refrigerator replacement

Topic: refrigerator replacement (Read 2417 times) previous topic - next topic

refrigerator replacement

May 09, 2017, 06:26:01 pm

Got back from the INTO Rally in Branson. The Dometic two door refrigerator just not recover fast enough and when the outside temp is over 80 it just not keep up. Called MOT and FT for replacement. MOT (Keith Davis) is going to do the replacement to a home style Samsung model # 652273 from Lowes. If you have had this done what should I look for?

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #1 – May 09, 2017, 07:46:02 pm

Hard ice cream and cold milk.
Even though it is a personal choice and arguments for both sides of the fence. I have taken out 2 good absorption refrigerators to install residential ones as the DW is spoiled from the one that came in the '81 we used for 18 years. When I bought the Monaco we had, it was one of the first upgrades if I wanted DW's company.

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #2 – May 09, 2017, 07:52:29 pm

We are thinking of doing this. What is the cost?

Thanks.

Keith

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #3 – May 09, 2017, 08:52:56 pm

I ordered the refrigerator from Lowes which was the same one recommended by both MOT and FOT. Same cost delivered $1200 plus 99 dollars tax. MOT can do this in less hours. $2300 to 3500 in labor. I am also servicing the coach while there. Look for Air leaks.
Look at Dash air and see if we can find that darn rattle in the roof. What I need to know is how long can I run this unit on the invertor?

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #4 – May 09, 2017, 09:03:31 pm

What size and how many batteries. With 3 Lifeline 8D's I went 12 hours yesterday here and still had 12.5 volts when I hooked the cord back up. I have a 22cu. ft. Frigidare much more power hungry than the Samsung's It is a side by side with water and ice in the door. It was in the coach when we bought it, not the choice I would have made.
It was a Samsung I installed in the Monaco and that would have been my choice.

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #5 – May 09, 2017, 09:35:20 pm

We used the prior Samsung model, did it ourselves, sold the Dometic, total net cost Way less than $1000. We do not use the ice maker. We bought the five year warranty from the dealer. They knew exactly where it was going and how it was going to be used and had no reservations. The 32" refrigerator will leave a 4" space along the side for a great storage space. If you go in through the side window use window gaskets from Xtreme when it gets put back in.

Another Samsung installed

I made a custom made base with tracks for the wheels (not the same distance apart in the front compared to the rear) and a front piece the same shape as the refrig base with recesses for the front feet. The feet can screw down into the recesses and they will hold the refrigerator in place. Or you can take the feet out and run a metric bolt up through the base into the threaded holes where the feet were.

You need some ventilation up from the bottom. I left the roof vent in place but added vents so I can close it in the winter. The outside vent got a sliding insulated door.

Be sure the refrigerator doors will clear the sliding door track. Make sure they deal with wiring and plumbing that may be in the way to get the refrigerator in as far as possible. The front face of the refrigerator case (without the doors) should be flush with the existing cabinet face or out no more than the thickness of the trim. Ours was out 5/8", flush with finish trim.

The refrigerator needs to be on an inverter/landline circuit (#1 on the secondary panel in mine). My Samsung has no on/off switch. So I added an outlet to Circuit #1 under the kitchen cabinet drawer stack that is switched. The switch is on the forward end of the kitchen cabinet along with another duplex outlet.

Door locks.
2003 Residential Refigerator suggestions

Send me a PM or email if you want more ideas.

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #6 – May 10, 2017, 09:27:04 am

Dan,
If you end up with that narrow space you might consider a slide out pantry. With shelves open on both sides, you could store a lot of canned goods, etc., and be able to access all of what is inside.

Just a thought. Hope you are doing well.

Len

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #7 – May 10, 2017, 12:22:57 pm

Be like Roger, get the extended warranty. Had the same refer installed, had a $600 service call. Repair guys said fairly common in this model.

Haven't seen other complaints on the forums on this model, but if we replace will get the first service contract we've ever purchased.

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #8 – May 10, 2017, 07:29:17 pm

Roger,

I had been researching replacement refrigerators for our 2001 U320. I hit a wall, as to what Dometic unit could be installed, and still am confused. I, then, read this post and your post of three years ago. Where can I find the details of how you removed the side window?? Are there any two or three way Dometic or another brand that could be used? What are the downsides of wanting a propane backup? We have about 360 Watts of solar? on our coach, but I am very weak in the area of inverters and using residential refrigerators, as replacements. I guess I will be doing a lot more research. Thanks for any direction in pursuing this possible renovation. Seems like it could be a lot of work!!??
thanks

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #9 – May 10, 2017, 09:21:35 pm

Quote from: morninghill – May 10, 2017, 12:22:57 pm

Had the same refer installed, had a $600 service call. Repair guys said fairly common in this model.

If you don't mind telling...what was the problem that resulted in a service call? We have the same Samsung fridge.

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #10 – May 10, 2017, 09:47:52 pm

MIke,

Ours is at three years now. Absolutely no problems. Extended warranty was more for peace of mind, it was pretty cheap. The store said that the most likely thing to fail would be some electronic part which are fairly simple to replace. If you are not using the ice maker be sure to turn it off, a common mistake.

