Refrigerator has died May 09, 2024, 12:58:27 am 25 years was a good run, but dang it! We just got our LD 99 30' Island Bed back from a dealer with a working furnace...then the fridge stops cooling. Yellow stuff behind the panel. Does anyone know what is the model or cubic size of this one? (Not near the rig currently) I need to start researching what we are up against. Also, will we be able to reuse the door panels? Any advice is appreciated, as usual. Thank you.
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #1 – May 09, 2024, 05:50:02 am Your basic choices are to (a) replace the cooling unit only, (b) replace with a new absorption fridge, or (c) replace with a 12v electric fridge. A is the least expensive but much of what you end up with is still 25 years old. B is more expensive but everything is new. The mode of operation is familiar.C typically results in better cooling and more interior space, but requires substantial electrical upgrades if you want the fridge to run for more then a few hours without plug ins or generator use. Different people can reasonably make different choices depending on their use habits and preferences. Regardless of your choice, it’s also a good time to update the insulation surrounding the fridge. Rich 5 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #2 – May 09, 2024, 01:39:48 pm Hi MamaFree; I also have a '99 with the original refrigerator. Like old tires, or old heaters, the refrigerator was on borrowed time, and you were just unlucky enough to have it expire now. As Rich said I have done the electrical mods to go to an electric (12volt compressor) refrigerator, but I might also stay with the gas absorption type. I'm pretty sure your 30 footer has a larger fridge than mine, but I might have some places you could get a new one. I've bookmarked potenrial sources. I also would need to know what you already have. Do yo have any paperwork that came with the coach? Looks like Amazon (our affiliate partner, the LDOG gets some very small percentage from purchases) is stocking RV refrigerators now. Amazon.com: DOMETIC DM2862RB 8.0 Cubic Feet 2-Way Refrigerator : Automotive RonB 1 Likes As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #3 – May 09, 2024, 04:12:23 pm These refrigerators are ridiculously expensive and a pain to replace. 1 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #4 – May 10, 2024, 12:55:26 am Your 1999 30’ LD has an 8 cu/ft refrigerator. The 24 and 27’ rigs have 6 cu/ft refrigerators, unless someone else here has 1999 30’ LD, you will need to check the specification plate inside the refrigerator to find the model number. Larry 1 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #5 – May 10, 2024, 03:31:53 pm Re a 12 volt compressor frig, with the price of the new absorption, you could buy a compressor frig and a couple hundred amp hour LiTime lithiums and have a bunch of money left over!jor 1 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #6 – May 10, 2024, 05:24:31 pm Quote from: jor - May 10, 2024, 03:31:53 pmRe a 12 volt compressor frig, with the price of the new absorption, you could buy a compressor frig and a couple hundred amp hour LiTime lithiums and have a bunch of money left over!Also include 800+ of solar and installation cost. Expect to use the generator for shady czamping and short winter days, Especially in northern latitudes .Larry 1 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #7 – May 10, 2024, 05:49:23 pm QuoteExpect to use the generator for shady czamping and short winter days,Or just stay plugged in! 1 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #8 – May 10, 2024, 07:42:52 pm Another source of a Dometic DM2882 Dometic RV Refrigerator 8 cu ft adjustable thermostat- American at about $2700+ tax and shipping. You wanted to keep your door panels, but the old ones may not fit. Your '99 like mine has a color and pattern of interior darker than what it was changed to, a lighter color, in 2002. WilsonArt high pressure laminate in 'Nepal Teak' is a perfect match. Home depot has a 3 foot wide, or 4 foot wide (more money): https://www.homedepot.com/p/Wilsonart-3-ft-x-8-ft-Laminate-Sheet-in-Nepal-Teak-with-Premium-FineGrain-Finish-7209K783503696/202800400. The 3 foot wide would provide both door panels and a little left over. RonB 1 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #9 – May 13, 2024, 09:16:45 pm One other thing to consider if you decide to replace rather than repair is getting the oldUnit out. Having just changed the original unit on my 2005 TK I can tell you that it is not simple.I easily fit the new 12v unit in but in order to get the old one out first I had to take the window valance apart and slide it out the passenger side rear window. Unfortunately it was just a little too big to easily slide out. I looked at taking the passenger seat out and trying to go out the front door but gave up on that idea I ended up having to destroy the old unit with a large hammer just to get it out. It was a shame in that the unit worked fine. I do love going from 6.5 cubic feet to 10! Worth the effort but there was effort involvedGood luck 1 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #10 – May 14, 2024, 09:45:25 am Quotebut in order to get the old one out first I had to take the window valance apart and slide it out the passenger side rear window.I removed mine through the pax side front window. With the window fully opened there was plenty of room. No valence in my case.jor 3 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #11 – May 14, 2024, 01:00:47 pm Quote from: jor - May 10, 2024, 05:49:23 pmOr just stay plugged in! Why add extra batteries if the rig is plugged in all the time?Let’s remember the OP has a 25-year-old rig in unknown condition, we still have not heard anything back since the original posting. gWe should try helping the OP, not scaring them away with a complex project.The old refrigerator can be rebuilt or replaced with a similar unit without tearing the rig up, all original refrigerators can come out through a sliding window.Changing to a compressor refrigerator may be an interesting project for a few of us enthusiasts but most want a simple replacement to get back on the road, the majority of people buy LDs for their simplicity and dependability.To add a compressor refrigerator requires a large investment in solar panels and batteries to retain its boondocking capability without major restrictions.One reason I have hesitated installing a compressor refrigerator is knowing it would commit us to parking in the full sun year-round to provide the solar power needed to run the compressor refrigerator, most