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Old 07-28-2020, 06:04 PM   #21
jimandlaurie
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We weren't interested in the Residential refer when we got our newest Montana, and as I have posted elsewhere our dealer would not have units with Residential refers because of the myriad of problems they had. If a customer really wanted one it would be special ordered.
 
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Old 07-28-2020, 06:56 PM   #22
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We love our residential fridge, but we have had it less than a year.

When it is a 100 outside, and the A/C is barely keeping up, the residential unit is always down to temp. The same couldn't be said of our RV fridge in our last 5'er. I also didn't like having to remember to turn it on 2 days in advance to get it cool. Haven't timed it, but the residential fridge is cooler much much faster.

Someone asked about the slide coming out, and I can't find the link right now, but there was a thread on here that the fridges WILL come of the Montana's without taking the slide out. Handles off, and possibly doors, depending, like was mentioned in this thread.

YMMV....
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Old 07-28-2020, 08:09 PM   #23
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Residential is power hungry, if you boondock a lot you'll need a large battery bank or reliable genny to keep up. Also advisable would be to have a decent solar system. RV fridges are more expensive to buy and more expensive to repair. but if you boondock you can get by with less battery or solar to run it since you are likely carrying propane to run it. If you go from power pole to power pole then residential is a viable option. Expect a residential to suck down 140AH a day when considering battery bank size.

We have a residential 18cuft... we love it, a choice. YMMV.
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Old 07-29-2020, 01:05 PM   #24
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Our Samsung Res Refer dead in 7 months

Our 2020 Montana 3701LK has been sitting dead in the water due to the Samsung fridge dying after less than 100 hours of use. Bad compressor, Samsung offering about $300 less than actual replacement cost and WILL NOT send replacement fridge, only coupon or credit. To get into a "Keystone authorized dealer" to receive actual 1st year warranty service requiring they diagnose what Samsung tech has already condemned in writing is 2 months after failure occured then as much as 3 weeks before they actually look at it but RV guys cant actually work on it-they have to call Samsung tech which we already did per their original instruction when we originally called them! Then when they order, they will find its at least 4-5 week delivery due to kungfu virus manufacturing delays. Holy runaround Batman. Bottomline: if we do nothing but wait our turn for Keystone dealer and Samsung to screw us around, we will lose a bit over 3-1/2 months of use out of our first 10 months of ownership on this RV for the dead fridge. We already lost 6 weeks waiting for other repairs to be done earlier in the year. We have contacted Keystone directly for assistance to no avail. Camper World where we bought what we thought was a high end product has been zero help.

Our summer travel plans are completely ruined. To try and save our fall plans, we have ordered the Samsung replacement ourselves with money from our own pockets and will find someone to help us get fridges in/out our RV. We will send all invoices to Keystone in hopes they have some honor and will reimburse us the difference in our out of pocket expenses. Needless to say there will be no compensation for our lost summer and numerous headaches fighting this problem. We have little confidence we wont be stranded somewhere far from home with some other problem this fall given the track record of this Montana to date.
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Old 07-29-2020, 01:48 PM   #25
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Our last 3 5ths have had residential fridges, in-laws last 2 motorhomes as well; no way I'd go back.

The issue isn't residential vs rv it is the size of the fridge. One could always cut up and remove the OEM residential and replace it with a smaller fridge and apprpriate cabinet fillers if trouble happened.

I don't really see this as a major issue.
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Old 07-29-2020, 01:53 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by Alan & Jan View Post
Our 2020 Montana 3701LK has been sitting dead in the water due to the Samsung fridge dying after less than 100 hours of use. Bad compressor, Samsung offering about $300 less than actual replacement cost and WILL NOT send replacement fridge, only coupon or credit. To get into a "Keystone authorized dealer" to receive actual 1st year warranty service requiring they diagnose what Samsung tech has already condemned in writing is 2 months after failure occured then as much as 3 weeks before they actually look at it but RV guys cant actually work on it-they have to call Samsung tech which we already did per their original instruction when we originally called them! Then when they order, they will find its at least 4-5 week delivery due to kungfu virus manufacturing delays. Holy runaround Batman. Bottomline: if we do nothing but wait our turn for Keystone dealer and Samsung to screw us around, we will lose a bit over 3-1/2 months of use out of our first 10 months of ownership on this RV for the dead fridge. We already lost 6 weeks waiting for other repairs to be done earlier in the year. We have contacted Keystone directly for assistance to no avail. Camper World where we bought what we thought was a high end product has been zero help.