Glen,

Opinions vary depending on how you use your coach. If you are a hard core boondocker then you need plenty of solar with a residential refrig. If you stay in campgrounds mostly where power is available or you are OK using your generator then there are more options.

Your coach is just like mine. You have to remove the window sill, the side trim pieces and the top valence. And the shade. Then remove all of the screws around the inside window trim ring. The window should be very well stuck in place with the sealant originally used. Some pushing from the inside with someone on the outside will get a spot to come loose. Some low temp application with a heat gun (emphasis on low temp) will soften the sealant. A thin paint scraper will help. Be careful with the gel coat. You can put a strip of duct tape along the edge of the window to protect the gel coat. It takes some patience and time to work the window loose and then out. It weighs a bit more than you might think so a couple people ready to grab it is a good idea.

Use paint thinner to help clean off the old sealant. Do not use toluene or acetone, it will take the paint off the window frame.

Xtreme sells a rubber gasket to use instead of the sealant. It is $1/ft.

Our Dometic was cooling very slowly and not very cold. No leaks that we could see. We added a fire suppression system but were just nervous about a refrigerator fire. We saw one coach burn to the frame. Scary. And then a FT had a refrig fire, limited damage. That owner replace his with a 12 volt compressor driven reftigerator, it might have been 120v too. And it was several thousand $.

Our remove and replace, adjusting plumbing and electric, cabinet work was less than 30 hrs. Planning and thinking was extra.

The residential option loses the space under the Dometic. The space next to the Samsung is much more useful. And there is a huge unused space under your J dinette. And your kitchen drawers can be 30" deep instead of 20". It is like 50% more kitchen drawer space. And the Samsung is almost twice as big as the Dometic. For us in every way it is a huge benefit.

With no additional battery capacity your unplugged time will be less with out using the generator. If you remove the big LP tank and replace it with an 11 lb tanks for example there is plenty of room of another 8D in there or 2-4 L16 sized 6 volt batteries. 830 amp hrs. The other side can hold six 335 amp hr 6 volt batteries on one level, 1005 amp hrs. If your ProSine is working then it should keep working. If it quits there are other good options. It is hard to successfully mix older and newer batteries. And battery weight needs to be considered. So all of this takes some planning and thinking.

Any solar adds some duration but not much if you drive and stay over night when solar doesn't help.

Send me a PM and we can carry on with regular email and pictures.

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #11 – May 10, 2017, 10:59:13 pm

Almost 5k for a fridge is absulutly ridiculous... imo ... sorry! I did it for under 1k for our previous FT & I hope to do it for under 2k for our curent FT when it is time.

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #12 – May 11, 2017, 09:32:07 am

Not everyone can or wants to do it themselves. We did ours for a net out of pocket cost of about $800 including the extended warranty and renting a lift. Sold the working Dometic to a cabin owner. New Dometics can be several thousand $ as are 12v compressor driven refrigerator/freezers. Labor is quite a bit and more if you want any cabinet work done. Compared to some of the projects I have done on our coach, this was pretty easy.

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #13 – May 11, 2017, 10:38:04 am

The refrigerator section kept getting warmer, wouldn't cool down. Eventually the air circulation vents became clogged with ice, blocked the fan, thermal fuse popped. They had to replace the defrost heater, fan and the panel in the back of the refrigerator compartment..

Not fun when you're traveling, need to wait for a tech appt, then wait again for parts arrival, then another wait for tech to install parts. Started the process in Nac, finished in Portland, OR.

Problem has recurred, tech due tomorrow. If the problem is the same and price is similar, this refer gets tossed, a new one goes in. (Same model, fingers crossed.)

Freezer has worked consistently so we have been freezing blue ice, moving it to refer compartment, using refer compartment as an ice chest. Gets old fast.

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #14 – May 11, 2017, 11:15:01 am

I had read that Dometic RM 1350 replaced my RM 1258?? Then I read that there were LOTS of problems with that model!!??? Doesn't Dometic give any consideration to replacement refrigerators? And what about the concern about fires....we leave our pet in the mh ALOT....bad enough I have to worry about if the A/C goes out while we are gone.....fire??!!..... liability??!! I knew I was in for some "lessons" when we bought a 16 year old coach, but this is bordering on ridiculous. Aside for the cost, there should be some clear choices here. I am just not 100% on board with residential refer, at this time. That, in spite of the fact that more and more of the top end coaches are coming out " all electric". What are the top end sailboats using?? Certainly, THEY are concerned about fires!!??? I don't need a changeout today, but I feel it is inevitable. Thanks for the response.

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #15 – May 11, 2017, 11:24:30 am

Glenn

There are options - Danfoss based - try the search function on the Forum, you will see lots of inputs on efficiency, cost, fire hazard ad nauseam re refrigerators.... almost as bad as politics, religion, batteries or tires....

