Replacing Refrigerator

[lonnieandholley]

Hello All!! New to the forum I have a 2015 Alpine 3510RE. we are replacing the fridge with a residential fridge. Any suggestions on brand, model, etc would be greatly appreciated. If you have replaced yours, can you attach pics of your replacement.

Thanks,

Lonnie

[chuckster57]

Welcome to the forum

Any particular reason you want to change? There is some major considerations in changing from an RV fridge to a residential one.

[sourdough]

Welcome to the forum! As Chuck mentioned there is a lot more to removing a regular RV fridge and putting a residential in it's place other than swapping them out. Have you researched that?

[lonnieandholley]

Thanks for the response. I guess I should clarify some things. The camper will be permanently placed and used for my primary residence. I am in the process of replacing the floor on the slide in which the fridge is located. So, I already have the old fridge out and while i have the opportunity to replace it, i figured it's now or never. The gas line has already been pulled out and line capped.

With all that said, any suggestions as I progress forward...

Thanks,

Lonnie

[chuckster57]

Since 120VAC is there for the heating elements all you may need is a water line for an ice maker. You may have to change the outlet if it only has 1 actual outlet.

Any plans for the access panels?

[lonnieandholley]

Once I pulled the fridge, there was wasp nest and dirt dobbers behind the fridge. I plan to cover the access panel with a screen door material so the fridge will still have adequate ventilation. Is there something I'm missing about the access panel?

The water line for the ice maker is going to be a little tricky since the sink is in the middle of the island. I'm hoping to find a water line closer that i can tap into.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Make sure the new one will fit through the door.

[chuckster57]

I would cover the access panels or you may have a problem with drafts, since you probably can’t seal the cabinet. In houses, the fridge has adequate ventilation tucked into the corner mine is between the stove and a wall.

You could tie into the cold water pex in the underbelly and route the water line into the slide where the original electrical and propane came in.

[lonnieandholley]

I have the windows out on the other slide. If the fridge won't fit through the door, through the window it goes! Lol

[lonnieandholley]

Cover them with...? Luan?

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by lonnieandholley

I have the windows out on the other slide. If the fridge won't fit through the door, through the window it goes! Lol

BTDT. Take lots of pics.

[lonnieandholley]

[lonnieandholley]

[dutchmensport]

Wow! You're doing on huge change / remodel there! Awesome!

My Montana came with a residential refrigerator in the kitchen slide out. The manufacturer used Pex plumbing through the entire camper. The line that runs to the refrigerator ice maker is tapped into under the kitchen sink. A simple T line with a separate valve to turn that line off when needed. The line runs straight down back under the floor, where evidently another T line exists. One leg of the T runs on to the refrigerator, the other leg of that T is a low-point drain with another valve under the trailer.

The line that continues to the refrigerator stops at the trailer frame (under the slide out) and a connection is installed on the Pex pipe. Here, the connection is a flexible hose (like one would use under their kitchen or bathroom sinks in a house to make that last connection from the pipe coming out of the floor and to the faucets, (or toilet).

The length of this flexible hose/pipe is 40 inches long. (I know I had to replace it once when the original developed a leak.) I eventually had to go to my RV dealership for one of that length, because Lowes, Home Depot, Menards, Ace, all had only the stock sizes. But the actual hose / pipe is identical (1/2 inch).

So this flexible hose stretches across the width of the slide out where it's reconnected to a Pex pipe again. That Pex pipe turns up into the slide and through the floor where it's connected to yet another cut off valve. This valve is connected to the Pex and the other end is fitted for the small tube that runs to the ice maker.

I ended up installing another low-point drain at the trailer frame junction. It sounds like a lot, but all of this does make it easy to cut the water completely off going to the ice make (under the kitchen sink), or inside the slide out (right at the refrigerator). It also allows an easy way to drain the water from the line (under the sink area) and now, under the slide out.

These low point drains, especially the second one I installed, makes it incredibly easy and fast to bleed the water out and replace with RV antifreeze, getting the antifreeze to the ice maker much faster. It's bled of water up to the slide out. So hitting the button on the ice maker to get the antifreeze there now, doesn't require I have to cycle the ice maker 50 times to bleed the line, It's now almost completely bled and I have to cycle the ice maker, maybe 3 times and then the pink-stuff starts flowing. Flushing the pink out is equally as easy. I can flush the line out, all the way up to the slide out. Then the ice maker needs to cycle only about 4 or 5 times and it's clean water again.

So, if installing a water line, give yourself several drain points and several turn off valves. You won't ever regret putting them in.

[dutchmensport]

One more thing. Considering you are putting in a residential refrigerator... it I were doing it, I'd seal off completely those outside vents. Whatever it takes to completely block any air from coming in, do it. Finish the inside of the walls so it blends in and doesn't look too "odd". I understand this is behind the refrigerator and may never been seen, but it's still self-satisfying knowing it's done right and good.

On the outside of the trailer, simply replace the original louvers / vent covers. That way, the look of the trailer on the outside will not have some kind of miss-matched replacement cover on the walls, which is quite obvious, not the original.

So, simply replace the original on the outside after sealing the holes air tight and water tight from the inside.

[Pearlie]

I would rethink having an ice maker in the fridge. Every ice maker I've had has had problems. We also have an rv that doesn't travel (seasonal site). We replaced an rv fridge with a residential Whirlpool top freezer model with no ice maker. We got a countertop ice maker. Not only did we save money on the fridge, we don't have to worry about ice maker problems or the water line. I love having the residential fridge and the extra capacity in the fridge and freezer.

[adeakins]

Originally Posted by lonnieandholley

Hello All!! New to the forum I have a 2015 Alpine 3510RE. we are replacing the fridge with a residential fridge. Any suggestions on brand, model, etc would be greatly appreciated. If you have replaced yours, can you attach pics of your replacement.

Thanks,

Lonnie

I heartily suggest you avoid Samsung products. Lowe’s and Home Depot love to sell Samsung, but you may want to look at how many people have lawsuits and regulatory complaints. Parts are hard to get and warranties aren’t worth much particularly if installed in an RV. My personal experience is not good. The other consideration is weight. Residential units were not designed for RVs and tend to be heavy.

[toolittletime]

I had good luck with Haier brand. I think all of them are sealed up in the rear.

[yocsr]

Our 38' bhds Hideout came with a residential Frigidaire, which only lasted 6 months and Frigidaire would not honor warranty. We replaced it with a GE Eterna series and that was 7 years ago. It's still going strong. Ice makers in a fridge are nothing but trouble, won't have one.

[lonnieandholley]

Finally finished replacing the floors in the 2 slides and added residential refrigerator. I did install one with water and ice in the door. Here are a few pics of final product!!