Country Coach Restoration, Repair & Parts Forums => Country Coach Archive => Topic started by: Lyle on March 15, 2011, 05:27:34 pm
Title: Splendide 2000XC
Post by: Lyle on March 15, 2011, 05:27:34 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 69295 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/69295)My wife is thinking about having me change out our Splendide 2000 for the newer 2000xc. Has anyone had comparative experience between the two. Big job, big bucks if it is not significantly better. Also, Dallas, do you know how to remove the freezer door handle from the Samsung RF197. Will need to do that to get the WD in and out. Lyle Wetherholt 04 Intrigue 11740
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Mary and Mike Frederick on March 18, 2011, 12:16:50 am
Mike's come around to the need for replacing our Norcold with the Samsung 197, but I can't find where to buy one. Would you please let us know where you bought yours?
Thanks, Lyle. Mary
06 Inspire 51784
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: MARSHALL on March 18, 2011, 01:28:25 am
Just take the whole freezer door out. As you pull it out just lift and and it comes off its rollers and it falls in your lap. No need to take off the handle. The Ice maker is not attached to the door so nothing to unplug. For the upper doors you need to take off the hinges to take them off but it is very do able. Is there a difference in performance worth the upgrade (labor) on the washer and dryer? (Notice I did not talk about expense) I have yet to use mine, but then again I have not been out long enough to run out of clean cloths. Installing the dishwasher was the next item on the wish list for my wife after the Samsung refrigerator. I hope the first time I use the washer/dryer I do not feel inclined to go big on that item too. Not sure where to put a house hold set up in the coach.
Dallas 2004 intrigue ovation c12 11688
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Lyle on March 18, 2011, 09:18:57 am
Bought mine at Lowe's. It had to be shipped from NJ. The Las Cruces store is not heavy on inventory. Talked them into a 10% discount which is also available all the time if you are a vet. Just take in evidence of that and bingo, you got it. Brought the cost down to $957. Lyle Wetherholt 04 Intrigue 11740
Lyle, > Mike's come around to the need for replacing our Norcold with the Samsung 197, but I can't find where to buy one. Would you please let us know where you bought yours? >
Thanks, Lyle.
Mary
06 Inspire 51784
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Mary and Mike Frederick on March 18, 2011, 10:12:38 am
Yahoo Message Number: 69402 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/69402)Thanks, Lyle! And thank you for having served our country! Whenever I see folks in uniform for the service of our country, I have to tell them thank you!!!!!!
Ok! So we'll try Lowe's here in OKC where we are right now in the coach for a little while. Do you spend a lot of time in Las Cruces? We went by it on the freeway a week ago heading from Phoenix to Shreveport, LA.
There's an RV dealer here in OKC called Lee's I think that has a good service area going. When we were driving from Louisville 2 weeks ago to Phoenix, we had stayed the night in Albuquerque and then the next day drove down I 25 and got to I 10 where we experienced such winds as we headed west!!!!! Wow! They had said we'd have 50 mph gusting higher, and they were right! Of course the wind speeds brought lots of sand and dirt flying around along with the many tumbleweeds hitting the coach! But the big thing that happened besides my husband working hard at doing an excellent job of driving well was that the front one piece huge windshield cracked! We suppose it was from the coach torquing maybe.
Anyway, thanks again for everything. I'll let you know how we do finding the refrig and getting it installed.
Mary
06 Inspire 51784
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Mary and Mike Frederick on March 18, 2011, 10:14:54 am
Yahoo Message Number: 69403 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/69403)Thanks, Marshall. I called the phone number I found at the site you sent, and they were very helpful and told me Lowe's, Sears and hhgregg carries it and will order it. We'll start the process.
