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Residential Fridge

Well, after a short trip from MOT the other day, I made the trip up to Lonoke, AR and Chris and Elka Lang's home.  I had asked Chris if he would help me put this new fridge in and without hesitation, he said, let's do this. My quest was to remove the original Dometic and install the Samsung RF18.  Chris and Elka are special people and Chris has some special talents to say the least.  His help and expertise made this job doable! 
Getting ready to remove the old fridge, Ron Clark showed up as well and immediately jumped in to assist.  Many thanks to Ron as well.  We did take the old side by side out the front door with great care.  A short drive the next day with the coach and with the help of the Lowe's associates in Jacksonville, AR, we got the new fridge sitting up in the living room floor and off we went back to Chris's.
With Chris's engineering , we now have a shiny new fridge in our coach.  I have some finishing up to do, but here are a few photos of the job.  We are blessed to have such great people on this forum who are willing to use their expertise, wisdom and camaraderie to assist those of us who are in need of their help!  On a side note, wife is very happy as well!

Photo 1: old Dometic;  #2, frame work from bottom doors still in place; #3, frame work removed an6d 3/4 inch plywood installed;
#4, new Samsung in livingroom;  #5, Chris hard at it; #6, new fridge.  We moved fridge to far right side to clear the plumbing behind the fridge and installed a 2x6 to fill in the gap.  Walnut strip to finish it off and then some trim around the top and sides.



Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #1 –
Great job and excellent co-op work by Forum Members!  You will enjoy the new fridge!

I hope you saved the walnut panels off the old fridge, and the small cabinet doors from below the fridge.  Those pieces can often be reused for other projects.  We used the doors from below our old fridge to cover the hole when we removed the OEM ice maker.  By simply flipping one of them over they fit the space perfectly.  Added some drawers to the open space for additional storage.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #2 –
Congratulations on a job well done. We consider our Samsung RF18 to be an ourstanding improvement and I think you will too!
David and Carolyn Osborn
1995 U320C SE 40' Build 4726 Feb 1995
FMCA 147762
Motorcade 17186

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #3 –
You'll need a "door keeper" for the fridge to avoid catastrophes.  Thread below has several different ideas:

Samsung Freezer latching system idea
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #4 –
We secure our refrigerator doors with a strip of Velcro wrapped tightly around both handles. We secure our freezer door with a lock designed to secure patio doors. We purchased ours at Home Depot, while Lowes and other locations have similar latches. We mounted the latch to the side of the freezer door with VHB tape (don't want to drill into the refrigerator or freezer and disturb the insulation) and then screwed the other portion of the latch into the wood beside the freezer door. This solution has worked perfectly for a few thousand miles.
David and Carolyn Osborn
1995 U320C SE 40' Build 4726 Feb 1995
FMCA 147762
Motorcade 17186

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Chuck & Jeannie –
Great job and excellent coop work by Forum Members!  You will enjoy the new fridge!

I hope you saved the walnut panels off the old fridge, and the small cabinet doors from below the fridge.  Those pieces can often be reused for other projects.  We used the doors from below our old fridge to cover the hole when we removed the OEM ice maker.  By simply flipping one of them over they fit the space perfectly.  Added some drawers to the open space for additional storage.

I sold the old fridge and they wanted the panels.  I did save the bottom doors.
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #6 –
Quote from: D.J. Osborn –
We secure our refrigerator doors with a strip of Velcro wrapped tightly around both handles. We secure our freezer door with a lock designed to secure patio doors. We purchased ours at Home Depot, while Lowes and other locations have similar latches. We mounted the latch to the side of the freezer door with VHB tape (don't want to drill into the refrigerator or freezer and disturb the insulation) and then screwed the other portion of the latch into the wood beside the freezer door. This solution has worked perfectly for a few thousand miles.


Thank you, yes, I am in the process of making an item to secure the doors now.  Great idea on securing your fridge as well!
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #7 –
Quote from: juicesqueezer –
  We moved fridge to far right side to clear the plumbing behind the fridge and installed a 2x6 to fill in the gap.  Walnut strip to finish it off and then some trim around the top and sides.

Just don't let your wife see what John H did with that 6 inches of space....slide out vertical pantry.  I actually installed one in my house and it's great!  And here you thought you were done......
"Not so  long ago we were a nation of risk takers, riding five million pounds of  thrust straight into space."  Joe Gresh
Chuck Pearson
1996 U295
2018 Can Am X3 TurboRS

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #8 –
Nice job Chris and Joe and Ron.  We did our Samsung five years ago.  40,000 miles later, perfect.  I added a full height pantry to the right of ours, 22" deep, designed to fit some of our odd stuff and kitchen things.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Chuck Pearson –
Just don't let your wife see what John H did with that 6 inches of space....slide out vertical pantry.  I actually installed one in my house and it's great!  And here you thought you were done......

What she doesn't miss won't hurt her!  lol
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #10 –
Thanks Roger!  Ron and I were the laborers and Chris was the master mechanic!  lol
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #11 –
This is our door lock when on the road.  Easy to use, a simple board with felt like material on each side.
97 U295 40, Build #5040, 6C8.3 325 HP
Oregon Continuous Traveler
Samsung Residential #RF20HFENBSR,
Xantrex SW2012, (3)AGM8D Hse, (2)AGM Grp24 Eng, Victron BMV-712, 1800w Solar 4 LG & 2 Sunpower
Extreme Full Body Pt w/hdlmps, new furn/floor, 4 down Lexus 2004 GX470 AWD curb weight 4,740 lbs
Prev: 1990 Barth, 10L 300 2 yrs; 91&92 Monaco Signature, 10 yrs, 10L C 300 &  6C8.3 300; 1997 ForeT 6C8.3 325 since May 2017.  Employed by Guaranty RV 14+ yrs.  Former VW New Car Dlr/Service Dlr, Sales Mgr, Rv Sales, and Service Adviser from 1968-2017
"Don't criticize what you can't understand" Bob Dylan

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Jack Lewis –
This is our door lock when on the road.  Easy to use, a simple board with felt like material on each side.
We use the same basic design...works great!  In the 5 years since we started using it, never had a door or freezer drawer pop open.

We got our idea from Bob & Faith Rozek (Wattalife54).  Thanks Guys!

Samsung Freezer latching system idea
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #13 –
I made one out of one of the DW's  Teflon cutting boards. Non marring.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #14 –
I understand from posters here that the rf-18 runs around 125 amp hours per 24 hours use?

We have a new 4 door 22 cu ft Samsung in our house and I works well.  Black stainless steel.

The counter depth 3 door looks good if you do have the amp hours for it.

I wonder how many amp hours our Dometic chest refer/freezer runs under the coach per 24 hours?

Anyone checked it consumption? 
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #15 –

No one can measure how much your freezer uses but you.  Easy to do if you want to.
The newest (much more efficient) Dometic Freezer Amazon.com: Dometic CF80 12v Electric Powered Cooler, Fridge Freezer: Automotive

It is 80 liters (2.8 cu ft) and uses 24 amp hrs/day. Scale it up to an 18 cu ft size and that is 155 amp hrs/day based on size.  23% more power use per cu ft than the Samsung.

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Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Residential Fridge

Reply #16 –
Nice job on the fridge install, juicesqueezer, and friends. Looks great. Really appreciate your sharing, especially since a similar project is in our future.
Greg & Cathy
2000 U320 4010 DGFE Build #5650
Had: 1999 Tradewinds 7370