Residential refrigerator install in 351m

[RSteele]

I couldn’t find any information on installing a residential refrigerator in a 351m when I was contemplating the install so I thought I would post what I found here in case anyone was interested. I find it hard to post questions on here sometimes with the search police so active on this forum, the minute someone asks a question the same guy comes on telling them to do a search. I find it very rude and people probably refrain from asking questions because of it. The first thing I did to remedy the poor performance with the Norcold was installied ]]3 high volume centrifugal fans I bought from Cooling Unit Warehouse behind my 18 cu ft Norcold 2118. 2 on the upper refrigerator slide vent pulling hot air out and one blowing on the condenser fins aiming up. The refrigerator cooled down 2x as fast as it did without the fans but still ran at 40 degrees no matter the setting. 90 degrees outside or 50 didn’t matter, still struggled to maintain 40 degrees. I was worried about the overly large absorption refrigerator when I bought the trailer. I had 2 diesel pushers before the trailer with 12 cu ft Norcolds. They worked better than the new 18 cu ft but still not to my liking. The only absorption fridge I have had that worked well was a 8 cu ft Dometic I had in a truck camper. It was not in a slide which helps with natural venting and heat rises physics. I am just tired of absorption refrigerators and the lack of cooling. You would think for $4000 this refrigerator would work right, nope. There was no option for a residential refrigerator from Grand Design and the island in the 351m limits the depth of the refrigerator you can put in. I finally found a couple that were the correct depth. Think counter depth but most are about 30 inches deep with handles. You need to be 28 inches or less for it to fit. Haier and Avanti both make models that will fit. Haier was my first choice but was $500 more than the Avanti. I picked up the Avanti for $700 both refrigerators are about 16 cu ft. Attachment 28568 (https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/atta...568)Attachment 28569 (https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/atta...569)Attachment 28570 (https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/atta...570)Attachment 28571 (https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/attachme
nt.php?attachmentid=28571)Attachment 28572 (https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/atta...ntid=28572)Had to take the doors off the get it past the island and in the refrigerator cut out. I sealed up the vents, securely mounted the refrigerator with l brackets and screws and put trim around the refrigerator. The Norcold is 36 inches wide and both the Avanti and Haier are 33 inches wide. I had to cut 2 inches at the top of the cabinet to fit the Avanti in. The Avanti works great, cools in 2 hours and will freeze your food and drinks if you set it too low. Doesn’t matter what the temp is outside. Never going back to absorption ever. The Norcold also used a lot of propane, I couldn’t believe the size of the flame that burner put out. The Avanti refrigerator doesn’t use alot of electricity and overnight uses 10% of my 510 amp hours of lithium. I have 1200 watts of solar on the roof, a Victron 150/100 solar controller, Victron multiplus 3000 watt inverter With a 120
amp charger and a Victron 712 smart battery monitor. The batteries are usually charged back to 100% by 11:00 am on a sunny day. If my son is with me and watches Direct tv all night and leaves the lights on or uses the microwave a lot it takes another hour or two to get back to 100%. I boondock almost exclusively for Offroad riding and the system works great for me but you could get away with two lead acid batteries and a generator with this residential refrigerator. Just watch your energy consumption and run the generator in the evening for a couple hours.

[TheLexx]

Which model Avanti is that? I can’t seem to find it on any website. $700 is an excellent price!

