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My DC Compressor Fridge conversion in progress

toddb
Explorer
Explorer
I'd though I'd share my experience swapping out my refer. The camper is an AF 992 with a norcold N621 fridge. The fridge worked good while parked, with good fans and shrouds I could manage 36-38 in the fridge until about 101*. Going down the road though it was less than ideal, I never seen a flame blow out but on flat ground it was low 40s, hills into the 50s.

So after reviewing options the conversion kit seemed like the best choice, bang for the buck. At $770 it's a steal with a little labor compared to replacing the entire fridge.

I wanted to pull the fridge and put and do this in the garage, but I found out the fridge wasn't going to fit through the door. Had to be done in the camper...cramped for sure. So getting the fridge out was a challenge due to it's mid ship placement, it squeezed thought the dinette and bathroom door though with 0 clearance.



Refer is out, popped out pretty easy. Cleaned up of all the thermal mastic.

The two beside each other. This is actually the failed compressor unit, more on that later.

So following the you tube videos, (those are the instructions) I installed the compressor unit and let the unit sit for 24hours.



Upon starting the fridge the compressor shook pretty bad so I shut it down. I verified wiring and mounting and started it again, same thing. I tried calling the manufacturer but in several attempts all I got was a full voicemail box. So I emailed. I read nothing but good things about the customer service but emailing seems the only way they want to communicate. With a 12-24hr response time resolving this was a lot slower than I wanted. I suspected the compressor was damaged in shipment breaking the internal motor mounts. I tried several things to mitigate the vibration but it sounded like a helicopter landing on top of the camper while standing inside. So after getting them videos they agreed it wasn't normal and shipped another to me. No labor day camping trip for us ๐Ÿ˜ž

So I got to do this again, and it's hot and sticky here...yeah!

The new unit arrived, fedex does a great job of testing packaging btw. I stood this unit upright over night and bench tested it before I went through all of trouble. Compressor fired up and was very smooth. The old new unit is spray foamed into a foam fridge and I had to cut it out. Once out and cleaned up the new one went in pretty fast and I loosely mounted it until I could start it up the next day.

So it's hot here, I started the fridge at about 7am 88* the entire fridge drawing 6.75A. I'll have to go back and test just the compressor. I concluded the cool down around 1:30p, it was 108 outside, coach was 106. The fridge made it down to 43 on the data logger placed on the second shelf down. My wireless thermometer was showing 42.6. The freezer with IR was 3.5*. Looks like it took about 3 hours to reach the temp.


Fridge fan setup:


I'll do more testing later, next week is supposed to be cooler..I hope.

*Moderator switched URL tags to IMG and set image width
31 REPLIES 31

ScottG
Nomad
Nomad
Thanks for the info.
It would be interesting to hear if it will drop it to 40 and keep it there. Also if you start seeing any ice build up on the fins.

Scott

Geewizard
Explorer
Explorer
I easily run my Tundra compressor fridge on my solar panels and 2-100Ah batteries....which is one of the reasons I got it.
2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB
2014 Toyota Tundra Double Cab
300W solar, MPPT controller, LED lights
Xantrex Freedom X Inverter 3000W
2 Fullriver 105AH AGM batteries
Air Lift WirelessAIR and air bags
Hankook Dynapro ATM 10-ply tires

SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Explorer III
Kayteg1 wrote:
theoldwizard1 wrote:
I am surprised that more RV manufacturers are NOT offering compressor refrigerators as a build option.

I think it is the same issue why truck manufacturers don't offer manual transmissions anymore.
Too many warranty claims, where idiots don't bother to read the manual and come with refrigerator complains after they got their batteries depleted.
Funny part, my vintage 1972 Prevost conversion had 12V compressor fridge and separate 12V compressor freezer, so the technology is not new at all.


Thats true but technology has made the old compressor fridges way more efficient. A standard fridge compressor is a power hog. The Waeco / Danfoss compressors aren't. Plus the Waeco / Danfoss units run on a duty cycle which means the compressor adjusts itself for ambient conditions whereas a conventional compressor runs flat out (high amperage draw) until the set temp is reached. A Waeco / Danfoss don't. It only runs 'hard enough' to maintain the set temp which means the amp draw is much less. In fact you can rum one in solar alone with a limited battery bank. The one I'm looking at, max draw is 6.5 amps at 100% duty cycle but less than 1.2 amps cycling.

I see some of the builders like Northstar are offering compressor fridges as an option and pop up builders like Hallmark, they come standard with the Amish unit as the option. Alaskan is also 100% compressor fridge

Main reason I want one besides the tepid cooling of an Amish fridge os the fact that a compressor fridge can run at up to 30 degrees out of level in any plane, Very important for me as I mostly camp off road and levelling the outfit can be a royal PITA at times. Sometimes I can be so far out of plumb that I have to release the TC and level it with the jacks. With a compressor fridge, so long as you don't roll out of bed. it's level enough.
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1997 Ford 7.3 OBS 4x4 CC LB

toddb
Explorer
Explorer
Sorry about the pictures, when I used an IMG tag they didn't work.

The compressor is Sikelan, secom knock off I guess. All the electronics stay. I get an AC failure though so I'll see if I can bypass that later.

I think the temp stall at 43 was due to the large temp delta with the outside temp so high, the comressor didn't cycle until I changed the temp setting. I didn't have the coach AC on. The evap temp was 35* with the IR gun.

I dislike the condenser fan, the mount blocks the fins and it makes a lot of noise. A better shroud would most likely reject more heat/lower the pressure and reduce compressor draw.

