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Old 08-13-2008, 07:41 PM   #1
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345 Refer is Tango Uniform, replacement advice?

Our refer is TU, strong ammonia smell indicating serious leak. Looking at replacing entire unit although I know there are places to do a replacement of the cooling system only. I am thinking a new unit will work better, have a better warranty, and have latches that work.

Anyone replaced their unit? If so with what model, and any tips or inside pointers?
Thanks

Jeff
Atlanta
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Old 08-13-2008, 07:46 PM   #2
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We replaced our fridge with a rebuilt unit, then a rebuilt cooling unit for the rebuilt unit, then a replacement rebuilt cooling unit for the rebuilt unit...You get the idea. I would go with new. As far as tips and pointers, you will have to take a bunch of stuff off that will make no sense. It's kind of like a Chinese puzzle, you can't take part A off without first removing parts B C D E and F.
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Old 08-13-2008, 07:48 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Honkity Hank View Post
Our refer is TU, strong ammonia smell indicating serious leak. Looking at replacing entire unit although I know there are places to do a replacement of the cooling system only. I am thinking a new unit will work better, have a better warranty, and have latches that work.

Anyone replaced their unit? If so with what model, and any tips or inside pointers?
Thanks

Jeff
Atlanta
Jeff,

Go to Dometic and you will find a replacement compatibility chart. Look up your current model # and it will tell you which of the current production models will fit with little or no cabinet alteration.

You get a 3 year warranty with a new Dometic too!
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Old 08-13-2008, 07:57 PM   #4
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Rivet What do you want to replace?

Since it is a 345, I assume that it is a large 2 door model like in my Excella.

I am in the final stages of replacing a 1983 Dometic RM 1303 AES (Automatic Energy Selecton) with a Norcold N841 IM (Ice Maker). 1983 was the first year for the AES units and it made it to vintage status. I guess I can't complain.

The Norcold is taller and narrower than the Dometic, so some modifications were necessary. All I have left to do is install the new top shelf and panel to seal off the top of the new fridge to complete the installation. I will be starting a thread with photos documenting the replacement in 2 or 3 days.
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Old 08-13-2008, 07:59 PM   #5
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sssss
Vaughan, did you spring a leak?
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Old 08-13-2008, 08:04 PM   #6
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Rivet Wow

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Vaughan, did you spring a leak?

No, the forum software did. Nothing happened when I tried to enter the "s" at the end of "days", and the courser disappeared.

Once I posted, everything returned to normal. I edited in a matter of seconds. Quick response there Terry! Regards to Marie and the guardian.
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Old 08-23-2008, 09:46 AM   #7
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We did the new replacement bit using the replacement compatibility chart - and the new one is a different size (deeper and shorter). Major ouch doing the necessary rearrangement of things including lots of original AS interior panels, and then the exhaust fans wouldn't fit! Be real careful, measure three or four times before agreeing to buy!
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Old 08-23-2008, 12:34 PM   #8
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We replace the refer with new in our 86 classic mh a few weeks ago - due to ammonia leak also.
It works so much better than the original one ever did in the 4.5 years we had the motorhome. We went with a dometic aes chart, but I would measure to make sure. Ours fit without alteration. The other great thing is it has 2 more cubic interior feet inside even though it is the same (give or take 1/4 inch) The only thing is it is a two way with 120V/propane (although it does require 12V for the ACS control). Remember to run a thin coat of vaseline on the seals every six months to keep them flexible and this will help with the cooling!
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Old 08-24-2008, 09:01 AM   #9
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We replace the refer with new in our 86 classic mh a few weeks ago - due to ammonia leak also.
It works so much better than the original one ever did in the 4.5 years we had the motorhome. We went with a dometic aes chart, but I would measure to make sure. Ours fit without alteration. The other great thing is it has 2 more cubic interior feet inside even though it is the same (give or take 1/4 inch) The only thing is it is a two way with 120V/propane (although it does require 12V for the ACS control). Remember to run a thin coat of vaseline on the seals every six months to keep them flexible and this will help with the cooling!

What replacement unit did you get(make/model)? We had a baffle installed behind our current fridge, on Dometic's advice, so there is a 1" clearance, and...still didn't work. Is your new one the same depth?
mike
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Old 08-24-2008, 09:22 AM   #10
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Did the rebuilt coils thing a couple times. Problem is that once the pipes start to rot, you fix one leak and two more appear. Finally went with a new unit and it works great.

