At that time of this video the costs for the unit for a fridge like ours was$ 595.00 for AC and $800.00 for the DC unit. The larger units probably are a bit more expensive but I am not sure. They can install it for $150 or ship them to you. Their upgraded absorption unit was $650.
Based on some posts in an RV Forum, the install labor may be $300 for a side by side (4 door) unit like the Norcold 1200. They also offer a helium option for the gas absorption units but it does add to the price. Helium is not flammable like hydrogen. They state the helium model has the same cooling capacity. Excellent video, thanks.
@@sailingsolar I had to do the same thing on Bob Wells channel. He was telling everyone that solar and an AGM battery is the way to go over a portable power pack. l had to say I disagree to some point. BOTH will have to be charged with Solar but the Portable power pack can be charged by 120 and or car alternator, and yet the power pack is PORTABLE and can be used at the park at the campfire and moved to anywhere you need it. I just hope people would look into more than one TH-camr channel before that do something like this ... SAD TIMES
Drove out from California to Indiana to have JC refrigeration do the conversion to 12 V About 5 weeks ago. It is a game changer. I can now boondock and have the electric refrigeration. At around 75ﾟ F my old unit when on electric would burn about 20 amps per hour. With the new unit it's a tad above 4 amps per hour. That's 480 amp hours per day down to 100 amp hours per day. One 150 watt panel would probly keep up with it. I have got 950 watts So even on cloudy days I'm putting out enough. The people at JC refrigeration couldn't be nicer. They will let you park in their parking lot the night before your appointment. Thank you so much for doing this video. It has been a huge plus for me. Cost around a $1000 for my Dometic 2652. One note: There is a low level sound and some vibration. Not a bother to me at all but everybody's different
Thanks, this was a great find! I was kinda shocked at how much propane our fridge uses! We're upgrading our solar from 100W to 1400W, so a DC fridge is a no brainer (works better AND uses less power). We're also waiting for a 24VDC mini-split air conditioner due out later this year from Hotspot Energy. Solar boondocking will be SO much easier with air conditioning that uses 200-500W instead of 900-1200W of power plus inverter losses.
Tom, THANK YOU for this video!!! Our fridge in the RV was becoming less reliable, and when I started looking for replacements today, I find your video. You are truly a Renaissance Man! We are doing the funds reallocation to place the order next month! I figure we will save that much in just the ice we have been buying! Again, thank you!
Outstanding video! With all the problems with the propane refrigerators, we just installed 1 KW solar power and 2 120 amp Lithium batteries and a 6 kw inverter to power our 120 volt ultra high energy efficient refrig-freezer and have been very happy.
I don't plan on doing a fridge conversion and stumbled upon this while looking for other fridge info but just wanted to say that I appreciate the in-depth nature of this video, the good editing, and the follow up segment at the end. Really great content guys! Will check out your other stuff.
West RV repair in Livingston TX installed the AC compressor AC unit from JR REfrigeration. Our unit work wonderfully. Freezer reaches 18 degrees and the fridge is easily maintained at 38 even in the hot weather of Texas. Best mod I've done on my rig.
The control box on the side of the compressor is a timer which protects the compressor from short cycles and monitors the pressure on the input and output of the compressor. All compressors have a 5 minute minimum stand down which starts either when power is first applied or when the compressor cycles off. The cycling that you saw on first start would be the refrigerant moving around the lines which causes random pressure swings and the controller will shutdown the compressor to protect it. Once things equalize and the 5 minute timer expires then the compressor can start again. Your Air Conditioner has one of these circuits as well.
Wow. This is really great. As a refrigeration mechanic I'm impressed and was not aware they made these. The cost is honestly very good and the dc unit was definitely the way to go.
A few builders of trailers are now getting rid of the absorption fire starters in favor of new 12V 3Amp larger fridges and freezers. With a solar panel and better batteries you will never have a problem running it 24/7. You no longer need to go regular residential which draws to much power.
Dude! You are a pro. I hope the manufacturer pays you for this monster install. I prefer an un-vented residential 115V frig and use my inverter when on battery. If my battery gets low, fire up the gas generator and power everything including the battery charger to get back on battery power. No special wiring, and no issues in freezing weather.
Funny ... I just did the same conversion to our fridge - works great, doesn't it? We're full-time and my wife was hiking the Appalachian Trail when I got my unit, so I ended up doing the whole conversion (including removing and reinstalling the fridge) by myself after putting the kids to bed. It was a long night, but by 0600 my fridge was icy cold! So happy I did the conversion! Kudos to the folks at JC Refrigeration... One thing to note is that they only have compressor conversions for a couple of Norcold/Dometic models (mine is a Dometic 2652).
I had a full size residential refrigerator in my boat and mostly running on inverter for two or three days. If you do this there are two things that you must keep in mind. The current draw was not bad when the compressor ran but the big surprise was the defrost cycle. The defrost could pull enough power the cause the inverter fan to run. To save power and keep things quiet I installed a switch to disable the defrost when it was on inverter power. The ice buildup minimal for a few days and went away by next weekend when on shore power. Just remember to turn it back on. You also want to install a delay on timer so that if there’s a momentary power interruption that the refrigerator compressor has time to reduce starting pressure. If there’s too much pressure in the system and it hasn’t equalized it can stall the compressor and it trips a safety but that safety will only do that a limited number of times before the compressor or safety device fail.
My Norcold 2118 was sucking our batteries dry, using 11KW/day, or emptying a 30# propane bottle in 6 days. And temp control was the unsatisfactory. I was very frustrated! In March 2020 I installed the DC compressor unit. It only took about 2 hours, working slowly, and the instructions & photos were easy to follow. Customer service was great! It is now July. We love this conversion! It draws a small 1.25 KW/day, hardly even noticing the draw on our 600A system. I did have to run a 10ga wire from a 12V node to the fridge because the compressor start spike was too much for installed 12ga wire, but that was simple. I added a 15A fuse for safety. I also added an adjustable thermostat to replace the thermistor. Temps are now always in the right range. The fridge stays cold, and the freezer stays frozen, no matter if it’s below 50 (Montana) or over 100 (Las Vegas) outside.
This is great work guys. I can't believe you did all this and shot the video while doing this. This is what makes TH-cam great. Don't have words to thank you for your hard work. Keep up the good work.
New to your channel. I'm 64 and don't know half of what you know electrically. We hope become full timers in two years. Jobs and family are putting us off a while. We'll continue watching your journey, take care and be safe.
For those experiencing cooling issues with a typical absorption RV refrigerator first see if the unit cools better with gas over electric. If this is the case, the DC or AC heating elements may be wearing out or quit working. These simply slide out of the boiler stack. It's always a good idea to replace both while the refrigerator is pulled out. If you haven't used or moved your RV for several months and in so extreme cases of rough travel there could be negative pressure (vapor lock) preventing the ammonia from circulating somewhere in all that tubing. Literally pull the whole refrigerator out and flip it over for a day to release the negative pressure inside the tubing. If using gas or electric still isn't cooling well enough or not at all it is time to replace the cooling unit or switch to a residential refrigerator if you're parked full time. If it is old and rusted, it's time to replace it because it won't last much longer. When preparing for a long, extended vacation with your RV, check to ensure the refrigerator is cooling properly three week before your expected departure date. This ensure you have ample time to do any repairs or replacement before you leave. It will save you a lot of headache and expense. Especially if your spouse insists on a new $2500 -$5000 refrigerator, plus labor, at the next exit. Excellent video. I really admire the way both of you take the time to do things right. No rushing or cutting corners at all. Cheers from Seattle!
Friends with a Dometic side by side experienced a $4,000 repair on their unit. That repair cost seemed expensive to me, and I would have switched to this system without hesitation had that been my unit.
Please check out Ford's RV refrigeration. Only person teaching how to properly fix and diagnose an RV fridge. Free tips on TH-cam, and they have a class.
Just bought a trailer with a Norco fridge. On first try, the gas seems to work better than on electricity, but I don't have enough data points to definitively point my finger at the cause. Was suggested running it on 30 amps vs 20, but I am unsure of that. TH-cam has been a great resource and checking the heating element might be the next step. Thanks!
