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refrigerator replacement

Yahoo Message Number: 93171
I have read previous posts regarding Norcold 12101 replacement. Now, I am facing that possibility and can't find them. Anyone who can shed light on the subject? Thanks Jim Crump

P.S. We are in Tucson

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 93175
Contact Premier Motor Coach in Tucson. They might be able to help. 520-624-2024 Doug or Eric


Jock Vargo

2005 Inspire
51428

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 93179
Jim,

If you go with the Amish 'Pines Refrigeration' cooling unit, which I did, be sure to add a couple of more cooling fans. I had them install two with a manual on/off switch in the outside compartment. You will need to turn them on in the hotter summer temps.

Michael

05 Inspire #51381

**************************************** email: met6195@...

Michael Title
B.C. Canada

CDN Cell: 604.741.3328

La Cañada, San Miguel De Allende,
Guanajuato, Mexico

MEX Cell: [52] 415.100.1543

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 93180
The new yahoo interface sort of hides searching posts. This URL returned about 1200 posts containing the word "norcold"

http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/search/messages?query=norcold

Once you have done a search, you should see "advanced search" where you can enter by subject, or message or author, including a date range.
Now my take on the Norcold is to get rid of it! The Samsung 197 is a dream compared to the "Notcold" or "Never Cold". If you boondock or dry camp a lot, the decision may be different for you since you will run the generator more or need to have a larger reserve battery bank and/or some solar.
The Samsung 197 fits perfectly and is a wonderful fridge/freezer! For once we had really cold drinks, really frozen ice cream and didn't have to worry about putting a couple of warm 6 packs in it and not being cold hours later.
I bought mine here for about $1100 shipped. http://www.goedekers.com/product/Samsung-RF197ACPN/17-8-Cu--Ft--Stainless-Platinum-Counter-Depth--French-Door-Refrigerator---Energy-Star.html

The Amish replacement unit in theory will reduce the fire hazard, but not eliminate it. All of the safety rules regarding gas absorption cooling still apply. You should never run it unless level since crystals can form and cause a blockage and a pressure rupture (even in an Amish unit). This is the physics of gas absorption.
I figured why spend the money for a replacement cooling unit when it would still not cool as good as a compressor driven refrigerator, still have the limitations on usage and still be a safety risk? I want peace of mine for me and my family, so it was an easy choice.
Hope this helps!
Dan

2006 Allure 430 with tag

#31344


Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 93181
Michael,

I had Chris Snyder install the Amish Pines Refer kit in my Norcold when we were in Tucson last spring.
It came with 2 fans and Chris removed one of them, saying that 2 fans weren't needed and they made too much noise.

We have not had a cooling problems with the unit on a single fan. I might add that we head north when the weather gets hot in the spring.
Ricardo 04 Intrigue #11830

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 93187
Thanks Barney, your page is very useful. Two questions: Do you have an idea roughly how many hours a day the compressor actually runs during hot weather? The freezer from the outside looks big, but the refrigerator section looks smaller than fridge side in my big Dometic 14 cu ft. Is that true?

Rich 2002 Magna

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 93200
Hi Rich,

Sorry but I am not familiar with the Dometic 14. I can assure you the Samsung refrigerator section is MUCH larger than the Norcold 12cf we had. It is about the same width inside but taller and much deeper than the Norcold. Also there is room in the doors to store large things like a couple gallons of milk, eggs, butter, soft drinks and water.
Last summer I started the Samsung from ambient temp, about 85 f, to full cold from the inverter. I then ran it for about 8 hours total. still had plenty of battery left. I have nothing special for house batteries, 4, 6 volters. The hot weather doesn't seem to effect it in any way except it will run a little more as can be expected. It's hard to tell how much it runs because it's so quiet. I don't really notice it like I did the Norcold as the fans were noisy in ours before I removed it.
This project was one of the rare ones that I do not regret in any way. We went to Alaska this past summer and were on the road for 2.5 months. Most of the time we had some kind of shore power, from 30 amp down to 15 in one spot. We dry camped for only two days. One of those days we went 13 hrs without running the generator or engine, and the weather was surprisingly warm most of the trip. Even at 13 hrs we still had battery left for more but it was time to hit the road.

Hope this helps.

Barney

07 Inspire 52059

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 93216
Thanks Barney. The Dometic 1492 has 6 shelves in the fridge plus 2 bins at the bottom. Hold quite a bit. The freezer is pretty small. Link to picture below. Clearly the Samsung has way more door storage. On the electrical usage, I would be interested to hear what happens when you boondock in 85 degree weather in terms of your amp hours. I have a little 3 cubic foot energy star rated compressor freezer that I use when plugged in. It uses more electricity than is practical for boondocking in my case which I do for much of the year. I find it hard to believe an 18 cu ft Samsung does not use more. Sounds like you are plugged in most of the time. There is no contest in that case: Samsung has every advantage.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Dometic+1492&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS445US445&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=XbTJUrGqKKOdyQGrzoDQCw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1093&bih=466#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=FADRkRX1OJ_p-M%3A%3BM54LbyRPvBehqM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.beamalarm.com%252FDocuments%252Fdometic_ice_maker_leak_repair%252Fslides%252Fdometic_ndr_1492_18.JPG%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.beamalarm.com%252FDocuments%252Fdometic_ice_maker_leak_repair%252Fslides%252Fdometic_ndr_1492_18.html%3B501%3B702
Rich 2002 Magna
 

Re: refrigerator replacement

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 93221
One that can make a big impact on amphours usage is efficiency of the inverter. Some consume 25% doing the inverting.

[size=75%]Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S™II Skyrocket™ an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone.[/size]
rich_barlow@... wrote:

Thanks Barney. The Dometic 1492 has 6 shelves in the fridge plus 2 bins at the bottom. Hold quite a bit. The freezer is pretty small. Link to picture below. Clearly the Samsung has way more door storage. On the electrical usage, I would be interested to hear what happens when you boondock in 85 degree weather in terms of your amp hours. I have a little 3 cubic foot energy star rated compressor freezer that I use when plugged in. It uses more electricity than is practical for boondocking in my case which I do for much of the year. I find it hard to believe an 18 cu ft Samsung does not use more. Sounds like you are plugged in most of the time. There is no contest in that case: Samsung has every advantage.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Dometic+1492&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS445US445&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=XbTJUrGqKKOdyQGrzoDQCw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1093&bih=466#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=FADRkRX1OJ_p-M%3A%3BM54LbyRPvBehqM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.beamalarm.com%252FDocuments%252Fdometic_ice_maker_leak_repair%252Fslides%252Fdometic_ndr_1492_18.JPG%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.beamalarm. com%252FDocuments%252Fdometic_ice_maker_leak_repair%252Fslides%252Fdometic_ndr_1492_18.html%3B501%3B702
Rich 2002 Magna