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  1. #11
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by Aharper26 View Post
    Has anyone removed there Norcold 2118 and installed a residential fridge? I'm wondering about the island will it need to be removed?
    Very recently replaced the Norcold 2118 in our Solitude 374TH. Depending on the fridge you select, you 'may' need to move the island slightly. We went with a 22 cuft LG model and we were able to do it without moving the island.
    I did a write up on our blog here >> https://rctravels.rmcd.ca/p/residential-fridge.html

    -Rob-
    Rob, Chris and fur baby Maya - Follow us at rctravels.rmcd.ca
    2019 Solitude 374TH, Victron Multiplus II 3000 2x120, Cerbo GX, 6x Battle Born 100AH, 1800W Solar, Blue Sky CC's, Starlink
    2023 GMC Sierra Duramax Denali 4x4 DRW Longbox Crew Cab, Curt Q25

  2. #12
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    Thank you for all the replies. I think I will have to move it alittle. This might end up being my winter project.

  3. #13
    Fireside Member RSteele's Avatar
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    Not a 381 but same trailer - 4 feet of garage. 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.
    2019 Momentum 351m. 1200 watts solar, Victron Inverter/charger, Battery monitor, 150/100 solar charge controller, 3 170 ah Renogy LIPO batteries. 2017 Ram 3500 SRW SB wireless 1 airbags. Reese Gooseball, B&W turnover ball.

  4. #14
    Fireside Member RSteele's Avatar
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    Not a 381 but same trailer minus 4 feet of garage. 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.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 7CBD3561-86D5-43B2-8B2F-D3AD7A333C7D.jpg   038B0FFE-F900-4D1C-B729-5C056DE59418.jpg  
    2019 Momentum 351m. 1200 watts solar, Victron Inverter/charger, Battery monitor, 150/100 solar charge controller, 3 170 ah Renogy LIPO batteries. 2017 Ram 3500 SRW SB wireless 1 airbags. Reese Gooseball, B&W turnover ball.

  5. #15
    Seasoned Camper Just Krusen's Avatar
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    I replaced the Norcold in my 376 with a Whirlpool side by side. Island did not have to be moved. Just remove doors on both refrigerators. A bit tight coming through the entrance door but do able. Door handle o freezer does need to be removed when bringing in the slide.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Pam & Ed
    "Just Kruse'n"

    Momentum 376TH (New 11/04/2016)
    Full Timing since 11/04/2016
    2017 Ram 3500 DRW Aisin 3.73

  6. #16
    Fireside Member RSteele's Avatar
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    None of the refers with handles would fit in my 351 according to measurements even the counter depth models. Remember the norcold is only about 24” deep excluding the doors. There is about 27” from the enclosure front to the back wall and you need a couple of inches for air circulation. The 2021 models look to have a smaller island in pictures. The residential option wasn’t available when I ordered my 351 and the dealer said they couldn’t get a fridge to fit because of the island. The norcold and the new fridge both fit around the island when removing and installing. The norcold was removed with the doors on. I used a 4 wheeled harbor freight dolly to move both fridges in and out. A word of advice though, the norcold has a sheet metal flange on the rear bottom and you need to remove it before you take it out of the cabinet or life will be rough, it has 4 sheet metal screws holding it on. The drawer pulls will also dent the thin stainless doors so it is best to remove them. I removed the doors on the avanti unit before I put it in the trailer. The lighter and smaller the better. The Avanti works great I have no complaints or regrets best mod I have done to the 351. Still trying to sell the nocold on Craigslist no bites yet and it’s been 3 months, guess people already know they don’t work well. I contemplated the 12v compressor route but in the end it’s still an absorption unit just hopefully more efficient. I did not install door latches on the new residential fridge it is 1” from the drawer pulls so I drop a bath towel between the fridge and island after the slide is in to make sure the doors stay shut. The drawer pulls keep the towel from falling to the floor. Even if the towel falls it is still doing it’s job. Works great and low tech.

  7. #17
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    The main issue with residential fridges is the side and top clearance. Many have minimum clearances. Other than that res are much nicer in that they give you more room for the opening size. Norcolds 8 cu.ft fridges are really only 7.5 cu.ft or so. You can pack a 10 +/- cu'ft res style in the same opening.

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