@@ericgulseth74 I have seen videos that say some are selling AC heat cartridges that are not producing their rated wattage. Only sure way to know what watts your heater is producing is to check with a meter. Look for videos from "FordRVRefrigeration"
It's a good idea to disconnect the negative first!!! You may want to put text on the screen with a correction. The reason is if you touch anything with the screwdriver disconnecting the negative it will not arc, then the positive side is dead when you disconnect that. It doesn't matter as long as the fuse is pulled but people make mistakes and pull the wrong fuse. Same goes for the main battery. Thanks, great video.
You will find you will love a small impact driver so much better for the type of work you are doing...its a tool improvement that I was really glad to discover.Especially for self tapping screws...more power more control
I hardly use my impact unless I am driving large fasteners like lag bolts because its too easy to strip. My favorite driver is actually a 12v Bosch screwdriver. It has plenty of torque for regular screws, smaller and lighter than a full-size drill or impact. The main difference is that drills have continuous torque, which is why they have a clutch, and the impact (as the name implies) has an anvil that hits the drivetrain to amplify torque. An impact is comparable to a hammer on a nail. It has a ton of force on the swing, but its difficult to control the exact amount of force.
perhaps drive a self tapper with a regular drill and when it gets near the end, stop, and snug it by hand with a socket wrench! torque is everything. just rite.
You guys did an excellent job on this video. One of the most complete and thorough how to / reviews of any product I've ever watched. And I've watched a lot of them.
Tremendous guys! Really informative and takes away the apprehension of doing this project on our own should we ever bulk up our electrical storage. Appreciate all the "engineer's" attention to detail along the way!
Great video! One note of concern however, you should always allow the compressor to be vertical for awhile before turning it on after being laid horizontal. That allows the fluid to settle back into the compressor. This is why your compressor was cycling at first start up. Very bad for the compressor. Also, anyone that does this conversion- don’t forget to cap your LP gas line.
Hi Tom, I ordered one of these units for a smaller Norcold that we have in our Outdoors RV 21RD. A small 7 cubic foot unit. We did not have the same experience as you. The foam over the evaporator coils was not formed square so the face of the unit would not sit down. JC Rerigeration said to just use longer screws on the high side. I explained that this would not work because the frame was already flat to the box. They then had us cut a support brace to free the coil so we could get it attached in the freezer. The foam still had very large gaps around the coils in the refrigerator compartment. They said then that the cooling fins would keep the new foam from impinging into the refrigerator compartment. Our find have 4 screws. We were then told that we only need to use 2 screws per the manual. Problem is the manual states to use 4 screws for the fins. I've decided to return the unit because it was manufactured incorrectly and JC Refrigeration isn't very supportive of addressing the problem. Glad yours worked well!
That's an interesting new option. We had JC Refrigeration install their so-called 'Amish Cooling Unit' in our Norcold 1200 last year. Very impressed with the unit and the factory install. And it works great!
So do they have factory trained tech people by state? What other diagnostics should be used to test and retro fit a unit. What is warranty? You can buy a car certified used car and major repair warranty. They used to have dynamo tested vehicles . seems money pit RV dealers... On a 70% depreciated motor home with 15 year financing and seven year depreciation
That's an interesting re-fit kit, although my older (1989) propane or 120-Vac freezer/'fridge used about "a birthday-candle's worth" of propane, (or a tiny amount of shore-power), to run it for a solid 5 weeks of one of the hottest months on record for the area I was in, (USA mid-eastern seaboard, and the average temperature & humidity were 99-degrees F & 98% R.H.)... I try to keep my freezer at about -5-degrees F, & the 'fridge runs at a nice +33- to +35-degrees F, and while my "house-based" units can't get the freezer to near that cold for the freezer, (with the fridge at a nice +34-degrees F), the RVs' R-717 "ammonia-water" system easily kept things at +33 degrees F in the 'fridge, and a nice "hard-frozen" -5 degrees F in the freezer section. (With both sides of my family having been in some form of "the food business" for at least 4 generations, they all agreed that "Pasteurized cow's milk" stays perfectly good for over a month at that low +33 degrees F, if it was kept properly cold from the dairy to them, or to me.) Also, after some "usually never-needed" maintenance, I checked my "R-717" or "ammonia-water" systems' levels & pressures, after evacuating & properly & safely cleaning & leak-testing the "plumbing" of the system, & there was NO "Hydrogen subsystem" or similar to be found; it works the same way the first freezers for the generic "Olde Towne Ice House" systems usually did: when the super-heated, and therefore pressurized, gaseous ammonia-water mix is released through the thermostatic expansion valve, (or capillary-tube, or whatever is used in place of a TEV, since that's what the R-12, R-22, & other "R-bad for the environment" "Freon"-based* refrigerant systems I've had used), *("Freon" is a copyrighted trade-name, property of the respective owner; I can't get my present tablet to let me put a proper "scienter" symbol in here), and the MH freezer/'fridge has a large, finned aluminum plate which goes from "outside" to "inside" the freezer section, where it pulls the heat needed to "phase-change" the "refrigerant" so it will, with some energy added in the form of latent heat, re-condense back to a liquid. My trusty (but not rusty) MH 30-yr.-old unit, gets that extra latent heat from a substantially thick, finned aluminum plate, which takes the heat from "inside" the freezer & moves it into the refrigerant, (which is "outside" of the unit), with a thick, flat aluminum plate extending down from that finned upper part in the freezer going through a well-fitted slot leading to the 'fridge section, to carry some of the heat from the 'fridge section as well... (Basically, all combination "refrigerator-freezers" only "cool", or move the heat OUT of, the freezer section, & get additional heat out of the 'fridge section.) Just as one cannot put darkness into a room, but one CAN put light INTO the room, "cold" cannot be removed from a space, but the heat CAN be moved from inside a space to outside, (or to a different place.) A "heat-pump" is simply an "air-conditioner" which can be reversed with two simple electrically-operated valves. This was the first time I've even heard of an "R-717" (or "ammonia-water")-based system needing anything other than the R-717 & a little heat to get the phase-change-cycle going! Thanks for an informative & well-explained "bringing an old-timer like me up-to-date" post! (And if anyone can tell me, or the mechanics I know, how on earth to change the spark plugs & do a "tune-up" on a Ford 460-cid "gas-burner" engine, which was "shoehorned" into the requested space it's in, by John Deere, (who built the Heavy-Duty Truck Chassis which the fiberglass "Dolphin 3450", ("Deluxe apartment on wheels"), which was assembled by the now-defunct National RV of Perris, Calif., we'd really like to stop doing "routine maintenance" by taking the entire engine & transmission out from UNDER the rig, doing literally everything while it's all "out", then putting it all back "in"!) Cheers, from a retired "Higher-Than-High-Tech-Engineer"! "Keep the roof up & wheels down!" Phoenix NightOwl Jr.
VERY well done video, and loads of good info as well! I was unaware of this options existence. Thanks for the education. As a Broadcast Engineer myself, I do appreciate your attention to detail. I have had (what I believe is) the exact same Dometic fridge in my 2007 Heartland BigHorn 5th wheel. After being unimpressed with its cooling, I added two 6 inch computer fans to the top outside vent, blowing out...basically sucking the warm air out from the upper rear fins. Then I added a small DC fan inside of the unit, blowing on the fridge fins. The end result of this was a fridge that stayed about 33-36 deg, and a freezer that stayed between zero and +8 all last summer. Oh, and I should mention that I cleaned the burner, and flue too. Very important! Something must have really been wrong with yours to cool so poorly. Although I haven't had to use it personally, the upside-down trick does work too. Absorption fridges don't have to cool poorly, but many of them do when they aren't working well. They also don't use very much propane when they are working well...Nothing like the furnace or water heater. Just a tiny little flame. They do take a while to get going however, and that is a more significant draw-back. I don't mind getting a 30# tank re-filled once or twice a season. If we were full-timing like you, I might feel differently. Propane is basically a waste-gas anyway...A by-product of the refining process. They used to just burn it off until they realized people would buy it. As a side-note, my parents used to have a gas home fridge, and installed a new Arkla-Servel gas air conditioner in their home in 1968. It was an overly complex PITA, and it sprung an unfixable leak after about 12 years. So I've had both good and bad experience with absorption cooling. I fully understand why you folks went this route, but it's probably not a path I'd take. At least not till I have tons of solar on the roof, and a Tesla battery. :-)
Man, it was this video that had us shopping for a new TT with a 12V Fridge as a must-have. So we ended up with a 2021.5 19Bhles Surveyor Legend 12V 10.7 Cubit Inch Fridge by Norcold. Even has a night mode for silent operation for 8 hours.
