Fridge Replacement

[rvjimzhr]

That info is very helpful and reassuring to me Richard. Thanks! Did you remove the wheels from your unit? If they are removed does that create an issue with cleaning underneath?

Jim

[Dr4Film]

Jim,

No the wheels are still there as there was plenty of room to lower the floor to accommodate the Samsung RF197. I had a large storage area underneath that is now a "small" storage area.

Some people have removed them who needed the extra fraction of inches to get the fridge to fit.

If you haven't seen my installation documentation previously through your searches I have attached it once again.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[rvjimzhr]

Richard, is your outside access panel the typical 21" x 13" ? I'm referring to the panel on the outside of your coach. The ones I notice all seem to be the same size as mine....21x13. Am trying to picture removing that panel and the ease (or not) of then removing the rear panel of the fridge.

[Dr4Film]

I don't know, never measured it but it is the standard three vent one used on any Norcold installation.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[98FPA]

Jim, thanks again for the PM to me about your frig parts that may be available. It looks like you are on the right track for getting it replaced.

Richard, those are some great pics on the removal and installation of your frig.

Everyone have a nice day.

[zzjea]

I left the rear panel completely off and can see in and access the rear bottom of fridge from the outside without moving anything but the old outside vent door. The vent door vents have been sealed up with metal tape. It looks like normal from the outside.

Since my space is very tight in the rear, leaving the rear panel off gives better circulation under and around the unit. Most other res. fridges that I have seen don't have panels there at all. Not sure why this one has it. Maybe a new concept.

BTW, I removed the wheels to gain the height I needed.

John

[rvjimzhr]

It's been a busy week while trying to determine a course of action toward a new fridge. Thanks once again to everyone who offered help here! Once again being able to access such a range of opinion as well as expert advice is a huge help to someone like me who is simply an "appliance operator". With that, I've decided, for many reasons, that I'll have installed a new Dometic Elite 2+2 4-door fridge rather than the Samsung residential. My situation and concerns make this, at least in this rig for now, the best option and I'm comfortable with that. Once again, I really appreciate this group!

Jim

[Triker56]

I've decided, for many reasons, that I'll have installed a new Dometic Elite 2+2 4-door fridge rather than the Samsung residential.

You do know the newer ones, are taller in height then the old side by sides.
And will take some modification to fit.

[rvjimzhr]

Yes it is but not enough to be a problem.

[Rbhein]

Originally Posted by rvjimzhr

I'm about ready to "pull the trigger" but the last thing on my mind is access for service. I spoke with a Samsung warranty rep. She said that in the event of a repair requiring removal of the fridge from its cabinet, "some service workers will remove the unit and some might require you to remove it" before they will work on it.

I guess my questions now are:

How common are repairs requiring full access to the rear of the unit or major malfunctions requiring removal from the cabinet?

Has anyone gone through this yet?

What did the repair tech do or not do when faced with the problem?

Are we just "crossing our fingers" and hoping we never have a serious repair issue?

Jim

I just had the compressor replaced in my GE Profile three door. The tech diagnosed the problem through the access door on the outside. He ordered the compressor and called me an hour before he arrived. I and a neighbor in the campground pulled the refrigerator out into the middle of the room. The tech was happy about that, and 90 minutes later everything was back to normal.

Regarding leaving the back panel off to ease future servicing, our tech said it needed to be in place to ensure proper airflow through and around the various parts.

[rvjimzhr]

That is good to know but I'm going ahead with the Dometic 4-door replacement. I will post here in a few weeks after the install is complete.

[Ramets]

One of the reasons I went with my Whirlpool is that if any maint. is needed it can be done from the outside by removing the old access panel on the coach. When you open it the compressor and everything else is right there in front of you.

[WesinRockies]

Originally Posted by Ramets

I have a 2000 Dutch Star, and last Nov. my Dometic started going bad. I have an extended warranty and talked them into putting a residential in. They were all for it because it was cheaper for them. I measured, measured, and measured again to make sure the fridge I chose would fit with the least amount of wood working. I found a Whirlpool that fits the same space, and is bigger inside. A lot of people go with the Samsung. But I must say I should've done it a lot sooner, it is really nice to go into it and pull out a really cold beer whenever I want. Plus Ice cream stays frozen.

Do you know what Whirlpool model you have?

[Ramets]

Originally Posted by WesinRockies

Do you know what Whirlpool model you have?

Model # WRT111SFAB00.