Need to change out frig

[wheelsup69]

I have a 2006 Holiday Rambler Ambassador PDQ floorplan made by Monaco. I'm sure mine is very similar to yours. I priced a Norcold fridge after mine went out and decided no way I was spending $3600 for another. I wound up buying a Samsung 18F stainless steel residential fridge with bottom freezer and put it into my coach. It fits like it was made for it. I had to take the doors off the fridge to get it up the steps and I had to take the passenger seat out but it wasn't that bad. I did a big write up and posted pics in the Interior RV Updates section. Search for my posts or look in that section and you'll see what I did. Let me know if I can answer any questions for you.

Hello sir I am going through the same process now with my 2005 ambassador. Same samsung replacement. How much clearance do you have above the heating duct work etc which is below the fridge? Its fine depth and width but height is a real close one. Did you remove the adjusters and rollers?
Thanks

 

[old timer]

Just a suggestion, measure the refrigerator it self,not by what the specs say,I say that because someone I know purchased a new one ,and found there was a 1/4 inch strip on top for a power line or something. It won't slide into the custom cabinet the old one was made for.
I wonder are RV appliances built stronger to compensate for the constant moving, maybe more so in trailers?
Or are they more expensive because of the ability to run on gas?

 

[Wemustrv]

I did it on my coachman Encore. The fridge went in through kitchen window by the table. We set it in the truck and my daughter and I put it in. We took the doors and hinge points off and all the shelves and drawers out See photos. In preparation we took the Kitchen window and frame completely out. Many more photos of the project if needed. Side note. The original fridge shown was 12.5 cubic foot. I bought a 23.5 cubic foot Kenmore Elite with in door water and ice. It was a scratch and dent and steeply discounted. It had a small door dent.
.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Just a suggestion, measure the refrigerator it self,not by what the specs say,I say that because someone I know purchased a new one ,and found there was a 1/4 inch strip on top for a power line or something. It won't slide into the custom cabinet the old one was made for.
I wonder are RV appliances built stronger to compensate for the constant moving, maybe more so in trailers?
Or are they more expensive because of the ability to run on gas?

I Have my own opinion on that! No! they are more complex! What is built into a residential fridge are the same components that are in a window ac or rv ac, and like those two items, because they are basically one box are inherently reliable. Some argue economy of scale, however little change is made year over year, so tooling investment is low for the RV fridge. The RV fridge simply has two heat sources! Propane burner and related equipment, and a big resistor, with related and shared equipment. NO! Is because, in my opinion, they charge more simply because they can! I have been replacing my fridges with residential units for I think, now it's been 18 years! You need side clearance because they are designed for free standing applications, but the cabinet has the side clearance needed.

I vent the top of the cabinet for natural convection!

 

[Diesel Pusher]

they charge more simply because they can!

From my experience as a supplier to RV manufacturers, that's an absolutely correct statement!

 

[old timer]

Just curious, how will a conventional refrigerator keep cold while traveling down the road, I am new to travel trailers, I thought a RV refrigerator was designed to cool with battery solar propane or electricity.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

The use of an inverter! Not that a modified sine inverter won't do the job, but stick with tru-sine because the compressor will live longer!

 

[Kevin D Pem]

The use of an inverter! Not that a modified sine inverter won't do the job, but stick with tru-sine because the compressor will live longer!

 

[old timer]

Thanks

 

[Wemustrv]

Our fridge runs going down the road as mentioned above. Before you change out your inverter call the manufacturer and discuss with them the need for the true sine wave inverter. When I did my change out I was able to talk to the engineering group my particular fridge as was told that the Magnum modified sine wave inverter I have would be a good combination with my fridge with no adverse effects. FYI that was 5 years ago and many miles. I had actually purchased a separate true sine wave inverter that I was able to return.