Mary
06 Inspire 51784
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: J Barrie Boas on March 18, 2011, 01:04:22 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 69405 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/69405)Mary: If you are replacing the refer, you may want to wait to have the windshield replaced , if you can, as I understand the refer must be brought in thru a window as well as the old one taken out. Barrie Boas 94 Concept 5111
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Lyle on March 18, 2011, 02:45:58 pm
Yes, our permanent home is in Las Cruces. Sorry you passed through without knowing that and stopping by. The advice on the windshield is good unless you have a large side window. We had to remove and replace the pass side windshield. We took the doors off the Samsung before putting in through the windshield hole. Take as many measurements as you can. A missed one can catch you at the worst time. For example, we had lowered the floor and needed just 5/8 inch more which we planned to take off the top trim. At the last moment we discovered that the Samsung door would have hit a ceiling light had we done that. So we had to redo the floor and lower it another 5/8 inch. If your Norcold is in the hallway or has a counter top opposite it you may find clearances very tight. Measure, measure, measure. BTW, we were in OKC just two weeks ago. Stayed at Twin Fountains RV Park. It was very nice. If you haven't been to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum you will find it awesome. It is only a couple of miles from Twin Fountains. Lyle Wetherholt 04 Intrigue 11740 > Thanks, Lyle! And thank you for having served our country! Whenever I see folks in uniform for the service of our country, I have to tell them thank you!!!!!! > > Ok! So we'll try Lowe's here in OKC where we are right now in the coach for a little while. Do you spend a lot of time in Las Cruces? We went by it on the freeway a week ago heading from Phoenix to Shreveport, LA. > There's an RV dealer here in OKC called Lee's I think that has a good service area going. When we were driving from Louisville 2 weeks ago to Phoenix, we had stayed the night in Albuquerque and then the next day drove down I 25 and got to I 10 where we experienced such winds as we headed west!!!!! Wow! They had said we'd have 50 mph gusting higher, and they were right! Of course the wind speeds brought lots of sand and dirt flying around along with the many tumbleweeds hitting the coach! But the big thing that happened besides my husband working hard at doing an excellent job of driving well was that the front one piece huge windshield cracked! We suppose it was from the coach torquing maybe. > Anyway, thanks again for everything. I'll let you know how we do finding the refrig and getting it installed.
Mary
06 Inspire 51784
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Mary and Mike Frederick on April 08, 2011, 12:40:51 pm
We too wish we'd known you were in Las Cruces as it would have been so nice to meet you both. We were home in MN for the last 2 weeks so we could babysit for our son and daughter in law's 3 kids (ages 5, 3 and 1) and now we're back in OKC where the coach is living at Twin Fountains. Got here last night and the Norcold is not working!!!! It was replaced two years ago with a new Norcold, and we had the fix done in Feb. Mike talked to the Lee RV service fellow who said that Norcold has a replacement for the last "fix" because the "fix" isn't working! Maybe we'll be ok, but we're both ready for the residential refrig. The price I received from the OKC Lowe's was a lot more than you paid. The salesman said that is because it's hard to find.
Do you know of anyone has put in a 2 door refrig with the freezer on the bottom?
Thanks, Lyle. Mary
06 Inspire 51784
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Lyle on April 09, 2011, 09:56:11 am
I can't believe that someone at Lowe's quoted something other than the regular price for the Samsung just because it is "hard to find". BS. All he has to do is order it! I bought mine in Las Cruces but it was shipped from New Jersey. No big deal. The regular price is around $1100 but is often on sale for 10% less. It is a two door with bottom freezer. Lyle Wetherholt 04 Intrigue 11740
Hi Lyle, > We too wish we'd known you were in Las Cruces as it would have been so nice to meet you both. We were home in MN for the last 2 weeks so we could babysit for our son and daughter in law's 3 kids (ages 5, 3 and 1) and now we're back in OKC where the coach is living at Twin Fountains. Got here last night and the Norcold is not working!!!! It was replaced two years ago with a new Norcold, and we had the fix done in Feb. Mike talked to the Lee RV service fellow who said that Norcold has a replacement for the last "fix" because the "fix" isn't working! Maybe we'll be ok, but we're both ready for the residential refrig. The price I received from the OKC Lowe's was a lot more than you paid. The salesman said that is because it's hard to find. > Do you know of anyone has put in a 2 door refrig with the freezer on the bottom? >
Thanks, Lyle.
Mary
06 Inspire 51784
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Sharon on April 09, 2011, 12:08:17 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 69991 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/69991)Check on-line. Sometimes you are able to order the refrigerator on-line and have it shipped to your nearest Lowes. Also, if you are not happy with the Lowes price, check Best Buy if there is one in your area. We bought our Samsung for the motor home at Best Buy in Eugene, OR and had it delivered to Oregon Motorcoach Center for installation. We just finished a 2+ month trip across country with the new refrigerator and all I can say is I wonder why we hadn't done it sooner. Well worth it. Our Samsung is a counter depth French door.
