Residential vs Repair RV Fridge

[tropical36]

Another problem here and found out on the land yacht's maiden voyage that the 4 door Norcold in never cold and now using the freezer area for the fridge.
So, I know this has been around a number of times
and have even commented on the numerous threads, myself, but there may possibly be another problem to contend with here.
We're at LazyDays for the weekend and more info mostly I ask at the expert desk in the store here, about their labor and procedure for replacing the Fridge with whatever. He says that firstly, the windshield must be removed for getting it out and getting the other in and they will undoubtedly break this $3K windshield in the process.
I find that hard to believe for a given an something the customer will be stuck with.
Now after taking some measurements with the coach entry door removed it's 27" and with some rough measurements of the fridge, I can't see where it can be more than 23" deep max., so I don't get where this guy is coming from.
Anyway, if anyone knows of someone and in SW Florida or elsewhere, please advise. I may be able to do this myself with a little help, even at my age, but need to explore all these possibilities first.
Also where are those that are replacing just the cooling units and especially the Amish type, getting this done?

[Ivylog]

OP, you must not have read my previous post or the post on my DIY install. I found a Whirlpool 21 CuFt top freezer unit that came within 1/2" height of fitting where the 1200 goes. At 21 CuFt it's not a counter depth (24") unit so with the kitchen slide in the doors will not open all of the way.
By removing the plywood floor and putting side rails in for the refer to sit on (much the same as DSDP did) I was able to save the drawer below that the DW wanted. HERE is my DIY install with model numbers.

[tropical36]

DSDP Don wrote:
"tropical 36".....I swapped out a Samsung in my 05 Diplomat. I had a heater under the original Norcold. Initially, there wasn't enough room. I kept measuring and realized I could install the Samsung without a floor, I just used rails. This gave me the room I needed and left me with a 1/2" of space at the top and about 1" between the heater and the bottom of the refer.

Haier also makes some nice refers that are a little smaller.

If you decide on a residential unit, here is how I've done two of them. Your front door has an arm that only lets it open to 90 degrees. If you remove the arm and swing the door all the way open, you gain the width of the door, usually, 2"- 3". I also removed the passenger seat in both installs and used the new refer cardboard to protect the dash. With the door off and all of the shelves removed, the residential units are pretty light.

I'm liking the sound of this, so might be going this way, eventually. Just so overwhelmed with everything on this new to us rig and would like to make good on our plans for the rest of the summer.
By the way, how much depth did you have to play with and what did the samsung measure. Do you have a model number? I'll also check out the Haier models.

[tropical36]

OP here again. I'm reading and considering everything that's being said, so thanks, a bunch.
With limited time on my hands right now, if we're to make it where we're going soon, I can't work on it myself and especially with being in the rain season now. This assuming that I use and remove the large passenger side window for access and would be somewhat safer for damage insurance.
Need time to consider more, so am now trying everything to rejuvent this one to an acceptable level. Everything has been blown out from the top and from the bottom. Installed a fan in the bottom, as well. Cleaned up the thermistor and the rusty bracket, along with moving it a bit higher. It seems that the fridge still runs without it, but without control and if I understand the tech video, so is this how he determined that the thermistor was indeed bad? I also assume that the fan stays and even though the tech, indicates that it's for flow test purposes out the top.
Having a problem hearing everything he's saying with my computer volume and yes, will run it again with ear phones this evening.
With the LP mode, I have a large strong flame, so we'll have to now see where to go from here and have the battery power off now, while DW is changing out the sw. covers and yes wires and sws. have to all be removed for this.

[DSDP_Don]

"tropical 36".....I swapped out a Samsung in my 05 Diplomat. I had a heater under the original Norcold. Initially, there wasn't enough room. I kept measuring and realized I could install the Samsung without a floor, I just used rails. This gave me the room I needed and left me with a 1/2" of space at the top and about 1" between the heater and the bottom of the refer.

Haier also makes some nice refers that are a little smaller.

If you decide on a residential unit, here is how I've done two of them. Your front door has an arm that only lets it open to 90 degrees. If you remove the arm and swing the door all the way open, you gain the width of the door, usually, 2"- 3". I also removed the passenger seat in both installs and used the new refer cardboard to protect the dash. With the door off and all of the shelves removed, the residential units are pretty light.

[YC_1]

Here is an example

There is several examples of installs over furnaces on the IRV2.com forum.

