Hey man, we're COOL! New refrigerator...

First it was the COOL bedspread (which is working out EXTREMELY well - we both like it and I don't have to turn the night-time A/C down so low).

Now it's the COOL refrigerator/freezer! As many of you know, our nice 4-door Norcold refrigerator gave up the ghost. The ice maker leaked so bad, we disconnected it a couple years ago. Then the compressor went (not fun, ammonia smell - ugh! - and Stu was out of town in  Maryland).

Norcold 1210

We planned to have it fixed but after talking to several friends, we opted to install a residential unit instead. We were very fortunate to have Protech RV loan us a small fridge until ours new one was up and running. We bought a Samsung RF18, meaning we went from 12.1 cu ft to 18 cu ft!

The little borrowed fridge under our TV, beside our old fridge (waiting for removal)

Why? Better insulation, more efficient, more storage, longer lasting, lower price than a new RV propane/electric refrigerator. We had been worried about boondocking, but for now, the only real need to do that is for 2-3 nights while running from south to north and vice versa. Everyone that has a residential unit told us it stayed quite cold for up to eight hours of no power. We're keeping our fingers crossed!

Amazingly, Stu managed to get our old fridge out. First removing the doors, bins, etc, then undoing all the screws holding it in and finally using some wood to slide it down onto on old beach towel. He dragged it to the door where, between us, we managed to slide it outside using wood planks on our steps. Phew!

The changeover required the drawer underneath the old refrigerator be removed as well as a little side molding. The new unit was taller than the old one. Once installed, it also required bracing under the front because it stuck out a bit further, even though we got a counter depth unit (24"). We still need to stain the wood we jammed in underneath (screwed once it was wrenched up high enough to let the unit slide).

Taking out the drawer

All cleaned up and waiting for new fridge.
Lower vent/access panel covered with bubble wrap.

The only other somewhat major issue was getting the fridge delivered INSIDE our rig. We bought it at Home Depot and they called the delivery company who assured us that 1) they could bring it inside our RV and 2) they would have the doors off (to fit through our door). Three hours after dropping it in our campsite, another crew finally appeared to bring it inside. Stu ended up taking the doors off. Oh, and we paid $15 to have them them haul the old fridge away (well worth it).

Waiting for crew from Home Depot to carry it inside.

Stu took the doors off and put them on our new COOL bedspread.

Here are a few more key photos of the delivery and Stu's installation - you can see them all in our SmugMug album.

He also created a wooden, felt covered lock to keep the doors from opening when we are moving. Others use velcro on the fridge doors and soft ties attached to the sides (for the freezer). We will see how this works. We already had the scrap wood or it would have been wider. That maybe our weak point. We used self-sticking felt on it.

Here is a peek inside the fridge (more than enough room - oh, and we saved a couple of bins from the old fridge to use. They work great. The big one holds all our yogurt and the smaller one (our old ice maker tray), holds bottles of beer. Important since we now have glass shelves.

The freezer has a top sliding drawer where the ice maker is located (we will never use all this ice!). I also use a large reusable shopping bag to keep the veggies and meats separate. I have another in case I decide to put the meat in one, but for now, this works. And yes, it keeps ice cream - so hard that we have to put it in the fridge for an hour or so before dishing it out!

Ciao for now!