Tips on refrigerator installation?

[Dan@LED4RV]

Hopefully you will have a close place to import 12 volt from as the RM 2820 Needs 12volt. The most important thing,as Wahoonc pointed out, is that you do seal the unit so that you do not have Carbon Monoxide get in the trailer, even if you have to sacrifice appearance.

[Swanny]

Originally Posted by Dan4odm

Hopefully you will have a close place to import 12 volt from as the RM 2820 Needs 12volt. The most important thing,as Wahoonc pointed out, is that you do seal the unit so that you do not have Carbon Monoxide get in the trailer, even if you have to sacrifice appearance.

This is a replacement fridge so there is already a drain, 12vdc and propane line. It just seems odd that there is not a 'smoke stack' like I envisioned. From the installation manual it looks like the lower vent (which we have) serves to creates a draft that goes out the the upper vent. No 'smokestack.'

[Safari Tim]

Swanny,

Sounds like you got it. The lower vent brings in the air, makes a draft and runs it out the top.

The things we were talking about here was just to make sure you isolate the rear of the fridge from the living area. My fridge came with a 1/2 lip all the way around with a foam gasket. It was meant to have an opening just big enough for the fridge to slide into and form a seal.

The manual shows if the top of the fridge has an opening to the back of more than 1", it needs to be blocked off because the heated air will circuilate around the top of the fridge and make it less efficient.

If the fridge stand away from the wall, some people add aluminum baffles to direct the air over the coils on the fridge.

[str8strm]

Originally Posted by borostreamer

Any one have tips on getting my old rm 100 out? I've removed every screw I can find, and the fridge will not move. I' ve tried a pry bar to no avail.
Any suggestions? Help?

Scott:
I just removed the Dometic 1303 from my 345 today, and found 6 "extra screws". The shop manual mentions the 6 that are in the front and covered with rubber caps. When it wouldn't move I found 6 more in the cabinet above the frig that came down into the top of it. Check your cabinets above and below. Ron

[Swanny]

Originally Posted by Safari Tim

Swanny,

The manual shows if the top of the fridge has an opening to the back of more than 1", it needs to be blocked off because the heated air will circuilate around the top of the fridge and make it less efficient.

I think this means there is more than 1" from the top of the fridge to the upper edge of the enclosure. If so what do you block off this area with?

Would it be something as simple as a foam pad?

Thanks---Mitch

[Safari Tim]

Originally Posted by Swanny

I think this means there is more than 1" from the top of the fridge to the upper edge of the enclosure. If so what do you block off this area with?

Would it be something as simple as a foam pad?

Thanks---Mitch

I used a block of wood.

It just depends on your configuration. On my last trailer that had an abs chimney running up the wall. There was an aluminum baffle installed at the top of the fridge and run up to just inside the chimney.

Your really just trying to keep the air running up to the roof or side upper vent without any place else to go. Clear easy path.

It does get hot back there, so you would not want anything that would melt or be flammable.

Here is the manual for your fridge.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Swanny

Would it be something as simple as a foam pad?

Thanks---Mitch

I put in a piece of compressed foam insulation on top of ours, it seems to help a lot.

[Swanny]

Thanks everyone.

This helps clarify what the instruction manual is talking about.

During installation is it a problem to tip the fridge? By tipping I mean haviing to really lean it one way or another to get it into the AS. Just want to make sure I don't damage anything by doing something wrong.

Mitch

[str8strm]

In speaking with our local airstream dealer, he said if you have it on its side for a while do not start it up until it has been upright for 2 hours.

[lewster]

.........about the fridge position. The Dometic Tech Notes always say to 'tilt' the unit BEFORE installing it into the wall. The process involves tipping it from it's upright position thru all 4 sides.

Basically, tip it to one side for 3 minutes, then the opposite side, then front and finally back.

This procedure enhances the 'mix' of the coolant materials and provides better operation.

[pamelake]

Originally Posted by lewster

.........about the fridge position. The Dometic Tech Notes always say to 'tilt' the unit BEFORE installing it into the wall. The process involves tipping it from it's upright position thru all 4 sides.

Basically, tip it to one side for 3 minutes, then the opposite side, then front and finally back.

This procedure enhances the 'mix' of the coolant materials and provides better operation.

Lew, should I do this to my old Dometic before replacing it into the newly remodled cabinets? Thanks, Pam

[lewster]

I do it whenever I have a unit removed for service. Just takes a few minutes and won't hurt anything.

[Swanny]

Well...I've removed the old fridge (a 110 only setup) and put in the RM 2820. Wow...I had to remove doors, drawers, door handles, etc to get this through the kitchen.

The unit is now in the space, which I resealed yesterday. SHould have everything up and running in the next week. The next step is to begin the carpentry that goes above the fridge. I've also got to create a baffle near the back to help route the exhause to the vent.

Does anyone have a photo of what their routing configuration? In my 1975 it was built into the wall.

Mitch

[str8strm]

We are replacing the cooling unit and the directions say to use thermal mastic to stick the "fins" on the new unit. I have called and visited several places and no one knows what I am talking about. Any ideas on where to get it?

[str8strm]

turns out the guy we got the cooling unit from sent us a tube, we just had not gotten to the bottom of the box.