Community Forums

l1v3fr33ord1 · 05-15-2021, 12:01 PM

bwanna2016-

I just opted to replace my similar-era Norcold with a 120V compressor-driven unit from JC-Refrigeration (link here). Installation is over; now I'm in test mode.

It's a reasonable option for those of us who spend over 95 percent of our stationary time with the coach connected to 120V.

bwanna2016 · 05-15-2021, 01:27 PM

thanks to all. i'll be ordering the amish cooling unit. so after running the troubleshooting tests, i don't have to worry about the control board not operating properly. is that correct? i'm assuming because i'm keeping my existing fridge cabinet that i don't have to worry about the ice maker hookup. sound right? also, because i will ordering while travelling, can you think of that i would need to install this cooling unit? i will probably get a mobile tech guy for this process. anybody have a general idea about how long the replacement will take? i just don't want to get soaked on labor hours.
we do at lot of dry camping so i will be keeping my propane/electric options

l1v3fr33ord1 · 05-15-2021, 02:07 PM

bwanna2016-

You can do this work if at all handy with tools. The only tool you might not carry with you is a caulking gun (and you only need that for about five minutes, tops).

A second person is needed to:

- get the Norcold out of the hole it's in
- drop the new cooling unit into the old box
- put the Norcold back in the hole

There isn't much difference in effort between a 12V or 120V and a 120V/propane install, as near as I can tell. I saw an install that took four hours for two inexperienced guys working together. My install took me three days; I mostly worked alone and thought about each step.

As I looked at giving up the propane, I read that some folks are able to dry camp with a 12V or 120V unit as long as they have adequate solar, batteries and an inverter (in the case of 120V). None of that on our twin-of-a-Monarch.

bwanna2016 · 05-15-2021, 07:19 PM

dry camping- we fire up our generator for a couple hours in the morning to make coffee, recharge batteries and make hot water. then a couple hours in the evening. no solar (not worth the expense in my opinion), no extra batteries, no invertor. works well for us.