I couldn’t find any information on installing a residential refrigerator in a 351m when I was contemplating the install so I thought I would post what I found here in case anyone was interested. I find it hard to post questions on here sometimes with the search police so active on this forum, the minute someone asks a question the same guy comes on telling them to do a search. I find it very rude and people probably refrain from asking questions because of it. The first thing I did to remedy the poor performance with the Norcold was installied ]]3 high volume centrifugal fans I bought from Cooling Unit Warehouse behind my 18 cu ft Norcold 2118. 2 on the upper refrigerator slide vent pulling hot air out and one blowing on the condenser fins aiming up. The refrigerator cooled down 2x as fast as it did without the fans but still ran at 40 degrees no matter the setting. 90 degrees outside or 50 didn’t matter, still struggled to maintain 40 degrees. I was worried about the overly large absorption refrigerator when I bought the trailer. I had 2 diesel pushers before the trailer with 12 cu ft Norcolds. They worked better than the new 18 cu ft but still not to my liking. The only absorption fridge I have had that worked well was a 8 cu ft Dometic I had in a truck camper. It was not in a slide which helps with natural venting and heat rises physics. I am just tired of absorption refrigerators and the lack of cooling. You would think for $4000 this refrigerator would work right, nope. There was no option for a residential refrigerator from Grand Design and the island in the 351m limits the depth of the refrigerator you can put in. I finally found a couple that were the correct depth. Think counter depth but most are about 30 inches deep with handles. You need to be 28 inches or less for it to fit. Haier and Avanti both make models that will fit. Haier was my first choice but was $500 more than the Avanti. I picked up the Avanti for $700 both refrigerators are about 16 cu ft. Attachment 28568 (https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/atta...568)Attachment 28569 (https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/atta...569)Attachment 28570 (https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/atta...570)Attachment 28571 (https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/attachme
nt.php?attachmentid=28571)Attachment 28572 (https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/atta...ntid=28572)Had to take the doors off the get it past the island and in the refrigerator cut out. I sealed up the vents, securely mounted the refrigerator with l brackets and screws and put trim around the refrigerator. The Norcold is 36 inches wide and both the Avanti and Haier are 33 inches wide. I had to cut 2 inches at the top of the cabinet to fit the Avanti in. The Avanti works great, cools in 2 hours and will freeze your food and drinks if you set it too low. Doesn’t matter what the temp is outside. Never going back to absorption ever. The Norcold also used a lot of propane, I couldn’t believe the size of the flame that burner put out. The Avanti refrigerator doesn’t use alot of electricity and overnight uses 10% of my 510 amp hours of lithium. I have 1200 watts of solar on the roof, a Victron 150/100 solar controller, Victron multiplus 3000 watt inverter With a 120
amp charger and a Victron 712 smart battery monitor. The batteries are usually charged back to 100% by 11:00 am on a sunny day. If my son is with me and watches Direct tv all night and leaves the lights on or uses the microwave a lot it takes another hour or two to get back to 100%. I boondock almost exclusively for Offroad riding and the system works great for me but you could get away with two lead acid batteries and a generator with this residential refrigerator. Just watch your energy consumption and run the generator in the evening for a couple hours.

[RSteele]

Looks like it is $800 now but still a good price I think. They had a better sale a couple months back. I had it shipped to my door.

[RSteele]

Model number FFS157L3S

[TheLexx]

Thanks. That's such an awesome price. It's at least $300 cheaper than the typical Samsung folks have been using.

Looks like it is $800 now but still a good price I think. They had a better sale a couple months back. I had it shipped to my door.

[5er Searching]

I installed a samsung from Home Depot think it was $1200. Had to trim top and side of opening, works great I would never go back.

[RSteele]

I installed a samsung from Home Depot think it was $1200. Had to trim top and side of opening, works great I would never go back.

What model Number Samsung is that? I don’t think I saw that one and I thought I looked at every counter depth model ever made for the correct dimensions and without handles.

[TheLexx]

How are you guys holding the fridge in place? Are you using brackets and screws somehow?

[RSteele]

I used 2” screws through the adjuster feet brackets to the wood base the refrigerator sits on and made some brackets for the top rear. There were screws already in the top rear of the refrigerator I just removed them and installed the brackets where the original screws were. The brackets are screwed into the aluminum frame around the vents on the other side. I used L brackets on the bottom rear of the refrigerator but they are just screwed into the bottom of the cabinet and into the sheet metal on the lower rear of the refrigerator, not that strong because it is only in sheet metal probably not needed and you have to be careful where you put the screws because the compressor and coolant tubes are down there. The screws in the front bottom and rear are solid and the refrigerator doesn’t move at all.

[5er Searching]

Model # RS22T5201SR

I didn't fasten mine I use a piece of dense foam covered in felt against the Island when traveling. It has never moved. When I arrive and open the slides I pull it out an inch for an air gap behind it. Also I have traveled up to 5 hours in 90 degree heat with 2 ice packs in each side and it has stayed within 5 degrees. If I travel longer than that I can start the generator from my phone with the 1 touch control from the TV without stopping and just run it for an hour every 6 hours or so.