumulative tube plugging could be eliminated by simply controlling the boiler temperature instead of ignoring it and only using the internal cavity temperature as a full on/full off control system. That's like running your vehicle without a heat gauge or over-temp indicator. There has been an add-on control that someone figured out available aftermarket for many years now, but the main manufacturers could have easily designed something into their units as well. Once that boiler is prevented from getting too hot, the common reasons people have traditionally had trouble are minimized or eliminated and their advantages easily rival all the disadvantages of the compressor technology in mobile situations, especially the need for more solar and larger battery reserves just devoted to refrigeration.
Based on my 2017 Sprinter 3500 wheelbase and track, with a Norcold 611 mounted with its back to the side of the vehicle, the nose of the van must be off by 8.9" to equal a 3° angle, or side-to-side tilt of 7" to equal a 6° angle.
Great article! Thanks Mike and Chris! Nice to read a good overview. I love the fact that my absorption fridge is not a limiting factor on my boondocking time but I don’t like how hard it is to regulate the temperature. I don’t think the unit will fit through the door so changing it out is problematic at best. A new trailer is the best solution and the cost of lithium batteries has been coming down this may be in the cards someday. A quick check finds 12V lithium batteries priced from just over $150 / kW-hr to as high as $580 / kW-hr. There are a lot of variations but I also wonder about the effects of tariffs.
Good information as always. Thank you. My absorption fridge is consistently problematic in one way or another. I would be happy to be rid of it.