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fridge install [message #280479]

Mon, 22 June 2015 10:06

lqqkatjon

Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN

Karma: 5

Senior Member

Time to go to a LP fridge. a minor problem with the norcold, and a craigslist find, made it the new project to get done.

I pulled out my original Norcold yesterday. I picked up a nice looking Dometic rm2652 for $300.

I have been searching out the photo site, and trying to get my ideas all in place for the installation. I have seen rick Drummond's, Carls, and a couple others.

It is my plan to pull the rear panel out,(dry rotted a little bit, and looks like i need the 1" more clearance at the top). paint the wood with some fire retardant paint(Telco stuff I have at work just because it is easy and available). Then line the compartment with reflectix.

it looks like I will have to cut 1" to the top side of the front trim to get the fridge to fit, and I hope I can squeeze an inch or so on the top rear of the compartment, so I do not have to shim it out into the hallway. taking a quick skim, I also was looking at the instructions on the dometic rm2652, and it seems there is not much of a clearance requirements, as the norcold installs I looked at. I don't see any maximum clearance, just minimum(0").

I also bought the valtera 12v thermostatically controlled fan, I plan to mount in the roof vent.

so if there are other photo's or ideas, let me know.

Jon Roche 75 palm beach EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now. St. Cloud, MN http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/

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Re: fridge install [message #280480 is a reply to message #280479]

Mon, 22 June 2015 10:10

lqqkatjon

Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN

Karma: 5

Senior Member

on another note....

if anybody wants a working original 12v/110v norcold, let me know. located in central MN. it works fine, I just had the thermostat go out, and I replaced it with a pop cooler thermostat, so it no longer has an "off" so you just have to wire a switch, or some way to kill power to it.

Jon Roche 75 palm beach EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now. St. Cloud, MN http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/

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Re: fridge install [message #280482 is a reply to message #280480]

Mon, 22 June 2015 11:10

A Hamilto

Messages: 4508
Registered: April 2011

Karma: 39

Senior Member

lqqkatjon wrote on Mon, 22 June 2015 10:10

on another note....
if anybody wants a working original 12v/110v norcold, let me know. located in central MN. it works fine, I just had the thermostat go out, and I replaced it with a pop cooler thermostat, so it no longer has an "off" so you just have to wire a switch, or some way to kill power to it.

Is that the single door unit or the one with the separate freezer door?

Either way, don't send it to the landfill. If you don't get any offers here, they work good at off-grid cabins and such where people run them off batteries, generators and solar panels. Should be able to get back some of the dollars you spent on the replacement selling it craigslist or ebay or whatever.

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Re: fridge install [message #280487 is a reply to message #280479]

Mon, 22 June 2015 12:07

lqqkatjon

Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN

Karma: 5

Senior Member

right now i have unlimited storage about 40 minutes from my house. I will put the fridge out there, with some other old parts i have. Until my friend dies on his motorcycle(most probable), I will be keeping it unless there is someone in need. Then they can have it.

As far as using this as a "off grid", I would not recommend it unless you are running it on a generator most or all of the time. That is the primariy reason I am changing out this fridge. It is a battery drainer.

it is a 2 door model. separate freezer and fridge.

Jon Roche 75 palm beach EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now. St. Cloud, MN http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/

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Re: fridge install [message #280494 is a reply to message #280479]

Mon, 22 June 2015 13:49

biggreen

Messages: 347
Registered: June 2011
Location: Northeast Florida

Karma: 1

Senior Member

I have the 2 door Dometic, and had to move the fridge cabinet out 4" for proper clearance. Built the new cabinet side you see here, and got a pantry out of it.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/member-galleries/p45304-never-used-that-vacuum-anyway.html
Fish around a few photos up to see finished product.
Make sure you line the inside and make it mostly airtight.
Hell of a job, but worth it.

R.D. Northeast Florida 77 ex-Palm Beach 403

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Re: fridge install [message #280500 is a reply to message #280479]

Mon, 22 June 2015 15:08

Carl S.

Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.

Karma: 13

Senior Member

Jon,

I didn't go back and include this in my fridge installation album, but about a year later, I ended up pulling it back out and adding some 3/4" X 3/4" pieces to the front face of the opening. It just made the installation cleaner than trying to shoehorn the slightly taller refrigerator under the top piece of trim and also gave it slightly more clearance in the back. You DO want a baffle up close to the coils in the back to direct the maximum airflow over the coils. If you haven't already done so, you might want to look up the installation instructions for your particular unit on line. I know Norcold has theirs available, I would guess Dometic does too.

Carl Stouffer '75 ex Palm Beach Tucson, AZ. Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member

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Re: fridge install [message #280502 is a reply to message #280487]

Mon, 22 June 2015 15:09

A Hamilto

Messages: 4508
Registered: April 2011

Karma: 39

Senior Member

lqqkatjon wrote on Mon, 22 June 2015 12:07

...the primariy reason I am changing out this fridge. It is a battery drainer. ...