[Tinstar]

After you've cleaned it and installed a fan and it still doesn't cool properly, watch THIS video and see if it doesn't help. If it's still a no go, then you have to choose one of your other options.

[SCVJeff]

Once you've gotten a direction, and it sounds like you have, there is tons of advice here.

As for the 1210, it's part of the NORCOLD 1200 series, so it's construction is the same as the rest, and hasn't changed.

If you've verified a clean burner and proper LP pressure that you should do regardless, the flue is clean, proper baffling and whatever else the pro R&M guys here suggest, adding extra fans both inside and out will certainly help. You MAY even have defective or mis-installed fans on the fridge from the factory. Unless you've dropped it in its head and damaged the fridge itself, all it needs is a refurbished or new cooling unit. Personally I have a new Helium cooling up unit in the garage ready to go in hopefully this weekend and have high hopes high hopes for

[tropical36]

OP here with update and even more of a dilema.
After all the measurements possible and with the furnace below the fridge, I can only install a little apartment size model, which is fine with me, but not the DW, so...., it's either that, getting this thing to cool properly or spending a small fortune for a new like model.
Firstly with the Norcold 1210 Model, did they finally get it right, along with the NEVERCOLD nickname?
With a Dometic, it's a little cheaper, but also a little deeper and might end up costing more with things maybe having to be relocated some. I'm not doing this one myself with limited time on our hands and if we expect to get going soon, so it's going to cost big time, going this route.
With my 1200 here, I've heard a lot of talk about putting fans in or out and somewhere, so could someone possibly enlighten me on this procedure?
I've blown out the cobwebs, as one has suggested here and do have a strong flame, so will do some more testing in the meantime, except it's now empty.

[Dance_Chick]

YC 1 wrote:
Gene, was that install in a slide? We live in Auburndale. We have a nice side by side Dometic that is 8 years old and would like to change to a residential.

No, it is not in a slide, and this is Gayle.:)

I love the residential and would not go back to the other. We never boondock. The RF18 is plenty big for us.

[wildmanbaker]

You may find that if you have the door and frame removed, it will fit through without any problems. If the new one is still too big, measure the box without the doors, as this is no problem to remove them. As for getting the fridge up the stairs, there are what are call a "stair walker" hand cart, that are designed for this purpose and work great. Wed replaced our 8 c.f. Dometic with a Sidewise 14 cf. There was nothing wrong with the old, but the wife wanted more freezer and fridge space.

[YC_1]

Gene, was that install in a slide? We live in Auburndale. We have a nice side by side Dometic that is 8 years old and would like to change to a residential.

[Dance_Chick]

We had the Samsung RF18 installed. While the place we had do it in Winter Haven did an okay job, we've had some other problems with them and won't go there anymore, so I hesitate to refer you to them. If I were you, I'd give Bryan's Auto Truck & RV in Lake Wales a call. We've used them for many things and have been impressed with their ability and honesty. We wish we had found them sooner. I do not know if they would do a fridge install, though.

Ours was able to come in the entry door with the door removed. They did not remove the frame, but probably should have as they slightly scratched the frame. The door was reinstalled and works fine.

[ILVMYGT]

This is how we got our old out and the new refrigerator in our motorhome.



We found a 14.6 CF Hotpoint apartment refrigerator that was about 62 inches tall. It not the fanciest refrigerator but works great. When running it draws .8 amps (when not defrosting).

[tropical36]

Thanks to all who have responded so far and after some thought, I'm back to what has always been my preference and for a residential unit.
Besides the front door, which might take a little expert maneuvering for going in and out to prevent any damage, I now find that the passenger side window is pretty large at 58w x 32h and the leather couch when flat to make a small bed, should make for a good platform, using a blanket and a sheet of plywood.
Just a thought and what seems to be the best way to go with it, so how does that sound to you all and if I might be missing something here?
Now with any install, there won't be any cutting at the bottom but might possibly remove an extra 2 1/2 board at the top for a total working height of 65 1/2 - 66 inches, so need to find something to fit that. Width is opening is a good 33 inches, so plenty there and might require filling in with some shelves or something if going with a smaller width.

[Big_Katuna]

Norcold 1200 failed at ten years. I went the Amish made route. Did it myself in two days as I move slow. Not hard. A helper is essential.

Completely satisfied cools better than new. $1200.