Refrigerator upgrade question

DiverBob

2018 Unity TB
We decided that we don’t have enough time before leaving on our next trip to do anything about the refrigerator just now. So we will live with the temperature fluctuations until we get back. At this point we are planning on having JC Refrigeration install their 120v AC compressor unit after we get back unless something better comes up before then.
The discussion here has been great and very helpful. Lots of ideas and opinions that show the usefulness of this group. Thank you all for contributing!
 

kmay

2013 Unity MB
Converts your existing fridge to a residential fridge, (which eliminates your Lp gas and ammonia absorption system) this cooling unit is built with a compressor system and not only do you get to keep your same fridge and controls you are used to but there is no need to remove the windshield, door or window to get the old fridge out and the new in -nor the hassle of cutting or redoing the cabinets to make a new fridge fit.
Okay, the bold text caught my eye and given that no one has mentioned problems with pulling the old fridge out and putting a new unit in - will a Dometic. Novakool or Isotherm fit through the coach door?

I hate that I did not measure my stock Dometic when I had it out for upgrades.
 

RandyJohnson

2018 Unity TB
Yes it fits fine.

On a TB had to remove the pantry handle face to allow for extraction.

Should the door be a problem just disconnect the piston and push the door back against the coach.
 
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TampaSteve

2018/2019 Unity CB
It better fit though the door without too much consideration, as my shiny new isotherm is currently somewhere in a truck on I-95 bound for Tampa. I just assumed it would be an easy extraction/insertion as my corner bed model has an especially cavernous living area with the slide out, so as long as it fits through the door I should have no problem rotating if necessary to clear obstacles.
 

Klipstr

2018 Wonder FTB
It better fit though the door without too much consideration, as my shiny new isotherm is currently somewhere in a truck on I-95 bound for Tampa. I just assumed it would be an easy extraction/insertion as my corner bed model has an especially cavernous living area with the slide out, so as long as it fits through the door I should have no problem rotating if necessary to clear obstacles.
You could always cut it in half if it's a real problem! It ain't getting the old one out: it's getting the new one in! Oh, and keep a couple of rubber mallets handy just in case...
 

SSTraveler

2014 LTV Unity Murphy Bed
I had to remove the counter top extension but other that that both the Dometic or Isotherm slide in and out fine from the Refrigerator cabinet. The Dometic is actually a little wider so you have to remove the door to get through the coach door. Of course you need the slide out as well. For the Isotherm 219 install you'll need a short appliance extension cord, https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-6-f...ance-Extension-Cord-Grey-HD-277-711/100672773, the cord that comes with the Isotherm is to short. Also, my Isotherm came with the 24v bulb installed and a 12v bulb in a package with the Refrigerator manual. I had to switch out the bulbs. I did not use the clips that came with it as aides to keep the doors secure while traveling. I think they are a lot of trouble based on their design so I just use these Camco Refrigerator bars, https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Refrig...43&s=gateway&sprefix=Camco+ref,aps,242&sr=8-5, to keep the contents from moving in the front. I take them out after we setup camp so they are out of the way. At a setting of about 3.25, if liquids sit on the back wall they freeze nearly solid. So I use these double rods, https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Refrig...43&s=gateway&sprefix=Camco+ref,aps,242&sr=8-4, against off the back wall to keep things from laying against it and freezing. Make sure you remove all bars when you store the motorhome or they will deform the walls while the motorhome sits.
 
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TampaSteve

2018/2019 Unity CB
You could always cut it in half if it's a real problem! It ain't getting the old one out: it's getting the new one in! Oh, and keep a couple of rubber mallets handy just in case...
I think maybe JC Refrigeration was being a little melodramatic on that one. :) It's hard to imagine actually having to pull the windshield to get a refrigerator out (probably have to pull the steering column and the dash assembly too then) but I suppose its happened. There would have to be a special place in hell for an RV manufacturer that made the door smaller than the fridge.

JC Refrigeration has an excellent reputation and I considered that route. But they recommend that they install it so I'd be looking at $800 and a drive halfway across the country.

I decided against it for a couple reasons. First the new Isotherm was only $1300 and change. (Well not really with shipping and the energy saving gizmo it was more like $1800).

