Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

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Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

April 24, 2013, 06:06:56 pm

I finished the install of our new Frigidaire 10 cu. ft. no more fire hazard.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished

Reply #1 – April 24, 2013, 08:16:52 pm

Quote from: Bill Willett – April 24, 2013, 06:06:56 pm

I finished the install of our new Frigidaire 10 cu. ft. no more fire hazard.

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished

Reply #2 – April 27, 2013, 04:13:38 pm

I have uploaded the photos of the fridge install, and the new return grate that replaced the metal one,thanks to Don (Acusticart).
After the install and testing,it was found that the inverter is bad ,it only puts out 105-106 volts and drops to 101 under load, so a new Magnum Ms2012 and control panel are on order, in the mean time I will work on sanding the floor and refinish that.
That's all for now.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #3 – April 28, 2013, 10:47:17 pm

Thanks Bill. Looks nice. Hope to do that someday.

Mark

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #4 – April 28, 2013, 11:05:05 pm

Great job Bill. That's on my todo list too!

see ya
ken

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #5 – April 29, 2013, 08:45:57 am

Quote from: Bill Willett – April 24, 2013, 06:06:56 pm

I finished the install of our new Frigidaire 10 cu. ft. no more fire hazard.

Bill,
What is the Frigidaire Model No. Looks great! I think I can have that model as I would not have to remove the lower compartment where the central vac is located. Did you leave your lower compartment intact? Or, did you need to do some mods on it to hold the new fridge?

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #6 – April 29, 2013, 10:14:13 am

On my 1996 model, the vacuum is in the basement, only the hose connection is under the fridge. The plenum for the furnace is there. Did they change that in 97? On mine, all I had to do to the floor was put down a 1/2 inch of plywood to stiffen it up. I've had a couple of minor problems with the fridge, an incessant click click click. On the back there's a white box screwed to the frame with some sort of mechanics in it. Dismounted it from the frame and the click is no longer audible. Other problem, the inside plastic liner distorted slightly so the bottom glass shelf has been pushed slightly forward so the bottom tray sticks out enough that the door won't close. Haven't solved that problem yet other than removed the tray. Aside from that it's been running now for two years flawlessly.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #7 – April 29, 2013, 10:33:49 am

Gayland,
My vacuum is also in the storage compartment. But, the hose connection & attachments are located/stored in the space below the refrigerator. Which make/model fridge did you use?

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #8 – April 29, 2013, 10:47:12 am

The model of the fridge is Frigidaire FFHT10F2LB, it is energy star rated,it fit in the same location with minor modification,the lower portion of the cabinet has the heater plenum and the vacuum connection and the heater duct work.

Thanks for the kind words.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished

Reply #9 – April 29, 2013, 11:01:55 am

Bill,
Thanks for the shout out!

I noticed in your pictures that you have a heater vent outlet in the panel below the fridge. Was that original, or did you add that?
Don

Quote from: Bill Willett – April 27, 2013, 04:13:38 pm

I have uploaded the photos of the fridge install, and the new return grate that replaced the metal one,thanks to Don (Acousticart).
After the install and testing,it was found that the inverter is bad ,it only puts out 105-106 volts and drops to 101 under load, so a new Magnum Ms2012 and control panel are on order, in the mean time I will work on sanding the floor and refinish that.
That's all for now.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #10 – April 29, 2013, 11:33:50 am

Don, it is original,I have found that some of this coach's are plumbed in different ways when it come to the heater duct's.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #11 – April 29, 2013, 12:47:18 pm

Bill, are you currently running the fridge on 120VAC shore/genset? Have you thought about the defrost feature and how much electrical draw that takes? I do some boondocking when at NP's. Are you adding another battery?

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #12 – April 29, 2013, 01:06:35 pm

One thing to remember is to get the highest rated "Energy Star" fridge that fits if you are running off the batteries. An energy efficient fridge will draw about 2.5 amps at 120 volts when running. The motors will draw several times that amount when starting (called inrush current and can be ignored except for wiring and inverter size.) but only for a very short time. Does not seem like much but at 12 volts that is 25 amps. 25 amps x 10 running hours = 250 amp hours.

The anti condensation heater is a big drawer of current and should be turned off if possible. Also only defrost when plugged in to shore power.

It is hard to find the amp draw of many units as the manufactures seem to not put it in their advertising.

There are many variable in fridge current draw so it pays to ask before you settle on a unit.