Dometic, like most big companies is concerned with bottom line and what the RV manufacturers want to put in their new products. So unfortunately when the inevitable replacement time comes for us - often an exact fit is not available. For us, the residential was an easier fit than the recommended Dometic replacement which fit not a bit - in my case it was a counter depth french door unit, made to fit in a 36" wide opening (it is 35 5/8 wide) - required Minimal cabinet mods (take out cabinet below RV ref ridge because residential taller than RV

And, we have Foretravels. Most SOB units live about as long as the refrigerator the OEM installed at the date of manufacturer........so less worry about a replacement market

Residential is nice, can be lower cost to install than new RV Refrigerator, near zero fire risk, more space, more electrical consumption suggesting less boon docking, or more penny use or substantial solar investment if boon docking a lot

Danfoss units are VERY efficient and come with near near fire risk, can be made to order to fit your space, but that drives up cost.

Or, buy the the RV fridge that is a close fit, and modify cabinet

again, the search function will bring up literally thousands of posts on this topic

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #16 – May 11, 2017, 11:57:11 am

This is my opinion:
remove window & reinstall: 90 min
remove fridge: 60 min
move in & install fridge: 90 min
carpentry: 4hr
Total labor hours: 8 HR (8hrx $110 $880 )
allocate for material: $500
Total cost $1,380
Plus the fridge you purchase.
Furthermore I would not chose a fridge that requires a window to be removed. Many great size refrigerators can be moved in through the door when fridge door is removed. If and when the fridge needs to be replaced again I would not want to have to remove a window. Wants, needs, and options ... to each his own. This would make me happy.
Do what makes you happy & enjoy :-)

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #17 – May 11, 2017, 11:57:42 am

or buy a smaller residential like many of us have which will keep down costs, be easier to install and use less 12v than the big ones do thereby allowing longer use on batteries etc etc. We do not live in our coach but if we did tis Whirlpool 11 cu ft would be the one we use. I guess if you are hundreds of miles away from civilization for many weeks then a bigger one may be usefull, but as stores are usually close this one can certainly carry enough food for 4 or 5 days.
No changes needed in cabinetry once old one is out and no windows needed to be removed. Once it is in you can figure out what you want to do with left over space. I built a slide out cabinet that is great for us.
JohnH

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #18 – May 11, 2017, 01:03:20 pm

Everyone has different food time frames. We are frequently in places for a couple weeks or more where the nearest real grocery store might be 40 miles away. So a good sized freezer and refrigerator works for us. There are lots of options. Replacing the LP refrigerator with one about the same size didn't work for us.

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #19 – April 30, 2019, 12:01:30 pm

My turn in this barrel. My philosophy through our fulltiming years has been that it is better to keep an absorption refrigerator running. Never had a problem with any absorption recovery in sixteen years of fulltiming. They were only turned off to defrost the units. Well after parking the coach in our back "dooryard" (as we Maineacs say) I turned off our Dometic. And now the sucker doesn't work. The freezer gets cold but the refrigerator portion does not cool. Not sure what I'm going to do yet but I'm through spending coach bucks on this unit..

Roland

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #20 – April 30, 2019, 12:06:14 pm

Roland,

How long since it was turned on?

The "coolant" always goes to the freezer first. Then to the refrigerator. So wait 24 hours with it running to declare it DOA.

And, if on propane, sure worth doing a "burner area tune-up". Reduced flame size from clogged jet, rust blockage in burner tube, low propane pressure, etc all reduce cooling capacity.

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #21 – April 30, 2019, 12:09:10 pm

Coach is sitting level?

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #22 – April 30, 2019, 01:52:51 pm

Coach is level and the system checks out OK. Unit has been on for a couple days absolutely no cooling on the refrigerator side, freezer side is working Coach has not been moved for several months. Did have the refrigerator running in early March for a while, ran well, turned it off BIG MISTAKE now is kaput.

Roland

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #23 – April 30, 2019, 03:53:22 pm

Quote from: GleamB – May 10, 2017, 07:29:17 pm

Roger,

I had been researching replacement refrigerators for our 2001 U320. I hit a wall, as to what Dometic unit could be installed, and still am confused. I, then, read this post and your post of three years ago. Where can I find the details of how you removed the side window?? Are there any two or three way Dometic or another brand that could be used? What are the downsides of wanting a propane backup? We have about 360 Watts of solar? on our coach, but I am very weak in the area of inverters and using residential refrigerators, as replacements. I guess I will be doing a lot more research. Thanks for any direction in pursuing this possible renovation. Seems like it could be a lot of work!!??
thanks

Glen. You need to talk to Ted and Karen. They replaced the absorption cooling unit with a 12V cooling unit. Very impressive, a lot less money. It's basically the same foot print as your existing cooling unit except it uses only a 12V compressor. That's the way I would go.

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #24 – April 30, 2019, 04:19:06 pm

I just installed the JC compressor based cooling unit in my Dometic NDR1292 refrigerator. No install video or directions. It did not come with all of the sheet metal to attach control board or wiring but it was a small job to make the parts. Removing the refrigerator and the cooling unit was about 90 minutes and I did the conversion in the coach. Installing the new cooling unit was about an hour and took longer than it should have as the foam did not fit my NDR1292 very well. cleanup, wiring and reinstall was about 2 hours. Very quiet and cools very quickly. With a new video (in the works) and some of the sheet metal the total job could be completed in about 3 hours.

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