Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 12, 2025 ...

Re: Norcold Fridge emergency on 1997 U270...advice needed

Reply #25 – December 25, 2018, 09:51:03 am

Carl, if a 10 cu ft Refrigerator is big enough for you there are some you can get through Home Depot or Lowes. The 14.7 cu ft LG
without doors may go through door but the main problem with it is depth when door is open.  Their diagram shows total depth with door open to be 46 1/2 inches it is 52 1/2.  our coach is the 1999 DGFE which has bar extending out directly in front of refrigerator
DW likes the unit but it has been a real pain to get everything in place without door hitting bar. When running it is pulling 80 watts, and I have seen other post of different residential models pulling about the same amount.
As others have posted do what you like and what fits your situation.

I posted the information on the LG 14.7 because the diagram Spec sheet at Home Depot and Lowes  and internet sites all give the same information on depth with door open.  If you don't have our configuration  it will work fine but if you have the DGFE model
I would not recommend  this unit.

Chris

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Re: Norcold Fridge emergency on 1997 U270...advice needed

Reply #26 – December 25, 2018, 09:52:44 am

Remove the doorway railings and the fridge doors . All of the units in my thread are 24 wide.

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Re: Norcold Fridge emergency on 1997 U270...advice needed

Reply #27 – December 25, 2018, 03:59:58 pm

Carl, to lighten the old fridge and better slip it out through door, it comes apart with rear cooling unit unbolting. This is the same way if replacing just the backside with a new propane absorption unit or compressor unit.

Of course, the new fridge comes apart by removing door and hinges.

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Re: Norcold Fridge emergency on 1997 U270...advice needed

Reply #28 – December 25, 2018, 04:09:34 pm

Attached is our fridge's electric usage as measured over a long time period.

Used Kill-o-watt meter on a dedicated fridge electric cable.

Fridge uses electricity to run compressor to cool box based on fridge compartment thermostat.  And electricity to run electric heating element behind freezer back wall turned on by a fridge run cycle relay.  Heating element turns off by a high temp thermostat on heating element.  Heater melts any ice accumulated on evaporator coil located behind freezer back wall.

Cool freezer air gravity flows down back center airway to cool fridge box.  Air flow can be dampered closed to increase fridge temps.

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Re: Norcold Fridge emergency on 1997 U270...advice needed

Reply #29 – December 25, 2018, 04:26:34 pm

Nice data set Barry.  Very helpful in deciding as we keep going back and forth.  Hoping to see an install of the smaller fridge in Quartzite.

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Re: Norcold Fridge emergency on 1997 U270...advice needed

Reply #30 – December 25, 2018, 09:08:43 pm

Boondocking choices:

Residential fridges draw from .6 to 1.4KWh per day. On worst-case solar days: winter, cloudy, trees and/or snow my 1.9KW solar system would only generate about 200 watts for five hours, or only 1KWh. The fridge would consume all generated power. So, there are two options:

1. NON-GREEN TECHNIQUE - RUN GENNY
This means the stinky generator must be run for an hour or so if the inverter is run 24x7.

2. GREEN TECHNIQUE - SHUT OFF INVERTER
However, if the inverter is shut off, 1KWh may be enough to run all key RV systems like the propane fridge, furnace and hot water heater.

This is a choice we all must make. Place your bet, spend your money and live your dream. The sun will eventually shine and the solar system could handle both the fridge, RV systems AND the inverter.

Do they make a dual refrigeration system: freon or propane?

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Re: Norcold Fridge emergency on 1997 U270...advice needed

Reply #31 – December 26, 2018, 08:49:34 am

Do they make a dual refrigeration system: freon or propane?


Really good idea, R U working on it ??

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Re: Norcold Fridge emergency on 1997 U270...advice needed

Reply #32 – December 27, 2018, 08:36:10 am

Should I start a Kickstarter campaign. It should only cost $1M to create a few prototypes.

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Re: Norcold Fridge emergency on 1997 U270...advice needed

Reply #33 – December 27, 2018, 04:22:30 pm

Good idea as long  as it will be patent protected.  I will kick in $25k. Do you have PayPal?
JohnH

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Re: Norcold Fridge emergency on 1997 U270...advice needed

Reply #34 – January 02, 2019, 09:32:26 am

Fridge can live in barn. Many do not work if temps get below 4o or 45 Fahrenheit New residential fridge often come in via taking out a window and taking the doors off the new fridge - then it will fit through window.  Service facilities do this with a guy operating a fork lift on the outside with the refrigerator on its back on a pallet, and two guys on the inside to slide it in and lift it up.
Width of the current cabinet space determines the fridge that will fit, height is usually taller than the RV ref ridge, usually accommodated by sacrificing the cabinet under the current refrigerator and building a new floor lower towards the floor (usually have to leave about 4" for some existing plumbing that is routed down there.
If you full time and are almost always plugged in, a new residential is the way to go.
You can get a new cooling unit to replace the one in the current  refrigerator - not a typical DIY job, but if you are handy it can be done - more suitable if you want to have propane because you boon dock a lot. Cost wont be enough different either way to make a difference.  Everyone here on the forum that has residential all say they wouldn't go back.  Many that have Propane and never had residential say no way they will give up propane.  You get to make that call, but if 90% of the time you are plugged in somewhere, I would go fore the residential for sure.
Lots of threads on the forum re residential conversions, pretty common upgrade.  A counter depth refrigerator that fits in the width of the current opening, and modify the cabinet by moving down the shelf the refrigerator sits on is the easy way to put in a residential.
Let me know who I might help.

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Re: Norcold Fridge emergency on 1997 U270...advice needed

Reply #35 – January 02, 2019, 12:51:33 pm

They rent hand crank fork lifts. Fits in pickup bed. Flat platform, goes way up. I use them to take air conditioners on and off coaches.
Cheap to rent.
Also, if you need a windshield replaced, that is the best method, through the front. Have done many that way.
Cheers
Chris

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