residential refrigerator

[phender82]

how much trouble is it to take out a residential refrigerator and replace it with a 120 volt/ propane rv refrigerator? any suggestions would be appreciated

2018 cedar creek 29 re silverback. propane right next to fridge(stove), on outside wall, propane/120 much better for boondocking

Edited September 20, 2019 by phender82
more info

[wolfe10]

phender82,

Welcome to the FMCA Forum.

Evaluate difficulty of running propane to the refrigerator location (if your coach was offered with either an absorption or residential refrigerator, this may already be done).

Determine if an outside access door opening can be cut in the side wall and access door installed (if your coach was offered with either an absorption or residential refrigerator, this is very likely).

Your coach manufacturer would be an excellent source for answering the above two issues. Or, let us know exactly what coach you have and someone may have first hand information.

The other major step is the same as going from absorption to residential-- evaluate what units will fit the existing space with little or now modification to the recess dimensions.

[wildebill308]

Welcome to the forum. Have to ask why.

Bill

[richard5933]

I'd also ask why the need to go to a 120v/ LP fridge. There are lots of options now for refrigerators, including 12vdc only compressor fridges. A little more information about where you are heading with this project will help us give more specific advice/suggestions.

[kaypsmith]

What name brand and model# residential fridge do you have?

[obedb]

With our gas powered first coach we boon docked most of the time. A propane powered 12volt controlled unit was good for us. We now have a diesel unit and are old enough that we prefer the safety of an RV park. Installing a RES refrigerator in our unit looks to be more of a job than most. How soon will you retire?  Keep that in your plans.

[manholt]

Welcome!

This is a new one...we have plenty of answer's for gas to residential.  You do realize that you will loose 50% or more of your capacity?  I would follow Brett's advice & call Forest River, Tech Dept.  I'm not familiar enough about 5'ers to advice you further!

[huffypuff]

5 hours ago, manholt said:

Welcome!

This is a new one...we have plenty of answer's for gas to residential.  You do realize that you will loose 50% or more of your capacity?  I would follow Brett's advice & call Forest River, Tech Dept.  I'm not familiar enough about 5'ers to advice you further!

18 cubic feet to 12 cubic is only 33% less.  

[manholt]

OK...mine is 23 cu. ft., that aside, I don't recommend a Norcold 1200! 🤮

[desertdeals69]

On 9/18/2019 at 2:41 PM, phender82 said:

how much trouble is it to take out a residential refrigerator and replace it with a 120 volt/ propane rv refrigerator? any suggestions would be appreciated

2018 cedar creek 29 re silverback. propane right next to fridge(stove), on outside wall, propane/120 much better for boondocking

If you expect to boon dock with a 120 volt/propane you will need a large bank of batteries and inverter and the charge will only last for hours on 120 volt because of the high current draw.  If you run it on propane it uses 12 volt and that could last for days depending on your battery capacity.

[manholt]

DD69.

It's a fifth wheel trailer...other than a built in or portable generator + fuel tank, how much wattage by Solar Panels would he need? 

[desertdeals69]

It depends on which refrigerator.  Residential with 4 lithium 100 amp batteries and a small pure sine wave inverter I would think 800 watts solar with a MPPT charge controller.  You will need sunlight every day for it to work.

[wildebill308]

Probably irrelevant as the OP hasn't been back. 

Who thinks they will be able to go without using a generator when boondocking for long periods any way? I think he could come close to the same cost by adding the Li batteries and maybe some solar and have a better set up. 

Carl, I don't think that fifth wheel has a generator. So I would recommend one of the new Onan portables. 

Bill

[obedb]

Have seen a few fivers with a genset.. Used the genset on our first coach(gas) everyday for awhile. Wish that the Honda portable units had been around then. What a difference that would have made. Are we at the pinnacle of everything good while RVing or is there more good to come??

[rayin]

On 9/18/2019 at 5:41 PM, phender82 said:

how much trouble is it to take out a residential refrigerator and replace it with a 120 volt/ propane rv refrigerator? any suggestions would be appreciated

2018 cedar creek 29 re silverback. propane right next to fridge(stove), on outside wall, propane/120 much better for boondocking

My only advice is to measure, measure, measure. when you have assured yourself the frig will fit through the narrowest openings, measure again before unbolting the frig. Second suggestion, get 2-3 younger men to do the heavy lifting.

If modifications to the side-wall and roof are required to construct the chimney, download the installations instruction for the model of RV refrigerator you chose from Bryantrv.com and follow them EXACTLY, otherwise the frig will never operate as designed, properly.

[urbanhermit]

I like the setup in our DP, which I assume is pretty typical:  big inverter that runs the refrigerator, microwave, and (ACs, I think)  underway, without generator, and with the alternator covering the consequent battery drain, and of course running off shore power in parks or camps.  We don't boondock but the generator would replace the alternator if we did. 

We have an older coach with a 120/propane unit, recently installed as a replacement to the original.  It serves equally well but requires more frequent topping up of the LP tank.  With the gasoline engine on that one gulping at 6.5 to 7 mpg, a little propane for the fridge s negligible. 

[wolfe10]

UrbanHermit,

VERY unusual for an inverter to be large enough to power a roof A/C.

And, if it were,  you would likely need an oversized alternator to keep up with it.

The other appliances you mentions ARE usually shore, generator or inverter powered. The exception is on absorption refrigerators, most are not wired off the inverter-- they run on propane when no shore power or generator.

[wildebill308]

6 hours ago, UrbanHermit said:

I like the setup in our DP, which I assume is pretty typical:  big inverter that runs the refrigerator, microwave, and (ACs, I think)  underway, without generator, and with the alternator covering the consequent battery drain, and of course running off shore power in parks or camps. 

Well if you would put your RV in your signature I wouldn't need to ask what RV. 

Bill

[manholt]

I got a 270 Alternator, need generator/shore power to run roof AC.  I run dash AC when traveling.  Two 2012 PSW Inverters, run everything else, all elect coach. 

[paul65k]

On 6/14/2020 at 11:26 AM, wolfe10 said:

UrbanHermit,

VERY unusual for an inverter to be large enough to power a roof A/C.

And, if it were,  you would likely need an oversized alternator to keep up with it.

The other appliances you mentions ARE usually shore, generator or inverter powered. The exception is on absorption refrigerators, most are not wired off the inverter-- they run on propane when no shore power or generator.

My system has no issues running our roof top AC unit with only a 2400W (Victron 3000) unit. It handles out 13.5 Penguin II unit with no issues and I have not yet installed an EZ-Start module. Now how long it will run is somewhat dependent on how large your Battery bank is, how much solar you have (during the day) and if you have the Alternator/DC-DC charging capability.

In our case with dual 3000 inverters and 1050Ah of batteries we can easily run both rooftop AC unit while off-grid without the need for a generator.

[wildebill308]

On 5/27/2022 at 10:26 AM, paul65k said:

In our case with dual 3000 inverters and 1050Ah of batteries we can easily run both rooftop AC unit while off-grid without the need for a generator

For how long?

Bill