Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #50 – February 24, 2023, 10:43:38 pm Elliot, X2 with Justin, For OUR lifestyle the absorption fridge is fine with the ARP and my wallet is much heavier. I'll be long dead before I would ever break even with the expense of solar etc. Jim. Quote Selected 1 Likes
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #51 – February 25, 2023, 09:50:47 am Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – February 23, 2023, 02:38:04 pmNorcold recommends that their refrigerators operate within 3 degrees off level side-to-side and 6 degrees off level front-to-back. We shut ours off if parked for lunch or at a view point and the coach is not fairly level. PierceSo I agree they should not be operated out of level!!! I just select the auto level almost every stop and dont worry about it because the coach is leveled. If it's not within its range I generally dont park there anyway with the exception of its storage area and put ramps under the front tire to assist in getting back in the level range. BUT I would like to bring to attention, its not premeditated stops that concern me. What worries me is if you have a blow out, and have stopped out of level, first priority is to Turn the fridge off before the ARP gets the opportunity to do its job, and. At that moment you're distracted with other issues. IMO.Scott Quote Selected 7 Likes
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #52 – July 08, 2023, 04:46:45 pm This is a GREAT video on how to change a cooling unit in a Dometic Fridge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlVOjiT9beU Quote Selected 2 Likes
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #53 – July 08, 2023, 07:38:26 pm Well, My Dometic RM 4804 Died on my last trip to SoCal. 27 years old, so it is about time. caught a whiff of ammonia and shut it down. Luckily I had a small compressor fridge/freezer with me so i did not loose much. I want to keep the fridge an am looking for an Amish rebuilt cooling unit. Am not having much luck. JC refrigeration's site is being rebuilt and Cooling Unit Warehouse does not seem to have any listed. Any other suggestions? TIA Quote Selected
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #54 – July 08, 2023, 08:01:45 pm I searched google and ebay and came up with nothing. Good luck. If you decide to go new, I'm real happy with my Norcold N811. Quote Selected 1 Likes
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #55 – July 08, 2023, 08:46:07 pm Quote from: Cpt_kludge – July 08, 2023, 07:38:26 pmWell, My Dometic RM 4804 Died on my last trip to SoCal. 27 years old, so it is about time. caught a whiff of ammonia and shut it down. Luckily I had a small compressor fridge/freezer with me so i did not loose much. I want to keep the fridge an am looking for an Amish rebuilt cooling unit. Am not having much luck. JC refrigeration's site is being rebuilt and Cooling Unit Warehouse does not seem to have any listed. Any other suggestions? TIACall them Quote Selected 4 Likes
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #56 – July 11, 2023, 11:05:19 pm Quote from: Cpt_kludge – July 08, 2023, 07:38:26 pm... I want to keep the fridge an am looking for an Amish rebuilt cooling unit. Am not having much luck. JC refrigeration's site is being rebuilt and Cooling Unit Warehouse does not seem to have any listed. Any other suggestions? TIAI agree. Call JC or email them. They were always quick to respond. Myron and JR were super nice. The trip to Shipshewana is just a bonus. Make sure to leave time for the flea market, shopping, eating pretzels, dutch apple pie, and "Amish Crack" at Rise and Roll. Quote Selected 1 Likes
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #57 – July 12, 2023, 09:16:48 am Quote from: Cpt_kludge – July 08, 2023, 07:38:26 pmWell, My Dometic RM 4804 Died on my last trip to SoCal. 27 years old, so it is about time. caught a whiff of ammonia and shut it down. Luckily I had a small compressor fridge/freezer with me so i did not loose much. I want to keep the fridge an am looking for an Amish rebuilt cooling unit. Am not having much luck. JC refrigeration's site is being rebuilt and Cooling Unit Warehouse does not seem to have any listed. Any other suggestions? TIAThe Dutch Aire system is intriguing if you don't dry camp, or want to take up Solar Cells and Batteries as a hobby.JCRefrigeration manufactures new cooling units, so why not give them a call and see what the lead time is for a new one, installed by them?I've included a photo of "the inside you don't see," and that loop sticking up is located inside the divider wall in the freezer compartment, and it does make a difference keeping frozen stuff frozen in the summertime. But then again so does the separate cooling unit for the ice maker.Dometic 12V Hvac Cooling Unit Archives - JC Refrigeration Quote Selected 1 Likes
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #58 – July 12, 2023, 10:25:09 am Quote from: fourdayoff – February 24, 2023, 10:43:38 pmElliot, X2 with Justin, For OUR lifestyle the absorption fridge is fine with the ARP and my wallet is much heavier. I'll be long dead before I would ever break even with the expense of solar etc. Jim. Solar is not that expensive. We spent $1400 on ours and the same system today will cost the same. Plus, you don't have to worry about getting home if you lose alternator, wake up with flat batteries. On our latest trip, very few campers ran generators and kept it short when they did. Nice to get up in the morning and have it quiet. Our Norcold works great. I'm taking an old Japanese absorption fridge from the 1970's to the dump that still works. After a week of the only propane use for cooking, our propane gauge is still on the same place as when we arrived thanks to solar. Pierce Quote Selected 1 Likes