of our camping is in dry sites, and our summer travels are often in warm to hot areas.The alternative is frequent generator usage, I hate running the generator in campgrounds and use it as little as possible while traveling.Our 24' model does not have the room to store a bank of folding solar panels, what we have solar-wise is on the roof.Absorption refrigerators utilize propane to provide the power to keep our food cool with minimal electric power usage. In the summer, show me the shade! Propane-powered refrigerators still offer dry campers a source of inexpensive to operate, dependable refrigeration without the cost of additional batteries and solar panels, the way LD designed to far. There are many here with twenty-year-old + absorption refrigerators. Checking the archives will show many improvements to the performance of Factory refrigerators using computer fans and added insulation.It will be interesting to hear reports from the compressor refrigerator owners about their summer dry camping experiences.A least power consumptive way of experiencing compressor refrigeration is using a compressor ice chest to increase food storage but they can need an enlarge electrical system.Larry 4 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #12 – May 14, 2024, 01:23:36 pm I'm with Larry the compressor frig isn't for everyone. I know it isn't for me, I like not having solar panels all over my roof, we have large batteries that I recharge from a portable panel on an extension cord so my wife can move it around while I'm out on my four wheeler. I just feel basic is better in my case and the absorption frig has been basic for a bunch of years. Fortunately it's everyone's choice to make either way.Jon 2 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #13 – May 14, 2024, 01:32:52 pm Dometic 2862/2872 gas/elect Cooling Unit (New) FREE SHIPPING - JC Refrigeration$160 install if you drive to Indiana.I installed one several years ago. Still working well. I chose the 3-way version as was my original.Self install, I confess, is a PIA. $160 install is a bargain if you can get there.Running a 12 volt compressor cooler is tough enough on an electrical system and I have 600AH of batteries so the 12 volt compressor conversion from these guys is in storage for possible future use. 1 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #14 – May 14, 2024, 07:16:45 pm Although I like compressor fridges, I agree that they're not for everyone. I do disagree with one thing Larry said:"One reason I have hesitated installing a compressor refrigerator is knowing it would commit us to parking in the full sun year-round to provide the solar power needed..."Forgive me for beating a well-worn drum, but portable solar panels can get you around that problem in many situations. A 200 watt "solar suitcase" can be had for about a buck a watt from Amazon, or you can make your own for a lot less by simply hinging together a couple of 100 watt panels and adding handles. With a 25 foot 10 gauge MC4 extension cable, you can park in shade or semi-shade and put those panels in full sun, tilted and aimed for maximum output.In the wintertime, when my 400 watts on the roof don't quite suffice, that's what I do. And in my experience, a tilted and aimed set of 200 watt panels on the ground will deliver almost as much power as 400 watts flat on the roof.P.S.--I don't carry a generator, so solar power is my only source when boondocking--which is what I do most of the time. I do, however, have a smaller than standard fridge. If you need 10 cubic feet, your power needs will be greater. 2 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #15 – May 14, 2024, 09:51:15 pm Quote from: Andy Baird - May 14, 2024, 07:16:45 pmAlthough I like compressor fridges, I agree that they're not for everyone. I do disagree with one thing Larry said:"One reason I have hesitated installing a compressor refrigerator is knowing it would commit us to parking in the full sun year-round to provide the solar power needed..."Forgive me for beating a well-worn drum, but portable solar panels can get you around that problem in many situations.Maybe you missed what I wrote later in the posting."Our 24' model does not have the room to store a bank of folding solar panels, what we have solar-wise is on the roof''Yes, several folding panels would help but our LD is a short 24' model, and there is no available room to carry any more large items inside while traveling. Several 100-watt panels would take quite a bit of the interior lounge and would be a big inconvenience for the privilege of having a 12-volt refrigerator when the propane refrigerator already does the job.I have not seen inflatable panels yet, that is what it would take to make this a practical solution for our usage.AFAIK, no one on the Forum has run a 10-cu/ft, 12-volt refrigerator for a full year, including extensive summer dry camping, and reported back on their average daily power consumption. Using a recording watt meter would go a long way to document this. We flat out do not know how much power a large compressor refrigerator uses in hot weather.Our compressor ice chest has a recording watt meter, the summer consumption can be triple the off-season rate.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CD73XLQL?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1The same device can be wired into any 12-volt refrigerator.Your Airstream does not have enough roof to mount many panels so portable panels are your solution to using a small 3-cu/ft 12-volt refrigerator. Having a pickup truck bed to carry the folding panels in while moving makes this doable.Larry 1 Likes As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #16 – May 14, 2024, 11:24:43 pm "Our 24' model does not have the room to store a bank of folding solar panels, what we have solar-wise is on the roof"Understood--you have a small roof, and you need room for kayaks up there. :-) Everyone has priorities. In my case, I got rid of my Lazy Daze's satellite TV dish and crank-up "batwing" broadcast TV antenna in order to make room for more solar panels, because TV isn't a priority for me.I will say that I traveled for more than half a year in a 13' trailer pulled by a Subaru Outback station wagon--not a lot of storage room!--and I managed to bring a couple of 100 watt panels with me even so. But you know your loading best, and portable panels wouldn't fit your available space.The only point I wanted to make was that it's not necessarily true for all Lazy Dazers that parking in the shade means you can't have solar power. Portable panels are worth considering in that situation.