Thanks for this video content. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for. You guys did an awesome job converting you’re fridge over to a compressor style. Nice work 👍. I will definitely be getting in touch with JC refrigeration in regards to my own conversion.
Just worked on a project with Furrion on their 12vdc refrigerator and they're really incredible. Now I"m looking for some dumb excuse to replace our refrigerator (our RV refrigerator is still working great, even on really hot days). This is a great option too - another terrific video!
I'm glad you have a working solution now. I have an older unit that can cool the freezer down to -20F when the outside temperature ranges in the 60s to 70s. The freezer still stays down to about -5F when in the 80s to 90s. The frig stays in the safe range too. I actually have a problem with the frig getting too cold and freezing.
An RV unit? What Make and Model of Fridge/Freezer? What year RV is it in? I ask because will buy a used RV and want to know if Dometic or Norco are better made.
@@birdwing98 The one refrigerator is a Dometic 2600 in an old Nomad trailer build in 1986. The other unit is a old unit from an Open Range trailer. The other unit is a Dometic 600 series frig. This last camping trip the Dometic 2600 dropped to -22F on the freezer plate and was holding the frig near 32 while the outside temp was 95 during the day.
Excellent video. The absorption system on my Norcold 1210 double-door fridge died. I've been considering these units for about a year since mine died. The other problem with my fridge is that the right fridge door lower hinge is molded into the door and breaks rather easily. They want $500 for just the right door!!! Norcold price for this fridge is around $4000. Mine came installed in my new 42-foot toy hauler in 2008
Great information. Mine is not working all that great and they don’t like warm food, takes too long to cool down. This is a great way to convert it because it’s about half price of a new gas/electric unit or the same for a 12v replacement unit. The 12v unit does increase the storage from 8 cuft to 10 cuft. Might be worth the cost.
The AC/DC compressor systems are worth the investment from my experience. Even the cooler size systems like the Dometic CFX-40US Portable Electric Cooler Refrigerator/Freezer 1.4 cu. Ft. that I picked up with a Insulated Protective Cover for $563 total works great. I burnt out a thermoelectric system and decided I didn't want to spend the money for ice and limited capabilities on my next investment. Neat to see the larger DC system (which is easier to transform from AC to DC versus DC to AC) cost is reasonable compared. Thanks for detailing the conversion and system!
hah! Most people these days wouldn't even attempt it. They'd let a dealer or technician talk them into whatever gives the best profit, and be stuck with whatever they got.
Thanks, I have the exact same fridge, looks like a great solution. The only thing i would change from your install would be to use a low bonding foam to foam the unit into place. Low bond (white) foam would be a lot easier to take back out if there was any need for service.
Well done guys. You gave an outstanding liniar explaination with no fluff or redundency. Your explaination gave this diy'er the kick in my confidence to stop procrastinating and get on with it.
ANY TIME you lay a refrigerant compressor in any position except for upright wait at least 24 hours in the upright position BEFORE powering it on…this allows enough time for the compressor oil to settle back into the compressor…I suspect when you say it started and stopped several times it was due to being hydraulically locked while attempting to compress the oil…
You obviously know what you're doing, and it does no harm to have a very attractive assistant who doesn't mind getting involved, I'm in the UK, and we do not have a system where you can swap out the gubbins at the back of our 3 way Dometic fridges.
In one year as an RV repair technician at a major dealership I saw six RV's burned to the frame from absorption refrigerators rupturing and the heated hydrogen gas igniting an inferno. With the advent of turbine compressors in modern refrigerators the power requirements dropped making them a good choice. The difference in price between RV vs. domestic refrigerator would allow you to triple your battery capacity and add a very useful 110v inverter system.
I’m sure someone already said it. But the reason it wasn’t cooling so well, is because the fans were installed with insulation between them. Which was blocking airflow. So you were supposed to know to manually turn on the fans, if the outside temp was above..... maybe 60ish degrees. Would’ve been nice to know. If they’d been wired up to come on automatically whenever the fridge was running, that would’ve been ideal, and you probably woulda been blissfully unaware of how awesome your fridge actually performed.
Wow! impressed! Extremely ambitious retrofit. Not many folks will have the patience for this. Bravo! One issue is you can't compare the propane refrigerator's heating element power draw your compressor's power draw. Not fair. Propane units are designed to run on Propane. Their heating element option is just for when you have access to shore power. You can't use a compressor unit when you are off grid for extended periods. You will need a small stand by generator and you will be using it. For a bigger fridge put two propane units side by side and open the doors center forward. Cooling fans don't work on propane units. Why? The ammonia refrigerant gas cycles by high and low pressure created by the addition of heat energy. Cooling the condenser cools the gas on the high pressure side. Cooing a gas lowers it's pressure. That slows down the cycle when you are trying to speed it up. No body gets this. Find a retired chemistry teacher and take him out to lunch. Fans will only help on the compressor units. Propane units are totally different animals. The hydrogen (or helium) is used to provide the atmospheric pressure so the ammonia cycle can be continuous. Yup... get our your Chemistry books. There are no chemical reactions going on here. You just have to trust the professor on this. On warm days use two ice block containers. One up and one down. Change them out in the mornings. That brings extra cold down below. Ok to use a small circulating fan below to keep consistent food temps. There is always a trade off with these things. Super good video on changing out the cooling unit!!! I've done two propane units myself. Patience is indeed a virtue.
This is a great product and even better video! Great job. We chose to replace our not old with a frost free fridge. And added a drawer cooler and mini dishwasher. In the same space. It was still $400 less than this conversion. This is an amazing kit if you’re not skilled enough to close off this old space for a interior vented/cooled fridge. Thanks for the video!!
Hello again, Tom! This video was so incredible that I just had to watch it again! What a big all day project that you and your wife took on. I'm very impressed with everything that you do on your channel and with everything in your lives.
Super well done and interesting video. I'm learning that the gold standard of 12-24 volt DC fridges is a pricey one. No matter whether retrofit, or brand new it is expensive to have DC refrigeration. Buying a new DC fridge to install in your RV would have surely been much more money than the conversion though. I'm glad it all turned out well for you guys.
Nice to know there are conversion kits like this out there. I would have thought they would be cheaper to buy than a new absorption kit. Thanks for the tutorial.
The problem with refurbing an old fridge is that the insulation gets damp over time and loses its effectiveness. It's usually more effective to replace the entire thing than change out parts Icing up of the fins is an indicator that the door seals need replacing Your next project should be replacing the 24V battery with LiFePo4 - These are cheaper to run than Lead-Acid in the long term and have a very stable output as well as being able to go to 80-90% DOD instead of the 30% limit of lead-acid batteries
I know it was 4 years ago but for cleaning up that Great Stuff foam, WD40 will clean it up nicely. Both from hands and surfaces. It also cleans up the cans application tube so you can re-use it later.
Great video, I've been looking to do something about my RV fridge since is also around the 50 degrees and 20 on the freezer, I also have enough solar power to run any model and your DC option seems nice, but for my case I think I prefer to buy a residential unit that has a big condenser on the back and it has the same outside dimension of the existing fridge, I saw one in home depot for just over 500 dollars, I only wish there was an option of having both compressor and evaporation style unit so if I have too many cloudy days I could still use the propane as backup, again great video
This is the most cost effective option for most people that have enough space to install a residential unit. A 10cuft fridge will cost around $300-$400 and will only draw 0.75kwh/day.
Super Video u 2! I know it seems silly to point out but you do a great job of talking clearly and pronouncing words correctly. Easy for us “older DYIers” to n
The ability to speak well is becoming a lost art, folks make up words that don't exist or mispronounce existing words . In the future I can see a day that slang, acronyms and emojis 🤪 will be standard. You are correct that they both speak well. Their former English teachers would be proud! 🤓
Vibration is your friend when “breaking” loose unions and flare fittings like your gas line. Just strike the nut on several sides with a hammer prior to putting a wrench on it. Also a REALLY good idea to use another wrench to “back up” the other side of the joint and protect tubing from being twisted. WELL DONE VIDEO.
very cool upgrade! i wish i could have a propane/ DC compressor fridge, but i guess you can' have it all. i will definitely be looking into this upgrade once i upgrade my solar, and my absorption fridge starts loosing performance.
I did that very thing! I tore out the old one and slapped in a comparably sized Haier residential unit. I discovered there was 8 cubic feet of wasted space in that opening, too.
