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silverbullet555
Boise
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Joined: 05/28/2020
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Good day,
our Norcold fridge was under a recall and Norcold is honoring it even though it is old. They have offered a replacement and given us a couple of options. 1 is bigger than what we have and 1 is smaller.
Before that, is it worth it to see if I can pay the difference to get a 3 way fridge vs a 2 way fridge? We only have a single battery so propane would be the preferred method for boondocking even though we only have 1 tank. I can bring an extra or 2.
On to the dimensions and installation. They are paying for 2 hours of time for installation. I can do premodifications if I choose to make the space work or I can let a dealer do it. I think labor costs will be high if I let the dealer make modifications.
To make the larger one fit, I'd have to drop the shelf it sits on and increase the height of the opening. The width would be narrower and would need to be filled with some kind of a trim ring.
Keep in mind, this is a budget camper. Do I just get the smaller one and can one find wide trim rings to fill the gaps? Or do I go through the expense of enlarging the space at the risk of increased cost and work?
We don't plan to take long trips with the camper. Weekends at most and we would likely have a cooler to. Foods to keep cold include lunch meat, milk, condiments, etc.
James
2007 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Classic Crew Cab 4wd 6.5' bed
1995 Northland Grizzly 860 camper
2002 Cobalt 226
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Slymer
Ontario, Canada
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Joined: 12/14/2012
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FYI - the fridge might run on 12V while you are driving, if your camper battery is getting charged from you alternator,....but once you turn the truck off,...that fridge will drain your camper battery in less than 3 hours. ![[emoticon]](http://www.rv.net/sharedcontent/cfb/images/frown.gif "frown")
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mike/kellie
northern calif.
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Joined: 09/03/2008
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Hi James, this applies only to the installation. My Dometic puked and died in my camper and I had a local tech look at it for me. He told me CW had about that same amount of time to replace the fridge however with mine, the only way out is through the back window. I was also warned that if it went beyond 2 hours, it might put the project into a holding pattern until time was available again.
Since it sounds like you have dimensions of both the appliance and the opening, is there an easy way to get it out of the camper?
2015 Host Mammoth triple slide w/ TorkLift Fastguns
2015 Ram 5500 SLT cab & chassis with Douglass 9' utility body
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silverbullet555
Boise
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Joined: 05/28/2020
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mike/kellie wrote:Hi James, this applies only to the installation. My Dometic puked and died in my camper and I had a local tech look at it for me. He told me CW had about that same amount of time to replace the fridge however with mine, the only way out is through the back window. I was also warned that if it went beyond 2 hours, it might put the project into a holding pattern until time was available again.
Since it sounds like you have dimensions of both the appliance and the opening, is there an easy way to get it out of the camper?
That is a great thing to check and something I had not considered. Thank you.
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silverbullet555
Boise
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Slymer wrote:FYI - the fridge might run on 12V while you are driving, if your camper battery is getting charged from you alternator,....but once you turn the truck off,...that fridge will drain your camper battery in less than 3 hours.
My thought as well. 12V gets me very little time on my batteries without solar or something. I don't know that solar could keep up with it with any reasonable size.
I am trying to be balanced in what I do to this camper knowing that we will never recoup the cost of putting too much into it. But, if it is worth it (and I'm not convinced it is), than now is the time to go down the road.
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silverbullet555
Boise
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Door opening is 22". I pick up another inch if I remover the door frame.
Reasonable way to smash the old one to change a dimension or to cut it in half with a sawzall to get it out? I really am anxious about removing the door.
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mike/kellie
northern calif.
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Joined: 09/03/2008
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I did mine myself and if you can imagine a fridge jumping off stage at a concert into a mosh pit, that is how mine looked. I built a platform the same height as the slide, slid it straight out (after removing the cabinet doors) and tipped it over onto a gurney I made of light lumber. Slid it on a towel to the back window I had removed and did a controlled shove. I had no door options.
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ticki2
NH
Senior Member
Joined: 07/09/2008
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silverbullet555 wrote:Good day,
our Norcold fridge was under a recall and Norcold is honoring it even though it is old. They have offered a replacement and given us a couple of options. 1 is bigger than what we have and 1 is smaller.
Before that, is it worth it to see if I can pay the difference to get a 3 way fridge vs a 2 way fridge? We only have a single battery so propane would be the preferred method for boondocking even though we only have 1 tank. I can bring an extra or 2.
On to the dimensions and installation. They are paying for 2 hours of time for installation. I can do premodifications if I choose to make the space work or I can let a dealer do it. I think labor costs will be high if I let the dealer make modifications.
To make the larger one fit, I'd have to drop the shelf it sits on and increase the height of the opening. The width would be narrower and would need to be filled with some kind of a trim ring.
Keep in mind, this is a budget camper. Do I just get the smaller one and can one find wide trim rings to fill the gaps? Or do I go through the expense of enlarging the space at the risk of increased cost and work?
We don't plan to take long trips with the camper. Weekends at most and we would likely have a cooler to. Foods to keep cold include lunch meat, milk, condiments, etc.
More than likely you will not be able to lower the shelf it sits on as that is the top of the wing , below that is outside camper . Even if you did that and enclosed it somehow it would no longer fit through the tailgate . What is the difference in cf between the two choices .
'68 Avion C-11
'02 GMC DRW D/A flatbed
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silverbullet555
Boise
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Joined: 05/28/2020
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ticki2 wrote:silverbullet555 wrote:Good day,
our Norcold fridge was under a recall and Norcold is honoring it even though it is old. They have offered a replacement and given us a couple of options. 1 is bigger than what we have and 1 is smaller.
Before that, is it worth it to see if I can pay the difference to get a 3 way fridge vs a 2 way fridge? We only have a single battery so propane would be the preferred method for boondocking even though we only have 1 tank. I can bring an extra or 2.
On to the dimensions and installation. They are paying for 2 hours of time for installation. I can do premodifications if I choose to make the space work or I can let a dealer do it. I think labor costs will be high if I let the dealer make modifications.
To make the larger one fit, I'd have to drop the shelf it sits on and increase the height of the opening. The width would be narrower and would need to be filled with some kind of a trim ring.
Keep in mind, this is a budget camper. Do I just get the smaller one and can one find wide trim rings to fill the gaps? Or do I go through the expense of enlarging the space at the risk of increased cost and work?
We don't plan to take long trips with the camper. Weekends at most and we would likely have a cooler to. Foods to keep cold include lunch meat, milk, condiments, etc.
More than likely you will not be able to lower the shelf it sits on as that is the top of the wing , below that is outside camper . Even if you did that and enclosed it somehow it would no longer fit through the tailgate . What is the difference in cf between the two choices .
I do have room to lower the shelf a little as under the fridge is the propank tank cabinet. I can pick up about 2" down and maybe 2" up. Not enough to get to the larger of the 2 fridges they offered. The smaller of the 2 fridges is 2.7 cu ft. The larger is 4. There is one in between they didn't offer that might be a workable height and is narrow enough to come in. The larger one won't fit through so I might see if they will give me a different model that is narrow enough, but only picks up a little height.
To get the old one out, I might need some plywood and a sledge hammer.
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Slymer
Ontario, Canada
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Joined: 12/14/2012
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This may supply some ideas to consider.
https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/maintenance/replacing-a-truck-campers-refrigerator/
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