S Brandt, '06 Intrigue, #11964
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Dallas Evans on April 09, 2011, 01:00:22 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 69994 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/69994)I just finished doing a two day test on the electrical draw on the battery of same smasung french door, freezer drawer, counter depth 19.7 cu/ft refrig and it draws 10amps per hour (avg) from the battery (12 volts) through the inverter. That means if you have (2) 8D batteries as house batteries, with approximately 240 amp hours each, at 45 discharge (55 SOC) you should easily get almost 12 hours or more run time assuming that you are using other appliances too. I have (4) 8D house batteries and went almost 2 days before needing the generator to recharge. Took about two hours to bring it up to 92% SOC (state of charge) from 60% SOc using the generator (AGM batteries are great for taking massive recharging. $8 of diesel for almost 18 hours of normal electrical usage (that is an average of 17 amp hours/per hour draw on the batteries in that 18 hour period) Cheaper than paying for being on the grid at a campground. For those that question the electrical usage of this refrigerator, the yellow energy guide on the samsung say $45 per year of electrical usage and 455kwhrs per year. If you do the math that more than confirms what my findings from my inverter shunt is telling me. Little reason not to consider this a great alternative to the gas absorption Norcold 1200LRIM that I replaced. 10 amps per hour at 12 volts is very very little electrical usage for just the refrigerator. A small solar panel array could easily keep up with that usage in a day if you were seriously boon docking. Electricity is much cheaper than propane gas so little arguement as to efficiency constraints. The orginal reason why I changed over was due to the fact my wife would not have anything to do with repeated recalls and open flames in the motorhome besides the problem with the norcold taking so long to cool down and lack of refrigerator space. Turned out for us that this works out better anyway. We only do boondock camping. Like Lyle, I spent less than $1500 having my cabinet made taller and the purchase of the samsung refig. Sold my Norcold for $700 so I was out $800 and have a very cost effective alternative. I spent alot more than this adding 2 more agm batteries (total of 4) and a pure sine wave 2800 magnum converter, but that was not necessary for putting in the Samsung. The Samsung can run on modified sinewave converters according to the Samsung service department. I agree with Sharon, google 'samsung 19.7 french door refrigerator' and you will find many places to get this refrigerator. It will sit flush (not including the doors) with your existing refrig cabinet. Looks great and as if it belonged in the motorhome. Just need to make the cabinet higher by making the floor lower where the floor drawers are, (I had the cabinet guys make the drawers shallower). One other important note, is that the dimensions that the Samsung gives you for the opening size does not include the hieght of the digital display area at the top of the refrigerator that would normally recess into the cabinet. So, add 3/4 of inch for that. Lyle found that out the hard way. I was 1/16 inch too short but was able to squeeze the wheels lower to jam it in there. The fit was so tight that I just put some bolts infront of the wheels to keep it from sliding out. No need to anchor it in given how snug my application fit. There is more than enough air flow around the sides and bottom of the existing cabinet for refrigerator cooling even with the old outside vents completely sealed off. This refrigerator runs cool and does not produce alot of heat like some household refrigerators. I cannot feel any noticable warmth on the sides of the refrigerator while running.
Dallas 2004 intrigue ovation 11688
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Lyle on April 09, 2011, 01:49:44 pm
Your post said it all. Thank you for taking the time to provide all the details. We could not be happier with our Samsung. Lyle Wetherholt 04 Intrigue 11740 > I just finished doing a two day test on the electrical draw on the battery of same smasung french door, freezer drawer, counter depth 19.7 cu/ft refrig and it draws 10amps per hour (avg) from the battery (12 volts) through the inverter. That means if you have (2) 8D b
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Mary and Mike Frederick on April 09, 2011, 09:49:33 pm
I just found the piece of paper I'd written all the info on from my conversation with the Lowe's guy, and it was $1800! Darn. I'll try the Minneapolis and St. Paul area Lowe's and see what I find out there. Thanks.
Mary
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Mary and Mike Frederick on April 09, 2011, 09:50:57 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 70009 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/70009)Thanks, Sharon. When you say to check on-line, do you have a suggestion as to what site to go to? I've tried Samsung and couldn't see that I could check with them for any prices.
