Residential Refrigerator Upgrade - What are the Choices?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
Z

zieman

New member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Posts
2
I'm getting to replace our Dometic Side by side unit I've had it with all the issues, icing up all the time, Never cold enough...  I'm trying to pick which Ref'er , SamSung~LG~Frigidaire units all about same size..
Ill have to make some cabinet changes loose the two lower pull drawers and bulid a floor mount for the new unit...
I going to don this this Sept.. were on the road now and I need to get a place to to it (we are fully timers) 
Any suggestions would be help full.. 2002 Magna (CC) motor home with Maple Cabinets 
 
Ours is a 22 cubic foot Maytag with an ice-maker, and is physically larger (and heavier) than some other residential fridges found in RVs. It also consumes more power :p. If you don't boondock, that probably won't be much of an issue. If you do boondock, however, you may need to increase the size of your battery-bank and inverter - depending on what you've got now.

When you're taking measurements to see what kind of cabinet work will have to be done to make it fit, remember to take measurements of the doorway to make sure you can get it into the RV. Some folks have had to remove the fridge's doors (not usually a big deal), but I've heard horror stories of having to remove a windshield to get them in.

Kev
 
The choice will depend on your particular RV, i.e. the space available, room for door(s) to swing or freezer drawer to open. Every floor plan and model has slightly different challenges. And, of course, size is a factor too. Coming from 12 cubic ft, even a modest 14 ft will seem large, but some people feel they need 26 cu.ft!

One plus for Samsung: they rate their fridges to run on a modified sine inverter.
 
Two of our friends have had it done by Cruising America RV Service Co. in Celina, OH. Both are extremely satisfied and give it good reviews. 419-852-0791. Not affiliated in any way. I guess it depends on where you are located.
 
We have had great luck with our Samsung AC-197. Brick hard ice cream, no maintenance in two years, and little power draw. The 19 cubic feet seemed enormous after a Norcold but after two years it is crammed.


Here are my comments on power usage while on the Alaska Marine Highway this summer.


"An update on residential refrigerators. Our Samsung AC-197, which has it's own inverter, was on batteries for 30 hours and the battery voltage was still 12.2 volts (under load) when I went down to the car deck this morning. Yesterday afternoon after 20 hours or so the voltage was 12.4. Our 12 pounds of frozen halibut was still solid as a rock!"
 
Lots of good info.
I feel Gary has hit the nail on the head.

It comes down to footprint, personal likes and how you will power it.
 
Zieman

Here is a link to my refrig install on my 1999 Magna...http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,32067.0.html
 
Thanks, your model is very close to ours, is a 2002 with galley kitchen and the ref' is in the same place as yours. Just as i thought ill have to lower the bottom shelf.. I have furnace fan and ducting to protect (but I have room, the only things I concerned about are getting tho Dometic out and the new one in with out any damage, Ill remove the passengers seat and the scree door from the MH, My other concern is the depth ? a lot of the models we've been looking at are very deep. I'm trying to find one with in these ranges 68-70 (after modification to floor) tall Max, 34-35.5 wide (opening 36)
big concern is depth sense I have not removed the Dometic' I have 28 inches wall to face, I've found one SamSung that was 30 deep so far. 
 
zieman said:
Thanks, your model is very close to ours, is a 2002 with galley kitchen and the ref' is in the same place as yours. Just as i thought ill have to lower the bottom shelf.. I have furnace fan and ducting to protect (but I have room, the only things I concerned about are getting tho Dometic out and the new one in with out any damage, Ill remove the passengers seat and the scree door from the MH, My other concern is the depth ? a lot of the models we've been looking at are very deep. I'm trying to find one with in these ranges 68-70 (after modification to floor) tall Max, 34-35.5 wide (opening 36)
big concern is depth sense I have not removed the Dometic' I have 28 inches wall to face, I've found one SamSung that was 30 deep so far.
Click to expand...
Z,
We had the windshield replaced due to chips and cracks at the time of the install. That was covered by insurance.  We coordinated the replacement with the refrigerator removal and new install.  It is amazing what a forklift will do!  I still have tiny drawers under frig.  terry says if you got a counter depth frig you would not have to take it through the windshield .  You are going to love a new refrigerator!
 
We've heard from some techs that they no longer remove the windshield when replacing refrigerators.  They take them through side windows instead, assuming they fit, so check that as another option.

ArdraF
 
Zieman-  I am debating this change as well.  I have very limited options due to placement of the 1200 being partially in the hallway.  Hallway is about 27-28 inches wide.  I found a Whirlpool French door model that "may" work.  It is 30 inches wide and the height is good.  I have talked to Samsung folks  and Whirlpool folks and they both say they will honor warranty if placed in motorhome.  Have not found others that will, but there may be some. I will  most likely have to find a double door side by side.  I have found some side-by-side models that will work, but they are way to big.  If you find some good models, please post.  Both Lowes and Home Depot, as well as other big box stores, have a wide variety.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 1,713 (members: 35, guests: 1,678)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,976
Posts
1,388,553
Members
137,726
Latest member
CampMike2270
Back
Top Bottom