I learned a lot about the back of an absorption fridge that I have never seen before. The insulation on the inside of the cabinet where the fridge is is something I have not seen before. Most rv's I have seen have nothing there which I would say is a bad thing. Not sure what I would have chosen this route depending on the cost for you this may have been the right choice. An 11 cu ft rv style whirlpool sells for about $600 has the 24-inch width can be had with an ice maker plus defrosts itself. A chore that some rvers hate. The draw is about 40 amps a day from what I have heard which is manageable. The downside is that an inverter is required and larger battery bank is required but that is something that the Mortons actually have in spades. There are dc only and dc/ac low amp draw compressor fridges (ac/dc switch over automatically) but they don't defrost automatically and they are easy twice the price.
Exactly. In high school i melted my class ring, installing a golf cart battery when the wrench touched my ring thole the other side of my ring touched the frame
Yeah man I’m glad I found your video because if I start having problems with mine that’s exactly what I’m doin but I think mine is ok for now it actually freezes stuff a little in the refrigerator
Good job guys. I’ve got one of those lovely 4 door nevercolds. Simply put running it on solar is out of the question even with my 2300watt system. All said, I think I’ll go residential for three reasons: more finite control; over fridge, freezer temps, an ice maker and auto defrost :) Anyhow ... awesome conversion.
If you're getting ice build up it could be one of two reasons you could have a leak on the door seals or could be where you are placing warm food in the fridge. I also found that when I didn't use my fridge for a while and then switched it on the first few times would it would ice up bug would do settle down. I found leaving water bottles in the fridge helped maintain a good temperature too so give that a go.
Thanks for taking the time to share this with us. I just sent an email to the company to hopefully be able to afford this upgrade. I understood everything, but kinda lost me on the wiring and reconnection. You did say their customer service was excellent, so I'm sure they could help with that for me! Great job and Congratulations! Did you get the auxiliary fans hooked up? Take care, Razor!
These RV refrigerators (that also use Propane) Can often be Revived, by taking them out.. and Rotating them Upside Down every 4 to 8 hours (4X ~ 6X a Day) for several days. This is to Dissolve the Crystals that Form inside the Lines, and often this can “rejuvenate” them. I got 25 yrs out of mine doing this every 10 yrs.
Nicely done! Interesting that I am looking to do just the opposite - switch out a 12v compressor fridge for a dual propane/electric due to battery capacity and noise.
While your description of how compressed cfc refrigeration works made more cringe more than once (it's refrigerant, not coolant!), I really appreciate the doing aspects of this tutorial! Happy travels!
Interesting video! To my knowledge no freight company will guarantee the unit won't get tipped the wrong way during shipping; I'd only trust a pickup like you did.
Hi Tom, Furrion is now offering a "drop-in" replacement for the Dometic/Norcold 8 cf absorption refrigerator. It is the 10 cu. ft. Furrion Arctic™ 12V Built-In Refrigerator, with either left or right hinge. They are selling it for $1089 with free shipping on their website. My local RV dealer quoted me $1800 for the unit without the cosmetic panels. Needless to say I ordered from their website. As soon as it is installed, I will pass along more information. We first saw it in a new Forest River Cherokee Arctic Wolf 3550 SUITE.
What most people do not realize is how much cold air is lost when the door of the fridge or freezer is open, causing more energy usage to get it back to it's target temperature. I opted to remove my fridge and will be putting in a style that opens from the top.
You Two Make A Great Team. Your From A To Z On Change Over Of Refrig Has Just Been Amazing In Delivery & Explaining Step By Step. Must Say Best Presentation Of How To Do Have Seen On TH-cam. Thank-You Again For All Your Time & Unselfish Gifting Forward. Safe Travels & Keep The Needs To Maintain From The Corona-19 Virus Pandemic. As Over 100,000 Daily Now Becoming Ill From The Virus. Always, Tommy :-)
Would have been a good idea to mount the new unit while the fridge is standing, so a second person can check for alignment of the screw holes and put at least two screws in. Would be another good idea to lube the plugs against corrosion (e.g. LiquiMoly-LM40-spray)
I think you meant #12 AWG wire at 34:20. 12/0 is normally referred to as 1500 KCMIL and has a rated ampacity of 625 amps and the copper diameter is 1 1/8 inches. Might be a little large for this installation. ;)
You da man! That was one of the best instructional video I've seen. Great tip about JC Refrigeration, I never knew upgrade kits like this existed. You've got me thinking now. We've never liked our double door absorption unit, but that's all there was before. Now I have an option. Thanks for sharing your project.
this is a really great video I am very impressed with your imagination, knowledge and skill. I am sure that many RV users with three way fridges will be converting to compressor fridges. One question I would like to ask is would it have been a good idea to apply additional insulation to the side(s) of the fridge prior to installing it in place as this would have helped to keep the fridge cool and reduced power consumption (although with your solar setup i guess you have plenty power). I appreciate you uploading this video.
If you get foam insulation on something, resist the urge to touch it or clean it up. Let it harden and it peels off fairly well. Spreading the slime doesn't work.
Great informational video. We will be full time in 2 months and this is going to be one of the first things we do. Nice to see young smart peeps teaching some old peeps some good info. I am subscribing to your channel because of this video.
It seems the lynch pin of this upgrade you’ve beautifully explained is the DC compressor portion of the upgrade kit which allows you to run your fridge straight off the batteries without an inverter. That’s the lynch pin. Thank you. I have terrible memory. But I remembered this video ☺️
Interesting idea and worth experimenting. I had this idea to use old car ac system and compressor but gave up. Reason - inefficient. If it works as you say, then good to try but.... Propane fridge does not use 600 watts. Its motherboard draws very little current to maintain the flame and some more to start and stop relays during the cycle. Never 600W as you say. You can do it with this unit but you need a heck of a battery bank to run electric all the time.
Certain Danfoss compressors like the BD35 and BD50 can use dual 120AC/12DC volt power. To date, I have had zero issues with doing Danfoss conversions to marine refers. should work the same on an RV.
I stumbled on your video while looking to repair RV fridge. I checked the price for my Dometic conversion kit, it’s too much for my conversion. I can’t see paying $700 for the kit. I’ll just buy a new fridge. Great video though.
Flip your refrigerator for 24 hours then reinstall, improves the system, big-time runs colder than ever. Especially if he's never been flipped hot older models. Good luck
At that time of this video the costs for the unit for a fridge like ours was$ 595.00 for AC and $800.00 for the DC unit. The larger units probably are a bit more expensive but I am not sure. They can install it for $150 or ship them to you. Their upgraded absorption unit was $650.
Based on some posts in an RV Forum, the install labor may be $300 for a side by side (4 door) unit like the Norcold 1200. They also offer a helium option for the gas absorption units but it does add to the price. Helium is not flammable like hydrogen. They state the helium model has the same cooling capacity.
Excellent video, thanks.
SO you said you got the DC model? @ $800? do they not make new fridges like this ?
I removed my comment do to being either irrelevant or out right wrong which I became aware of after posting. My apologies.
@@sailingsolar Yeah, when I saw the prices I said, There have to be newer fridges out there... :o)
@@sailingsolar I had to do the same thing on Bob Wells channel. He was telling everyone that solar and an AGM battery is the way to go over a portable power pack. l had to say I disagree to some point. BOTH will have to be charged with Solar but the Portable power pack can be charged by 120 and or car alternator, and yet the power pack is PORTABLE and can be used at the park at the campfire and moved to anywhere you need it. I just hope people would look into more than one TH-camr channel before that do something like this ... SAD TIMES
Drove out from California to Indiana to have JC refrigeration do the conversion to 12 V About 5 weeks ago.
It is a game changer. I can now boondock and have the electric refrigeration.
At around 75ﾟ F my old unit when on electric would burn about 20 amps per hour. With the new unit it's a tad above 4 amps per hour. That's 480 amp hours per day down to 100 amp hours per day.
One 150 watt panel would probly keep up with it. I have got 950 watts So even on cloudy days I'm putting out enough.
The people at JC refrigeration couldn't be nicer. They will let you park in their parking lot the night before your appointment.
Thank you so much for doing this video. It has been a huge plus for me.
Cost around a $1000 for my Dometic 2652.
One note: There is a low level sound and some vibration. Not a bother to me at all but everybody's different
Thanks, this was a great find! I was kinda shocked at how much propane our fridge uses! We're upgrading our solar from 100W to 1400W, so a DC fridge is a no brainer (works better AND uses less power). We're also waiting for a 24VDC mini-split air conditioner due out later this year from Hotspot Energy. Solar boondocking will be SO much easier with air conditioning that uses 200-500W instead of 900-1200W of power plus inverter losses.
