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Converting From Norcold 1200LRIM To Residential Refrigerator

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Has anyone with their fridge in their slideout changed their fridge out to a residential fridge?

I have seen people with the fridges not in a slide out do it but I think the height of the opening in the slide out will be too small for a standard sized residential fridge but I would really like to get it changed out.

It is too hard to keep the Norcold cold in Southern CA and AZ in the summer heat.

We have a 2005 Fleetwood Expedition 38N

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I am considering doing the same thing in our Phaeton...our Norcold 1200 is opposite a wall so it is definitely going to be a french door but a service guy just told my husband that whatever model residential fridge we put in is going to stick out 6 more inches than the Norcold that is already there.

The Norcold sticks out 3 inches from the cabinet...it is hard to believe that it is going to be 6 more inches out from there...we would not be able to get through the hall to the bedroom or the bath.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone on this subject as we are scheduled to do this next Tuesday...thank you.

Pat

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We have a Whirlpool 21.7 french door refer in our 2008 Phaeton, 40QSH. It is in the hall. The Refer doors sticks out 2 1/2 inches from the cabinet, the handles another 2 1/2 inches. This is not a problem. The refer does set much farther into the cabinet than the Norcold. The area occupied by the coils, gas burner, etc on the Norcold are is occupied by refridgerator now! And the Whirlpool doesn't burn up motorhomes like the Norcolds do! There might be stick out issues with other brands of refers, but not the Whirlpool. The Whirlpool model number (from the sticker inside the refer) is EDZKHAXVL01, manufactured 05/11. The best upgrade that we have made in our coach.

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Before I install the new fridge I would plug it in to the inverter just to make sure it will work. I tried a Frigidaire and it wouldn't run through the night. I tried a 750 watt modified sine wave and a Xantrex rs 2000 and sw 3000.

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Before I install the new fridge I would plug it in to the inverter just to make sure it will work. I tried a Frigidaire and it wouldn't run through the night. I tried a 750 watt modified sine wave and a Xantrex rs 2000 and sw 3000.

Was that because of MSW or because of power consumption/inadequate battery bank size?

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What are the thoughts of adding a smaller Inverter (Pure Sine Wave) just for the Residenial Refer.? I am thinking of some of the units that have a Modified Sine Wave Inverter. I am looking at Camping World Catalog (I'm sure there may be better prices out there) and a New 3000 watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter/charger shows $2,169.99 where a 1000 watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter is $284.99.

Herman

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Was that because of MSW or because of power consumption/inadequate battery bank size?

All my test were done with a brand new bank of 6 golf cart batteries fully charged. I ran about 4 tests for each inverter. I don't know if the design of the compressor is bad or that particular one was defective. The Frigidaire was the right size to replace a Norcold 841 2 door. Since it wouldn't work I scrapped the changeover project to another day. My Norcold is about 3 years old having replaced the original one that was 18 years old.

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I went through this exact process two years ago. The Whirlpool is a dream with almost twice the capacity of the Norcold LRIM1200. (A well documented fire hazard) Mine was installed by Beckley's in Thurmont, MD. Keith spent a good hour measuring the opening and available space BEHIND the Norcold. Because of the burner tube and various other junk on the Norcold you will gain almost three inches in the rear. Consequently, the Whirlpool will fit nicely. In the case of my '01 Monaco Exec there was no propane heater under the Norcold and the Whirlpool was able to side almost on the floor of the coach. Berckley's build a "stage" for it and it is nicely secured. I did lose the cabinet that was located on top of the Norcold but it was finished nicely by the cabinet shop at Beckley's.

The old Norcold and the new Whirlpool came and went through the front windshield...or maybe a side window. I wasn't there for that part.

I do have a set of pictures of the installation if anyone cares to see them.

-Tom

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Our fridge is in a slideout and the height is less than the standard 69 inches for a residential refrigerator. Has anyone been able to make that work in their slideouts?

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