Retrofitting a Isotherm refrigerator - Page 2

Ed in Montana · 06-22-2009, 08:31 PM

Refrigerator lust is a terrible thing.

Thanks for the great write-up Jack.

**daveb** · 06-25-2009, 08:38 PM

Thanks Jack. Between you and Charlie as beta testers and problems solvers, this has been one great thread. SMB needs to document this one.

yvrr · 09-25-2009, 08:25 PM

We just got back from a two-week trip to Colorado and had a good opportunity to really test our "new" Isotherm refrigerator on this trip. If you are designing a new "build", you should consider substituting a Isotherm refrigerator for the "factory" Norcold refrigerator. As I mentioned in our trip to Mendicino, the unit is very quiet and basically draws no power at night. Some other benefits....the refrigerator can freeze ice cubes in the evening (after you use the last of them for cocktails) and doesn't freeze things in the "crisper" like lettuce, a real problem with the Norcold. I think that the door seal is much better design than the Norcold. (I ordered a replacement door seal for our Norcold a couple of years ago but it was worse than the old factory-installed seal which I think was leaking cold air.) On the other hand, if you have an Isotherm, you need to solder the main power wires and figure out a solution to keeping the two modules together. My solution seemed to work well...even after driving over the Hagerman Pass between Leadville and Basalt. (This is a great route for newbie 4WD SMB owners...not technical but high-clearance is needed and 4WD helps avoid slipping going up and provides braking going down.)

We are very pleased with this refrigerator....

charlies · 10-07-2013, 08:50 AM

The Isotherm 130 looks like a great refrig. May question is; would it fit in my 1995 Ford E250 EB with the 4cf Norcold (now dead) that is over the driver's wheel well? The Isotherm looks to not be not as deep as the Norcold DE-0041 (replacement for the old DE-0541). What is the depth of the Isotherm at the top (from the flange to the back)?

I am looking for a 4cf refrig that will fit without hacking up the cabinets or paneling.

ANZAC · 08-18-2015, 02:59 PM

Anyone with an CR130 please chime in.

The current product says it is a 3 sided "proud mount" flange. In these pictures which are a few years old, it looks totally flush mount.

Is it possible to mount it so it is flush? The stainless version is flush mount but I don't want that.

Isotherm is very specific that it is a "proud" mount. See drawings here:

http://www.indelwebastomarine.com/filea ... rawing.pdf

Or is it just possible to mount flush?

Also, you guys with EB/RB50 floorpans, my existing fridge is a left swing door (swings out right to left).
I can special order the ASU fridge with a left swing, but I am wondering if a right swing door (from left out to the right) makes more sense in the EB50 layout. I can't reach the fridge from the front seats, so going in the side door, it seems like right swing makes more sense....?

Viva · 08-18-2015, 03:31 PM

I ended up going with a Vitrifrigo, because I wanted the slightly larger freezer and a separate compressor, but I also looked at the Isotherms. I believe the "proud mount" door is associated with the "Cruise Classic" line. They also make the "same" refrigerator in two other lines, the "Cruise Elegance," and the "Cruise Inox" (inox meaning stainless).

The Cruise Classic has the proud mount door (sticks out from mounting flange) and is 19.9 " deep (but that does not include the door, which sticks out further).

The Cruise Elegance has an extra thick (2") door and a "different" type of mounting that fastens from inside, not exactly sure on details but no flange (and a goofy center door handle, IMO). It is 19.4" deep but that does NOT include the door (so really more like 21.4" deep).

The Cruise Inox is a flush door (i.e. door and mounting flange are flush), and is 21.4" deep.

You can see them all by going here (good folks, btw, I got my 'fridge from them):

http://www.suremarineservice.com/built- ... ators.aspx

They also have a great "size comparing tool" that compares all the brands they carry (Vitrifrigo, Norcold, Isotherm, and Nova Kool).

http://www.suremarineservice.com/Refrig ... rison.aspx

ANZAC · 08-18-2015, 08:52 PM

Right, but the OP's install post shows what I believe to be a Cruise Classic, yet it isn't a proud mount....

ANZAC · 08-19-2015, 12:06 AM

Looking at the original post, maybe this explains the flush/proud difference?

Quote:

I ordered the Isotherm 3-sided mounting flange. It appeared that the flange was to be installed by attaching it the refrigerator by screwing it to the sides of the refrigerator and lining it up with a metal piece on the sides of the refrigerator. But mounting it in that location seemed to make it interfere with the opening of the door and I therefore installed it a measured distance (16.5") from the rear of the unit. That mean drilling new clearance holes for the screws so that they would still screw into this metal piece.

yvrr, are you out there?

Viva · 08-19-2015, 09:06 AM

I noticed that too, but since it was moved because otherwise it seemed like it would interfere with the door opening, you'd think that would mean it was moved back, not forward? Maybe not though. At any rate, it seems like the refrigerator boxes are similar depth, and just the flange is in different places.

Or maybe they have changed in the years since then as they've been developing the various "lines"?

Vitrifrigo also has some that are flush and some that are proud (although they use different terms), but the model I got (similar size to that being discussed here) only comes in flush mount.

ANZAC · 08-19-2015, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viva

I noticed that too, but since it was moved because otherwise it seemed like it would interfere with the door opening, you'd think that would mean it was moved back, not forward? Maybe not though. At any rate, it seems like the refrigerator boxes are similar depth, and just the flange is in different places.

Or maybe they have changed in the years since then as they've been developing the various "lines"?

Vitrifrigo also has some that are flush and some that are proud (although they use different terms), but the model I got (similar size to that being discussed here) only comes in flush mount.

Right that's what I'm wondering. I guess I could always get the stainless but that looks a bit fru-fru. I just want black or grey.

I called Isotherm sales but they didn't have an explanation. Something also looks slightly different in the door design (hard to pin down, but the new door looks to have more rounded edges because it sits proud. Maybe I'll try Isotherm tech people. Still looks like a great option and ASU is really what I want...