I took the dimensions of the old unit and went through Camping World and got a unit that fit perfectly. No remodeling of the cabinets or anything. It has been running now for five years without a hitch. Much better than the old one. It's a Dometic.
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Old 08-24-2008, 05:16 PM   #11
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Ours was replaced with a Dometic 2820. We had the local Airstream dealer put it in. There are no modifications to the front of the oak cabinet as far as I could tell. The black insert from the old one was reused and trimmed a bit but the refer itself appears to fit in perfectly. I don't know if they made any modifications to the inside of the cabinet....

Good luck!
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Old 08-25-2008, 06:17 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jking View Post
We did the new replacement bit using the replacement compatibility chart - and the new one is a different size (deeper and shorter). Major ouch doing the necessary rearrangement of things including lots of original AS interior panels, and then the exhaust fans wouldn't fit! Be real careful, measure three or four times before agreeing to buy!

Jking,

Do you remember what unit you had and what you replaced it with? Ours is currently an RM1303. From Dometic Web site the replacement is a RM2820.

Compaison of dimensions
Height- ( 1303) 57-1/2", (2820) 55-3/8"
Width- (1303) 23-13/16', (2820) 23-5/8"
Depth- (1303) 23-3/4", (2820) 24"

This indicates that the new unit is slightly shorter and narrower and only1/4" deeper. On the face of it this does not seem to be an issue. Don't know if the exhaust location or wiring harness is the same though.

Thanks,

Jeff
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Old 05-30-2009, 08:13 AM   #13
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Bringing this back up to report.

We bought a new dometic 2820 off ebay. Best price on line was from PPL Motorhome. I had bought an a/c unit from them a couple of years ago and they let me pick it up at the atlanta warehouse to save shipping. THey would not let me do that with the refer so I started a new search and found a guy on ebay selling new units drop shipped from Dometic.

Saved a few hundred bucks.

Will report back on how the install goes in a few weeks.
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Old 05-31-2009, 11:19 PM   #14
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We now have about $1500 invested in our original RM3801 AES...to date...on our 3rd cooling unit, tho' the last one was still under warranty...RV Cool out of Arkansas did the last(2), TRI in Tucson did the last re-install...working right now, but we're in 95+ temps, and trying not to open much during the day...time will tell, and then we will.
CW has a compatibility chart in their fridge section, but the sales effort left us kinda disappointed, so...once more, into the...well, you get the idea...
mike
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Old 07-11-2009, 05:33 PM   #15
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Other stuff and the lack of necessity has let this project slide, but today we got almost complete.

Getting the old unit out was a bit harder than anticipated. We had to remove the dinette/settee to get the unit to the door. It was about 1/4" too wide to get through. Once the dinette was out wrestling the unit was the only issue. The new unit is about 1" shorter, to compensate put a sheet of 3/4" plywood on the floor to shim it up. The new unit fits nicely to finish off the install on the inside will require a trim piece to be made to cover up the shim.

Other wise pretty straight forward. Took about 1-2 hours to get the old unit out including dinette removal, and about the same to get the new unit unpacked, doors reversed/removed (won't fit by kitchen with the doors on) and placed in the opening. Probably another hour to finish fastening, plumbing, and electrical work.

This is a two person job but not too strenuous except for lifting the units in and out.
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Old 09-07-2011, 08:30 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Honkity Hank View Post
Bringing this back up to report.

We bought a new dometic 2820 off ebay. Best price on line was from PPL Motorhome. I had bought an a/c unit from them a couple of years ago and they let me pick it up at the atlanta warehouse to save shipping. THey would not let me do that with the refer so I started a new search and found a guy on ebay selling new units drop shipped from Dometic.

Saved a few hundred bucks.

Will report back on how the install goes in a few weeks.
Hi, any chance you have the Ebay sellers name that you used when you purchased your fridge? Love to have this information for possible later use.
Thanks, Derek
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Old 09-12-2011, 06:19 AM   #17
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the ebay sellers name is
do_it_yourself_rv

I just looked at did not find any items for sale by them. Good Luck with your search.
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Old 09-12-2011, 10:07 AM   #18
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There's a guy in Arkansas that rebuilds the cooling units...Google RV COOL...he does good work, and ships all over the US...several dealers use him...mike
BTW, having pulled our fridge out 5 times, I can tell you that if you pull it out to the floor, then you can tip it(with another friend's help) and lift it over the dinette and couch arm, then angle it down and out the door...reverse the process when you reinstall...
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Old 09-12-2011, 10:31 AM   #19
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I've said this before, but it bears re-telling. We had our cooling unit re-built and it lasted a year. Being full-timers puts a strain on anything, so if I took the coach out every once in a while, a re-build might make sense.
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