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Old 12-24-2014, 08:52 PM   #1
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Replacing my Norcold

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I know I have seen a thread on this but I cannot find it. I have a 2012 Aspire DEQ with a Norcold refrigerator. I know I saw a thread related to replacing it with a Samsung(?) but cannot find the thread. Can someone refer me to it? Also if you replaced your Norcold I'd love to know what toy replaced it with and how difficult it was.

Also if you know of a shop in San Antonio that could do this work that would really be appreciated!!!

Thanks for any assistance. This forum is fantastic and the Entegra coaches are incredible. We look forward to meeting y'all down the road.

Merry CHRISTmas!
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Old 12-24-2014, 08:57 PM   #2
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Search Samsung 197. Many threads. Samsung 197 has been replaced by a newer model. Same search will
Find info on it as well.
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Old 12-25-2014, 04:57 AM   #3
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Jeff

There's a bunch of threads on this subject. As Vince said searching Samsung 197, or maybe it's RF197 will get you going. I have read a bunch of these on the Newmar and Monaco forums. Recently I read that the Samsung RF197 is either discontinued or changed to a new model so the supply is almost gone. Fear not because somebody recently posted about a Samsung counter-deep French door fridge they installed that would make your 12 Aspire like a 14 Aspire. Haier is also popular. The reason why the RF197 was so widely used was it fits in the hole of a an old Norcold with height modifications and it works well on Modified Sine Wave inverters (MSW). The Samsung also fits thru a lot of RV doors when it's door is removed. If your 12 Aspire was like my 13 Aspire it has a Full Sine Wave inverter and would have zero problems running a fridge. My 13 Aspire had one rack of lead acid batteries (6 I think) but the compartment has room for another rack. Most guys modding their RV don't have that luxury and I would consider adding batteries or going with AGMs.

Before I traded my old Monaco I was ready to scrap my Norcold. Since we got our Entegra with a household frig To compare, I would scrap that Norcold in seconds unless you do a lot of Boondocking. There are a bunch of RV shops that will do this mod. Most places I looked at wanted $1000 labor + $1300 fridge. If you are somewhat handy with tools and have a couple of burly friends that can be bribed you could do it over a couple weekends.

Do it!
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Old 12-25-2014, 05:26 AM   #4
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Dave, I couldn't have posted your post better. Our number one reason for trading up MH's was the Norcold.
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Old 12-25-2014, 07:41 AM   #5
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I replaced my Norcold in my Monaco Dynasty this past October. My Norcold failed while camping in Colorado. I found I could replace the Norcold with a New Samsung Rf197 for $400 more than repairing the Norcold and $200 more than a brand new Norcold. The decision was easy! We had ours done by Premier RV Remodeling in Harrisburg, OR. Refer was $1300 and install was $1450. So for a few bucks less than $3000 we got the much better refrig we wanted and it looked like a factory install. Many guys did it themselves (search for Bob Nodine who has an excellent step by step) but we were on the road so considered the money well spent. We think you can't get it done professionally for much less.

Then we decided a couple months later to buy a new coach not financially smart, but we are still excited!!

Gary
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Old 12-25-2014, 07:47 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary.Jones View Post
I replaced my Norcold in my Monaco Dynasty this past October. My Norcold failed while camping in Colorado. I found I could replace the Norcold with a New Samsung Rf197 for $400 more than repairing the Norcold and $200 more than a brand new Norcold. The decision was easy! We had ours done by Premier RV Remodeling in Harrisburg, OR. Refer was $1300 and install was $1450. So for a few bucks less than $3000 we got the much better refrig we wanted and it looked like a factory install. Many guys did it themselves (search for Bob Nodine who has an excellent step by step) but we were on the road so considered the money well spent. We think you can't get it done professionally for much less.

Then we decided a couple months later to buy a new coach not financially smart, but we are still excited!!

Gary
I know what the refrigerator looks like - what does $1450 of installation look like - separate inverter - hand polished wood... the old one came out in a hour....

Is that a common rate - I'm thinking of doing it with the new Samsung - next year but may rethink that.
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Old 12-25-2014, 08:11 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by flaggship1 View Post
I know what the refrigerator looks like - what does $1450 of installation look like - separate inverter - hand polished wood... the old one came out in a hour....

Is that a common rate - I'm thinking of doing it with the new Samsung - next year but may rethink that.
$1450 is cheap. Drivers side window has to come out along with the drivers seat. You really need 3 guys to slide it in off a forklift. Then wiring a recpticle in the refer spot along with some cabinet work.

When you start looking at shop time $1000 doesn't buy you much anymore.

On another note, I didn't think any of the 2012's came with anything but a residential refer?
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Old 12-25-2014, 07:19 PM   #8
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Believe me, the $1450 was cheap. I priced a bunch of places and got much higher quotes at quite a few places. Took them the better part of maybe 6 hours to do the job. The cabinet worK done matches perfectly. Looks factory. And they could get me in in five days. And I drove an extra 1,000 miles to get it done.

I was very happy with the price. Would do it again. Loved Oregon too!!


Gary
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Old 12-26-2014, 05:05 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by flaggship1 View Post
I know what the refrigerator looks like - what does $1450 of installation look like - separate inverter - hand polished wood... the old one came out in a hour....

Is that a common rate - I'm thinking of doing it with the new Samsung - next year but may rethink that.
I looked real hard and doing the conversion....very capable myself, and decided after I did all of that work, I still had an 11 year old coach that other items were going to start failing. We decided to change to everything new.

The 197 Samsung are no longer in production so finding one is going to be very hard now. It looks like the newer models will take more adaption.
and cost even more to install.
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Old 12-26-2014, 07:16 AM   #10
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I know this is irrelevant but our Norcold is just as old as the motorhome (19 Yrs) and it works as good as our fridge at home. We have been in over 100 deg heat with it and the temp stays at 38-40 deg with no help with a fan in the back. I guess we just got lucky.
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Old 12-26-2014, 04:14 PM   #11
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All

Thank you very much for the responses!! All make sense and we have decided to change out the Norcold. I'm going to research which residential refer but am still needing a reference for a repair shop in San Antono, Tx.

Can anyone assist with a recommendation?

Again many thanks!! This forum is fantastic and members at even more fantastic!!!

Jeff
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Old 12-27-2014, 07:24 AM   #12
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I know this is irrelevant but our Norcold is just as old as the motorhome (19 Yrs) and it works as good as our fridge at home. We have been in over 100 deg heat with it and the temp stays at 38-40 deg with no help with a fan in the back. I guess we just got lucky.
As you said, one of the "old" Norcolds, new is not always better. Sorry to say the newer Norcolds do not come close to the performance of yours.
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