Thanks. Mary
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Bob Wexler on April 09, 2011, 10:21:24 pm
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_04685472000P?vName=Appliances&keyword=rf197acwp&autoRedirect=true&prop17= (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_04685472000P?vName=Appliances&keyword=rf197acwp&autoRedirect=true&prop17=) They have it online for $1199
Bob Wexler SOB
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Mary and Mike Frederick on April 09, 2011, 10:40:57 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 70013 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/70013)Thanks, Bob. I clicked on this, and it looks great but I think it's too deep. I believe the one Lyle installed is a counter depth, and this one is 30 1/2 inches deep. I may be wrong, however, and would be happy to find out.
Thanks again. Mary
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator RF195ACRS
Post by: Dallas Evans on April 10, 2011, 12:19:04 am
I searched the internet tonight and came up empty except for the links I put below. It appears that Samsung may not be making the particular model that I have in my intrigue anymore. You want the RF195**** I have this model in my intrigue and it is 24 inches deep and the doors stick out beyond that a couple inches. I have the stainless steel doors so I have the RF195ACRS model. When I got mine there were known to be about 6 of them in the United States 4 months ago. All 6 where in California. The company I ordered it through in Washington State had one shipped to me. They met me in a parking lot at Wal-Mart and I took out my side window and they backed up their truck and delivered it through the opening and even helped me put it in the cabinet hole. The RF 197**** is deeper, as you suspected (30"inches) and is easier to find but will protrude a few extra inches. The stainless steel version (Wife's preference) has grey painted sided to it so the 24 inch depth hid that fact in the cabinet.
Here are the three model colors they come in. RF195ABWP RF195ABBP RF195ABRS
You may have to call the Samsung company and have them track one down for you. I was lucky since I found an in Craigslist for this refrig but they had a white one and I wanted the stainless steel one so they ordered one up and I had it in three days. The site below says they are sold out. I think it is because there is so little damand for small counter refrigerators like this that this company does not carry them. You will note the dimensions on this add is what you are looking for. It appears that this place does not have any supply of the stainless steel ones: http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/samsung-samsung-17-8-cu-ft-french-door-refrigerator-rf195acrs-stainless-steel-rf195acrs/10141502.aspx (http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/samsung-samsung-17-8-cu-ft-french-door-refrigerator-rf195acrs-stainless-steel-rf195acrs/10141502.aspx) I found a white one at this store: http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/samsung-samsung-18-cu-ft-french-door-refrigerator-rf195acwp-white-rf195acwp/10141503.aspx (http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/samsung-samsung-18-cu-ft-french-door-refrigerator-rf195acwp-white-rf195acwp/10141503.aspx) Here is one without the French door (single door) http://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/RB195AC.html (http://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/RB195AC.html) White single door
http://www.number1direct.com/product.jhtm?id=93570 (http://www.number1direct.com/product.jhtm?id=93570) If you don't mind the singe door then you will have luck in finding one below $1000. (see above links) I would call the Samsung service department and see if they can help you locate one. http://www.samsung.com/us/support/ (http://www.samsung.com/us/support/) Dallas 2004 intrigue 11688
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Bob Wexler on April 10, 2011, 12:22:06 am
Yahoo Message Number: 70015 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/70015)Check the specs on the Samsung site Where I got the model number http://www.samsung.com/us/appliances/refrigerators/RF197ACWP/XAA-features (http://www.samsung.com/us/appliances/refrigerators/RF197ACWP/XAA-features) Sears may have an error in the specs.
Bob Wexler SOB
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Bc_mtnaire on April 10, 2011, 12:39:41 am
Thanks for posting all of this detailed information. Out of curiosity, how much space do you have around your Samsung (left, right, top & back)? We just had the same Samsung French door counter-depth 19.7 cu. ft. model (#RF217ACPN) installed in our Newmar by Oregon Motorcoach Center in Eugene, OR. They did a fantastic job installing the unit... but it seems like it runs quite a lot. Even though it only shows between 7-10 DC amps of draw on the inverter, it runs for a significant portion of each hour. And I'm thinking that it might not have enough breathing room around it to stay cool properly, so it runs longer & more often. If you had to guess, how much of each hour is your unit actually running?