ScottG
Nomad
Nomad
I'm curious about the 43 degree mark. A while back I watched a video on Youtube that suggested they couldn't get the temp down below a similar temperature but it was ambiguous.
Is 43 degrees all it had time to get down to or is that as low as it would go?

Also, you re-use all the original electronics right?

Thanks again for the thread,
Scott

c_traveler2
Nomad
Nomad
toddb, nice write up and a different approach of conversion of the existing refrigeration unit. Keep us updated on your progress for it look likes you still have some "bugs" to work out.

The "Dutch Aire" compressor shown in your photos look very much like the " Danfross" compressor with the same electronic control package, if it is so you have a good unit.

Until your posting I didn't know there were any compressor conversion units out there.

In 2013 I switched out my old RV refrigerator for a compressor type..Dometic CR1110 and have never regretted it, it's nice to reach in and pull out a cold one when it's over a hundred outside.

CR1110 Install

Geewizard.. Thanks for the link, I've book marked it.
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Geewizard
Explorer
Explorer
996Pilot wrote:
When I replaced mine in my 2006 Outfitter Apex 8 I went with an Isotherm unit. Same exact footprint as my Nocold but 45% more refrigerator space. I had to play some tricks getting it into the camper but it was worth it.


I replaced mine in my 2004 Outfitter Apex 8 with the Tundra T42. The cutout was almost the same. I had to remove the door and frame to swap them out but no big deal. Absolutely worth it. I bought mine from Sure Marine Service in Seattle in about 2005.

Nice comparison chart: https://www.suremarineservice.com/Galley/Refrigeration-Size-Comparison/
2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB
2014 Toyota Tundra Double Cab
300W solar, MPPT controller, LED lights
Xantrex Freedom X Inverter 3000W
2 Fullriver 105AH AGM batteries
Air Lift WirelessAIR and air bags
Hankook Dynapro ATM 10-ply tires

adamis
Nomad II
Nomad II
996Pilot wrote:
When I replaced mine in my 2006 Outfitter Apex 8 I went with an Isotherm unit. Same exact footprint as my Nocold but 45% more refrigerator space. I had to play some tricks getting it into the camper but it was worth it.

SidecarFlip wrote:
Irregardless of images, this winter my Dometic ammmonia fridge is coming out and a 12/120 compressor fridge is going in but instead of the one like you have, I'm getting a pre packaged unit from either Panther or West Marine. Probably a Dometic cool box and my not so old fridge (3 years old) will go on CL.


What are the advantages of such a fridge and what unit did you purchase? Any pictures you can share?

1999 F350 Dually with 7.3 Diesel
2000 Bigfoot 10.6 Camper

996Pilot
Explorer
Explorer
When I replaced mine in my 2006 Outfitter Apex 8 I went with an Isotherm unit. Same exact footprint as my Nocold but 45% more refrigerator space. I had to play some tricks getting it into the camper but it was worth it.

SidecarFlip wrote:
Irregardless of images, this winter my Dometic ammmonia fridge is coming out and a 12/120 compressor fridge is going in but instead of the one like you have, I'm getting a pre packaged unit from either Panther or West Marine. Probably a Dometic cool box and my not so old fridge (3 years old) will go on CL.
2018 Arctic Fox 811
2015 RAM 3500 SRW Laramie Longhorn 6.7 Cummins 68RFE Timbren SES, Lower Stableloads
2006 Dodge Ram 2500 Laramie 5.9 Cummins 48RE TRADED
2006 Outfitter Apex 8 TRADED

otrfun
Explorer II
Explorer II
Here's an excellent 40 min. youtube detailing a compressor conversion.

May consider doing this in the future if our fridge performance degrades. However, for now it's still performing well. It still managed 40 with an ambient of 114 in Palm Springs last month. Can't complain.

Kayteg1
Explorer II
Explorer II
theoldwizard1 wrote:
I am surprised that more RV manufacturers are NOT offering compressor refrigerators as a build option.

I think it is the same issue why truck manufacturers don't offer manual transmissions anymore.
Too many warranty claims, where idiots don't bother to read the manual and come with refrigerator complains after they got their batteries depleted.
Funny part, my vintage 1972 Prevost conversion had 12V compressor fridge and separate 12V compressor freezer, so the technology is not new at all.

theoldwizard1
Explorer
Explorer
I am surprised that more RV manufacturers are NOT offering compressor refrigerators as a build option.

SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Explorer III
Irregardless of images, this winter my Dometic ammmonia fridge is coming out and a 12/120 compressor fridge is going in but instead of the one like you have, I'm getting a pre packaged unit from either Panther or West Marine. Probably a Dometic cool box and my not so old fridge (3 years old) will go on CL.

My issue isn't driving down the road at all. it's parked. I have the fans too and it's well maintained. Makes no difference. In fact, we have a portable Dometic Cool Box in the backseat of the truck and it's always full of things like rock hard ice cream....lol

The absorbtion fridges might work for the Amish but being a Yankee, I prefer something more high tech.
2015 Backpack SS1500
1997 Ford 7.3 OBS 4x4 CC LB

ScottG
Nomad
Nomad
Use the image link called "BBC CODE". You'll also need to make sure the size isn't bigger than 480 X 640.

jimh406
Explorer III
Explorer III
Homeless by Choice wrote:
What am I doing wrong that I can't see the pictures?


Probably your browser. On another note, OP could have used the img tags and made it so nobody has to click on the links. ๐Ÿ™‚

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