Forum Discussion

ccxnola's avatar
ccxnola
Explorer
Oct 30, 2015

Rebuild Dometic fridge / freezer??

Yep, the rig is now over 15 years of age! The past 11 with it have been GREAT!! BUT...just like me, stuff gets old and needs fixin'!!
Our Dometic 7732 two-door fridge / freezer WAS top o'de line when it was installed.

But today - the Dometic replacement fridges require modification of the cabinetwork - they DO NOT make a current unit that will fit in the cabinet space of the 7732!! Thanks Dometic!! (OH, and if you do want the recommended replacement, it is over $3200 PLUS freight PLUS installation and cabinet work!!)

'At My Age' (my how I hate that phrase) I do not consider myself competent to pull the unit out of the MoHo, replace the perished plastic ice-maker water tube with copper (been using ice trays for 6 years - no problems), repair the lower hinges on both doors (I have the metal kits on order - my JB weld repair has been good for the past 4 years) and either replace the 120V heaters or replace the whole cooling unit and clean (and replace as needed) the burner components.

So now, has anyone found a good source of a rebuild of a Dometic Fridge?? Yes, I have done web searches for two weeks. Yes, I know about the replacement cooling units - rebuilt and new - some supposed to be better than others, etc, etc. All recommendations for a good rebuilder will be appreciated and considered - actual experience please - not a friend of my cousin's brother-in law's report!

I will most likely only be driving the MoHo for another 4 or 5 years - but I do need a good and reliable fridge / freezer.
Class A
  • wolfe10's avatar
    wolfe10
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2015
    Yes, a very reasonable option IF YOU DON'T TO A LOT OF DRY CAMPING is a residential refrigerator, if you have or can fit a reasonable size battery bank (400 ah-hrs @12 vdc minimum IMO) and a sine wave inverter (price on them has come way down) . Shop for the refrigerator by size of your opening.

    Suspect cost if new residential refrigerator and sine wave inverter will be lower than cost of a replacement Dometic.

    If dry camping is a priority, stick with an absorption refrigerator. PPL in Houston usually has some of the lowest on-line/in stock prices.
  • ccxnola's avatar
    ccxnola
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2015
    Thanks for the lead to National RV. If I hold off until next spring - perhaps. I'm in NOLA (New Orleans, LA) and prefer to stay in Southern places when there is snow 'up north! After living in Seattle for many years, 45 years ago when I left there, I promised myself I would NEVER AGAIN go where there is snow!! So far - So good!!

    (Oh wait - 3 or 4 years ago, when we went to Dallas for our new MCI blinds, there was an unexpected BIG snow and we were 'trapped' for 3 days. As soon as the Interstate was free of Snow & Ice, we made a bee-line for Houston!!)

    I was hoping for a lead in South Texas or perhaps even Florida panhandle. Not much else in-between that I can find on the Internet.
  • Teacher_s_Pet's avatar
    Teacher_s_Pet
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2015
    Would help if we knew where you were since you say you don't care to pull the unit. But here goes, we had our cooling unit rebuilt by National RV Refrigeration in Shipshewana IN. The owner is Leon Hershberger, an Amish gentleman who does his own work. This is not "The Amish Cooling Unit", but "a Amish rebuilt" cooling unit. He will do all the work at his shop or ship to your location, for DIY. He removed, rebuilt and reinstalled, our Norcold 4 door refrigerator for around $950 3 years ago. Still working better than when new in 2005.
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Oct 30, 2015
    Hi,

    Another alternative is a 12 volt fridge that uses a Danfoss compressor.
  • ccxnola's avatar
    ccxnola
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2015
    coolmom42,
    I have not considered that option!
    Now I have MORE Internet research to be accomplished!!
    Thanks!!
  • coolmom42's avatar
    coolmom42
    Explorer II
    Oct 30, 2015
    If you have a good battery bank, or usually stay at electric sites, consider ditching the entire ammonia fridge thing, and go with a high-efficiency 12 V fridge like an Engel or ARB.

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