What did you do to your camper today?

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by ependydad

It was last Friday, but a buddy replaced the cooling unit on my double door Norcold fridge.

Norcold did it under warranty. The issue was that it wasn’t keeping the compartments cold enough when food was in the fridge+freezer.

There was also excessive condensation being made (to the point it would overflow the drip tray on the back instead of burning it off).

We’ve ran it since Friday and it doesn’t appear that the freezer is getting cold enough still. I may have him push Norcold more. If they replace the dang thing, I’ll just have him sell it, keep a fee, and then go residential. We’ll see, though.


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Hey Doug, did you happen to measure your opening in anticipation of putting in a residential down the road?

[Chesley]

I thought I would share this. This is not an original idea of mine. I stole it from a Casita forum when I was thinking about buying a Casita. Hope these photo attachments work, as this is my first attempt. At the front corners there are two holes already in the frame of the trailer. I just mounted this using appropriate size bolts, nuts and washers. ( I would have mounted this to rear bumper if there was a rear bumper). The length is such that it is even with the sides of the frame so it doesn’t stick out. The bottom actually is above the spare tire. Should be great for extra sewer hose (with attached accessories; or fishing poles, etc. if you see/think of any possible issues with this, please let me know.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by rracer5

Hey Doug, did you happen to measure your opening in anticipation of putting in a residential down the road?

I didn’t and I could kick myself. BUT, I have good pictures of the area that will help me determine measurements.

Weight is my biggest concern. This beast is heavy but the residential fridges that we like are heavier.

Originally Posted by itat

I believe that KYD was having the same problem also with a Norcold 4 door refrigerator in their Grand Design Momentum toy hauler. They had the cooling unit replaced and it still didn't fix the problem.

I hope your repair goes better especially as a full timer.

I’ll watch and will reach out to them. I know we have some mutual friends.

I know of another Spartan owner who says he’s had his cooling unit and fridge replaced and still has issues. I think it’s just a problem with this double-door fridge. Excellent idea, bad execution.

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by ependydad

I didn’t and I could kick myself. BUT, I have good pictures of the area that will help me determine measurements.

Weight is my biggest concern. This beast is heavy but the residential fridges that we like are heavier.





I’ll watch and will reach out to them. I know we have some mutual friends.

I know of another Spartan owner who says he’s had his cooling unit and fridge replaced and still has issues. I think it’s just a problem with this double-door fridge. Excellent idea, bad execution.

Hmmmm. When We were researching, I compared the weight of our Dometic RM1350 double door refer (owner manual stated it weighed 258 lbs) to the advertised weight of the 21 cu. ft. Samsung we bought which was at 218 lbs.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by rracer5

Hmmmm. When We were researching, I compared the weight of our Dometic RM1350 double door refer (owner manual stated it weighed 258 lbs) to the advertised weight of the 21 cu. ft. Samsung we bought which was at 218 lbs.

I hope you’re right. My wife (well, *we*) likes the upside down fridges with the freezer on the bottom. The ones I found were all pretty heavy.

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by ependydad

I hope you’re right. My wife (well, *we*) likes the upside down fridges with the freezer on the bottom. The ones I found were all pretty heavy.

Ha!!!!....you know what I just realized? The new one is so much larger in capacity, it will hold tons more "groceries" so, I feel any weight concern issues just went out the window.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by rracer5

Ha!!!!....you know what I just realized? The new one is so much larger in capacity, it will hold tons more "groceries" so, I feel any weight concern issues just went out the window.

Don’t think I haven’t thought of that, too!

[sbpierce]

Originally Posted by ependydad

Don’t think I haven’t thought of that, too!

My problem was a cold freezer with a warm fridge and condensation issues. Found the black plastic trim piece between the doors hanging up on the Made in America sticker at the bottom and essentially leaving a air gap that was hidden. If you open both doors, and then just close the left, you can check and see if the trim piece snaps into the closed position. Don't know how that fits in with the warm freezer, but just trying to brainstorm for you........

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by sbpierce

My problem was a cold freezer with a warm fridge and condensation issues. Found the black plastic trim piece between the doors hanging up on the Made in America sticker at the bottom and essentially leaving a air gap that was hidden. If you open both doors, and then just close the left, you can check and see if the trim piece snaps into the closed position. Don't know how that fits in with the warm freezer, but just trying to brainstorm for you........

We have to manually flip that flap closed and are pretty consistent with doing so. Even the kids, surprisingly.

We find it flips closed just fine if there is nothing in the door. But even just a little bit of stuff in it makes it hang up and not flip over right.

Like right now, my freezer is at 30 and fridge is at 42.

[sbpierce]

Originally Posted by ependydad

We have to manually flip that flap closed and are pretty consistent with doing so. Even the kids, surprisingly.

We find it flips closed just fine if there is nothing in the door. But even just a little bit of stuff in it makes it hang up and not flip over right.