Keith

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #13 – April 29, 2013, 01:42:18 pm

Keith,
The above are all very good points. I am interested in learning about controlling the use of the defrost feature so one can engage it when plugged into shore power and disable it when boondocking. There may be a market for designing and building an out of home 120 VAC refrigerator for use in the boating and RV industries that has all these user controlled features built-in.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #14 – April 29, 2013, 06:14:01 pm

Quote from: Bill Willett – April 29, 2013, 10:47:12 am

The model of the fridge is Frigidaire FFHT10F2LB, it is energy star rated,it fit in the same location with minor modification,the lower portion of the cabinet has the heater plenum and the vacuum connection and the heater duct work.

Thanks for the kind words.

Bill,
Looks great! It looks like you used the KISS principal there.
Karma for your sharing.
Rick

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #15 – April 29, 2013, 08:21:39 pm

Quote from: Peter & Beth – April 29, 2013, 01:42:18 pm

Keith,
The above are all very good points. I am interested in learning about controlling the use of the defrost feature so one can engage it when plugged into shore power and disable it when boondocking. There may be a market for designing and building an out of home 120 VAC refrigerator for use in the boating and RV industries that has all these user controlled features built-in.

Peter, I will be installing a switch to turn of the defrost element as soon as the my buddy gets me the factory service manual,as for batteries when I change I will install 6 200 amp hour agm batteries in place of the 8d's, that should take care of my boondocking needs.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #16 – April 29, 2013, 08:34:44 pm

Quote from: Bill Willett – April 29, 2013, 08:21:39 pm

Peter, I will be installing a switch to turn of the defrost element as soon as the my buddy gets me the factory service manual,as for batteries when I change I will install 6 200 amp hour agm batteries in place of the 8d's, that should take care of my boondocking needs.

Bill,
That sounds like you'll have plenty of capacity. Are you thinking of supplementing this set up with solar in the future?

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #17 – April 29, 2013, 08:58:56 pm

Is that 6 6v 200 amp-hrs or 6 12v 200 amp-hrs?

best, paul

Quote

> Peter, I will be installing a switch to turn of the defrost element as soon as the my buddy gets me the factory service manual, as for batteries when I change I will install 6 200 amp hour agm batteries in place of the 8d's, that should take care of my boondocking needs.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #18 – April 30, 2013, 07:46:03 am

Go catch Paul,they will be 6 6volt 220 amp hour batteries,I checked yesterday and they are 220 amph not 200.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #19 – April 30, 2013, 08:22:43 am

My 3 12v 8D's are 255 amp-hrs each. So 765 amp-hrs with 12v and 660 amp-hrs with 6v

best, paul

Quote

Go catch Paul, they will be 6 6volt 220 amp hour batteries,I checked yesterday and they are 220 amph not 200.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #20 – April 30, 2013, 09:44:56 am

Quote from: Peter & Beth – April 29, 2013, 08:34:44 pm

Bill,
That sounds like you'll have plenty of capacity. Are you thinking of supplementing this set up with solar in the future?

Peter,no solar in our future, when we travel we stay a Military campgrounds and state parks, the frige only pulls 1.05 to 1.2 running amps, the defrost cycle pulls 90 to 130 watts for the last third of the cycle,from what I can find on the internet that coverts to 1.883 amps.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #21 – April 30, 2013, 09:59:09 am

I'm not a mathematician but I think 130 watts AC is 1.18 amps AC which equals 14.18 amps at 12V DC plus the conversion loss in you inverter. 10 hours of use would use 148 amp hours of your battery bank.

130watts/110V=1.18 amps
1.18 amps * 12 V = 14.18 amps DC

Lets have some of our smarter guys check my math.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #22 – April 30, 2013, 12:18:50 pm

Kent, I would doubt that the compressor in the Reefer would run for 10 hours. I don't know how long it would run but if I had a reefer that ran that many hours I would look for something wrong. I suspect that the compressor will run a short period til cool, shut down til temp rises than run again.
JMHO
Gary B

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #23 – April 30, 2013, 01:18:18 pm

Gary,
You are likely very correct. I think that the key is judicious use of the opening & closing the door every day. Keeping the cool "in" is the key to electric power consumption. One reason I like the ice & water dispenser at the door. Saddly, most of the models that Forrest could use do not have that feature.

Re: Refrigerator install on my 1997 U270 36' Finished(updated)

Reply #24 – April 30, 2013, 01:58:47 pm

I just spent the night with my fridge on. No genset came on all night. So tht is long enough for me. I have three 8ds

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