Tom, THANK YOU for this video!!! Our fridge in the RV was becoming less reliable, and when I started looking for replacements today, I find your video. You are truly a Renaissance Man! We are doing the funds reallocation to place the order next month! I figure we will save that much in just the ice we have been buying! Again, thank you!
Outstanding video! With all the problems with the propane refrigerators, we just installed 1 KW solar power and 2 120 amp Lithium batteries and a 6 kw inverter to power our 120 volt ultra high energy efficient refrig-freezer and have been very happy.
What kind, and size, of solar panels can generate 1kw?
How many panels of what size do you have?
I don't plan on doing a fridge conversion and stumbled upon this while looking for other fridge info but just wanted to say that I appreciate the in-depth nature of this video, the good editing, and the follow up segment at the end. Really great content guys! Will check out your other stuff.
West RV repair in Livingston TX installed the AC compressor AC unit from JR REfrigeration. Our unit work wonderfully. Freezer reaches 18 degrees and the fridge is easily maintained at 38 even in the hot weather of Texas. Best mod I've done on my rig.
Awesome to hear!
Hi Thomas. Looking for someone to do a conversion of my Norcold. How is your unit performing? Any freezing of the refrigerator fins? Thanks!
The control box on the side of the compressor is a timer which protects the compressor from short cycles and monitors the pressure on the input and output of the compressor. All compressors have a 5 minute minimum stand down which starts either when power is first applied or when the compressor cycles off. The cycling that you saw on first start would be the refrigerant moving around the lines which causes random pressure swings and the controller will shutdown the compressor to protect it. Once things equalize and the 5 minute timer expires then the compressor can start again. Your Air Conditioner has one of these circuits as well.
Good info
Wow. This is really great. As a refrigeration mechanic I'm impressed and was not aware they made these. The cost is honestly very good and the dc unit was definitely the way to go.
I couldn't believe the whole sealed system was outside the cabinet, so different from consumer residential units
Can you help me in Wa or Ca?
A few builders of trailers are now getting rid of the absorption fire starters in favor of new 12V 3Amp larger fridges and freezers. With a solar panel and better batteries you will never have a problem running it 24/7. You no longer need to go regular residential which draws to much power.
Dude! You are a pro. I hope the manufacturer pays you for this monster install. I prefer an un-vented residential 115V frig and use my inverter when on battery. If my battery gets low, fire up the gas generator and power everything including the battery charger to get back on battery power. No special wiring, and no issues in freezing weather.
Gas,LP..? How many gallons to get back to full charge?
Funny ... I just did the same conversion to our fridge - works great, doesn't it? We're full-time and my wife was hiking the Appalachian Trail when I got my unit, so I ended up doing the whole conversion (including removing and reinstalling the fridge) by myself after putting the kids to bed. It was a long night, but by 0600 my fridge was icy cold! So happy I did the conversion! Kudos to the folks at JC Refrigeration... One thing to note is that they only have compressor conversions for a couple of Norcold/Dometic models (mine is a Dometic 2652).
any chance you could snap a picture of the nameplate info on the compressor?
I had a full size residential refrigerator in my boat and mostly running on inverter for two or three days. If you do this there are two things that you must keep in mind. The current draw was not bad when the compressor ran but the big surprise was the defrost cycle. The defrost could pull enough power the cause the inverter fan to run. To save power and keep things quiet I installed a switch to disable the defrost when it was on inverter power. The ice buildup minimal for a few days and went away by next weekend when on shore power. Just remember to turn it back on. You also want to install a delay on timer so that if there’s a momentary power interruption that the refrigerator compressor has time to reduce starting pressure. If there’s too much pressure in the system and it hasn’t equalized it can stall the compressor and it trips a safety but that safety will only do that a limited number of times before the compressor or safety device fail.
Good to know
My Norcold 2118 was sucking our batteries dry, using 11KW/day, or emptying a 30# propane bottle in 6 days. And temp control was the unsatisfactory. I was very frustrated!
In March 2020 I installed the DC compressor unit. It only took about 2 hours, working slowly, and the instructions & photos were easy to follow. Customer service was great!
It is now July. We love this conversion! It draws a small 1.25 KW/day, hardly even noticing the draw on our 600A system. I did have to run a 10ga wire from a 12V node to the fridge because the compressor start spike was too much for installed 12ga wire, but that was simple. I added a 15A fuse for safety.
I also added an adjustable thermostat to replace the thermistor. Temps are now always in the right range. The fridge stays cold, and the freezer stays frozen, no matter if it’s below 50 (Montana) or over 100 (Las Vegas) outside.
This is great work guys. I can't believe you did all this and shot the video while doing this. This is what makes TH-cam great. Don't have words to thank you for your hard work. Keep up the good work.
New to your channel. I'm 64 and don't know half of what you know electrically. We hope become full timers in two years. Jobs and family are putting us off a while. We'll continue watching your journey, take care and be safe.
For those experiencing cooling issues with a typical absorption RV refrigerator first see if the unit cools better with gas over electric. If this is the case, the DC or AC heating elements may be wearing out or quit working. These simply slide out of the boiler stack. It's always a good idea to replace both while the refrigerator is pulled out. If you haven't used or moved your RV for several months and in so extreme cases of rough travel there could be negative pressure (vapor lock) preventing the ammonia from circulating somewhere in all that tubing. Literally pull the whole refrigerator out and flip it over for a day to release the negative pressure inside the tubing.
If using gas or electric still isn't cooling well enough or not at all it is time to replace the cooling unit or switch to a residential refrigerator if you're parked full time. If it is old and rusted, it's time to replace it because it won't last much longer. When preparing for a long, extended vacation with your RV, check to ensure the refrigerator is cooling properly three week before your expected departure date. This ensure you have ample time to do any repairs or replacement before you leave. It will save you a lot of headache and expense. Especially if your spouse insists on a new $2500 -$5000 refrigerator, plus labor, at the next exit.
Excellent video. I really admire the way both of you take the time to do things right. No rushing or cutting corners at all.
Cheers from Seattle!
For $5000 you can make a lot of restraunt stops for two people. Your wife might like the excuse for take out. Lol no more headaches
Friends with a Dometic side by side experienced a $4,000 repair on their unit. That repair cost seemed expensive to me, and I would have switched to this system without hesitation had that been my unit.
Please check out Ford's RV refrigeration. Only person teaching how to properly fix and diagnose an RV fridge. Free tips on TH-cam, and they have a class.
Just bought a trailer with a Norco fridge. On first try, the gas seems to work better than on electricity, but I don't have enough data points to definitively point my finger at the cause. Was suggested running it on 30 amps vs 20, but I am unsure of that. TH-cam has been a great resource and checking the heating element might be the next step. Thanks!
@@ericgulseth74 I have seen videos that say some are selling AC heat cartridges that are not producing their rated wattage. Only sure way to know what watts your heater is producing is to check with a meter. Look for videos from "FordRVRefrigeration"
It's a good idea to disconnect the negative first!!! You may want to put text on the screen with a correction. The reason is if you touch anything with the screwdriver disconnecting the negative it will not arc, then the positive side is dead when you disconnect that. It doesn't matter as long as the fuse is pulled but people make mistakes and pull the wrong fuse. Same goes for the main battery. Thanks, great video.
Well done. Thanks for the video. Nice to have a strong woman to help you. I like the look of that fridge/freezer with the nice wooden door panels.
You will find you will love a small impact driver so much better for the type of work you are doing...its a tool improvement that I was really glad to discover.Especially for self tapping screws...more power more control
I had that same thought. It hurt my heart to watch that!
I hardly use my impact unless I am driving large fasteners like lag bolts because its too easy to strip. My favorite driver is actually a 12v Bosch screwdriver. It has plenty of torque for regular screws, smaller and lighter than a full-size drill or impact.
The main difference is that drills have continuous torque, which is why they have a clutch, and the impact (as the name implies) has an anvil that hits the drivetrain to amplify torque. An impact is comparable to a hammer on a nail. It has a ton of force on the swing, but its difficult to control the exact amount of force.
perhaps drive a self tapper with a regular drill and when it gets near the end, stop, and snug it by hand with a socket wrench!
torque is everything. just rite.