Like right now, my freezer is at 30 and fridge is at 42.

Mine was running 20 or so when new, dropped to a pretty consistent 10-15 after I installed a fan kit at the top vent. Of course, most of my time is spent 7 or 8 thousand feet in altitude above where you are. Have you looked into those Amish coil units they advertise?

Another question, did you get the recall on your ramp door, and if so, have you had the repair done.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by sbpierce

Mine was running 20 or so when new, dropped to a pretty consistent 10-15 after I installed a fan kit at the top vent. Of course, most of my time is spent 7 or 8 thousand feet in altitude above where you are. Have you looked into those Amish coil units they advertise?

Another question, did you get the recall on your ramp door, and if so, have you had the repair done.

Did you fridge already have 2 fans blowing upwards?



Haven’t thought about the Amish coils. I don’t know that I trust this fridge design enough.

And no recall on the ramp door. Can you email a copy to me?

[sbpierce]

Nope.....no fans pointed up. Sometimes you just have laugh at units built 3 months later have a newer better never fail addition. I will tell you that the fans at the top expel a great deal of heat when they come on. I set mine at 90 degrees and then lowered them to 85 when it didn't lower the internal temp enough. I still might do a lower set to finish the upgrade. I will email you the recall ( I think your unit was probably not included because it is newer ) and include some details about the excellent response I got out of FR on the cap issue we talked about earlier.

[flosmith]

Replaced the plastic Dometic 300 toilet with a Dometic 310 with ceramic bowl & slow-close wooden seat & lid. Did not have the odor problem with the 300; just tired of the squeaky plastic seat.

Easy peasy, less than 20 minute plug & play install.

Put a roll of TP in a grocery bag to cover the open hole to black tank, mostly to ensure nothing we wanted to keep fell in. Would have also blocked any odors coming up, but there weren’t any smells at all! (We use Happy Campers & plenty of H2O. Rinse with a Johnny Chock after each dump when at FHU, or 3-5 pre-filled gallon jugs if at dump station). We must be doing something right down there!

Next project: replacing the shower controls & shower head, and replacing the vanity faucet.

[dougschne]

Gave it a thorough washing. The roof was nasty and we had it cleaned 4 months ago. Nice and bright white now. Recaulked around the ladder top mounts with Dicor. Installed the repeater for the TST TPMS system. Had to redo my underbelly reinstall following the water tank fall out. Don't laugh, but I actually installed a 1X4 pine board between the frame rails and screwed the underbelly to it. Then retaped over the seam with mobile home underbelly tape. 400 mile trip this weekend and we'll see if it holds.

[frank4711]

Originally Posted by flosmith

Replaced the plastic Dometic 300 toilet with a Dometic 310 with ceramic bowl & slow-close wooden seat & lid. Did not have the odor problem with the 300; just tired of the squeaky plastic seat.

Easy peasy, less than 20 minute plug & play install.

Put a roll of TP in a grocery bag to cover the open hole to black tank, mostly to ensure nothing we wanted to keep fell in. Would have also blocked any odors coming up, but there weren’t any smells at all! (We use Happy Campers & plenty of H2O. Rinse with a Johnny Chock after each dump when at FHU, or 3-5 pre-filled gallon jugs if at dump station). We must be doing something right down there!

Next project: replacing the shower controls & shower head, and replacing the vanity faucet.

X2 on the 310 ... great upgrade and my wife thinks I am a plumber now

[myxkp]

Originally Posted by dieseldog

Sure would like to see pics of your "central vaccum" system. Thanks

Here are the photos
Low profile wet/dry vac >24in.
30 foot hose - Cen-Tec Systems Premium Shopvac hose, 30ft. 44.99
(Amazon I think)
Plug in on/off switch ( do we don't have to go under the bed to turn it on)
(local hardware store)

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by myxkp

Here are the photos
Low profile wet/dry vac >24in.
30 foot hose - Cen-Tec Systems Premium Shopvac hose, 30ft. 44.99
(Amazon I think)
Plug in on/off switch ( do we don't have to go under the bed to turn it on)
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What does ">24in." mean???

[5picker]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

What does ">24in." mean???

> = Greater than.
< = Less than.

Really doesn't make sense in the post context??

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by 5picker

> = Greater than.
< = Less than.

Really doesn't make sense in the post context??

Yeah, I can figure < and > out. What's "24in" mean in relative to a low profile wet/dry vac?

If he'd said "<24in" I might have thought he meant the vac was less than 24in high. Don't know what >24in means.

Maybe he just hit the wrong key?

[dcheatwood]

Well yesterday, I got a brand new, custom painted fridge access panel to replace the one that blew off somewhere along I-49 or I-20 back in June.
Wife is a happy camper again.
FROG Rally 2019,Goshen, Indiana.