One benefit of pre-attached bunk ends & a new fridge

rbq · 08-13-2016, 09:17 PM

A week ago Friday we were doing some preparation to leave on a trip this past Tuesday. My wife had put some things after going shopping in the fridge in the Roo. She came in and informed me that we had a problem with the fridge which has been plugged in since we used it 2 weeks ago. It was not cooling. Went through all of the trouble shooting steps only to find the the AC heater worked fine and the gas worked fine, but was not cooling. What a bummer to have to buy a new fridge for a trailer that is just over 5 1/2 years old. I toyed with idea of buying a new cooling system for it, but then decided to just get a new one. When I picked up the new fridge the service tech told me that I would have to have a door that was at least 24 inches wide. We did, but had a terrible time getting the fridge out that was 24 3/4 inched wide. I realized that I would never get the new one in the door as it had the same dimensions. This is one advantage of not having attached bunk ends. I just lowered the side bunk & lifted up the material & had plenty of room to slide in the new fridge. I also found another advantage of a new fridge versus fixing the old one. The original fridge had 2 fans that would run off & on. The new fridge didn't have the fans. I couldn't believe how much better my power saving was. I would usually be down to 2/3 power on the batteries by the 2nd day. I went 4 days with batteries still showing full with the new fridge.

rockfordroo · 08-13-2016, 09:30 PM

I wasn't sure what you meant by "pre-attached" bunk ends. I'm thinking you must have the bunks with the "un-attached" canvas. If you're Roo had one year newer, you wouldn't have been able to do what you did, so yeah, you lucked out there!

On the fridge: If I were you, I would have swapped the fans over to the new fridge and installed a switch to turn them off and on. I suspect you old fridge ran better than you're new one will (quality seems to be declining). You might be wishing you had those fans!

CNYCamper · 08-13-2016, 10:24 PM

Would unzipping the bunk end "Exit" screen have given you enough room?

Drenjoey · 08-14-2016, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbq

This is one advantage of not having attached bunk ends.

I'm sure it was an advantage for you.......but if ever it happens to me in the future, I'll deal with it. In the meantime, I'm more than happy with my attached bunk ends. I would never go back to bungies or poles or snaps.
I also think it would have fit in the emergency window !

**bikendan** · 08-14-2016, 05:45 AM

i think you're right that rbq meant that he had the NON pre-attached bunk ends.

i do too. haven't had to put a fridge thru them BUT i have been able to easily get inside the trailer from the outside when our door lock broke.
and i can load my kayaks from the outside, into the trailer.

don't think you can do that with the pre-attached bunk ends.

rbq · 08-14-2016, 06:04 PM

After using the fridge for a week I am more than happy with it's operation without the fans. When I talked with tech at the local RV parts store he showed me that the DM2652 has over 60 different manufacturing changes in the years the fridge has been used. Many of these changes are when they have to get parts from another supplier or other changes made. I'm sure that one of those changes was then they decided to add the fans due to a change in the cooling system.
You're right about my choice of words when I called them pre-attached, meaning before they did the attached bunk ends. There are times when I think it would be nice to have them, but some of the problems, including the unlevel step down to the bunk from the frame it not something I would have liked. I like a nice level bunk & I still have the cables so don't have to mess with poles and the snaps & ropes aren't that difficult to do.

Stygshore · 08-14-2016, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikendan

i can load my kayaks from the outside, into the trailer.

don't think you can do that with the pre-attached bunk ends.

My wife thought I was crazy for suggesting this

CNYCamper · 08-15-2016, 08:30 AM

Bunk end has plenty of room to insert my kayaks if I chose. Just unzip the emergency exit screen. Mine travel in the bed of my truck - less messy.

Drenjoey · 08-15-2016, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CNYCamper

Bunk end has plenty of room to insert my kayaks if I chose. Just unzip the emergency exit screen. Mine travel in the bed of my truck - less messy.

that was my thought as well !

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