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09-08-2019, 06:35 PM
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#1
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Nokomis
Posts: 464
M.O.C. #18144
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Replace RV Fridge to Residential
Has anyone replace their RV style fridge with a residential style?
My Norcold 2118 uses so much electricity, to the point that at my seasonal site its an extra 50-60 a month just from the fridge, that I am considering removing it from my RV, selling it, and installing a residential style fridge that is much more efficient.
Any one done it before? Is it pretty straight forward, out with the old in with the new? Cap the propane line and be done with it?
thanks
__________________
Ed
2016 Montana 3950 BR
2004 Montana 3650 RK
2019 Ram 3500 SRW Laramie CTD 6.7
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09-08-2019, 07:02 PM
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#2
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New Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Daleville
Posts: 7
M.O.C. #20537
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Replaced and loving it
We had the Norcold 2118 in our 2017 Montana 3820FK, and from day one we had nothing but trouble with it. We lost more "RV" enjoyment time from it, DW finally said enough. Had RV fridge pulled out by Modern Trailer Sales in Anderson, IN (still have it if anyone interested in parts), and bought a four door residential fridge that I installed. Problem solved.
Hardest part was securing to cabinet, but rigged tie down on floor of cabinet.
Should have ordered residential from beginning.
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07-08-2023, 08:34 AM
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#3
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New Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Clairmont
Posts: 9
M.O.C. #26625
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Twinstax
We had the Norcold 2118 in our 2017 Montana 3820FK, and from day one we had nothing but trouble with it. We lost more "RV" enjoyment time from it, DW finally said enough. Had RV fridge pulled out by Modern Trailer Sales in Anderson, IN (still have it if anyone interested in parts), and bought a four door residential fridge that I installed. Problem solved.
Hardest part was securing to cabinet, but rigged tie down on floor of cabinet.
Should have ordered residential from beginning.
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What refrigerator did you replace it with?
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09-09-2019, 07:55 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake Gaston
Posts: 8,773
M.O.C. #12156
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Have helped two of my snowbird neighbors. It is straightforward. Some trim work will be required, in both instances where I helped, units were fifthwheels, standard entry doors, and both old and new frigs fit thru the door with frig doors removed. If a drawer under the frig, additional work to create a base likely required. Some cover the vents, we left open, capped the propane line. Hardest part was selection of a frig that would fit properly in the space. We found the rv frig to be heavier than the replacement, but two man job to get in and out.
__________________
Mike and Lorraine
2002 3655 FL, 2005 3650RK
2010 3665RE, 2015 3910FB
F350 crew cab dually 6.7
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09-09-2019, 09:07 AM
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#5
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: El Paso
Posts: 68
M.O.C. #21551
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I think it's possible to do however you would need to install and inverter to supply 120v power to frig when on the road.
__________________
2017 3660FL ALPINE 6 SLIDE
2021 F350 DRW Long Bed 6.7 Diesel Lariat Ultimate
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09-09-2019, 09:32 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake Gaston
Posts: 8,773
M.O.C. #12156
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Inverter is not a necessity, but rather a factor of how you travel. For shorter distances, frig will stay cold for a few hours and recool quickly. On a seasonal site not necessary,. but handy if you experience power outage. On the new installs I posted about, we did not install inverters, both bring units into Florida, one from Canada, one from PA. Both happy without inverters. When we go to Florida for the winter, we do 6 hour hops, use a bar frig we installed in the storage compartment, and don't even turn our RV frig on til we get there.
__________________
Mike and Lorraine
2002 3655 FL, 2005 3650RK
2010 3665RE, 2015 3910FB
F350 crew cab dually 6.7
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09-22-2019, 01:30 PM
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#7
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: somerville
Posts: 135
M.O.C. #12636
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Us too. Never had a problem with frozen items on our longest drive around 10+ hours. We don’t dry camp so saw no need for inverter. Wouldn’t go back, Love our Samsung(same model Keystone used 2 years ago).
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09-22-2019, 05:45 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Bee Branch
Posts: 2,620
M.O.C. #20693
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jcurryii
Us too. Never had a problem with frozen items on our longest drive around 10+ hours. We don’t dry camp so saw no need for inverter. Wouldn’t go back, Love our Samsung(same model Keystone used 2 years ago).
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That's us too.
Unless you boondock there really isn't a good reason to have an RV fridge. They don't perform as well as even the cheaper residential and folks seem to have more trouble with them. You can buy two residential for the cost of one RV version too.
__________________
James & Irene Wilson
Bee Branch, AR.
2017 Ram 1 ton diesel duallyCrew Cab/Long Bed
2018 Montana High Country 381TH Garage Full of Toys
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09-09-2019, 09:32 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Folsom, California
Posts: 552
M.O.C. #21903
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Here's a link to a company that sells a 12 volt DC kit to retrofit a compressor based system into your existing rv refrigerator. No cabinet modifications or inverter required.
https://jc-refrigeration.com/products/
__________________
'05 F250 6.0 Bullet Proofed - Sold
'17 F350 6.7 Lariet
'02 Montana 3280RL Upgraded a bunch.
