Upgrade from Norcold to Dometic CR-1110 E/F-S (compressor fridge)

[rickst29]

Completed and taken on its first outing. Attached photos are from before my addition of some "plywood edging veneer" to make the verical sides more pretty, and small pieces of wood to seal up underneath and above (under the TM stereo trim fascia).

The Fridge: This is a high-end fridge, intended for use in yachts. Cost $850 plus shipping and local tax. I re-purposed into service for my TM "land yacht", because the original Norcold could not maintain a temperature differential above about 35F. I'm pleased, except that it does not have digital controls and a PT100 thermocouple - just a typically "dial" adjuster, and (I assume) a fluid-filled coil to activate/deactivate power to the compressor. It is 3.8 cubic feet, compared to Norcold 2.7 - a noticably larger interior, and it gets cold FAST.

Since it is adjacent to a stainless steel sink, the stainless finish is the right choice for the door and door frame - black would not look as good. It uses a 12 volt compressor (Danfoss BD35F), and handled this 90 degree afternoon with ease. It automatically switches to 120V when 120V is available, using an internal power converter to drive the compressor, interior LED light (bright blue), and status LEDs (green versus blinking red with 1-5 blinks representing different kinds of problems). Here's a link to the "glossy" promotional sheet. The best "Norcold Replacement" fit occurs with the biggest model, the CR-1110. (PDF) http://www.dometic.com/084ca990-3e16...255ea796.fodoc

The good news: Dometic CR-1110 E/F-S is an exact fit, after you use a plane to remove 2-3mm from the left side TM trim board. (Took about 10 minutes.) If you don't take too much, then this also provides a very sold anchor for Fridge - flange attachment isn't needed to hold the fridge in place. Per the Pic of Interior, with door open, the insulation panels (black) fit the width of the TM flange frame very tight, depending on the care you take cutting the left side back (with a plane). In my install, wood "flange pieces" are necessary only for air seal and appearance - not to hold the fridge in place. Both refrigerators (the old Norcold and the new CR) can be carried (or dragged on a carpet scrap) across the floor to the TM door, and they fit through that door without removing it.

The bad news: You will have to throw away the supplied CR flange, because even the "space saver flange" makes the front to large for the TM opening. (Don't buy it.) You don't need it to hold the fridge in place, although the Fridge does have pre-drilled screw holes for stabilizer screws at the upper left and right- exactly like the ones provided in modern Dishwashers. (And, just like the dishwasher stabilizer holes, there's a plastic cover to remove and press back in to hide the screw and prevent air leakage.)

The biggest amount of time and effort, by far, was about 1 hour to remove/rebuild the propane tubing, and I hour of shopping for propane-related stuff (new flare nuts, and a flare union for 3/8 pipe, and a 3/8 pipe flare tool).

When you return from shopping, pull the 12V refrigerator fuse from the distribution panel. (And of course, disconnect the TM 120VAC plug from any power source.) Then open the lower panel, and cut the the TM propane supply tubing (3/8" copper) 1-2" from the flare nut where it enters the fridge (in the back, reachable from the lower air vent opening). Pull all electrical connectors from the connection panel to the left of the propane connection. Next, underneath the trailer, cut the propane pip "T" on all sides - fairly close to the nuts (maybe 1"), but not so close as to create bends or flattening in the loose pipe ends ends. The end from the supply line, and the end towards the propane-fired water heater, BOTH need to be perfectly round (so that they can be flared properly).

Now go inside the TM. Remove the Norcold mounting flange (around the Norcold door) and pull the fridge forwards, exposing the 3/8 tubing into the floor. Cut again, so that the long, twisty, portion of tubing can be pulled free into the Norcold-vacated space, while you push the short portion down through the floor opening.

Now go back underneath Trailer. Straighten some of the "extra length" which TM provided in the propane line underneath the Trailer (thanks for that extra length, TM!), so that the two ends of remaining pipe (from the Cross adapter, and to the water heater) can reach to your new union flare fitting (exactly). Put the nuts onto the pipe ends first, then flare the two ends (with GREAT CARE), and then assemble/tighten the at both ends of the union. Turn on the gas supply at the tanks to test for bubbles at the new joints, using dish soap.

After this, it's back up to remove the Norcold (about 10 minutes of wiggling, lifting through the TM door, etc.). Next, remove the flange from the new refrigerator, and then lift it into the TM. Next, use a block plane to trim 2-3mm from the sink-side vertical wood piece, on which the Norcold flange was attached. On the other side, relocate the "sticks to far out" 120V Romex cable so that it is behind (rather than alongside) the TM front trim board. It is convenient to plug in the Dometic 120V cord (at the plug end, not the fridge end), now - before you close up most of the front opening and can't see the holes in the 120V socket. The Fridge should slide in firmly, but without tearing up insulation panels on the sides. (Tilting and then leveling, front to back, can help with this "slide-in" process.) Use plastic or spar-varnished pieces of wood to fill the air gaps under the front of the fridge: If wood, as I used, be sure to varnish all 4 sides, because you will get them wet if you ever open the door and allow "dribbling" of leaky fridge contents to occur.

Plug in the Dometic 120V cord, and turn it on. Be amazed at how fast it gets cold. Chill a beer in the freezer, and measure the "flange-replacement" wood strip sizes. Connect the 12V (be absolutely sure of polarity), install your trim, and varnish the strips.