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StuartT · 05-02-2018, 05:29 PM

I was all in to replace my Norcold refer with the Samsung RF18HFENBSR 3-door many have recommended on this and other sites. But I also just came across this page from Consumer Reports where the customer reviews really trash this unit.

https://www.consumerreports.org/prod...4131/overview/ (Scroll down past specs to the reviews.)

Is this consistent with what you who have done this upgrade have experienced?

nothermark · 05-02-2018, 05:49 PM

Read what they are complaining about. Most of what they down check for not being there is stuff I would not want in an RV anyway.

FWIW I find this typical of Consumer Reports. Their model of "good" seldom matches mine.

bluepill · 05-02-2018, 05:56 PM

CONS
1Defrost Malfunction
1Limited flexibility in shelf adjustments
1Samsung wont take responsibility for design flaw
1Coils freeze up and won't cool the fridge
1Poor quality design, poor customer service

This list is based on CR reader surveys, not the magazine's tester's results. Sammy is noted for some of these problems across many models. The defrost and coil freeze-up problems are usually related. Many YouTube videos on the problem. Fairly easy DIY fix if you are handy.

I own a 25 Cu Ft. Sammy 2 door model and it has given me good service for the past 6 years.

docj · 05-02-2018, 06:02 PM

We have been using an RF197 (the predecessor to the RF18) for the past 7+ years and have had no problems nor have many other readers of this forum and several others.

If you need an affordable "counter depth" residential refrigerator I'm not sure there's an alternative to the Samsung. Your choice may boil down to taking a perceived risk and buying the unit or passing up the chance to have a residential fridge in your RV. For me that isn't even a choice; the residential fridge has been the best improvement we've made to our MH.

desertdd · 05-02-2018, 06:06 PM

There are probably some better residential fridges, but a good share of them won't fit into a motorhome. After two years we couldn't be happier with our as it's light years ahead of the Norcold 1200. It cut our electricity bill in half when we winter in an RV park in Arizona.

mlh2013 · 05-02-2018, 07:19 PM

I replaced my norcold 1200 with French door Fisher Paykel. It was a bit pricey but wife loves it.

Poohbear7278 · 05-02-2018, 07:22 PM

I have one from Haier that fit and so far works good

DryCreek · 05-02-2018, 07:46 PM

We have a Kenmore Elite French Door bottom freezer unit in our home. It is made by LG. It has already failed once (less than 18 months old)! It has known issues with refrigerant loss and compressor failure. Wish I'd known that when we were picking out at Sears that day..............

VoiceNinja · 05-02-2018, 07:54 PM

We put a brand new Samsung refer in our stick and brick about 5 years ago. I'm very handy and don't mind doing some repair work. That said, the Samsung fridge has been a terrible purchase and I'll avoid all Samsung appliances like the plague, in my coach or in my house.

Let's just say we knew the service techs by name and they replaced lots of parts over our 3 year contract, but we finally fixed it ourselves after the service term was up by ordering piecemeal parts to "build our own" repair kit based on what the company was required to do to resolve the issue for their European customers. That repair kit is not available to US customers, nor do they inform US customers of the long-term fix...

I'm generally very understanding and it's difficult to make me complain about a company or product. Samsung and their refrigerator managed to succeed...

JDT · 05-02-2018, 08:01 PM

We had an RF197 in our previous motorhome and now for 6 seasons use in our fifth wheel. We also have had a large French door Samsung in our home since 2010. No issues with any of them. There is some sort of clip on the back of the RF197 that can cause issues. It is a $4 part that I ordered some time ago but have not had to use it.

Stevegd007 · 05-02-2018, 08:05 PM

My two cents. Norcold when removed for the Samsung upgrade had a heat vent tube that had melted the installation. We were constantly relighting the unit when traveling on the road.
I am OK with the Samsung. Love the extra room for stuff, the freezer that actually keeps things cold...like ice cream. AND we are not a full timer..so really the Samsung is sitting off most the the time. I can live with an issue with the Samsung...especially after seeing the Norcold unit when we pulled it out...it look like it was one trip closer to catch fire...

okmunky · 05-02-2018, 08:26 PM

Another alternative to replacing your RV fridge with a residential model is to replace your ammonia absorption cooling unit with an electric compressor cooling unit run with a 1500 watt inverter. JR Refrigeration makes a swap out cooling unit. That way you won’t have to redo the cabinetry and Jerry rig a way to secure the doors for travel.

I considered that as an option, but we boondock for 7 months of the year and I would have to add more solar and battery capacity. Not an easy option. I'm looking at the 8 cf Dometic that uses a Dan Floss 12V compressor instead.

nothermark · 05-02-2018, 08:37 PM

What really bugs me is that a Norcold 1200 is reported to work really well with the Amish cooling unit. Translate that to poor engineering or too much price cutting by Norcold. Now they have a small compressor unit with it's own set of problem. (thread is live in this board.) More design failures by Norcold. Evidently they don't get it even after a legal hassle and losing sales to compressor fridges.

TechWriter · 05-02-2018, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by docj

We have been using an RF197 (the predecessor to the RF18) for the past 7+ years and have had no problems nor have many other readers of this forum and several others.

While things may be going hunky dory for those of you with older Samsungs, apparently things have changed with newer Samsung fridges.

One of the main complaints in user reviews was like this: "Owned for two months. Freezer and fridge randomly stop cooling."

That's exactly what happened to our RF18HFEN that we bought for our park model.

I monitor my fridge & freezer temps (a carryover from my Dometic fridge days), and after one day of receiving our new Samsung, the fridge temp started to drop and continued until in was in the high 40s.

Long story short . . . fridge repair guy came over and said it was leaking coolant. He said he had seen the same thing in other recent Samsungs and it seems to be the result of "quality engineering". This is where a manufacturer tries to find less expensive components to bring down the manufacturing cost.

Here's how "quality engineering" worked on my Samsung model RF18HFEN: instead of using solder on a coolant fitting, Samsung switched to glue -- which in my case (and others) didn't hold.

Fortunately, I purchased the Samsung at Lowes. They ordered a new one for me and offered my a loner fridge until it arrived.

The second Samsung is working fine, but I'd look at other models before considering a Samsung again.