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #17 – May 16, 2024, 12:32:13 pm Thanks RonB, Larry, and all, for such helpful info. The simple solution of replacing the whole unit fits our needs best. I'd rather find a good price and buy the unit and then take her back to the dealer for the installation. However, I doubt they'd be willing to install it. FYI, my son lives in the LD for work, when needed. We're in a holding pattern to see where his job sends him next. Thanks again for all your great ideas! 1 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #18 – May 17, 2024, 03:06:31 am Hi MamaFree; Having a dealer do the install isn't as simple as it seems. Many times a technician, not used to Lazy Dazes, will insist on removing a window to get the old fridge out and the new one in. This isn't needed and the window frames are more glued in than any other brand. Often they resort to force, tearing and irreparably damaging the outside skin, bending the frame and otherwise doing un-needed work. Choose your repair facility carefully, explain to them the procedure, and make them promise to repair on their dime any damage they do. Most are not used to the construction details of a 25 year old motorhome! This thread may be of use: Dometic Refrigerator InstallationRonB 2 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #19 – May 19, 2024, 02:48:06 pm Removing a refrigerator that has been glued in for 25 years will also be a new experience for the average RV tech. He is in for a trip.I had to fight with it for a day. Can’t exactly remember what all the problems were. I think it was the hold down bolts liberally covered in sealant. They were bolts with nuts on the underside, not the typical wood screws everyone else uses. It will take him a while to figure that out. Also they used an exceptional number of screws on the front face. 1 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #20 – May 19, 2024, 07:43:07 pm QuoteI think it was the hold down bolts liberally covered in sealant. I second Harry. Those boys at LD did their usual ridiculous caulking job on the refrigerator bolts. Lots of excavation to get to the bolt heads. If you could do some of this work up front, I think you would save at least an hour of tech labor. Here's what mine looked like after I got the two back bolts out. You won't have to mess with the gas line if you are replacing with the regular absorption frig.jor 1 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #21 – May 20, 2024, 11:52:27 am I remember what a pain it was to get the fridge out, due to all the screws and sealant. But my experience with this Airstream is a stark example of the opposite situation. Airstream installed the original propane fridge with just four screws and no sealant. The fit wasn't great, and there was a 3/8" gap at the top. I thought nothing of it--I mean, I was going to fix it when I got around to it--until I started having headaches every day. Then I realized that it was leaking combustion gases into my RV! I sealed up that gap with tape, and then replaced that fridge with a compressor fridge. It took nearly a month for the headaches to completely go away. Be glad that Lazy Daze did a good job of sealing up your fridge. :-) 7 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #22 – May 23, 2024, 05:20:32 pm So far my jc refrigeration conversion works better in the summer than winter in the PNW. Winter and summer power usage seems similar, but I did insulate the wall like Larry. So with a 5 year old 300 solar panel( I only max out at 270 these days) I can make up the losses in the summer but not the winter. 2 Likes
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #23 – June 18, 2024, 02:27:10 pm Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts. We will stay with a 2-way fridge. Is Norcold quality comparable to Dometic? Norcold seems to have more availability with a less expensive price.
Re: Refrigerator has died Reply #24 – June 19, 2024, 02:42:27 am Norcold seemed to have more fires than Dometic for some reason. I think all brands have over temp switches installed now. I saw two RVs toasted at Quartzsite this year. One definitely started at the fridge but I was not able to get details. 1 Likes
Topic: Refrigerator has died (Read 1012 times)
previous topic - next topic
Topic: Refrigerator has died (Read 1012 times)
previous topic - next topic