Community Forums

wydglydrydr · 05-20-2017, 06:07 PM

I would like to hear from anyone who was dealing with a manufacturer whose standard equipment was a two way or three way fridge, but asked for a residential fridge in its place. What did the particular manufacturer charge you for the conversion, and if you wouldn't mind, what manufacturer were you dealing with?

Thank you in advance.

Dutch Star Don · 05-20-2017, 10:10 PM

We need some more information. In theory, a residential refer is usually about half the price of an RV type refer. The difference in price will be determined by what the coach comes with in terms of an inverter. If no inverter, your expenses will be more about adding that and the wiring than the difference in price between the two refers.

MisterT · 05-21-2017, 06:04 AM

right, it's not just putting a Residential fridge in place of the other one, it's the difference in wiring it to a dedicated INVERTER and a set of BATTERIES that would otherwise probably not be part of your build.

I believe you're on the right track, though, since this is the way the industry is leaning - most folks want the same large roomy style fridge that they have in their home.

If you are able to proceed on this, ask the factory to also include an easily accessible outlet, probably best located in the living area, to be able to make use of the inverter for other things, as well, such as phone or device charging, TV, etc.

Selah · 05-21-2017, 07:04 AM

My guess: the only changes needed to go from RV fridge to residential fridge.
Two additional batteries added to the standard battery bank.
Larger inverter, should be a PSW inverter.
Many manufactures include the above with their reside trial option.

ColoradoBnd · 05-21-2017, 04:26 PM

Yep. That's what I am working on now. Inverter is the big expense. Newmar went up from 2,000 to 2,800 on Magnums in the new coaches with residential refers.

wydglydrydr · 05-21-2017, 05:40 PM

I understand all said above. I actually did the swap myself in my current coach. I'm not asking how it's done. I'm asking, what does the typical manufacturer charge to do it.

Manufacturer ____, Dometic or Norcold is standard. You ask for a residential, any residential, the manufacturer's choice because it's an option they offer, and that particular manufacturer says OK, our residential refrigerator option costs $______. That's what I'd like to know.

If anyone has requested a residential refrigerator as an option in place of the RV fridge, offered by the coach builder, what were you charged?

Thanks again.

Gary RVRoamer · 05-22-2017, 11:45 AM

There is no easy answer to that. If the manufacturer offers it as an option, they will have a price for it on the option order sheet (ask the sales guy). If not, and they are still willing to do it, they probably charge time & materials for the change-over, all of it extra. They might even build it with the RV fridge and then modify it once it comes off the assembly line. The price any one manufacturer charges will depend on how the base model it normally equipped as well as the degree to which his process is disrupted by custom change requests. Actual parts cost is only one modest aspect of the charge often the least impact of anything. You can get a heck of a residential fridge for half the retail price of an RV type.

I've seen upcharges of $3000 for a residential and that was as a standard "option". It's not that the residential costs that much more - it's for the several changes that have to be made to a "standard" assembly for that model. RV models that make the residential the standard have a similar upcharge to replace with an absorption fridge.

In any case, our opinion and what others do are all irrelevant. The manufacturer charges what he thinks it costs him to make the change (plus his usual profit margin, of course) and his is the only opinion that counts. YOUR choice is to pay him, pay somebody else after delivery, or DIY.

wildeflowers · 05-22-2017, 12:28 PM

well, I can tell you that for a 2017 Tiffin, residential fridge upgrade with 4 batteries instead of two was $1160 (less whatever discount you negotiated withe the dealer). The upgrade to 2000w pure sine inverter is $2610 (less discount). Since an inverter is standard, I'm not sure if you have to upgrade to the 2000w inverter. We did.

wydglydrydr · 05-22-2017, 05:18 PM

Wildeflowers, Thank you for the input. Your response is exactly the sort of information I was looking for.

Sbrownstein · 05-22-2017, 05:35 PM

Residential reefers used in RVs are not as cheap as most think. They are virtually all counter depth units which retail for between $1500 and $2000, even before the 2000 watt PSW inverter, transfer switch and additional batteries.

Dutch Star Don · 05-22-2017, 07:24 PM

No one said they were cheap, but they're about half the price of an RV refer. https://www.carid.com/norcold/12-cu-...ent=4181287608

What many of us were saying to the OP.....you need to let us know what your coach is coming with. He wants a price of the upgrade without providing any info. If his coach comes with a 2000 watt inverter and prewire, the residential should be less than an RV refer. If none of that exists, the price is substantially higher.

Knowledgeable people here know that there is more to the OP's question than just give me a price.

wildeflowers · 05-22-2017, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wydglydrydr

Wildeflowers, Thank you for the input. Your response is exactly the sort of information I was looking for.

You're welcome. Seems like a fairly straightforward question to me, that you want to know how much it was to upgrade on the coaches we purchased, and what was included with that.

FWIW, you can probably google price lists for different manufacturers to compare. For example, here is a link to Newmar's 2017 Bay Star price list.
It's $1225 for a 10cf residential with a 1000w pure sine inverter and 2 extra batteries.
https://comnet2.newmarcorp.com/insta...009&print=true

Betr2Trvl · 05-23-2017, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildeflowers

well, I can tell you that for a 2017 Tiffin, residential fridge upgrade with 4 batteries instead of two was $1160 (less whatever discount you negotiated withe the dealer). The upgrade to 2000w pure sine inverter is $2610 (less discount). Since an inverter is standard, I'm not sure if you have to upgrade to the 2000w inverter. We did.

We ordered our Tiffin gasser in Dec. 2014, and the residential fridge with ice maker as well as 4 batteries (2 standard) listed at $1160 as well. At that point, there was not an option for the larger pure sine inverter (the standard inverter has worked just fine).

As a side note, we have never used the ice maker, and the water line is disconnected and capped behind the unit. The first time winterized, I made sure there was no water in the fridge water line and the solenoid as well. I'd do have to purge / winterize the capped feed line, but that only takes about 2 minutes.

wydglydrydr · 05-23-2017, 09:15 AM

Betr2Travl, Thank you for that information.

To all, I appreciate your inputs and am sorry this is becoming contentious. I just wanted a comparison point. In the coach I'm looking at, spelling out what is standard and what they want to charge me for the upgrade doesn't help me get to a point that I can compare it to. It only offers a point for others to give an opinion on what it should or may cost.

Those who told me what they paid and what it bought them give me a price I can compare to what I'm being charged.

Again, thanks to all.