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Sharon on April 10, 2011, 02:27:32 am
Yahoo Message Number: 70018 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/70018)Mary, Lowes has an on line site. When our home fridge went out last summer, we shopped what looked to be available on line, then first thing the next morning called our nearest Lowes to see what they had in stock. Ended up with a better refrigerator than we had planned on for less money. There was some kind of special going on that wasn't reflected on the Lowes site. You are able to choose from the Lowes in your area as you "home" store. As I understand it, if you order on line, the refrigerator will be delivered to that store, but you pay on line. Best Buy also has an internet site, and I believe delivery of the appliance works much the same way as with Lowes. We shopped the internet and then, because of time constraints, called the Best Buy store in Eugene to see if they had the refrigerator we wanted, they did, so we were there the next morning to make the purchase. After we did our measurements, we discovered we had some extra room and made the decision to get the counter depth (24" without doors) 23 cf Samsung French Door with ice and water through the door. We have no trouble opening the doors of the fridge when we stop for lunch, even though we don't have the slides out. We have found that minimal restraint is all that is needed to keep all doors closed. We put the ottoman for the recliner in front of the freezer door and then tie a dishtowel through the handles on the fridge doors. Works quite well while on the road, and when we park for the night, the dishtowel is untied and the ottoman is back where it belongs.
S Brandt, '06 Intrigue, 11964
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Sharon on April 10, 2011, 02:44:12 am
Yahoo Message Number: 70019 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/70019)Mary, Best Buy has this refrigerator for $1189. It's model # is RF217ACPN/XAA, depth without doors is 26-1/4". That will fit the depth of the Norcold (I believe the Norcold compartment is about 28" deep). I think this is the refrigerator that Dallas put in his coach. You might look into it.
Sharon
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Dallas Evans on April 10, 2011, 02:45:12 am
Here is the name and number of the business that located one of the RF195 Samsungs for me last fall. I just found one of their adds in craigslist. I know it is quite far away from where you are but I think these particular refrigerators are getting rare to find. http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/app/2315617507.html (http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/app/2315617507.html) Appliance NW 10260 160th St E Puyallup, Wa. 98375 253-770-3661
Dallas 2004 intrigue 11688
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Dallas Evans on April 10, 2011, 03:07:37 am
I installed the RF195ACRS which is 24 inches deep, but I think it is nearly impossible to find them new now. The RF197ACRS has the same height and width dimensions but is 2 inches deeper. Not sure if it might stick out a bit more out of the existing cabinet. In my coach both of them would work because the refrigerator cabinet is recessed in from the hallway. I thought the depth of the Norcold cabinet was 24 inches but maybe it a bit bigger. What i found interesting is that the stainless steel version of the Samsung is painted grey on the sides so it will show if it is sticking out beyond the cabinet. Not a big deal if you buy the black or white RF197****. For some reason the 195 version was not a big seller in the US so I think they are pretty hard to find even though they are identical to the one you have but 2 inch less in depth. The French doors are very nice for taking up less room when open.
Dallas 2004 intrigue ovation 11688
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Mary and Mike Frederick on April 10, 2011, 01:19:46 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 70040 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/70040)Lyle, Dallas and Sharon, and anyone I've missed here!
You all have our gratitude for the wonderful information. We'll be ordering the refrigerator and anticipate the joys of not having this blankety blank Norcold anymore!!!! This group impresses us so much with all of the help and time given by so many knowledgable people who are happy to share what they know and their experiences.
Thank you!
Mary and Mike Frederick 06 Inspire 51784 Welch, MN
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator
Post by: Kevin Burns_01 on April 10, 2011, 10:53:54 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 70071 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/70071)Mary and Mike,
Are you still in OKC? Will you be coming thru Tulsa any time soon? You can reply on my private email. Kevin Burns
00 Affinity 5865
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator RF197****
Post by: Dallas Evans on April 11, 2011, 12:13:19 am
I am mistaken, I just noticed that I did put the RF197 in my coach and not the RF195. It does fit flush in the same cabinet as the Norcold 1200LRIM did with the floor modified to add another 5+inches of hieght. This is great news since you will not have to see it sticking out further than just the doors. Here is a picture of my install in the photo section of this group. photos/album/370769381/pic/1671201942/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=21&count=20&dir=asc (http://photos/album/370769381/pic/1671201942/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=21&count=20&dir=asc) I just took my infrared heat gun to the sides and the bottom of the refrigerator and there is only a 1 degree rise over the room temp of the refrigerator shell in that cabinet. I have less than an inch a space on the front trim sides combined. The top of the cabinet is so tight I can't even slide a piece of paper in it. The rear and top vent for the old norcold is completely sealed off so the only way the refirgerator gets cooling is the bottom and the 1 to 3 inches of space around the inside of the cabinet and bottom. The side trim narrows to less then an inch of space as I mentioned. This refrigerator puts off very little heat and is using somewhere around 10 amps to 12 amps per hour (which explains the little or no heat). I am getting 10 amps of draw and Lyle is getting 13 amps on his amp meter. We both have other electrical draws going on and different inverters so that may explain the 2 amp difference.
