Replacement refrigerator recommendation?

[Steve C]

Installed my new Truck Fridge two weeks ago (replaced my 21 y/o Norcold) and just got back from a trip to the Oregon Coast last night. The new refrigerator was much quieter than the old and seemed to cycle on/off much less often. To install it, I needed to remove the original SMB 1 1/2” risers. Replaced them with a 1/2” plywood board with routed out relief areas to fit over the existing “L brackets and bolt heads”. The refrigerator’s flange protruded out a bit more than the original so I ended up cutting shallow rabbits along the backs of the cabinet doors. I used to turn off the Norcold at night due to noise and never noticed the new one running.

[Herbie]

Yikes, Jabberbox, that's scary. I'm glad you and pooch are OK.

I can't guess the exact cause, but since you smelled ammonia early in the "event", it seems like a leak in the ammonia line is a strong candidate.

The heater flame needed for absorption fridges has always been a balancing act - the single-pressure absorption mechanism involves a flame and a small amount of hydrogen mixed in with the ammonia, so I'm sure that's perfectly fine... :/

Lord knows if it leaked first, or if you had some excess heat melt insulation in the electrical, which caused a small flame, which then caused the leak...

[BoxterRocks]

Im just thankful it happend at a time when i was there to put it out and not inside a store or something with the Dog locked inside. I dont care if the truck burns to the ground, but if anything happend to my Dog i would never forgive myself. Now i even worry about the 12 volts batteries, im kicking around installing battery cutoff switches on both the start battery and house batteries so i can kill all the juice if i have to leave the Dog inside unattended to go into a grocery store or something.

[86Scotty]

That's a bummer. It does happen though. Pretty much everything on an RV is dangerous, just know your enemy. Propane appliances, AC wiring and components that were never really designed to be in a moving (bouncing) vehicle, etc.

Your upgrade to 12v will be worthwhile in many ways except the the price.

[Railvan]

Originally Posted by Steve C

Installed my new Truck Fridge two weeks ago (replaced my 21 y/o Norcold).

Looks great. Which model Truck Fridge did you buy? I'm looking to replace mine and it looks like the same size, in a RB50 SMB plan.

[Steve C]

Originally Posted by Railvan

Looks great. Which model Truck Fridge did you buy? I'm looking to replace mine and it looks like the same size, in a RB50 SMB plan.

Originally Posted by JoeH

this thread might be useful. https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...t-18725-2.html

It also has a handy reference for fridge brands and sizes. https://www.suremarineservice.com/Ga...ze-Comparison/

I'm all about plug and play with the least amount of modification. Interested to hear how the Truckfridge goes for those of us that might be replacing the Norcold DC0051 spec'd by SMB in the 2000s.

I went with the TF65 AC/DC and utilized the link JoeH provided ^^^ to make sure the two models were interchangeable. Notice that the link doesn't list Truck Fridge (since it's a marine site), but I assumed the Isotherm units would have the same dimensions as the TF versions.

[Jeffrey]

Steve C, I don't see the TF-65 on that suremarine reference chart. How did you know it would fit? And in your pic, where is the vent?

[Steve C]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

Steve C, I don't see the TF-65 on that suremarine reference chart. How did you know it would fit? And in your pic, where is the vent?

Since the Isotherm and TruckFridge units are manufactured by the same company, I just inferred that the Isotherm CR165 was the same as the TF65. Of course I paid close attention to the measurements for both Isotherm and TF models and they did indeed match. As far as venting, I didn't add anything other than the original spot as built by Sportsmobile. There is about a 1/2" gap under the refrigerator and a decent gap between the van's wall and the panel behind the driver's seat. If that clearance was good enough for 20+ years for the Norcold, I figure it will be good enough for the TF as well? I sure hope that my reasoning is sound.