Also that $200 installation charge at JC can't possibly include the kind of extensive insulation I have planned for the back wall, as well as preserving the removable bottom outside access panel (while sealing and insulating it) which will require some head scratching moments.

Also I really like the idea of the smaller microwave. We hate the stock microwave just based on the stupidity of the user interface, but more importantly with a smaller microwave I can wire it to the stock inverter if I want since they only run 700-900 watts.

The "ITC Digital Display Intelligent Temperature Control" sold by isotherm clinched it for us. The external temp and controls make perfect sense ) I always hate opening the fridge to fiddle with settings. Also the lure of running the variable speed compressor at reduced cycles ("economy mode", basically) when power is in short supply. (In theory you could use that with any compatible Secop compressor I would think).

The Isotherm has a pretty good warranty - 5 years on the compressor, 2 years on the rest of the parts, and 1 year labor (not sure what that last one means). I've been reading up on basic refrigeration mechanics for the Danfoss BD50F and it looks like it will be easy to service or replace if ever needed.

Lastly the Isotherm has an inverter so it also runs on 120 VAC. Not really necessary, but convenient for example I can bench test it in my garage without rigging up a power supply.

So for all those reasons the Isotherm just seemed ideal for us. The Nova Kool would probably have worked out OK too - we just kinda preferred the Isotherm, and it also seemed more quickly available.
 
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Gamma1966

2013 Chassis /14 Unity MB
SSTraveler said ..." I think they are a lot of trouble based on their design so I just use these Camco Refrigerator bars, https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Refrig...43&s=gateway&sprefix=Camco+ref,aps,242&sr=8-5, to keep the contents from moving in the front. "

WE use several small clear plastic tray containers to hold the food items in the refrigerator. This keeps the food in place during travel, makes it easy to bring out groups of items that are generally used together, ie. sandwich items, and it is easy to clean shelves of refrigerator.
We went to local Home Container store to find the assortment of trays.
 

woundedpig

2018 Unity MB
I think maybe JC Refrigeration was being a little melodramatic on that one. :) It's hard to imagine actually having to pull the windshield to get a refrigerator out (probably have to pull the steering column and the dash assembly too then) but I suppose its happened.
I don't think JCR is being melodramatic. Some of the residential fridges in larger RV's are enormous and they are installed in the interior prior to walls going up. And they will insulate the rear of the fridge without adding much cost. It's still a good deal compared to a compressor fridge switch out. When I talked with them, they said only their 110V units powered by the inverter would work in our RV's due to the space available behind the fridge. So the JC DC fridges are apparently not an option.
 

Gamma1966

2013 Chassis /14 Unity MB
I have never said that I sealed it off from the house/coach air.

I currently have a fan that is vented into the space around the MW pulling hot air from behind the fridge. When the fan is running you can feel the air coming out into the coach through the micro wave vents.

I am either going to drill a few small holes into the wall next to the entry on a Unity TB to vent into the space behind the fridge, or I am going to add two 3" duct vents similar to those on the dinette seat for the propane heater.

You will definitely need to make certain that the space behind the fridge is roughly the same temperature as the house ambient air.

I sealed the vents using HVAC tape as well as two layers of a stiff insulation board. I also added additional thinsulate against the outside wall.
I have just upgraded my NovaKool refrigerator installation, by closing off the two outside air vents, originally needed when the propane fueled Dometic unit was in use.
I provided for coach air into the lower rear section behind the refrigerator, by blowing air in from the space behind the slide-out pantry rack. I also put dual 90 cm muffle fans on the top section of the refrigerator. These fans are turned ON / OFF when the temp in the rear space of the evaporator reaches 88 Deg F. These fans force air into the microwave space; which flows out thru the grill surrounding the microvwave. While I had the microwave out, I also added insulation to the rear wall and ceiling. I used rigid foam board and fiberglass insulation matte to seal off the two outside vents. I am still able to remove those outside vent covers to service the area behind refrigerator.
 

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SSTraveler

2014 LTV Unity Murphy Bed
Gamma1966, have you had time to use it and are you seeing improvement? You could add more ventilation on the side wall similar to the suggestion I made in my previous posts. Bringing cooler air in directly from the coach interior would probably be the best. You could also add a vent to the TV cabinet side.
 