You guys did an excellent job on this video. One of the most complete and thorough how to / reviews of any product I've ever watched. And I've watched a lot of them.
Tremendous guys! Really informative and takes away the apprehension of doing this project on our own should we ever bulk up our electrical storage. Appreciate all the "engineer's" attention to detail along the way!
Great video! One note of concern however, you should always allow the compressor to be vertical for awhile before turning it on after being laid horizontal. That allows the fluid to settle back into the compressor. This is why your compressor was cycling at first start up. Very bad for the compressor. Also, anyone that does this conversion- don’t forget to cap your LP gas line.
Hi Tom, I ordered one of these units for a smaller Norcold that we have in our Outdoors RV 21RD. A small 7 cubic foot unit. We did not have the same experience as you. The foam over the evaporator coils was not formed square so the face of the unit would not sit down. JC Rerigeration said to just use longer screws on the high side. I explained that this would not work because the frame was already flat to the box. They then had us cut a support brace to free the coil so we could get it attached in the freezer. The foam still had very large gaps around the coils in the refrigerator compartment.
They said then that the cooling fins would keep the new foam from impinging into the refrigerator compartment. Our find have 4 screws. We were then told that we only need to use 2 screws per the manual. Problem is the manual states to use 4 screws for the fins.
I've decided to return the unit because it was manufactured incorrectly and JC Refrigeration isn't very supportive of addressing the problem.
Glad yours worked well!
That's an interesting new option. We had JC Refrigeration install their so-called 'Amish Cooling Unit' in our Norcold 1200 last year. Very impressed with the unit and the factory install. And it works great!
So do they have factory trained tech people by state? What other diagnostics should be used to test and retro fit a unit. What is warranty? You can buy a car certified used car and major repair warranty. They used to have dynamo tested vehicles . seems money pit RV dealers... On a 70% depreciated motor home with 15 year financing and seven year depreciation
That's an interesting re-fit kit, although my older (1989) propane or 120-Vac freezer/'fridge used about "a birthday-candle's worth" of propane, (or a tiny amount of shore-power), to run it for a solid 5 weeks of one of the hottest months on record for the area I was in, (USA mid-eastern seaboard, and the average temperature & humidity were 99-degrees F & 98% R.H.)...
I try to keep my freezer at about -5-degrees F, & the 'fridge runs at a nice +33- to +35-degrees F, and while my "house-based" units can't get the freezer to near that cold for the freezer, (with the fridge at a nice +34-degrees F), the RVs' R-717 "ammonia-water" system easily kept things at +33 degrees F in the 'fridge, and a nice "hard-frozen" -5 degrees F in the freezer section.
(With both sides of my family having been in some form of "the food business" for at least 4 generations, they all agreed that "Pasteurized cow's milk" stays perfectly good for over a month at that low +33 degrees F, if it was kept properly cold from the dairy to them, or to me.)
Also, after some "usually never-needed" maintenance, I checked my "R-717" or "ammonia-water" systems' levels & pressures, after evacuating & properly & safely cleaning & leak-testing the "plumbing" of the system, & there was NO "Hydrogen subsystem" or similar to be found; it works the same way the first freezers for the generic "Olde Towne Ice House" systems usually did: when the super-heated, and therefore pressurized, gaseous ammonia-water mix is released through the thermostatic expansion valve, (or capillary-tube, or whatever is used in place of a TEV, since that's what the R-12, R-22, & other "R-bad for the environment" "Freon"-based* refrigerant systems I've had used), *("Freon" is a copyrighted trade-name, property of the respective owner; I can't get my present tablet to let me put a proper "scienter" symbol in here),
and the MH freezer/'fridge has a large, finned aluminum plate which goes from "outside" to "inside" the freezer section, where it pulls the heat needed to "phase-change" the "refrigerant" so it will, with some energy added in the form of latent heat, re-condense back to a liquid.
My trusty (but not rusty) MH 30-yr.-old unit, gets that extra latent heat from a substantially thick, finned aluminum plate, which takes the heat from "inside" the freezer & moves it into the refrigerant, (which is "outside" of the unit), with a thick, flat aluminum plate extending down from that finned upper part in the freezer going through a well-fitted slot leading to the 'fridge section, to carry some of the heat from the 'fridge section as well...
(Basically, all combination "refrigerator-freezers" only "cool", or move the heat OUT of, the freezer section, & get additional heat out of the 'fridge section.)
Just as one cannot put darkness into a room, but one CAN put light INTO the room, "cold" cannot be removed from a space, but the heat CAN be moved from inside a space to outside, (or to a different place.)
A "heat-pump" is simply an "air-conditioner" which can be reversed with two simple electrically-operated valves.
This was the first time I've even heard of an "R-717" (or "ammonia-water")-based system needing anything other than the R-717 & a little heat to get the phase-change-cycle going! Thanks for an informative & well-explained "bringing an old-timer like me up-to-date" post!
(And if anyone can tell me, or the mechanics I know, how on earth to change the spark plugs & do a "tune-up" on a Ford 460-cid "gas-burner" engine, which was "shoehorned" into the requested space it's in, by John Deere, (who built the Heavy-Duty Truck Chassis which the fiberglass "Dolphin 3450", ("Deluxe apartment on wheels"), which was assembled by the now-defunct National RV of Perris, Calif., we'd really like to stop doing "routine maintenance" by taking the entire engine & transmission out from UNDER the rig, doing literally everything while it's all "out", then putting it all back "in"!)
Cheers, from a retired "Higher-Than-High-Tech-Engineer"!
"Keep the roof up & wheels down!"
Phoenix NightOwl Jr.
VERY well done video, and loads of good info as well! I was unaware of this options existence. Thanks for the education. As a Broadcast Engineer myself, I do appreciate your attention to detail.
I have had (what I believe is) the exact same Dometic fridge in my 2007 Heartland BigHorn 5th wheel. After being unimpressed with its cooling, I added two 6 inch computer fans to the top outside vent, blowing out...basically sucking the warm air out from the upper rear fins. Then I added a small DC fan inside of the unit, blowing on the fridge fins.
The end result of this was a fridge that stayed about 33-36 deg, and a freezer that stayed between zero and +8 all last summer. Oh, and I should mention that I cleaned the burner, and flue too. Very important! Something must have really been wrong with yours to cool so poorly. Although I haven't had to use it personally, the upside-down trick does work too.
Absorption fridges don't have to cool poorly, but many of them do when they aren't working well. They also don't use very much propane when they are working well...Nothing like the furnace or water heater. Just a tiny little flame. They do take a while to get going however, and that is a more significant draw-back. I don't mind getting a 30# tank re-filled once or twice a season. If we were full-timing like you, I might feel differently.
Propane is basically a waste-gas anyway...A by-product of the refining process. They used to just burn it off until they realized people would buy it. As a side-note, my parents used to have a gas home fridge, and installed a new Arkla-Servel gas air conditioner in their home in 1968. It was an overly complex PITA, and it sprung an unfixable leak after about 12 years. So I've had both good and bad experience with absorption cooling.
I fully understand why you folks went this route, but it's probably not a path I'd take. At least not till I have tons of solar on the roof, and a Tesla battery. :-)
Man, it was this video that had us shopping for a new TT with a 12V Fridge as a must-have. So we ended up with a 2021.5 19Bhles Surveyor Legend 12V 10.7 Cubit Inch Fridge by Norcold. Even has a night mode for silent operation for 8 hours.
Thanks for this video content. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for.
You guys did an awesome job converting you’re fridge over to a compressor style. Nice work 👍.
I will definitely be getting in touch with JC refrigeration in regards to my own conversion.
What an awesome idea. The propane electric fridges are super expensive to replace. Converting it to 12v makes so much more sense.
Like your follow up section and the info about low battery cut out.
We have a Norcold fridge and the DC compressor will vastly improve its operation. Thanks again!
Just worked on a project with Furrion on their 12vdc refrigerator and they're really incredible. Now I"m looking for some dumb excuse to replace our refrigerator (our RV refrigerator is still working great, even on really hot days). This is a great option too - another terrific video!
I'm glad you have a working solution now. I have an older unit that can cool the freezer down to -20F when the outside temperature ranges in the 60s to 70s. The freezer still stays down to about -5F when in the 80s to 90s. The frig stays in the safe range too. I actually have a problem with the frig getting too cold and freezing.
An RV unit? What Make and Model of Fridge/Freezer? What year RV is it in? I ask because will buy a used RV and want to know if Dometic or Norco are better made.