Our summer travel plans are completely ruined. To try and save our fall plans, we have ordered the Samsung replacement ourselves with money from our own pockets and will find someone to help us get fridges in/out our RV. We will send all invoices to Keystone in hopes they have some honor and will reimburse us the difference in our out of pocket expenses. Needless to say there will be no compensation for our lost summer and numerous headaches fighting this problem. We have little confidence we wont be stranded somewhere far from home with some other problem this fall given the track record of this Montana to date.
that sucks,
but.... ummm.... you can't use the 5th wheel without a fridge? Perhaps via a cooler? Or toss a couple dorm fridges in and limp through while the mess is sorted.
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Old 07-29-2020, 05:57 PM   #27
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Apparently no one is listening. Samsung and or LG appliances are junk stay away from them at all cost. It's been said if they make cell phones you do not want to buy their appliances
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Old 07-29-2020, 06:05 PM   #28
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Apparently no one is listening. Samsung and or LG appliances are junk stay away from them at all cost. It's been said if they make cell phones you do not want to buy their appliances

I hear you but my experiences with Samsung products are exactly opposite than yours. Although I've never had a Samsung refrigerator I have to believe the experiences I've had with all their other products, and the quality I've seen, will be in this fridge as well.
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Old 07-29-2020, 07:20 PM   #29
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psford you probably need to do a new thread on your questions.


batteries vary soooo much how long do you want to use them without 120volts???


generator? how frequently are you going to use it?


lots of questions
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Old 07-29-2020, 09:42 PM   #30
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Yeah, he said the same thing about washer & dryer I just put one in my unit and was able to use it and man did it make a different.
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Old 07-30-2020, 05:58 AM   #31
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Any other res fridge fit the Samsung footprint?

I should have asked in my previous post. Is anyone familiar with any other electric residential fridge that will fit back in the spot the Samsung comes out of? I try to be a "fool me once" person but am evidently trapped here. We found a GE model for nearly twice the price and its on my "never again" list. Were we plumbed for gas and 12v we would consider an RV model but we aren't and won't go that route at this juncture. When we bought our 5ver, I asked how the res fridge would hold up to the road vibration they are obviously subjected to since they aren't really designed to be beaten like they are in this application and one could surmise refrigerant leaks as well as other vibration related failures could be expected. Im thinking hunky-dory was an incorrect answer.
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Old 07-30-2020, 07:19 AM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan & Jan View Post
Our 2020 Montana 3701LK has been sitting dead in the water due to the Samsung fridge dying after less than 100 hours of use. Bad compressor, Samsung offering about $300 less than actual replacement cost and WILL NOT send replacement fridge, only coupon or credit. To get into a "Keystone authorized dealer" to receive actual 1st year warranty service requiring they diagnose what Samsung tech has already condemned in writing is 2 months after failure occured then as much as 3 weeks before they actually look at it but RV guys cant actually work on it-they have to call Samsung tech which we already did per their original instruction when we originally called them! Then when they order, they will find its at least 4-5 week delivery due to kungfu virus manufacturing delays. Holy runaround Batman. Bottomline: if we do nothing but wait our turn for Keystone dealer and Samsung to screw us around, we will lose a bit over 3-1/2 months of use out of our first 10 months of ownership on this RV for the dead fridge. We already lost 6 weeks waiting for other repairs to be done earlier in the year. We have contacted Keystone directly for assistance to no avail. Camper World where we bought what we thought was a high end product has been zero help.

Our summer travel plans are completely ruined. To try and save our fall plans, we have ordered the Samsung replacement ourselves with money from our own pockets and will find someone to help us get fridges in/out our RV. We will send all invoices to Keystone in hopes they have some honor and will reimburse us the difference in our out of pocket expenses. Needless to say there will be no compensation for our lost summer and numerous headaches fighting this problem. We have little confidence we wont be stranded somewhere far from home with some other problem this fall given the track record of this Montana to date.
If you don't get your refer replaced soon just buy a cheap college dorm size model that can go in your basement. Or just buy ice and put in the broken one. No need to quit your travel.
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Old 07-30-2020, 08:22 AM   #33
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Funny thing about Camping World, I called them for service on an in warranty 2020, they said they were 3 to 4 weeks behind and could schedule me, until they found out I did not buy it from them, they are not doing warranty for anything that was not sold by them so they said. I scheduled with an independent dealer 10 miles away no issue.
3 days later we were looking for a washer dryer combo and found that Camping World had the best price on the units and the install. I called and had no problem getting it in right away and back in 4 days, what happened to the 3 to 4 weeks backlog.
Sounds to me you made the right choice for you (all circumstances considered), buying one and replacing it will save time, heartache and blood pressure. I would put it in the garage and call Samsung and see if you cant get them to come out (send a third party service tech) and fix it, I don't see anything in the warranty that says it has to be in the RV for service but that may be a fight you don't want to take on.


