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Which Res Refer?

Yahoo Message Number: 95706
I'm going to R&R my 4-dr Norcold with a counter-depth RR. The "drug of choice" among RV'ers seems to be the Samsung 197 17.8 cf. In searching the web, I find lots of purchasers who think the thing is almost junk after about a year. I found a 20.6 cf LG counter-depth that costs more but has rave reviews.
So, those of you who have done the RR upgrade, particularly if you chose the Samsung 197, what are your thoughts? Jerry L

2008 Allure 470 37' (just purchased)

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95709
For what it's worth when we had our Norcold replaced back in 2010, Ed Reid at OMC told us to definitely not go with LG. Didn't ask why. We had room for a larger Samsung and opted for that one. Love it. Works very well. I have heard there are some Whirlpool and Maytag units out there that will work.

S. Brandt, '06 Intrigue, 11964

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95712
For us, it fits, keeps the food cold, even going down the road and running off the inverter, and, we are able to carry the perishable foods we enjoy. Also, if there are seasonal foods available that are fresh, we can stock up.

Sharon

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95713
We have had our Samsung for about three years now and are very happy with it. We leave it in operation 24/7/365 while on the road or parked at our home.
While parked at home my wife uses it for extra storage of cheese and other dairy products especially ice cream in the freezer.

Walt

2004 Inspire

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95715
We have had the Samsung 197 for 2 years, and we love it. The other day we bought quite a few groceries, and when my husband was going to put stuff in the refrigerator, as we would need to do with our Norcold, I asked him to please go really fast and only put a few things in at a time so we didn't warm up the refrigerator too much. We both laughed! No need to think like that nor to wonder when we go to get something out of this refrigerator if it'll be cold or not! There were several folks on this blog who helped us decide to make this move and then how to do it. Thank you again!

Mary and Mike Frederick
06 Inspire 51784

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95719
We have had the Samsung 197 for over a year and love it. Only ask why we did not change it out long before we did. Not only the frig great performance but the peace of mind that the coach is not going to burn up.
Ned herrmann
06 Inspire 51677

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95721
Jerry, I installed the Samsulng RF197 over three years ago and over 35,000 miles ago. Am I please? You bet. No problems, works flawlessly. Getting rid of the Norcold was arguably the best thing I ever did to our coach.
Lyle Wetherholt
04 Intrigue 11740

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95726
We just installed the RF 197 about one month ago. We are very happy with it so far. It does however use about 30% more energy than the yellow tag on the door says. After looking at a consumer report article I am left with thinking 30% is not too bad. The article mentioned that some of the refrigerators they tested used 50% more energy than the yellow tag said.
We had an LG in our stick house and the compressor was really noisy. I don't remember the model but it was about 4 years ago.

Norm

2004 Intrigue #11773

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95729
I don''t know anything about Samsung 197 being almost junk after about a year. I know a lot of Country Coachers have replaced their Norcolds with them... I think they are a good fit size wise which may explain its popularity. Our New Tiffin came with a Maytag residential MFC 2061 double door with freezer on the bottom. It is a perfect fridge. I would never want to have to go back to Norcold. Tiffin equipped the coach with a 2800 Magnum pure sine wave inverter and 6 coach batteries which is what you need to make the switch. It's a pretty expensive conversion, I believe. Good luck with whatever you choose Joseph Burkle

2010 Tiffin Allegro Bus 43QRP

43' quad slide tag axle ISL 425 HP pusher formerly:

2008 Country Coach Inspire 360 Founders Edition

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95731
Jerry, we installed the 197 in April so don't have a lot of experience with it yet but I don't think all those "junk" reviews are warranted. I read three rv boards and have yet to see any negative comments about it. The refer will make more ice in a day than any Dometic or Nocold refer out there. The only downside that I see is that the ice cream is so hard you have to let it sit on the counter for awhile so you can scoop it out. Best mod I have done.

Don

'02 Intrigue 11427
'02 Intrigue #11427

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95733
We have a Magnum 2000 watt pure sine wave inverter.
The reason I mentioned the energy usage is because we dry camp a lot. We have 800 watts of solar and 6 golf cart batteries. I have a "kilowatt" meter and I have been monitoring the energy use of the refer since it was installed. According to the yellow tag it should use 1.24 KW per 24 hour period. We have been using on average 1.6 KW per 24 hour period. Not a big deal if you are plugged in but for dry camping it is another 35 amp hours a day I had not counted on.

Norm

2004 Intrigue #11773

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95736
I didn't see that anyone answered Richard. I had the Samsung 197 installed in my then, 05 Inspire, with a modified sign wave inverter and it worked very well.

John

08 Intrigue
10 Ford Escape

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95740
Hi John,

I think I answered Richard in my previous post. I took his question about a MSW inverter to be directed to me because of my statement about energy use. I would think a MSW inverter would use more energy than a PSW inverter. We have a PSW inverter.

Norm

2004 Intrigue #11773

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95742
Might other way around Norm as the pure sine wave smooths out thecwave vs just switching on and off which gives the modified squarewave.

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #17 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95744
Installed the Samsung 197 2 years ago. We are fulltimers and so far this is the best improvement we have done.

Tom

2005 Inspire 51177

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #18 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95750
That s all? a propane refrigerator is definitely the way to go for boondocking, but that's a only a little over a dc amp per hour. I think that's pretty damn efficient. I thought it would be more.

Rich 2002 Magna

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #19 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95752
Rich,

It uses 1.6KW for a 24 hour period. That would be about 160 amp hours. The 35 amp hour figure was just the difference between what the yellow energy star sticker says it will use and what it actually is using.
I might add that the 1.6 KW average is with the ice machine on about have the time and the night time weather in the low 50s and daytime weather in the mid 70s. I am sure the power use will go up as the summer goes on. I have the original roof opening still open and I also have the side access open to the back of the refrigerator. In the winter I will block off the side access.

Norm

2004 Intrigue #11773

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #20 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95755
I was a bit off in my math for the energy use of our Samsung. It uses 1.6 KW per 24 hour period. That works out to be about 134 amp hours +/-.

Norm

2004 Intrigue #11773

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #21 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95757
We did not hook up the ice maker, and as you mentioned in a previous email, that might save some electrical usage.

Mary F.

06 Inspire 51784

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #22 –
Yahoo Message Number: 95763
Norm,

160 AH is more around what I had expected. What until it gets hot outside. That is a deal breaker for boondocking unless you have massive solar or like to buy diesel. Luckily my Dometic 1492 is still working very well after 12 years now that I have that little fan in there. I have a little 3 cu ft. Energy Star rated Chinese freezer that I uses sometimes even boondocking, but it does not draw anywhere near what the Samsung does, it is very well insulated and the door is not opened even on a daily basis. In fact I turn my inverter off for at least 5 hours a day and the temps barely drop.

Rich 2002 Magna

Re: Which Res Refer?

Reply #23 –
Yahoo Message Number: 96124
A while ago I read about door latches for the Samsung 197 I install my own 197 and took out this weekend and on a sharp corner the doors came open what is the best fix Thanks