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09-09-2019, 10:09 AM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Folsom, California
Posts: 552
M.O.C. #21903
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hblick48
Here's a link to a company that sells a 12 volt DC kit to retrofit a compressor based system into your existing rv refrigerator. No cabinet modifications or inverter required.
https://jc-refrigeration.com/products/
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Edited: My bad...it is a 120 volt AC, so an inverter would be required.
__________________
'05 F250 6.0 Bullet Proofed - Sold
'17 F350 6.7 Lariet
'02 Montana 3280RL Upgraded a bunch.
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09-22-2019, 03:14 PM
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#11
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Prescott
Posts: 82
M.O.C. #22749
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Will this conversion work with the Norcold 2118?
__________________
Larry and Linda Stetz
2018 3820FK
2019 F350 Lariet DRW 14000# GVWR 6.7 Turbo Diesel
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09-22-2019, 04:06 PM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Indian Land
Posts: 1,142
M.O.C. #9808
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hblick48
Here's a link to a company that sells a 12 volt DC kit to retrofit a compressor based system into your existing rv refrigerator. No cabinet modifications or inverter required.
https://jc-refrigeration.com/products/
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Says you need 600 watt inverter, so is not 12 volt. Would be nice if it was 12 volt. I think there is a 24 volt DC refrigerator out there.
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09-23-2019, 10:38 AM
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#13
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Nokomis
Posts: 464
M.O.C. #18144
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hblick48
Here's a link to a company that sells a 12 volt DC kit to retrofit a compressor based system into your existing rv refrigerator. No cabinet modifications or inverter required.
https://jc-refrigeration.com/products/
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Just noticed this now, ill take a look thanks
__________________
Ed
2016 Montana 3950 BR
2004 Montana 3650 RK
2019 Ram 3500 SRW Laramie CTD 6.7
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12-10-2019, 02:24 PM
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#14
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Established Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Powell
Posts: 21
M.O.C. #14478
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need help fast
Our norcold 1210 finally bit the dust. Service tech, who i trust, said blockage in the system. Needs new cooling system or replace with res fridge. We're leaning toward the res fridge.
We have a 2014 3402RL. Does anybody have any suggestions as to brand that you have good experience with?
Thanks folks!
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12-10-2019, 02:48 PM
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#15
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Indian Land
Posts: 1,142
M.O.C. #9808
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomzspot
Our norcold 1210 finally bit the dust. Service tech, who i trust, said blockage in the system. Needs new cooling system or replace with res fridge. We're leaning toward the res fridge.
We have a 2014 3402RL. Does anybody have any suggestions as to brand that you have good experience with?
Thanks folks!
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I believe there is a kit to replace current RV Fridges cooling unit with a DC compressor. Not sure if I saw it here or on YouTube. I have a residential frig, (from factory), but you will need major upgrades to you battery system if you want to boondock. I have 1,200 watts of solar and 800 AH of Lithium batteries, and on cloudy days, I still have to run the generator for 1-2 hours.
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09-09-2019, 09:59 AM
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#16
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Lake Havasu City AZ.
Posts: 1,811
M.O.C. #10552
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Wow what a find. THANK you. I put this info in my folder for when my fridge goes out. Much better than trying to get a residential fridge to fit.
__________________
Wayne and Ann Moore
2015 Ford F-350 King Ranch
Firestone air bags, bed saver.
Add 40 GAL tank in bed.
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09-22-2019, 01:42 PM
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#17
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Long Isalnd
Posts: 136
M.O.C. #23929
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I’m with you on the amount of electricity. I just got a 2019 3791RD and it has the residential fridge. My bill for just the RV fridge running for the month was $64. Now it’s less than $20.
__________________
Don and Kathleen
2019 Montana 3791RD 20th anniversary.
2014 Ram 3500 Dually CC, CTD, Aisin “Kasper”
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09-22-2019, 02:34 PM
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#18
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New Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Wasilla
Posts: 2
M.O.C. #18351
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We did it too.
My wife and I replaced our RV fridge with a residential. Totally worth it. The OEM fridge stopped working in Canada on our maiden voyage from AK to IL. We stuffed it with ice to get us to IL, then did the swap in the Granite City KOA. We chose not to install an inverter for some of the same reasons already voiced. It works well for us. I plan to install solar someday when we aren’t living in it. We full time currently in central WA. Anyhow, good luck making the switch. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
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09-22-2019, 02:44 PM
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#19
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Jefferson
Posts: 75
M.O.C. #23206
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Stsy away from a Samsung. For the third time another Samsung residential Refrigerator is being replaced under warranty. No adjustment to freezer which runs at -20 degrees. Bad supply of Samsung???
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09-22-2019, 04:18 PM
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#20
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Willis
Posts: 896
M.O.C. #20587
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill M
Stsy away from a Samsung. For the third time another Samsung residential Refrigerator is being replaced under warranty. No adjustment to freezer which runs at -20 degrees. Bad supply of Samsung???
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That's pretty nuts. On the inside of the cover that encloses the PCB on back or on top is a wiring diagram. If it is not there then glued to the back of the unit. Might find it online with a model# search. The temp sensor for the freezer can easily be checked from the board. Also the sensor chart can be found online but is below. You may have gotten techs that were not worth their pay. If the sensor is good, then the PCB need replacing most likely.
__________________
2018 Montana 3791RD (SOLD)
2017 Ram 3500 DRW 6.7 Cummins Aisin, B&W RVK3600 (SOLD)
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