You are going to be very happy with this conversion.
Dallas 2004 intrigue 11688
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator RF197****
Post by: Mary and Mike Frederick on April 11, 2011, 09:53:23 am
Thank you very much for the specific and important information, Dallas. We are interested in the cabinet depth for sure. The pictures are great! Now to get one ordered. Mike's talking to the folks at Lee's RV who seem to know about this Norcold fix needing a fix just to get us home and then get the coach to the fellow who will do the work. Perhaps you've already mentioned this and I'm not remembering, but what batteries are you using? We had all new ones put in, I think Interstate ones plus the starting one, just 2 months ago, and I wonder if we'll need more. I'm sure Mike knows what's what with that, but I'd like to know your kind. I saw the picture you posted of the batteries. Looks good especially since batteries are so important!
Sitting in the Twin Fountains RV Park in OKC where the coach has been since last fall and we've been several times, we've seen maybe 4-5 CCs here. I make a point of asking each time if they're on the CC blog just in case it's somebody we "know" from the blog. So far, no luck though. Everybody loves their CC however!
Thanks again. Mary
06 Inspire 51784
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator RF197**** AGM Batteries
Post by: Dallas Evans on April 11, 2011, 10:56:06 am
That is the Eagle Scout in me to be helpful! The subject of Batteries is a very popular and contentious subject on this blog. If you doubt it then search 'AGM'. The AGM's (Absorbed Glass Mat) are far more expensive than the flooded cell batteries that you probably have in your coach, at least twice as much. $200 vs. $550 each. The big advantage to AGM's is they take a faster charge (saves generator recharge time) and they never need maintenance. The flooded type batteries need to have their water checked frequently to keep them in top shape. I put the AGM's (DEKA brand from Les Schwab tire center) last year because I did not want the batteries gassing and presenting a problem to my inverter that shares the same air space. There are other brands of AGM's out there but I think all of them except for Lifelines are built by the same manufacture. Lifelines have slightly different recharging characteristics according to my inverter instructions. This has to do with where the voltage of the batteries float (12.5 volts) when fully charged. Not a big deal. The cost of going AGM's was not a factor to me but the maintenance issue and charging capacity was. You will find that some on this blog call it being 'lazy' if you do not want to take the time to fill your batteries with water frequently (once a month). They are right! But I do not like the idea of batteries that put off corrosive and explosive gas anymore than I like Refrigerators that can leak ammonia gas (explosive too). If you have flooded batteries (they have filler caps on the top) and they have been recently replaced, then keep them. They put out just as much electricity as the AGM's (or close enough to the same. They cost far less and may last as long but not likely given that you have to maintain them properly. From a cost/benefit analysis, I think one cost less and the other has better benefits. :) For my purposes, I like out of site out of mind and I do not like getting battery acid on anything. I also like the fact that you can recharge AGM's faster too. One misconception is that you do not need to ever add more battery acid to a flooded battery, just water since the water along with hydrogen gas boils out of the flooded batteries and not the acid. Hydrogen comes from the water H2O not the acid. But if you over fill the battery then you have acid coming out and if it boils and gasses (overcharging) too much then you have corrosion issues on what ever that fluid touches. My CC coach came with only two house batteries (flooded) and I wanted 4 house batteries so I did not have the room to have enough space to stick my head or mirror in the battery bay and see the water level in each cell so I went AGM. If my wife had to maintain the flooded batteries then the coach would never leave the driveway (no reflection on other wives out there!). That was an easy sale to her even though it meant spending $550 each for them. That's a lot of fuel money but they are paid for and I can totally ignore them for another 6 years. (Priceless)
Dallas 2004 intrigue 11688
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator RF197**** AGM Batteries
Post by: Tom Reinert on April 11, 2011, 11:22:52 am