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #59 – July 19, 2023, 07:07:49 pm Quote from: Old Toolmaker – July 12, 2023, 09:16:48 amThe Dutch Aire system is intriguing if you don't dry camp, or want to take up Solar Cells and Batteries as a hobby.JCRefrigeration manufactures new cooling units, so why not give them a call and see what the lead time is for a new one, installed by them?I've included a photo of "the inside you don't see," and that loop sticking up is located inside the divider wall in the freezer compartment, and it does make a difference keeping frozen stuff frozen in the summertime. But then again so does the separate cooling unit for the ice maker.Dometic 12V Hvac Cooling Unit Archives - JC RefrigerationLooks like that is a 12c compressor fridge. I cannot find anyone that has a cooling unit for the 4804. too old they say. Looking at the RM 2862, RM 3962, and the NDR 1062 IM. Would like an ice-maker and 3way, but don't need a 9cuft as it is just me.Ideas/recommendations? BTW, I only have the original converter. have not put in an inverter yet. Quote Selected
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #60 – July 19, 2023, 07:32:16 pm Not sure there are any RIGHT/WRONG answers.If you don't do much dry camping, an PSW inverter and residential refrigerator are about the same price as a replacement absorption refrigerator. Quote Selected
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #61 – July 22, 2023, 06:16:00 pm Quote from: wolfe10 – July 19, 2023, 07:32:16 pmNot sure there are any RIGHT/WRONG answers.If you don't do much dry camping, an PSW inverter and residential refrigerator are about the same price as a replacement absorption refrigerator.That is an option. I have my batt pack to install and am researching the best inverter for the config of the pack. It will give me at least 1KAh in a 300lb package. I would prefer a 3 way but I hear they don't make them anymore that will fit my space. I don't NEED a large fridge, but would rather not have to try blocking openings or building shelves. I would like an Ice maker, but can live with just a freezer area One thing I don't know yet is if the area behind the ice maker is open or a step up to the bottom of the fridge itself. Quote Selected
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #62 – July 22, 2023, 06:25:57 pm Our 1993 probably has the same fridge enclosure. To fit the Norcold, I had to make a flat bottom for it to sit on as the bottom for the Dometic was not flat and now with the flat bottom, the floor is several more inches below the outside vent door.The twin electrical outets are next to the outside vent and are prone to corrosion. I changed ours to 20 amp as they are more HD construction compared to the 15 amp. The wood right below the vent door had dry rot so was replaced. Pierce Quote Selected 2 Likes
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #63 – July 22, 2023, 06:27:47 pm We replaced our OEM Dometic fridge with this.https://www.homedepot.com/p/Magic-Chef-10-1-cu-ft-Top-Freezer-Refrigerator-in-Black-HMDR1000BE/302245062We added a separate, dedicated inverter. The 'floor' had to be lowered one inch. Other than that it fit perfectly, no woodworking required. We are thrilled with the difference. The fridge and freezer are always the same temp. The capacity is much larger than what we had.No regrets, other than waiting so long to make the change. We can go about 8 hours on our batteries (2 8D's) before we fire up the engine, generator or plug in. We don't boondock so it works for us. Quote Selected 2 Likes
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #64 – July 24, 2023, 02:55:13 pm Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – July 22, 2023, 06:25:57 pmOur 1993 probably has the same fridge enclosure. To fit the Norcold, I had to make a flat bottom for it to sit on as the bottom for the Dometic was not flat and now with the flat bottom, the floor is several more inches below the outside vent door.The twin electrical outets are next to the outside vent and are prone to corrosion. I changed ours to 20 amp as they are more HD construction compared to the 15 amp. The wood right below the vent door had dry rot so was replaced. PierceThanks, I'll be looking at the space behind the Ice maker compressor to see if it is open. The way space is utilized on this coach it would not surprise me if that space were occupied by something I don't want to remove lol I will be checking for dry rot and electrical corrosion. Thanks Quote Selected
Re: Time to replace refrigerator? Reply #65 – July 24, 2023, 02:58:41 pm Quote from: Jeff & Sandy – July 22, 2023, 06:27:47 pmWe replaced our OEM Dometic fridge with this.https://www.homedepot.com/p/Magic-Chef-10-1-cu-ft-Top-Freezer-Refrigerator-in-Black-HMDR1000BE/302245062We added a separate, dedicated inverter. The 'floor' had to be lowered one inch. Other than that it fit perfectly, no woodworking required. We are thrilled with the difference. The fridge and freezer are always the same temp. The capacity is much larger than what we had.No regrets, other than waiting so long to make the change. We can go about 8 hours on our batteries (2 8D's) before we fire up the engine, generator or plug in. We don't boondock so it works for us.Nice. No icemaker, but only pulls 1.4A at 110v. A small inverter would run it fine good price and other that an inch deeper looks like it would fit(assuming there is no step or it is removable). Thanks Quote Selected
Topic: Time to replace refrigerator?