The ones I have worked on had rusted out trim panels on the bottom that deformed the gasket. When that happens, it will run all the time and not get cold. For the one I am installing in the Sequoia, I fabricated a new trim panel and used a hair dryer on the gasket to straighten it out. With a good door seal, in a space maintained at about 75 degrees F, it will run down a good-sized fully charged battery in 24 - 48 hours. Depending on how often the door is opened. It really does not work that well without something to keep the battery charged. But it is actually very energy efficient, and would be the bees knees with solar panels to keep the battery charged. That is with a good door seal. With a bad seal, the compressor will wear out.

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Re: fridge install [message #280505 is a reply to message #280479]

Mon, 22 June 2015 15:32

lqqkatjon

Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN

Karma: 5

Senior Member

I am impressed with the 40 year old original. My door seal can be an issue, but if you push it back in place, it seals up nicely.

when my thermostat went bad, and could not shut if off without pulling fuse, wires, ect.. with the replacement thermostat I installed. So it has been running non-stop since May 31st up until when i pulled it out yesterday. fridge was at 48 degrees.

I could get some decent time out of the batteries, if I planned. I would keep ice in the freezer, and in the fridge, and you could get alot less running of the compressor. Batteries would stay charged longer.

the solar helped, and another few watts might make it better. But I also noticed that when the sun is out, the solar works better, but it is hotter outside and in the coach, so I am sure that is somewhat counter productive.

and another thing I finally noticed after 4 winters of using the coach for hunting. The original fridge lower vent, is wide open to my exterior fridge vent. you get alot of cold air blowing in that bottom of the norcold.

Jon Roche 75 palm beach EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now. St. Cloud, MN http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/

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Re: fridge install [message #280512 is a reply to message #280505]

Mon, 22 June 2015 16:40

A Hamilto

Messages: 4508
Registered: April 2011

Karma: 39

Senior Member

lqqkatjon wrote on Mon, 22 June 2015 15:32

...and another thing I finally noticed after 4 winters of using the coach for hunting. The original fridge lower vent, is wide open to my exterior fridge vent. you get alot of cold air blowing in that bottom of the norcold.

Incorrect installation. If you want to run it with an exterior vent, the grate at the bottom front of the fridge should be closed up and the compartment should be vented like an LP unit (exterior vents bottom and top). If you want to run it with the coils cooled with interior air, there should be NO exterior vents and there should be a vent at the top front as well. If you keep the roof AC on when it is hot, it will cool better with interior air. The 73s, and maybe 74s, with dual voltage fridges had no exterior vents from the factory. See figure 4 for correct interior air installation:

http://www.palmbeachgmc.com/gmc/norcold/norcold_page5.jpg

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Re: fridge install [message #280571 is a reply to message #280479]

Tue, 23 June 2015 12:27

lqqkatjon

Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN

Karma: 5

Senior Member

So in a quest to Install my fridge properly, I have learned a couple things, and i have not even started.

1st off I am dealing with a dometic rm2652.

an owners/install manual can be found here:
http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/operating/2652operation.pdf

it gives some good information, but it turns out it is also missing some information. It talks about minimum clearances, but does not tell you what maximum clearances, and other installation criteria you should and could need.

so I then found this manual:
http://www.dometic.com/QBank/EPiServer/Dometic/US/Manuals/RV-manuals/Refrigerators/Americana-Americana-Plus-service-manual_17606.pdf

more information and it does give some more clearance information about the maximum, and installing some baffles.

then I received an email from a fellow GMCer, and pointed me to this manual:

http://www.dometic.com/QBankFiles3/EPiServer/Dometic/US/Manuals/RV-manuals/Refrigerators/Installation-Instructions-All-Refrigerator-Models_3313238.036 _17707.pdf

it is this final manual, that finally gives all the information needed for a proper dometic rm2652 fridge.

I am obviously not worried about a factory warranty on my used dometic, but It is nice to know what the installation exact methods should be in hopes that it works at max efficiency and safety.

Jon Roche 75 palm beach EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now. St. Cloud, MN http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/

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Re: fridge install [message #288854 is a reply to message #280505]

Fri, 16 October 2015 14:28

A Hamilto

Messages: 4508
Registered: April 2011

Karma: 39

Senior Member

lqqkatjon wrote on Mon, 22 June 2015 15:32

...when my thermostat went bad, and could not shut if off without pulling fuse, wires, ect.. with the replacement thermostat I installed. ...

I reinstalled the thermostat and brute forced it into the hole, decided to start over and broke a tab off the electrical connector, so I need a new one. On/off is not as big an issue for me. I only run it on 120VAC and can unplug it when not in use.

What make/part number did you use to replace it?

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Re: fridge install [message #288887 is a reply to message #288854]

Fri, 16 October 2015 22:49

lqqkatjon

Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN

Karma: 5

Senior Member

It has been too long i dont really remember enough.

I bought it from a local appliance repair guy. It came out of a commecial "pop/soda" fridge.

I gave the fridge to a candian for his "off grid cabin". So i no longer have it.

Appliance/refridge guy should have a selection

Jon Roche 75 palm beach EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now. St. Cloud, MN http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/

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