@@birdwing98 The one refrigerator is a Dometic 2600 in an old Nomad trailer build in 1986. The other unit is a old unit from an Open Range trailer. The other unit is a Dometic 600 series frig. This last camping trip the Dometic 2600 dropped to -22F on the freezer plate and was holding the frig near 32 while the outside temp was 95 during the day.
Excellent video.
The absorption system on my Norcold 1210 double-door fridge died.
I've been considering these units for about a year since mine died.
The other problem with my fridge is that the right fridge door lower hinge
is molded into the door and breaks rather easily.
They want $500 for just the right door!!!
Norcold price for this fridge is around $4000.
Mine came installed in my new 42-foot toy hauler in 2008
Great information. Mine is not working all that great and they don’t like warm food, takes too long to cool down. This is a great way to convert it because it’s about half price of a new gas/electric unit or the same for a 12v replacement unit. The 12v unit does increase the storage from 8 cuft to 10 cuft. Might be worth the cost.
The AC/DC compressor systems are worth the investment from my experience. Even the cooler size systems like the Dometic CFX-40US Portable Electric Cooler Refrigerator/Freezer 1.4 cu. Ft. that I picked up with a Insulated Protective Cover for $563 total works great.
I burnt out a thermoelectric system and decided I didn't want to spend the money for ice and limited capabilities on my next investment.
Neat to see the larger DC system (which is easier to transform from AC to DC versus DC to AC) cost is reasonable compared. Thanks for detailing the conversion and system!
You really put a lot of effort into this. From my perspective I don't think many people would be as successful as you .
hah! Most people these days wouldn't even attempt it. They'd let a dealer or technician talk them into whatever gives the best profit, and be stuck with whatever they got.
I am never going to do anything like this but I love watching this guy do it
Thanks, I have the exact same fridge, looks like a great solution. The only thing i would change from your install would be to use a low bonding foam to foam the unit into place. Low bond (white) foam would be a lot easier to take back out if there was any need for service.
That is a good idea, I will recommend that to JR refrigeration too.
Well done guys. You gave an outstanding liniar explaination with no fluff or redundency. Your explaination gave this diy'er the kick in my confidence to stop procrastinating and get on with it.
ANY TIME you lay a refrigerant compressor in any position except for upright wait at least 24 hours in the upright position BEFORE powering it on…this allows enough time for the compressor oil to settle back into the compressor…I suspect when you say it started and stopped several times it was due to being hydraulically locked while attempting to compress the oil…
Wow! I didn't know you can convert a fridge like that. Amazing!
After scrolling down the page, I found prices. Thanks!
You obviously know what you're doing, and it does no harm to have a very attractive assistant who doesn't mind getting involved, I'm in the UK, and we do not have a system where you can swap out the gubbins at the back of our 3 way Dometic fridges.
Another great video. I like how you explain what you are thinking. Congrats on a successful install.
One of the best RV retrofitting videos I’ve ever watched. Bravo.
In one year as an RV repair technician at a major dealership I saw six RV's burned to the frame from absorption refrigerators rupturing and the heated hydrogen gas igniting an inferno. With the advent of turbine compressors in modern refrigerators the power requirements dropped making them a good choice. The difference in price between RV vs. domestic refrigerator would allow you to triple your battery capacity and add a very useful 110v inverter system.
I am not gonna use this anytime soon. But the last words looked too honest. Thumbs up for the genuine review 👏🏽🙏🏼🙏🏼
Great video. Our Norcold fridge like your is 15 years old and luckily is still working like new.
@alan hester Ours is 17 years old and still works fine, makes me think they built things better the further back you go.
I’m sure someone already said it. But the reason it wasn’t cooling so well, is because the fans were installed with insulation between them. Which was blocking airflow. So you were supposed to know to manually turn on the fans, if the outside temp was above..... maybe 60ish degrees. Would’ve been nice to know. If they’d been wired up to come on automatically whenever the fridge was running, that would’ve been ideal, and you probably woulda been blissfully unaware of how awesome your fridge actually performed.
Wow! impressed! Extremely ambitious retrofit. Not many folks will have the patience for this. Bravo! One issue is you can't compare the propane refrigerator's heating element power draw your compressor's power draw. Not fair. Propane units are designed to run on Propane. Their heating element option is just for when you have access to shore power. You can't use a compressor unit when you are off grid for extended periods. You will need a small stand by generator and you will be using it. For a bigger fridge put two propane units side by side and open the doors center forward. Cooling fans don't work on propane units. Why? The ammonia refrigerant gas cycles by high and low pressure created by the addition of heat energy. Cooling the condenser cools the gas on the high pressure side. Cooing a gas lowers it's pressure. That slows down the cycle when you are trying to speed it up. No body gets this. Find a retired chemistry teacher and take him out to lunch. Fans will only help on the compressor units. Propane units are totally different animals. The hydrogen (or helium) is used to provide the atmospheric pressure so the ammonia cycle can be continuous. Yup... get our your Chemistry books. There are no chemical reactions going on here. You just have to trust the professor on this. On warm days use two ice block containers. One up and one down. Change them out in the mornings. That brings extra cold down below. Ok to use a small circulating fan below to keep consistent food temps. There is always a trade off with these things. Super good video on changing out the cooling unit!!! I've done two propane units myself. Patience is indeed a virtue.
Very well done video! I did not know this was an option for my Dometic Refer. Thank you for sharing! 😎
This is a great product and even better video! Great job. We chose to replace our not old with a frost free fridge. And added a drawer cooler and mini dishwasher. In the same space. It was still $400 less than this conversion.
This is an amazing kit if you’re not skilled enough to close off this old space for a interior vented/cooled fridge. Thanks for the video!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hello again, Tom! This video was so incredible that I just had to watch it again! What a big all day project that you and your wife took on. I'm very impressed with everything that you do on your channel and with everything in your lives.
I’m of course loving your Morton’s go North videos as much as you’re enjoying making them.
Great video, you two did an amazing job with the installation and information all around great job I actually watched the whole thing no skips.👍🏽
Your DC compressor upgrade that allows you to run your fridge without a inverter only uses 60 watts? Nice ☺️ Much better than 400 watts
Super well done and interesting video. I'm learning that the gold standard of 12-24 volt DC fridges is a pricey one. No matter whether retrofit, or brand new it is expensive to have DC refrigeration. Buying a new DC fridge to install in your RV would have surely been much more money than the conversion though. I'm glad it all turned out well for you guys.
Nice to know there are conversion kits like this out there. I would have thought they would be cheaper to buy than a new absorption kit. Thanks for the tutorial.
Unfortunately, it's kind of a niche thing, so they've got the novelty factor going for them.
but then they wouldn't have saved the ENORMOUS amounts of Kwh that they did!
Small custom manufacturer vs mass produced by larger manufacturer.
The problem with refurbing an old fridge is that the insulation gets damp over time and loses its effectiveness. It's usually more effective to replace the entire thing than change out parts
Icing up of the fins is an indicator that the door seals need replacing
Your next project should be replacing the 24V battery with LiFePo4 - These are cheaper to run than Lead-Acid in the long term and have a very stable output as well as being able to go to 80-90% DOD instead of the 30% limit of lead-acid batteries
I know it was 4 years ago but for cleaning up that Great Stuff foam, WD40 will clean it up nicely. Both from hands and surfaces. It also cleans up the cans application tube so you can re-use it later.
Great video, I've been looking to do something about my RV fridge since is also around the 50 degrees and 20 on the freezer, I also have enough solar power to run any model and your DC option seems nice, but for my case I think I prefer to buy a residential unit that has a big condenser on the back and it has the same outside dimension of the existing fridge, I saw one in home depot for just over 500 dollars, I only wish there was an option of having both compressor and evaporation style unit so if I have too many cloudy days I could still use the propane as backup, again great video
This is the most cost effective option for most people that have enough space to install a residential unit. A 10cuft fridge will cost around $300-$400 and will only draw 0.75kwh/day.