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stormpeakco

'19 M-B/'19 LTV U-TB
Viewing/reading the numerous posts, there may not to be an ideal/less expensive solution to those times, traveling in very hot weather and preserving the fridge contents.
Ignoring space considerations (on the floor or in an unoccupied seat/twin bed while actively moving/shower stall), (for some) I wonder if an intermittent-tandem situation may be viable to keep the essentials frozen/cold (i.e. blue ice, ice cream, frozen packaged alcoholic drinks) at certain times of the season/time of day with an accompanying portable CF-18 freezer/fridge AND the OEM 3 way.
(our CF-18 that we still use in our SUV and used in the back of the tow vehicle when we had a smaller fold-up TT seems very efficient and amazing quick at cooling ...one has to be vigilant to keep the setting low to avoid freezing the contents).

https://www.dometic.com/en-us/us/pr...olers/electric-coolers/dometic-cf-18-_-139893
 

Gamma1966

2013 Chassis /14 Unity MB
I have an ARB 50 Qt Cooler / Freezer in my Fiesta tow car; which has a Danfross compressor. I also have solar panel on roof to charge stand-alone battery pack to run the ARB. We use it primarily for cold drinks, and airy products; but still use the Nova Kool refrigerator in the RV for our other items . Best of both worlds.
 

SSTraveler

2014 LTV Unity Murphy Bed
We just got back from a trip to Hunting Island, SC and it was between 95-100°. I was super pleased with the Isotherm 219 performance. I started it up in my driveway on setting 7 and turned on my extra fan. After 2 hours it was at 40° (temperature gauge on the top door shelf) and I loaded it with all our food and drinks, already cold from our house Refrigerator/freezer, and the temperature went to 50 degrees. I left it on 7 and in less than an hour it was back down to 40°. I turned it down to 4 and left my extra fan on as we started our drive. About 5 hours later we pulled into our campsite and setup the door temperature was still at less than 41°. I turned the setting down to about 3.25 and turned my extra fan off. The Isotherm performed perfectly, the door shelf temperature never got above 41° and by using the double Camco bars in the back nothing touched the back wall or froze. The beverages were wonderfully cold even off the door shelves (we keep water bottles for handy quick drinking). The freezer was in the negative temperatures and the ice cubes stayed wonderfuly loose and it was a pleasure to reach in and grab a few cubes for our drinks. I didn't run the extra fan driving home and the temperatures never changed while on battery. My new Blue Sea ML-ACR charged the house batteries perfectly while driving so all is worry free now! I think I will continue to run the extra fan as part of my startup and first day of driving but after that I don't think I need it. But I'll get smarter on how to best operate my Isotherm compressor Refrigerator now that I have removed the biggest hurdle, the outside temperature exposure. 
 
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DougandBobbi

New member
I also insulated my outside exposed wall using several layers of Reflectix and with the sun shining on that wall and 100+ degree outside temperatures, the inside wall temp never exceeds 85 degrees. Old-geezer/Randy are right, you have to have good ventilation around the compressor Refrigerator, particularly in the back where the heat from the compressor running builds up. So the ambient temperature is even around the Refrigerator. I also added a fan that I can switch on to add more ventilation to the back space of the Refrigerator, if needed. So far I haven't needed it but I am still in the testing/getting used to the Refrigerator stage. I don't drive with my coach's AC running, fortunately my cab AC maintains a coach temperature of around 78 degrees so the Refrigerator operates no differently when driving. I believe if I can maintain the Refrigerators ambient environment temperature between 65-78 degrees I will get many years of worry free enjoyment from my new Isotherm Refrigerator, my only regret is not changing the Dometic and Hotpoint microwave out sooner!
Having JUST purchased a 2014 Unity TB - and with NO RV'ing experience whatsoever - this ENTIRE THREAD on refrigerators has me "shivering with anxiety" about our factory Dometic Refrigerator (which we have never even turned on yet) - but I DID do the dollar bill "seal" test - which resulted in "NO SEAL" :-(

WHAT to do, WHAT to do! Our Unity TB will be going into winter storage within a month. Should I research "all winter" and deal with this in the spring? LOL We WILL be attending a LTV Rally in our state in May 2020. The options and modifications seem OVERWHELMING to me. I feel uneasy about tearing into this beautiful RV with "modifications"! Perhaps SEEING some of the mods in person - will get me past my fear!?!?!

