Norcold is Nevercold -Refrigerator Threadfest - Page 2

deminimis · 04-14-2009, 10:55 AM

I tried to read the schematics for the DE-0041, but my eyes glazed over. Didn't have a key handy. Once I pull the unit, I'll plug it in and check voltage with a guage. Can't find any info out there at all.

scatter · 04-14-2009, 03:49 PM

Mine's a straight 12v deminimis, but I doubt very much if yours is a dual voltage compressor. If'in it twas me, I'd go for a straight 12v model. It's got to be cheaper and if you don't run it a lot on shore power.... If you do need to use it on shore power once in a while, the battery charger should keep up with what you're pulling from the battery. At least it does on mine.
Besides this way, you can still sell the old unit

cause it's not torn apart.

deminimis · 04-15-2009, 01:32 PM

This was ever so nearly touched on in a prior refrigerator thread in '07, but not touched on enough to prosecute. Scatter brings up a good argument. I like (I guess "liked" would me more appropriate) a dual voltage fridge. I like plugging into shore power and not having to worry about runing down the batts with my fridge. In fact, I'd love to have a 3-way fridge, but I don't want to install the vents at this point. So, let's not worry about a LP fridge for this exercise.

Some have argued in the past (here or on boating forums) that buying a dorm fridge from Wal-Mart for $125 and using an inverter is the way to go. Scatter suggests going with a DC only fridge and topping off the batts via solar and/or recharging via the alternator, I suspect (or if on shore power, just running the charger to keep the batt topped off). Humm, I think Scatter has the better argument here. When I had a very weak house batt last year and while boondocking on a couple of trips, I would run my fridge all day at the highest cooling rate to get everything near frozen (solar was keeping the batts up). I would shut off the fridge after the sun went down to save the batt. This actually worked quite well as I didn't have anything in the freezer compartment that might thaw. I was also alone or had one buddy along and did not have a wife and/or kids constantly opening the door to the fridge as mine do. In fact, I was smart and grabbed two beers each time I went into the fridge so as to keep the fridge cool as long as possible (efficiency in motion). Anyway, if I buy the DC only fridge, I save approx $160 over the AC/DC version (plus $20 shipping -don't ask me why). Frankly, I'm not really seeing that much benefit to having a dual voltage fridge now. What say ye?

mjeffrey · 04-15-2009, 01:53 PM

The 12V fridge is the way to go. Any converter/charger that you have is likely capable of putting out at least 40A, probably more - plenty to charge batteries AND power your fridge at the same time (the fridge is ~2.5A). You can charge a deep cycle battery (if very discharged) at higher amperage, but once it reaches a fairly high charge the amps you're feeding to it will drop to <10 (I think about 3A is a float charge?)

I wouldn't think there would be any heat issue, since the converter/charger is already designed to put out much higher current than 2.5A.

Inverters are inefficient, as are Walmart 110V fridges! You'll be wasting battery just by stepping down the voltage.

I've also been looking at these fridges, since they have a stepped shape at the back that'll help with my installation. Would you mind sharing any good sites or deals you've found?

Cheers!
Mike.

deminimis · 04-15-2009, 02:27 PM

Sure Marine in Seattle has one on display. I was going to buy it (over the phone) but for some reason, I could not get the sales person to verify the actual model number. The price was too low (lower than their advertised price), so I eventually gave up. He wouldn't tell me the model number, and just wanted to know what unit I was replacing. Frustrating. If it truly is a Vitrifrigo C115iAC (as he was suggesting), then it is a steal and you need to buy it post haste! So run, Mike...Run like the wind and grab that display unit before its too late.

mjeffrey · 04-15-2009, 02:45 PM

Thanks for the tip - 4.2 cubic feet is too big for my space, but I never would have known that there was a Vitrifrigo dealer relatively nearby. The company I work for has an office just down the street from Sure Marine that I can work from, so perhaps on Friday I'll go in and have a look. Too late to offer my model-number-checking services, but it sounds like you found a better deal, anyhow.

Enjoy your new fridge! And thanks for the help.
- Mike.

deminimis · 04-15-2009, 04:06 PM

Vitrifrigo USA is located in Fla. They ship to distributors from there.

DO NOT used AA Mabru Inc. out of Fla (Ebay seller AKA: marinerefrigerators, AKA: themarinestore). He tried to squeeze approx $75 more out of me after I had purchsed and paid for the unit (and shipping). He raised his prices right after I bought and pd for a fridge. Claimed it was for shipping (claimed shipping quote was too low, there was a glitch, the quote was only an estimate, blah blah blah). I verified the shipping was in the ballpark via the UPS website (even added some weight for the estimate). The seller gave me different BS stories with each contact. So, I guess, buy from him if you want, I'd just rec against it based on my experience.

So, what did I do? I did what I should have done in the first place and bought the Vitrifrigo from Sure Marine in Seattle. I bought the only C115iAC they had in stock. My office mgr's dad lives there, so he'll pick it up for me. I confirmed, through two other sales folks that the fridge was the C115iAC. So, I'll post up pics of the install, etc. Funny, there was a relatively local guy with a new DE-0041 for only $500! By new, I mean uninstalled. If anyone is interested, lemme know (you'd have to pick it up in Eastern OR as no shipping -don't know the guy and not vouching for him or the fridge). Damn, I'm ready to be done with this.

deminimis · 04-19-2009, 01:35 PM

Son of a congressional member!

Fridge must have gone in before the starboard side cabinets. Even if I remove the opposing door fronts, there isn't enough room to remove the fridge.

The new fridge will, however, fit. Instead of disassembling the cabinet to remove the Norcold, I am seriously considering haveing my alter ego, Sawzall Samuri, address the Norcold removal problem. I could split that sucker in half in a New York minute. Guess no reason to save the Norcold at this point, so why not? Regardless, out of time today. Off to Little League.

**BroncoHauler** · 04-19-2009, 01:50 PM

Will the fridge door come off? Home fridges have easy to remove doors, so they can be swapped left to right or vice versa.

Herb

deminimis · 04-19-2009, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bronco_hauler

Will the fridge door come off? Home fridges have easy to remove doors, so they can be swapped left to right or vice versa.

Herb

Measured the potential gain by removing the door and anything I could, as well as removing the opposing cabinet doors. Just not enough room. I can access the screws for the upper angle brckets holding the rear facing cabinet side. However, it has one of those lower brackets with a bolt and nut. Won't be able to access the lower nut, thus can't pull the rear face. So, chop chop, I think.