I removed the original xantrex 2000 watt square wave inverter and installed a magnum 2800 pure sinewave inverter. I only have one inverter. I had to completely gut my battery bay with a plasma cutter (makes the job cleaner) and then weld up an entirely new battery bay to take (5) 8D batteries and the new inverter (same size as the old one). If I had just left the battery bay the way it was I could hav easily exchanged the inverter for the other one straight up. photos/album/370769381/pic/913077625/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc (http://photos/album/370769381/pic/913077625/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc) By the way, there was no need to change the old inverter out to run the new Smasung residential refrigerator. It is one of the few refrigerator manuafacturers that say it's ok. It will run on the modified square wave. There is plenty of watts in the 2000 Xantrex to run the refrigerator and everything else. I did it because of other electronics I have in the coach that do not like anything but the pure sinewave. For example, a ceramic heater will fry without a pure sine wave. Did that! A George Forman grill will choke on one also. Did that too! A microwave will take longer and screw up you popcorn setting. I did not like that! :) Anyone want a good used 2000 xantrex sitting in my garage with all the accessories? I cut a piece of plywood board, waterproofed it and put it up in the hole in the roof, then took some 1 inch pink styrofoam board (doubled it up) and cut it to a slight bit oversized and stuffed it into the same hole. Did the same for the side vent hole. screwed a thin plywood board on to the wall and then went outside and and put a 1/2 inch white styrofoam board behind the vent panel. I still have the vent panel look from the outside but it is completely sealed off. Trick is to cut the styrofoam board about a 1/4 bigger than the hole and wedge it in there so there is no air gap. You can get these foam boards at any hardware store. They come in sheets sometimes as large as 4' x 8' but you can find them precut down to 2'x4'.
Dallas 2004 intrigue 11688
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator RF197**** AGM Batteries
Post by: Mary and Mike Frederick on April 11, 2011, 03:21:55 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 70096 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/70096)Dallas, thanks for taking the time to write all of the info on the inverter and the batteries. Great to know all of it!!!
Mary and Mike 06 Inspire 51784
Title: Re: Samsung refrigerator RF197**** AGM Batteries
Post by: Tom on April 11, 2011, 08:17:31 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 70099 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/70099)There are other brands of AGM's out there but I think all of them except for Lifelines are built by the same manufacture. Lifelines have slightly different recharging characteristics according to my inverter instructions. This has to do with where the voltage of the batteries float (12.5 volts) when fully charged. Not a big deal.
Dallas,
Not sure I understand the float voltage reference for Lifelines at 12.5, 12.2 is 50% discharged and float should be in the middle 13's. Could you please clarify that?
Tom
Trans-Specialists/Lifeline Batteries 01 Magna 5999
Your right, I may not be correct on the float numbers (that is were my batteries settle out at about 92% SOC after getting up to the float using the generator). I was making referrence to the fact that my Magnum Inverter has setups for two AGM types unless you want to customize a setting. AGM1 refers to Lifeline AGM batteries and AGM2 refers to most other AGM batteries. This was not clear to me initially and I set my battery selection to AGM1 and could not get the Magnum converter to find the 100% SOC after three days of charging. So I resorted to reading the instructions, (guy thing), and found out that I belonged to the AGM2 group so within an hour the Magnum figured out my SOC (state of charge). I have since tried the AGM1 setting and again it could not find the SOC so I have to believe that the Lifelines have their own unique charging characteristics for the magnum converters. When I bought my AGM's last year, I was at a Les Schwab dealer getting all new tires and I had a mismatched set of flooded house batteries (4D and 8D). I wanted to just replace my flooded batteries with the same but somehow I was convinced by the battery guy to go with the AGM's, glad I did, but that was one expensive trip to the tire store. Nothing against lifelines, I just did not know about that brand until after I bought mine.
Dallas 2004 intrigue 11688
Title: Re: AGM Batteries
Post by: Tom on April 12, 2011, 07:47:18 am
Yahoo Message Number: 70103 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/70103)Thanks Dallas, that clears me up.. I had two older Magnum's in a Prevost I owned and upgraded a board to allow user programmable settings. Magnum is a great company, they sent me the boards free exchanged. You made a smart move getting rid of those gassing corrosion forming wet batteries, AGM is the way to go, although a little pricey.
Just a note on the Lifelines.. I had a friend/customer who discovered he had out of date Lifeline AGM's he bought new in 2008 that were date coded 04 and 05. Needless to say he was upset that the repair service facility sold him out of date batteries as new.
I explained to Lifeline what happened, not their fault and Jim the owner said his name was on the batteries and he just this week replaced all 6 AGM 8d's including shipping FREE! Now that's service.
Tom
Trans-Specialists/Lifeline Batteries 01 Magna 5999