The list is getting longer, Refrigerator upgrade? Lithium Battery upgrade? Solar Panel Upgrade? :idunno::hmmm::thinking::cry:
 

Tannys

2016 Unity TB Portland OR
Having JUST purchased a 2014 Unity TB - and with NO RV'ing experience whatsoever - this ENTIRE THREAD on refrigerators has me "shivering with anxiety" about our factory Dometic Refrigerator (which we have never even turned on yet) - but I DID do the dollar bill "seal" test - which resulted in "NO SEAL" :-(

WHAT to do, WHAT to do! Our Unity TB will be going into winter storage within a month. Should I research "all winter" and deal with this in the spring? LOL We WILL be attending a LTV Rally in our state in May 2020. The options and modifications seem OVERWHELMING to me. I feel uneasy about tearing into this beautiful RV with "modifications"! Perhaps SEEING some of the mods in person - will get me past my fear!?!?!

The list is getting longer, Refrigerator upgrade? Lithium Battery upgrade? Solar Panel Upgrade? :idunno::hmmm::thinking::cry:

Why not just use and enjoy your Unity as is and see how it goes? We did not have any prior RV experience when we bought our Unity either. We have not had any refrigerator or other issues. This might be because we are lucky or because of the way we roll. Upgrading anything before you use your Unity for a while does not make a lot of sense to me. Stop worrying, be happy, and enjoy your coach!
 

avanti

2022 Ford Transit 3500
Why not just use and enjoy your Unity as is and see how it goes? We did not have any prior RV experience when we bought our Unity either. We have not had any refrigerator or other issues. This might be because we are lucky or because of the way we roll. Upgrading anything before you use your Unity for a while does not make a lot of sense to me. Stop worrying, be happy, and enjoy your coach!
This makes a lot of sense.

IMO, compressor fridges are vastly superior to absorption units. But it's not that the latter are unusable. People have made do with them for many years. The disadvantages matter more to some people than to others. It is an expensive upgrade. It was worth it for me. It may or may not be worth it to you. I agree you should hit the road and find out.
 

TJLee089

2013 Itasca Reyo 25R
Good advice. I know well the flaws of the 3-way fridge and the "drills" one might go through to help them work. Still, in 7 seasons, I've never had food spoil and only bought ice once in Utah when the temp was 100+. It would cost me thousands to upgrade to support a compressor fridge (fridge, solar, batteries) if I ever want to boondock, which I occasionally do. I choose to accept the flaws. There is no simple right or wrong answer on this.

This makes a lot of sense.

IMO, compressor fridges are vastly superior to absorption units. But it's not that the latter are unusable. People have made do with them for many years. The disadvantages matter more to some people than to others. It is an expensive upgrade. It was worth it for me. It may or may not be worth it to you. I agree you should hit the road and find out.
 

SSTraveler

2014 LTV Unity Murphy Bed
Having JUST purchased a 2014 Unity TB - and with NO RV'ing experience whatsoever - this ENTIRE THREAD on refrigerators has me "shivering with anxiety" about our factory Dometic Refrigerator (which we have never even turned on yet) - but I DID do the dollar bill "seal" test - which resulted in "NO SEAL" :-( WHAT to do, WHAT to do!
Well I've had my Unity for 5 years and my advice, so you don't get overwhelmed, is first use your Unity to figure out how you are going to use it and what doesn't work for you. Then just do one mod/upgrade at a time. Fortunately for you this Forum has pretty much covered everything so all you need to do is a little research to find pretty much any solution you need. My Dometic also had a seal issue and I bought 2 rolls of this magnetic tape, https://www.amazon.com/Flexible-Mag...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==, and put it around the entire door opening to increase the magnetic attraction of the magnet in the rubber door seal. It solved the problem.
 

DougandBobbi

New member
Dumb question - did you apply the tape to the existing rubber seal or remove the seal altogether and replace with the magnetic tape? Thanks for this suggestion! I have an Amazon order going today - I will add this to it!
 

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