Super Video u 2! I know it seems silly to point out but you do a great job of talking clearly and pronouncing words correctly. Easy for us “older DYIers” to n
The ability to speak well is becoming a lost art, folks make up words that don't exist or mispronounce existing words . In the future I can see a day that slang, acronyms and emojis 🤪 will be standard. You are correct that they both speak well. Their former English teachers would be proud! 🤓
Vibration is your friend when “breaking” loose unions and flare fittings like your gas line. Just strike the nut on several sides with a hammer prior to putting a wrench on it. Also a REALLY good idea to use another wrench to “back up” the other side of the joint and protect tubing from being twisted. WELL DONE VIDEO.
very cool upgrade! i wish i could have a propane/ DC compressor fridge, but i guess you can' have it all. i will definitely be looking into this upgrade once i upgrade my solar, and my absorption fridge starts loosing performance.
Put a vitrifrigo in my truck camper,12v-120 v,best in the industry,love it they are made in Italy and put in high end yachts,you won't be disappointed
This is fabulous. If mine was not residential I'd do this as soon as I could.
I did that very thing! I tore out the old one and slapped in a comparably sized Haier residential unit. I discovered there was 8 cubic feet of wasted space in that opening, too.
I learned a lot about the back of an absorption fridge that I have never seen before. The insulation on the inside of the cabinet where the fridge is is something I have not seen before. Most rv's I have seen have nothing there which I would say is a bad thing.
Not sure what I would have chosen this route depending on the cost for you this may have been the right choice. An 11 cu ft rv style whirlpool sells for about $600 has the 24-inch width can be had with an ice maker plus defrosts itself. A chore that some rvers hate. The draw is about 40 amps a day from what I have heard which is manageable. The downside is that an inverter is required and larger battery bank is required but that is something that the Mortons actually have in spades. There are dc only and dc/ac low amp draw compressor fridges (ac/dc switch over automatically) but they don't defrost automatically and they are easy twice the price.
I would bet that whirlpool you're talking about uses 40 amps continuously when it's running. Not per day
My refrigerator just stopped working. Your video helped enlighten me to the possibilities. Thanks so much!
Excellent video. Buuutt..PSA: Even though circuit is off, a good rule: Never work around electrical circuits with a ring/jewelry on.
Exactly. In high school i melted my class ring, installing a golf cart battery when the wrench touched my ring thole the other side of my ring touched the frame
Yeah man I’m glad I found your video because if I start having problems with mine that’s exactly what I’m doin but I think mine is ok for now it actually freezes stuff a little in the refrigerator
I usually watch such videos at 2x. It's bloody impossible with you, man! And congrats on such a great job!
Thanks!
Good job guys. I’ve got one of those lovely 4 door nevercolds. Simply put running it on solar is out of the question even with my 2300watt system. All said, I think I’ll go residential for three reasons: more finite control; over fridge, freezer temps, an ice maker and auto defrost :) Anyhow ... awesome conversion.
Isnt that crazy how inefficient those absorption units are on electric! Good concept for Gas but electric is just a waste.
Well Tom, as usual, great work. I will check in to this kind of fridge change.
If you're getting ice build up it could be one of two reasons you could have a leak on the door seals or could be where you are placing warm food in the fridge.
I also found that when I didn't use my fridge for a while and then switched it on the first few times would it would ice up bug would do settle down.
I found leaving water bottles in the fridge helped maintain a good temperature too so give that a go.
Thanks for taking the time to share this with us. I just sent an email to the company to hopefully be able to afford this upgrade. I understood everything, but kinda lost me on the wiring and reconnection. You did say their customer service was excellent, so I'm sure they could help with that for me!
Great job and Congratulations!
Did you get the auxiliary fans hooked up?
Take care,
Razor!
These RV refrigerators (that also use Propane) Can often be Revived, by taking them out..
and Rotating them Upside Down every 4 to 8 hours (4X ~ 6X a Day) for several days.
This is to Dissolve the Crystals that Form inside the Lines, and often this can “rejuvenate” them. I got 25 yrs out of mine doing this every 10 yrs.
Nicely done! Interesting that I am looking to do just the opposite - switch out a 12v compressor fridge for a dual propane/electric due to battery capacity and noise.
While your description of how compressed cfc refrigeration works made more cringe more than once (it's refrigerant, not coolant!), I really appreciate the doing aspects of this tutorial! Happy travels!
Incredible video!! Well thought out and presented. Thank you.
Interesting video! To my knowledge no freight company will guarantee the unit won't get tipped the wrong way during shipping; I'd only trust a pickup like you did.
Hi Tom, Furrion is now offering a "drop-in" replacement for the Dometic/Norcold 8 cf absorption refrigerator. It is the 10 cu. ft. Furrion Arctic™ 12V Built-In Refrigerator, with either left or right hinge. They are selling it for $1089 with free shipping on their website. My local RV dealer quoted me $1800 for the unit without the cosmetic panels. Needless to say I ordered from their website. As soon as it is installed, I will pass along more information. We first saw it in a new Forest River Cherokee Arctic Wolf 3550 SUITE.
I will check that out!
You both are Awesome and so is this video. Happy Trails and stay safe.
Thanks!
What most people do not realize is how much cold air is lost when the door of the fridge or freezer is open, causing more energy usage to get it back to it's target temperature. I opted to remove my fridge and will be putting in a style that opens from the top.
You are very correct, chest units are much more efficient in that regard.
Great job, yall showed me just about everything i was wondering about im sold!~
You Two Make A Great Team. Your From A To Z On Change Over Of Refrig Has Just Been Amazing In Delivery & Explaining Step By Step. Must Say Best Presentation Of How To Do Have Seen On TH-cam. Thank-You Again For All Your Time & Unselfish Gifting Forward. Safe Travels & Keep The Needs To Maintain From The Corona-19 Virus Pandemic. As Over 100,000 Daily Now Becoming Ill From The Virus. Always, Tommy :-)
Would have been a good idea to mount the new unit while the fridge is standing, so a second person can check for alignment of the screw holes and put at least two screws in.
Would be another good idea to lube the plugs against corrosion (e.g. LiquiMoly-LM40-spray)
I think you meant #12 AWG wire at 34:20. 12/0 is normally referred to as 1500 KCMIL and has a rated ampacity of 625 amps and the copper diameter is 1 1/8 inches. Might be a little large for this installation. ;)
You da man! That was one of the best instructional video I've seen. Great tip about JC Refrigeration, I never knew upgrade kits like this existed. You've got me thinking now. We've never liked our double door absorption unit, but that's all there was before. Now I have an option. Thanks for sharing your project.
You're welcome! Glad you found the video helpful!
I have the JC 120 V unit and love the way it performs in my 1200 series Norcold
this is a really great video I am very impressed with your imagination, knowledge and skill. I am sure that many RV users with three way fridges will be converting to compressor fridges. One question I would like to ask is would it have been a good idea to apply additional insulation to the side(s) of the fridge prior to installing it in place as this would have helped to keep the fridge cool and reduced power consumption (although with your solar setup i guess you have plenty power). I appreciate you uploading this video.
If you get foam insulation on something, resist the urge to touch it or clean it up. Let it harden and it peels off fairly well. Spreading the slime doesn't work.
Great informational video. We will be full time in 2 months and this is going to be one of the first things we do. Nice to see young smart peeps teaching some old peeps some good info. I am subscribing to your channel because of this video.
Wow!...lots of tweaking you had to make there fellows. GREAT video. Thanks.
Wow! Good on ya. Watching you guys over the last year or so, you’ve come a long way. Cool... Thanks for doing and sharing these things...
It seems the lynch pin of this upgrade you’ve beautifully explained is the DC compressor portion of the upgrade kit which allows you to run your fridge straight off the batteries without an inverter.
That’s the lynch pin. Thank you. I have terrible memory. But I remembered this video ☺️
Interesting idea and worth experimenting. I had this idea to use old car ac system and compressor but gave up. Reason - inefficient. If it works as you say, then good to try but.... Propane fridge does not use 600 watts. Its motherboard draws very little current to maintain the flame and some more to start and stop relays during the cycle. Never 600W as you say. You can do it with this unit but you need a heck of a battery bank to run electric all the time.
nice vid
might want to check your drain line is clean and not plugged , can be one reason why the cooling fins have frost freezing
Certain Danfoss compressors like the BD35 and BD50 can use dual 120AC/12DC volt power. To date, I have had zero issues with doing Danfoss conversions to marine refers. should work the same on an RV.
I stumbled on your video while looking to repair RV fridge. I checked the price for my Dometic conversion kit, it’s too much for my conversion. I can’t see paying $700 for the kit. I’ll just buy a new fridge. Great video though.
Flip your refrigerator for 24 hours then reinstall, improves the system, big-time runs colder than ever. Especially if he's never been flipped hot older models. Good luck