Norcold 2.7 cuft refrigerator noise

[sinbad]

Hi,

I am considering doing a conversion with SMB and want to know what experience you have had with the standard Norcold 2.7 cuft refrigerator noise and current draw. Does SMB insulate the refer cabinet well enough so one does not hear the compressor turn on and off in the night? If you add the big 4D battery, how long will the refer run in say 80 deg weather before you have to charge the battery?

Thanks,

Sinbad

[oclv]

Hard to answer, but I'll take a stab at it. I definately hear our 2.7 kick on and off. It is pretty noisy. In fact we just got back from a weekend at Mammoth and during the night it would come on two or three times every hour. I'm wondering if it needs some sort of servicing as it is 5 years old. If you are a sound sleeper, you will sleep through it as my wife does. If you are a light sleeper you will wake up like I do.

As far as battery life, if your battery is fairly new, you should be able to get perhaps three or four days in 80 to 90 degrees if you are careful with opening and closings. Also, when we are driving, I turn the setting up to 4 or 5, and when we are parked I turn it down to "2". oclv

[sinbad]

Thanks for your help. If I do a SMB conversion, I am going to use a Dometic, 3 way as they make no noise at all.

Thanks,

Sinbad

[John Kalmbach]

Sinbad,

If the Dometic doesn't make any noise, it is probably an absorption type of refrigerator. They are great when operating on LP Gas or 110VAC, but will consume large amounts of 12VDC from your battery(s), and have limited cooling on 12VDC mode. The 2.7cf Norcold is a compressor type refrigerator which will cycle off and on.

Abroption refrigerators also require exterior ventilation, and since they are LP Gas, the venting needs to be at least 36" from your gasoline fill (not a requirement with a diesel).

I hope this helps.

John K.

[sinbad]

Hi,

Yes, it is an absorbtion refrigerator and uses lots about 9 amps of DC. Would be installed in a Diesel Sprinter, so no problem. I have found in a previous van with this refer, that it would freeze food in the DC mode if left on for many hours- which is OK. I also found we used it on DC when we drove, AC when parked in a RV park and propane when we had no AC connection and it worked fine.

Sinbad

[jage]

Personally I'm lucky enough to be level with two sets of Lynx levelers in play. Does SMB still install... rather, will SMB still install the 3-way fridges?

(If they say no, wait two days call and ask again. Repeat as necessary. )

[deminimis]

If you read stories about Norcold 2-way fridges on RV forums, etc., you will likely see that Norcolds are expensive noisy batards. Also, neither Norcold nor Dometic provide a means to recharge their 2-way fridges. So, perhaps you'll want to look at other offerings. I frick'n love my Vitrifrigo (danfoos compressor, extremely quiet and serviceable). Oh yea, it cost less than a Norcold and has greater interior space for the same foot print as my former Norcold. Anyway, something to consider. I've read good things about Novacool too, although I don't personally have one.