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Dometic. Frig, NDR 1282. “Fire, ready, aim”

January 19, 2023, 11:30:47 am

98/99. Vintage, (coach built)  still satisfactory service, for us.  My plan warm up the saws all, put in a traditional frig like all the normal people have or are doing.
Strangely, wife found someone who said, put this little Cos GIZMO in your ancient Dometic fridge. (FRIDGE DEFENDER ARP) Save the cost of a new Fidge, & the crazy s of putting it in.  Thus I am about to do it, having the GIZMO in hand thanks to her ordering it.

NOW THE ? To the experts out there, as the FIRE is in hand ,  READY anyone have any good bad experience with same??
AIM  is behind me, have looked it all over, have "how to install" in hand.

 Support on several questions to ARP is excellent.

AGAIN?  ANYONE OUT THERE DONE IT!?    HAPPY ?  ETC?
THANKS,  Bill in Kingwood

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Re: Dometic. Frig, NDR 1282. “Fire, ready, aim”

Reply #1 – January 19, 2023, 11:41:41 am

Yes, IF (big IF) you keep your absorption refrigerator, Fridge Defend is a very good idea. It automatically cuts off the heat source if boiler over-temp is sensed.

As to whether you keep the absorption or go residential-- plenty of points on both sides of that discussion.

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Re: Dometic. Frig, NDR 1282. “Fire, ready, aim”

Reply #2 – January 19, 2023, 12:54:19 pm

There are several posts out there where the little device didn't work. Perhaps it will, perhaps it won't. As a career firefighter, I lined the compartment with 1/4" Hardiboard including the ceiling and vent to the roof. This also gives time to sanitize the wiring and fix any wood rot on the bottom on the access door. See old posts. Less than a day makes the fridge compartment very fire resistive. Then, attention should be turned to the engine compartment as many coaches have the super flammable black insulation.

Lots of easy fixes that give peace of mind but may not do much more than that.

Pierce

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Re: Dometic. Frig, NDR 1282. “Fire, ready, aim”

Reply #3 – January 19, 2023, 03:14:51 pm

Will sic the wife on the posts, but as I have been unable to find much,  good or bad.

Changing to a Res frig. Probably if nothing else makes the older (99) coach more saleable. Is a thought as long as u do it with sweat  equity.
Your thoughts on compartment remodel appreciated. 

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Re: Dometic. Frig, NDR 1282. “Fire, ready, aim”

Reply #4 – January 19, 2023, 06:12:16 pm

My next fridge will be one the 12v ones. They make some nice ones I've seen in some videos. I don't full time and running off grid on 12v would be ideal without propane.

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Re: Dometic. Frig, NDR 1282. “Fire, ready, aim”

Reply #5 – January 19, 2023, 06:14:20 pm

You have the small fridge, Magic Chef 10 cu ft is a plug and play less than 400 bucks- what's not to love?

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Re: Dometic. Frig, NDR 1282. “Fire, ready, aim”

Reply #6 – January 19, 2023, 07:23:04 pm

Thanks, my unit is a Dometic side by side, with ice maker we are happy as the doors etc make the interior look rich, complete, to us. 
Looking at this GIZMO as I call it to hopefully protect us from an overheat fire. Also thinking of not running it on propane?.

Thought for future, hope not.
SAMSUNG, our son put one in his, aFt er about 3 yrs ,  one day, no cold beer, he has replaced it with a LG.  IRISH/maybe ENGLISH.
Fortunate, he has a scissor lift. Among his needs for work/friends.

We added a $400. About  combo freezer/frig. 12v with a 110 converter. Down below.  Best $$ spent. AMAZON

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Re: Dometic. Frig, NDR 1282. “Fire, ready, aim”

Reply #7 – January 19, 2023, 07:39:34 pm

We don't mind our old Dometic fridge.  It works well with no fuss, other than defrosting it a couple of times a year.  Actually better than when we bought the coach several years ago.

But about the Fridge Defend.  I bought it just because it was recommended by a few people around here that I trust.  I installed it, and it quickly went to the lock-out mode every night.  The ARP dude was so patient with the process of diagnosing, changing settings, trying to find the problem.

Well...  The problem was our fridge.  The AC heater was defective, causing the boiler to overheat!  The Fridge Defend was doing what it was supposed to do all along!  Would it have caught fire?  It hadn't yet, but who can predict?

I replaced the heater, the fridge works great, and I have wondered if the Fridge Defend saved our coach or our lives.

I understand the allure of a residential fridge, but it often seems to come with additional inverters, batteries, solar panels, cabinet modifications, etc.  If you replace your Dometic with a residential, you will be happy with it - most people are.  If you choose to keep the Dometic, install the Fridge Defend thing.

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Re: Dometic. Frig, NDR 1282. “Fire, ready, aim”

Reply #8 – January 19, 2023, 08:18:22 pm

Thanks u responded to my ??  Thus far I am also well pleased with Defender ARP,  as I had a ?  He worked me through it.

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