On a side note, residential refrigerators have been in RV's for many many years, and bouncing a compressor around wont hurt it unless there is something wrong with it in the first place, freezing it solid may be a different story.
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Old 07-31-2020, 08:40 AM   #34
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Update on Fridge situation:

The GM at Gander Outdoors/Camping World where we actually purchased our 5ver had his warranty person contact us yesterday. She had already been through our circumstances with other customers with Samsung so was aware of the issues and was very helpful. She contacted Keystone CS on our behalf and received a committment for them to pickup the difference in our cost vs the Samsung reimbursement and pay a reasonable install fee for the fridge labor in/out of our 5ver. Our new fridge is supposed to arrive from Samsung on 15 Aug so fingers are crossed we can be whole shortly thereafter and this plan will go as discussed.

I am impressed with the assistance from Gander. I wished I had talked to the GM sooner rather than those I did speak with initially, would have saved headaches but is water (and a bunch of ice) under the bridge at this point. I share this with the forum to be fair to those who are helping us now.
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Old 07-31-2020, 10:36 AM   #35
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It's always good to hear that things are working out and someone is listening.


When we bought ours I did a years research (allot of it on this forum) into many things, one being residential refrigerator. I had always had RV units in past trailers and motor homes. I found that if you spend allot of time in the south, RV units have a harder time due to the heat and that Residential units can have a hard time with rough roads, depending on placement, (farther forward the better), a point for having IS installed.


It's a very difficult situation for the dealer, in that they cant work on them without voiding the warranty and the labor involved can be more than the Keystone is willing to pay, especially if the unit has to come out.

I believe that residential units will continue to get better, 12 volt units will get bigger and eventually the majority of units sold will be residential, especially in mid to high end units.
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Old 07-31-2020, 11:45 AM   #36
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So far our Norcold 1210 is working very well as did the Dometics in past 5ers and TTs.


I will never knowingly ever own another product that says Samsung. Yes, they used to be great appliances but after having a 13 month old TV die with no warranty help from the OEM, a front load washer that wont wash clothes unless you physically add more water and a residential/home French door fridge that had 2 in warranty service calls due to a rattling compressor. Now well out of warranty I can't get common parts for it as most are out of stock nationwide feel that this formerly good product brand has gone to the pits. That fridge - I was able to buy a new OE brand water filter - for $45 bucks, necessary since the $15 off brands leak copious puddles of water. Then there was that $135 ice maker that needed replacement and that $85 water inlet valve. Then that Samsung smart phone that never worked right and took two exchanges before I gave up.


Am I a Samsung product lover? Not in my worst dreams now. Those of you that have a Samsung res fridge, I truly hope your experiences are better then mine with the home unit
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Old 07-31-2020, 12:10 PM   #37
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When I purchased my Montana from CW they told me a slide would have to be removed to get the residential fridge out. The cost involved with that convinced me to purchase the extended warranty. When I purchased my DP this spring with a residential fridge I mentioned it to the tech and he replied that they just remove a complete window assembly to remove or add larger pieces.
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Old 07-31-2020, 12:52 PM   #38
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When I purchased my Montana from CW they told me a slide would have to be removed to get the residential fridge out. The cost involved with that convinced me to purchase the extended warranty. When I purchased my DP this spring with a residential fridge I mentioned it to the tech and he replied that they just remove a complete window assembly to remove or add larger pieces.

Just because I could, I just measured our French door fridge. It's at least 29" deep without the doors but without any backside projection added in - and there are a couple. IIRC, our 5er has a 29/30" wide door. My guess is that the entrance door would need to be removed to avoid hinges and other door casing projections but not the slide
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Old 07-31-2020, 03:03 PM   #39
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I had heard the thing about slide removal for the fridge prior to buying this unit and it concerned me. One of the conversations I had with the folks at the dealership was with the service manager; a guy I've worked with for years. He told me it was a non issue. If they had to remove it they could by removing the doors; the slide was not in the equation.
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Old 07-31-2020, 04:23 PM   #40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave W View Post
So far our Norcold 1210 is working very well as did the Dometics in past 5ers and TTs.


I will never knowingly ever own another product that says Samsung. Yes, they used to be great appliances but after having a 13 month old TV die with no warranty help from the OEM, a front load washer that wont wash clothes unless you physically add more water and a residential/home French door fridge that had 2 in warranty service calls due to a rattling compressor. Now well out of warranty I can't get common parts for it as most are out of stock nationwide feel that this formerly good product brand has gone to the pits. That fridge - I was able to buy a new OE brand water filter - for $45 bucks, necessary since the $15 off brands leak copious puddles of water. Then there was that $135 ice maker that needed replacement and that $85 water inlet valve. Then that Samsung smart phone that never worked right and took two exchanges before I gave up.


Am I a Samsung product lover? Not in my worst dreams now. Those of you that have a Samsung res fridge, I truly hope your experiences are better then mine with the home unit
Friend of mine five years ago bought all new Samsung appliances for his new kitchen. Within a 5-year. Every single Appliance needed repair at least three times to the point they were unusable.
There will never be a Samsung or LG appliance in my house or camper ever!!!!!!
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